Vilnius Union Ships, 1911 - 1919

[The Rock Doctor]

Tweaks to Szermierz:

-Reduced the main belt length to 100%

-Increased barbette protection from 300 to 330mm

-Reduced beam between bulkheads, allowing 3m deep TDS on each side.

-I was able to tick the miscellaneous weight upward a bit afterward.


Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1916

Displacement:
   32,900 t light; 34,456 t standard; 36,342 t normal; 37,850 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (750.07 ft / 738.19 ft) x 91.86 ft (Bulges 95.14 ft) x (30.18 / 31.25 ft)
   (228.62 m / 225.00 m) x 28.00 m (Bulges 29.00 m)  x (9.20 / 9.52 m)

Armament:
      9 - 13.78" / 350 mm 45.0 cal guns - 1,319.36lbs / 598.45kg shells, 100 per gun
     Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1916 Model
     3 x Triple mounts on centreline ends, majority forward
      1 raised mount - superfiring
      16 - 5.12" / 130 mm 45.0 cal guns - 67.62lbs / 30.67kg shells, 250 per gun
     Quick firing guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1916 Model
     8 x Twin mounts on sides, forward deck aft
      4 - 3.94" / 100 mm 45.0 cal guns - 30.78lbs / 13.96kg shells, 250 per gun
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1916 Model
     4 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      4 raised mounts
      4 - 1.97" / 50.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 3.86lbs / 1.75kg shells, 150 per gun
     Anti-air guns in deck mounts, 1916 Model
     4 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      4 raised mounts
      8 - 0.39" / 10.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 0.02lbs / 0.01kg shells, 15,000 per gun
     Machine guns in deck mounts, 1916 Model
     8 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      8 raised mounts
      Weight of broadside 13,095 lbs / 5,940 kg

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   13.0" / 330 mm   479.82 ft / 146.25 m   15.75 ft / 4.80 m
   Ends:   1.97" / 50 mm   258.33 ft / 78.74 m   11.81 ft / 3.60 m
     Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length

   - Torpedo Bulkhead - Additional damage containing bulkheads:
      3.15" / 80 mm   479.82 ft / 146.25 m   28.48 ft / 8.68 m
   Beam between torpedo bulkheads 75.46 ft / 23.00 m

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   15.7" / 400 mm   5.91" / 150 mm      13.0" / 330 mm
   2nd:   1.97" / 50 mm   0.98" / 25 mm      3.94" / 100 mm
   3rd:   0.79" / 20 mm   0.39" / 10 mm            -
   4th:   0.39" / 10 mm   0.39" / 10 mm            -
   5th:   0.20" / 5 mm         -               -

   - Armoured deck - single deck:
   For and Aft decks: 3.54" / 90 mm
   Forecastle: 2.95" / 75 mm  Quarter deck: 3.54" / 90 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 12.99" / 330 mm, Aft 0.00" / 0 mm

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 4 shafts, 134,049 shp / 100,000 Kw = 29.51 kts
   Range 12,000nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 3,394 tons

Complement:
   1,315 - 1,710

Cost:
   £5.020 million / $20.081 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 2,286 tons, 6.3 %
      - Guns: 2,286 tons, 6.3 %
   Armour: 12,018 tons, 33.1 %
      - Belts: 4,379 tons, 12.0 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 1,592 tons, 4.4 %
      - Armament: 2,510 tons, 6.9 %
      - Armour Deck: 3,229 tons, 8.9 %
      - Conning Tower: 307 tons, 0.8 %
   Machinery: 4,994 tons, 13.7 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 12,738 tons, 35.1 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 3,442 tons, 9.5 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 864 tons, 2.4 %
      - Hull below water: 200 tons
      - Hull above water: 200 tons
      - On freeboard deck: 364 tons
      - Above deck: 100 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     48,724 lbs / 22,101 Kg = 37.2 x 13.8 " / 350 mm shells or 7.3 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.13
   Metacentric height 5.5 ft / 1.7 m
   Roll period: 17.0 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 60 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.73
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.20

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.600 / 0.604
   Length to Beam Ratio: 7.76 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 27.17 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 53 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 10.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 6.56 ft / 2.00 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   20.00 %,  30.18 ft / 9.20 m,  24.28 ft / 7.40 m
      - Forward deck:   35.00 %,  24.28 ft / 7.40 m,  24.28 ft / 7.40 m
      - Aft deck:   30.00 %,  24.28 ft / 7.40 m,  24.28 ft / 7.40 m
      - Quarter deck:   15.00 %,  24.28 ft / 7.40 m,  24.28 ft / 7.40 m
      - Average freeboard:      24.75 ft / 7.54 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 93.4 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 174.4 %
   Waterplane Area: 49,597 Square feet or 4,608 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 105 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 183 lbs/sq ft or 894 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.96
      - Longitudinal: 1.39
      - Overall: 1.00
   Adequate machinery, storage, compartmentation space
   Excellent accommodation and workspace room

[Kaiser Kirk]

It would be good to iron out the miscellaneous weight question, because if there aren't going to be material benefits from it, I might as well dump the weight into protection somewhere.

It should probably be a player-directed group decision, I just need clear direction.

[The Rock Doctor]

A notional follow-up to the torpedo-boat carrier Orzel would be 20% heavier, but carry 33% more torpedo-boats, an additional main-battery gun, and be one knot faster.

The ship's length is 58' longer than Orzel, so I'm not concerned about deck space for the fourth pair of MTBs.  Now that I see it, I might trim the bow angle or stern overhang a bit to get overall length under 150m. 

And I'm not sure why I have an aft conning tower.  Might dump that and see if I can add a single 130mm in the B(s) position.  Stay tuned.

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1916

Displacement:
   4,280 t light; 4,416 t standard; 4,776 t normal; 5,064 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (492.72 ft / 482.28 ft) x 45.93 ft x (15.09 / 15.78 ft)
   (150.18 m / 147.00 m) x 14.00 m  x (4.60 / 4.81 m)

Armament:
      4 - 5.12" / 130 mm 45.0 cal guns - 67.62lbs / 30.67kg shells, 250 per gun
     Quick firing guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1916 Model
     2 x Twin mounts on centreline, evenly spread
      4 - 0.39" / 10.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 0.02lbs / 0.01kg shells, 15,000 per gun
     Machine guns in deck mounts, 1916 Model
     4 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      4 raised mounts
      1 - 2.95" / 75.0 mm 45.0 cal gun - 12.99lbs / 5.89kg shells, 250 per gun
     Anti-air gun in deck mount, 1916 Model
     1 x Single mount on centreline, forward deck aft
      1 raised mount
      Weight of broadside 284 lbs / 129 kg

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   1.97" / 50 mm   0.79" / 20 mm      1.97" / 50 mm
   2nd:   0.39" / 10 mm         -               -
   3rd:   0.79" / 20 mm   0.39" / 10 mm            -

   - Conning towers: Forward 0.00" / 0 mm, Aft 3.94" / 100 mm

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 45,577 shp / 34,000 Kw = 30.17 kts
   Range 8,000nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 649 tons

Complement:
   286 - 373

Cost:
   £0.677 million / $2.710 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 61 tons, 1.3 %
      - Guns: 61 tons, 1.3 %
   Armour: 44 tons, 0.9 %
      - Armament: 20 tons, 0.4 %
      - Conning Tower: 24 tons, 0.5 %
   Machinery: 1,698 tons, 35.6 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,611 tons, 33.7 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 496 tons, 10.4 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 866 tons, 18.1 %
      - Hull below water: 160 tons
      - Hull above water: 150 tons
      - On freeboard deck: 520 tons
      - Above deck: 36 tons

Fittings:
-480 t:  Cradles and cranes for 8 MTB-B or –D @60 t per (on deck)
-148 t:  MTB Accommodation for 8 boats @ 6 crew each (above water)
-148 t:  Fuel and ordinance for 16 MTB sorties (below water)
-25 t:  Night-fighting doodads
-25 t:  L/R wireless
-7 t:  Fire control
-33 t:  Weight reserve

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     3,436 lbs / 1,558 Kg = 51.3 x 5.1 " / 130 mm shells or 0.8 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.10
   Metacentric height 1.9 ft / 0.6 m
   Roll period: 14.1 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.19
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.30

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.500 / 0.507
   Length to Beam Ratio: 10.50 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 21.96 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 57 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 54
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 10.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 6.56 ft / 2.00 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   20.00 %,  21.98 ft / 6.70 m,  17.06 ft / 5.20 m
      - Forward deck:   40.00 %,  17.06 ft / 5.20 m,  17.06 ft / 5.20 m
      - Aft deck:   20.00 %,  17.06 ft / 5.20 m,  17.06 ft / 5.20 m
      - Quarter deck:   20.00 %,  17.06 ft / 5.20 m,  17.06 ft / 5.20 m
      - Average freeboard:      17.45 ft / 5.32 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 127.9 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 167.7 %
   Waterplane Area: 14,759 Square feet or 1,371 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 105 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 64 lbs/sq ft or 313 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.85
      - Longitudinal: 1.50
      - Overall: 0.90
   Caution: Hull subject to strain in open-sea
   Cramped machinery, storage, compartmentation space
   Excellent accommodation and workspace room
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

[The Rock Doctor]

Considering options for mid-life update of the Nieugiety class battleships.  These are the first all-big-gun battleships with turbines and oil-sprayed coal bunkerage.  6x2 300mm in pill box layout, 20.98 knots

Option 1:  Addition of AA guns and machine guns out of the weight reserve, and replacement of 1908 FC with 1912 FC.  ~$0.35, 0.27 BP

Option 2:  Refurbishment Basic:  In addition to the above, add 1 metre bulges, and convert 40% of the bunkerage to oil (to 50/50)  This drops the top speed down to ~19.8 knots.  Cost is $6.68 and 1.892 BP.

Option 3:  Refurbishment Plus:  In addition to the above, re-engine with 1917 turbines for 36,000 kw or 22.90 knots.  Cost is $10.54 and 3.893 BP.  Scrapping of old turbines will pay back ~$0.40 and 0.400 BP.

Note that weird things happen to the bunkerage when I change engine year - the same bunker weight gives me more range, even when the coal/fuel ratio is unchanged.  Theoretically this seems to make the Refurb Plus bunkerage change less expensive but I'm sticking with the Refurb Basic costs for consistency.

So is a thirteen year old battleship with an eight-gun 12" broadside and 23 knots worth $10.54 and 3.9 BP?

[TacCovert4]

Unless you need it for colonial station keeping, I'm going to say no.  If it was a 14in BB, then I'd say that it would have enough firepower, but as it stands the only battleship that it could go up against right off is my Implacable class, and I'd be reasonably confident in victory. 

I'd say that your best bet is to update the FC and AA battery, and let it fulfill station duties and other 2nd line duties for a few more years, then scrap it in the 20s.

[Desertfox]

While I would go with Option 1, they are still quite valuable ships. The Romans have a bunch of semi-dreadnoughts in the Caribbean, where I can see these ships serving for a bit, plus a number of other colonial holdings that could use a big ship.

[TacCovert4]

Yeah Option 1 would let you get some utility out of them for another 4 years or so.  I just think that anything more extensive would be throwing away money that could be spent elsewhere.

[Jefgte]

These BBs are 10 years old. They are very correct & could be used until 1928-30
=> Option 1 for the refit.

[The Rock Doctor]

Well I do only have four other dreadnoughts in service (and two building) so they're certainly not going to be out of service any time soon.

[The Rock Doctor]

Sketch of the Magdala class light cruisers...

[The Rock Doctor]

The Dragon class armored cruisers are not long for this world, with the three of them being replaced by the two Szermierz class ships in the next few years.  For the moment, the Dragons are serving as flagships at some of the Union's more distal overseas territories - slow and under-armed compared to more modern ships of their size and type, but they do have the virtues of long legs, a few big guns, and flag facilities.

How to replace these ships in their station-ship duties is under consideration in Vilnius.  Just shuffling the next-youngest armored cruisers over is an option, and the notion of purpose-built station-ships has also come up from time to time.  However, the operational needs of each station - Orimirilandia (Nigeria), Srebrny Rzeki (Uruguay) and Pacific Choco (Colombia) - are fairly different.  Choco is deep water and highly isolated from the rest of the fleet...until the Canal opens at the end of 1918.  Srebrny Rzeki has a fair bit of shallow water in the big river estuary.  Orimirilandia is a big long coastline with some lagoons.

So the notion for Orimirilandia, at least, is to replace its Dragon with a small depot ship to provide the flag facilities and a monitor to provide a couple of big guns for shore bombardment.  Thus the existing monitor Wasserkuppe will be refurbished in H2/1916 for eventual deployment to Africa.  Major changes are:

-Basic refurbishment

-Replacement of its secondary battery, replacement of the tertiary battery with AA guns, and addition of machine guns for security.  All this lets me fix the weird layout of the secondary and tertiary batteries in the original sim, too.

-Replacement of the 1905 turbines with 1916 models and a modest speed increase

-Replacement of 1908 fire control with the 1912 model  and other miscellaneous weight replacement

-Changing bunkerage from 100% coal to 1/3 oil-sprayed coal and 2/3 oil, which coincidentally allows an increase in range.  Access to fuel should not be a problem on this station but variety can be useful.

Cost would be $1.92 and 0.487 BP.

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1905 (Engine 1916)

Displacement:
   4,728 t light; 4,932 t standard; 5,255 t normal; 5,513 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (311.68 ft / 305.12 ft) x 65.62 ft x (13.12 / 13.69 ft)
   (95.00 m / 93.00 m) x 20.00 m  x (4.00 / 4.17 m)

Armament:
      2 - 11.02" / 280 mm 45.0 cal guns - 675.51lbs / 306.40kg shells, 80 per gun
     Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mount, 1905 Model
     1 x Twin mount on centreline, forward deck aft
      1 raised mount
      4 - 5.12" / 130 mm 45.0 cal guns - 67.61lbs / 30.67kg shells, 250 per gun
     Breech loading guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1905 Model
     2 x Single mounts on centreline, aft evenly spread
      1 raised mount
     2 x Single mounts on sides, aft deck forward
      2 - 1.97" / 50.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 3.85lbs / 1.74kg shells, 150 per gun
     Anti-air guns in deck mounts, 1905 Model
     2 x Single mounts on sides, aft deck centre
      2 raised mounts
      4 - 0.39" / 10.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 0.03lbs / 0.01kg shells, 15,000 per gun
     Machine guns in deck mounts, 1905 Model
     4 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      4 raised mounts
      Weight of broadside 1,629 lbs / 739 kg

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   7.87" / 200 mm   164.04 ft / 50.00 m   9.22 ft / 2.81 m
   Ends:   1.97" / 50 mm   141.04 ft / 42.99 m   9.22 ft / 2.81 m
   Upper:   3.94" / 100 mm   191.93 ft / 58.50 m   8.01 ft / 2.44 m
     Main Belt covers 83 % of normal length

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   7.87" / 200 mm   3.94" / 100 mm      7.87" / 200 mm
   2nd:   1.97" / 50 mm   0.79" / 20 mm      1.97" / 50 mm
   3rd:   0.79" / 20 mm   0.39" / 10 mm            -
   4th:   0.39" / 10 mm         -               -

   - Armoured deck - single deck:
   For and Aft decks: 1.97" / 50 mm
   Forecastle: 1.18" / 30 mm  Quarter deck: 1.97" / 50 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 7.87" / 200 mm, Aft 0.00" / 0 mm

Machinery:
   Coal and oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 2,413 shp / 1,800 Kw = 12.72 kts
   Range 6,000nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 581 tons (30% coal)

Complement:
   308 - 401

Cost:
   £0.331 million / $1.323 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 320 tons, 6.1 %
      - Guns: 320 tons, 6.1 %
   Armour: 1,912 tons, 36.4 %
      - Belts: 973 tons, 18.5 %
      - Armament: 320 tons, 6.1 %
      - Armour Deck: 568 tons, 10.8 %
      - Conning Tower: 51 tons, 1.0 %
   Machinery: 92 tons, 1.8 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 2,118 tons, 40.3 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 527 tons, 10.0 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 285 tons, 5.4 %
      - Hull above water: 75 tons
      - On freeboard deck: 150 tons
      - Above deck: 60 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     19,701 lbs / 8,936 Kg = 29.4 x 11.0 " / 280 mm shells or 4.8 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.41
   Metacentric height 4.8 ft / 1.5 m
   Roll period: 12.5 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 69 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.32
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.72

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.700 / 0.704
   Length to Beam Ratio: 4.65 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 17.47 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 37 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 40
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 6.56 ft / 2.00 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   20.00 %,  20.01 ft / 6.10 m,  18.04 ft / 5.50 m
      - Forward deck:   30.00 %,  18.04 ft / 5.50 m,  18.04 ft / 5.50 m
      - Aft deck:   35.00 %,  10.17 ft / 3.10 m,  10.17 ft / 3.10 m
      - Quarter deck:   15.00 %,  10.17 ft / 3.10 m,  10.17 ft / 3.10 m
      - Average freeboard:      14.27 ft / 4.35 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 34.8 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 137.0 %
   Waterplane Area: 16,047 Square feet or 1,491 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 137 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 111 lbs/sq ft or 542 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.90
      - Longitudinal: 2.61
      - Overall: 1.00
   Excellent machinery, storage, compartmentation space
   Excellent accommodation and workspace room
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

Warning: Date too early for anti-air gun - 3rd Battery

[The Rock Doctor]

Notionally the Vilnius Union's first "aircraft carrier":  A Baltic overnight-ferry taken off the Stockholm/Gdansk run and very basically refitted into service as an experimental tender to two floatplanes.  Just cranes and storage space, no catapults, no fly-off ramps.

Yes, there's a lot of coal for that route, whatever.

I figure I'll refit-to-service a separate vessel for experiments with a flying-off ramp, gives me something to look forward to in 1917.

1)  Does the basic concept of "two non-combat floatplanes on a shitty old steamer" fit into the 1910 CV tech, cuz that's what I got.

2)  Does the sim qualify as an auxiliary for costing purposes?  The basic idea is to buy an existing civilian ship that can carry the floatplanes rather than purpose-build a new vessel because that would be premature.

Sim:

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1910

Displacement:
   2,307 t light; 2,359 t standard; 2,583 t normal; 2,763 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (337.93 ft / 331.36 ft) x 42.65 ft x (9.84 / 10.42 ft)
   (103.00 m / 101.00 m) x 13.00 m  x (3.00 / 3.18 m)

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, complex reciprocating steam engines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 2,145 ihp / 1,600 Kw = 14.12 kts
   Range 4,000nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 405 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
   180 - 235

Cost:
   £0.101 million / $0.403 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 143 tons, 5.5 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 814 tons, 31.5 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 276 tons, 10.7 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 1,350 tons, 52.3 %
      - Hull below water: 400 tons
      - Hull above water: 450 tons
      - On freeboard deck: 400 tons
      - Above deck: 100 tons

Fittings:
-100 t:  First class accommodation for 20 passengers above deck
-50 t:  Facilities for two floatplanes on deck (was previously used for on-deck cargo)
-50 t:  Bulk cargo on deck
-300 t:  Second class accommodation for 100 passengers on deck
-450 t:  Third class accommodations for 225 passengers below deck
-400 t:  Cargo below waterline

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     7,082 lbs / 3,212 Kg = 65.6 x 6 " / 152 mm shells or 2.0 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.29
   Metacentric height 2.2 ft / 0.7 m
   Roll period: 12.1 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.00
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has raised forecastle,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.650 / 0.656
   Length to Beam Ratio: 7.77 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 18.20 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 33 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 35
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 6.56 ft / 2.00 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   15.00 %,  21.65 ft / 6.60 m,  21.65 ft / 6.60 m
      - Forward deck:   30.00 %,  13.78 ft / 4.20 m,  13.78 ft / 4.20 m
      - Aft deck:   40.00 %,  13.78 ft / 4.20 m,  13.78 ft / 4.20 m
      - Quarter deck:   15.00 %,  13.78 ft / 4.20 m,  13.78 ft / 4.20 m
      - Average freeboard:      14.96 ft / 4.56 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 54.8 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 157.9 %
   Waterplane Area: 10,827 Square feet or 1,006 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 158 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 51 lbs/sq ft or 247 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.95
      - Longitudinal: 1.60
      - Overall: 1.00
   Excellent machinery, storage, compartmentation space
   Excellent accommodation and workspace room
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, rides out heavy weather easily

[The Rock Doctor]

With the Union contemplating overseas deployment of motor torpedo-boats, a depot ship would be useful to take care of the little bastards.  This design would fit within auxiliary standards and provide sufficient capability for forty 20 t boats or twenty 40 t boats.

Technically I could get by with 80 t to provide out-of-port supply for a similar quantity of vessels but this doesn't feel especially accurate to me.  And it's not like I can't afford to build a tender for 748 t.

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1916

Displacement:
   2,991 t light; 3,078 t standard; 3,301 t normal; 3,480 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (327.79 ft / 318.24 ft) x 55.77 ft x (10.17 / 10.64 ft)
   (99.91 m / 97.00 m) x 17.00 m  x (3.10 / 3.24 m)

Armament:
      2 - 5.12" / 130 mm 45.0 cal guns - 67.61lbs / 30.67kg shells, 250 per gun
     Quick firing guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1916 Model
     2 x Single mounts on centreline, evenly spread
      2 - 1.97" / 50.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 3.85lbs / 1.74kg shells, 150 per gun
     Anti-air guns in deck mounts, 1916 Model
     2 x Single mounts on sides amidships
      2 raised mounts
      4 - 0.39" / 10.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 0.03lbs / 0.01kg shells, 15,000 per gun
     Machine guns in deck mounts, 1916 Model
     4 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      4 raised mounts
      Weight of broadside 143 lbs / 65 kg

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   1.97" / 50 mm   0.79" / 20 mm      1.97" / 50 mm
   2nd:   0.79" / 20 mm   0.39" / 10 mm            -
   3rd:   0.39" / 10 mm         -               -

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 1 shaft, 6,702 shp / 5,000 Kw = 18.15 kts
   Range 6,000nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 402 tons

Complement:
   217 - 283

Cost:
   £0.250 million / $1.002 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 38 tons, 1.2 %
      - Guns: 38 tons, 1.2 %
   Armour: 22 tons, 0.7 %
      - Armament: 22 tons, 0.7 %
   Machinery: 250 tons, 7.6 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,301 tons, 39.4 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 310 tons, 9.4 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 1,381 tons, 41.8 %
      - Hull below water: 421 tons
      - Hull above water: 640 tons
      - On freeboard deck: 240 tons
      - Above deck: 80 tons

Fittings:
-640 t:  Accommodation for 320 personnel (below deck)
-420 t:  Expendables (fuel, torpedoes, ammunition) (below water)
-100 t:  Crew amenities (on deck)
-100 t:  Workshop and parts stores (on deck)
-25 t:  LR Wireless (above deck)
-25 t:  Medical Facility (on deck)
-50 t:  Flag facilities (above deck)
-4 t:  1912 Fire control (above deck)
-17 t:  Weight reserve

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     10,468 lbs / 4,748 Kg = 156.2 x 5.1 " / 130 mm shells or 2.1 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.42
   Metacentric height 3.8 ft / 1.2 m
   Roll period: 12.0 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.06
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.640 / 0.645
   Length to Beam Ratio: 5.71 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 17.84 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 50 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 35
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 10.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 4.92 ft / 1.50 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   20.00 %,  26.25 ft / 8.00 m,  21.33 ft / 6.50 m
      - Forward deck:   30.00 %,  21.33 ft / 6.50 m,  21.33 ft / 6.50 m
      - Aft deck:   35.00 %,  21.33 ft / 6.50 m,  21.33 ft / 6.50 m
      - Quarter deck:   15.00 %,  21.33 ft / 6.50 m,  21.33 ft / 6.50 m
      - Average freeboard:      21.72 ft / 6.62 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 64.4 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 248.3 %
   Waterplane Area: 13,264 Square feet or 1,232 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 163 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 64 lbs/sq ft or 313 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.85
      - Longitudinal: 4.20
      - Overall: 1.00
   Excellent machinery, storage, compartmentation space
   Excellent accommodation and workspace room
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

[The Rock Doctor]

Brain fart:  Convert one of those old pre-dreads into a heavy-lift crane ship.

I'll have to eyeball the refit/refurb rules for that, see if it makes economic sense compared to a new-build ship.

[The Rock Doctor]

My back-of-the-envelope math says that converting a Nieu-whatever class predreadnought to a crane ship would be, at best, a refurbishment

Refurb cost:  $2.6 / 0 BP
Install 500 t capacity crane:  $2.0, 2 BP
Remove armament & armor for scrap:  -$0.96, 0.960 BP
Net cost:  $3.64, 1.04 BP plus the functional loss of the warship.

Alternately, I can build a new and superior crane ship to civilian standards at a cost of $1.66 / 1.66 BP.

Based on late-night research, I've allocated 2,000 t for the crane and also 500 t for the object of the crane's attention, not so much to pay for the latter but to see how the sim is affected by the placement of the weight.

Then there's a TE drive for relatively agile movement, and a decent powerplant and bunker to allow a speedy-ish transit from site to site.  This could be important if the job is time-sensitive, such as recovering a submarine.

The ship is unarmed and unarmored, as I think it's highly unlikely it'd be working in an environment where somebody could come along and put a torpedo into it.  But I could be persuaded otherwise.

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1917

Displacement:
   6,647 t light; 6,790 t standard; 7,162 t normal; 7,459 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (401.26 ft / 393.70 ft) x 85.30 ft x (11.48 / 11.89 ft)
   (122.30 m / 120.00 m) x 26.00 m  x (3.50 / 3.62 m)

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Electric motors, 2 shafts, 10,724 shp / 8,000 Kw = 18.13 kts
   Range 6,000nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 669 tons

Complement:
   389 - 506

Cost:
   £0.523 million / $2.092 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 393 tons, 5.5 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 2,454 tons, 34.3 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 515 tons, 7.2 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 3,800 tons, 53.1 %
      - Hull below water: 1,100 tons
      - Hull above water: 600 tons
      - On freeboard deck: 1,100 tons
      - Above deck: 1,000 tons

Fittings: 
-2,500 t:  500 t capacity crane (1,000 above deck, 1,000 on deck, 500 above water) (includes 500 t lifted object)
-1,000 t:  Ballast tanks & stuff for stability (below water)
-100 t:  Electric Drive (below water)
200 t:  Weight reserve

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     27,459 lbs / 12,455 Kg = 254.2 x 6 " / 152 mm shells or 4.9 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.65
   Metacentric height 9.0 ft / 2.8 m
   Roll period: 11.9 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 80 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.00
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.82

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has raised forecastle, raised quarterdeck ,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.650 / 0.654
   Length to Beam Ratio: 4.62 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 19.84 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 46 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 44
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 10.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 3.28 ft / 1.00 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   20.00 %,  24.28 ft / 7.40 m,  24.28 ft / 7.40 m
      - Forward deck:   30.00 %,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Aft deck:   35.00 %,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Quarter deck:   15.00 %,  24.28 ft / 7.40 m,  24.28 ft / 7.40 m
      - Average freeboard:      19.16 ft / 5.84 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 44.9 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 206.6 %
   Waterplane Area: 25,727 Square feet or 2,390 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 156 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 78 lbs/sq ft or 382 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.95
      - Longitudinal: 1.76
      - Overall: 1.01
   Excellent machinery, storage, compartmentation space
   Excellent accommodation and workspace room
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, rides out heavy weather easily