Iberian Empire Navy

[Desertfox]

So I have volunteered to maintain the Iberian navy until such time that another poor soul can be sucke... err convinced to take over.

The plan currently is to maintain Olekit's  designs as much as possible, fixing anything that needs to be fixed, with maybe some changes along the way (switching the latest battleship and armored cruiser designs around?). Along that front, if you guys see or know of anything that needs to be fixed let me know, all suggestions are welcomed.

My current plan is to keep a "British theme" going (minus the designs Walter is using). As I see it, the Iberian navy has three main objectives: 1) Support the Roman navy in the Med against Byzantium or in the Atlantic against the Norse/Baltic Conf. 2) Maintain control of the Gibraltar Straits. 3) Project power to the colonies. To those ends, I envision one conventional battle fleet based in the Med for 1) and 2) and three separate small "colonial" fleets (North and South Atlantic and Pacific).

Thoughts? comments?

[Jefgte]

I have seen in Iberia 1910H1 report, 4BB x 26600t (4T3x356) recently laid down.
These BB are very correct & could be finish.
I have seen too, 3 BB x 23270t (4T3x330)- 1 is just laid down.
IMO, to uniformise the Modern Iberian Artillery, these 23270t BB must be "reguned" by the 26600t BB guns
So, reSS these BB with the same hull and 356mm guns.

[Desertfox]

Going from basically an España class to a US Standard seems quite a big leap. I am considering instead replacing all the recent Iberian BBs (3 "Españas" and 4+1 "Standards") with the following: 2 "Dreadnoughts", 2 "Bellerophons", 2 "Neptunes", 2 Reina Victoria (see image), and 1 "Iron Duke" under construction. Just a more gradual logical progression IMO. Thoughts?

The Iberian artillery is a bit of a mess with a mix of metric (305 mm, 280 mm, 240 mm, 160 mm, 140 mm) and Imperial? (356 mm, 203 mm, 152 mm) that doesn't quite make sense. Few questions here.

1) Should the Iberians try for commonality with the Romans and adopt the 340mm? Or go for their own flavor (350 mm or 360 mm)?

2) What to do with the 6 in guns? Right now there's a mix of 140 mm, 152 mm, and 160 mm. Keep the 140 mm only? Keep the 140 mm and replace the 152 mm with the 160 mm? Replace the 152 mm and the 160 mm with say a 155 mm?

3) What to do with the 203 mm? Replace it with the Roman 210 mm? Or use an "Iberian" flavor and use a 200 mm?

[Jefgte]

IMO, use

1- Iberian calibers for reference...(of course)

http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNSpain_Main.php

2- Or choose a neighbour, Italian or French, in Naval Weapons.

[Desertfox]

To answer my own questions. 1) 340 mm, 2) 140 mm and 160 mm, 3) 200 mm.

After a closer look at the Iberian Navy, this is how I foresee it looking going forward:

Mediterranean Fleet: Core of the fleet, its primary mission would be to support the Roman Navy. It will be based around a battleline of 3 4-ship divisions of battleships and 1 4-ship division of battlecruisers for a total of 16 capital ships. The battleships will be the most modern ships.

North Atlantic Fleet: Second largest fleet, its primary mission will also be to support the Roman Navy, but also will be required to project power in the North Atlantic. It will be based around 4 pre-dreadnoughts and 4 armored cruisers. It will eventually be reinforced with an additional 2 modern battlecruisers and long-ranged cruisers.

Gibraltar Fleet: Its mission will be to close the straits when needed. It will primarily be a torpedo boat force as well as the retirement home for the oldest pre-dreads and armored cruisers, whose job will be to support the TBs. It might get some Fisher Follies if they where to be built.

South Atlantic Fleet: Its mission will be power projection among the new colonies in the South Atlantic. Initially it will get some of the older pre-dreadnoughts, but eventually transition to an armored cruisers and cruisers force.

Pacific Fleet: Its mission will be power projection in the Pacific. It will be based on armored cruisers and cruisers and will start with the newest armored cruiser.

[Desertfox]

Just uploading a spreadsheet I had put together for Iberian guns and OOB, for Darman's use.

[Darman]

So I have volunteered to maintain the Iberian navy until such time that another poor soul can be sucke... err convinced to take over.

Hey! I resemble that remark!

The plan currently is to maintain Olekit's  designs as much as possible, fixing anything that needs to be fixed, with maybe some changes along the way (switching the latest battleship and armored cruiser designs around?). Along that front, if you guys see or know of anything that needs to be fixed let me know, all suggestions are welcomed.

I'm going to run with this policy as well.  The older vessels are less likely to matter anyways except if I decide to scrap them.  I'm going to alter his distribution of start-up points, and of BP for ships and facilities. 

I also tend to prefer Royal Navy designs. 
I'm going to place a higher priority on standardizing weapons and re-simming later (post 1900) vessels to account for the standardization of weaponry.  I was wondering if it would be okay to leave aside re-simming the pre-1895 ships for standardized weapons and simply begin to scrap them in 1910? opinions?

[Desertfox]

I wouldn't worry about the pre-1895 ships, like you said they will likely be only good for scrap.

The only capital ships I was planning on resimming for weapon standardization reasons where the 1902 and 1904 Armored Cruisers and the 1900, 1904, and 1906 Battleships, so I would agree that focusing on the post 1900 ships would probably be the best option.

[The Rock Doctor]

Agreed on the old stuff.  Not worth the effort.

[Jefgte]

I think that large gunboats of 1000-1500t or more -18kts can be used as a patrol boat or escort.
Armament and equipment can be changed during refits (Marconi, 4 "7 or 6" guns...)
A kind of 3rd class cruisers.

Byzantine Empire built in 1890 - 28 x GB1000 for patrols & coastal protection.
You could built improved GB1200-GB1500

Compulsory 1890-1895 BP are not lost.

Just my idea...

[Darman]

does anyone have a copy of the program for converting excel data into tables with bb codes?

[Kaiser Kirk]

Sorry, never knew of that.

[snip]

I've got it. Link.

[Darman]

Thanks!!

[Darman]

Having run out of time (and patience) resimming each of the old warships, I'm mostly just running with what is there.  The Iberian Empire will be hiring a new Director of Ship Design in 1910.... I added a few old designs of my own as pre-1895 civilian ships that I was planning on converting to auxiliary vessels of various sorts later on. 

Pre-1895 vessels
64 hulls and 81,098t
1895-1900
58 hulls and 139,418t
1900-1907
58 hulls and 223,644t
1908-1909
26 hulls and 76,486t