Vilnius Union Ships, 1920+: Electric Drive Boogaloo

[Kaiser Kirk]

The first use I've got for a 2,500 t destroyer hull is to make a fast minelayer out of it.  This would complement two existing minelayer-cruisers and continue my trend of focusing on specialized offensive minelayers rather than having large quantities of light forces with limited capabilities.

Hmm, my efforts to use cruiser hulls for this has not been satisfactory.
The DD looks more suitable.
Bah, and here I thought large DDs might be a tech I could skip as I otherwise need numbers.

[Kaiser Kirk]

The unholy offspring of an armored cruiser and a light aircraft carrier.  This is more fooling around/seeing what can be done with flight deck cruisers than a concrete proposal to build it.

I think you should build one of every design !...not really.
My files have a fair number of exploratory ships.
But most of my designs are variations on a design role, and a dozen versions of the same ship, fiddling with details.
Then one or two make it here for discussion/review.

[The Rock Doctor]

A small, fast seaplane carrier.

Six planes and a catapult don't necessarily get your very far, but it can get you a decent search package and a couple of float fighters to shoot down snoopers or the other guy's artillery spotters.  If you're out in the Atlantic with a cruiser or a couple of torpedo boats, it might make the difference between catching a raider or missing it entirely.

The hanger definitely has space for four aircraft, so the remaining two would have to sit on the deck and/or catapult.  I'm probably going to think about a slightly larger version that can put six planes in a hanger.

I was wondering if I could do it on 3,000 t and 0.75 hull strength, but the hull would be shorter and narrower and I'm not certain I could get the six planes on it.  I suspect 2,000 t and 0.5 hull strength can get me the weight of four planes, but I don't know about the deck space.

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1927

Displacement:
   4,363 t light; 4,509 t standard; 5,231 t normal; 5,808 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (451.87 ft / 442.91 ft) x 52.49 ft x (15.75 / 17.05 ft)
   (137.73 m / 135.00 m) x 16.00 m  x (4.80 / 5.20 m)

Armament:
      4 - 5.12" / 130 mm 45.0 cal guns - 67.61lbs / 30.67kg shells, 250 per gun
     Quick firing guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1927 Model
     2 x 2-gun mounts on centreline, forward evenly spread
      1 raised mount
      4 - 1.97" / 50.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 3.85lbs / 1.75kg shells, 250 per gun
     Anti-air guns in deck mounts, 1927 Model
     4 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      4 raised mounts
      8 - 0.59" / 15.0 mm 90.0 cal guns - 0.12lbs / 0.05kg shells, 4,000 per gun
     Machine guns in deck mounts, 1927 Model
     8 x Twin mounts on sides, evenly spread
      4 raised mounts
      Weight of broadside 287 lbs / 130 kg

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   1.97" / 50 mm   1.18" / 30 mm      1.97" / 50 mm
   2nd:   0.79" / 20 mm   0.59" / 15 mm            -
   3rd:   0.59" / 15 mm         -               -

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Electric motors, 2 shafts, 67,024 shp / 50,000 Kw = 32.05 kts
   Range 20,000nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 1,299 tons

Complement:
   306 - 399

Cost:
   £1.730 million / $6.922 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 77 tons, 1.5 %
   Armour: 42 tons, 0.8 %
      - Armament: 42 tons, 0.8 %
   Machinery: 2,116 tons, 40.4 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,827 tons, 34.9 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 868 tons, 16.6 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 301 tons, 5.8 %
      - Hull above water: 77 tons
      - On freeboard deck: 134 tons
      - Above deck: 90 tons

Fittings:
-155t:  6 armed floatplanes and a catapult (AW/FD)
-35 t:  L/R radio and redundant S/R radio (AD)
-10 t:  Nightfighting doodads (AD)
-50 t:  Air operations center (AD/FD)
-8 t:  1918 fire control (AD)
-12 + 31 t:  Weight reserve

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     3,625 lbs / 1,644 Kg = 54.1 x 5.1 " / 130 mm shells or 0.8 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.22
   Metacentric height 2.7 ft / 0.8 m
   Roll period: 13.3 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.15
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.09

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.500 / 0.513
   Length to Beam Ratio: 8.44 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 21.05 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 65 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 64
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 20.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   20.00 %,  24.61 ft / 7.50 m,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m
      - Forward deck:   30.00 %,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m
      - Aft deck:   35.00 %,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m
      - Quarter deck:   15.00 %,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m
      - Average freeboard:      20.08 ft / 6.12 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 137.8 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 189.8 %
   Waterplane Area: 15,491 Square feet or 1,439 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 108 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 71 lbs/sq ft or 345 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.81
      - Longitudinal: 2.26
      - Overall: 0.90
   Caution: Hull subject to strain in open-sea
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform

[TacCovert4]

If you've got the tonnage I'd suggest a pair of broadside catapults to the single centerline catapult.  That way you can have a fighter on one and a scout plane on the other, and you're always ready to put up a defensive aircraft or a light strike aircraft, even when doing regular scouting flight operations.

[The Rock Doctor]

The tonnage isn't really an issue - it's another 5 t - but the deck space is a challenge.

That said, I can do some re-arranging of the hanger deck/crane/after superstructure to plunk a second cat on the hanger roof and position two aircraft as you suggest.

[TacCovert4]

Yeah, I think that'd be more useful.  While you wouldn't use the top catapult much, having the ability to surge up an aircraft while running regular flight operations gives you a sort of 'alert' aircraft.

[The Rock Doctor]

The governor of the Union's Caribbean territories has noted that he resides on an island, governs other islands, and also rules over a large chunk of mainland.  Since air travel is still pretty iffy, he'd like a yacht.  Please.

If you're thinking, "That sure looks like Rocky's coastal escort", then, yeah, guilty as charged.  From the in-game perspective, it's a hull the Union is already producing in numbers and a civilian conversion of the type is easier than designing something new.  From the out-of-game perspective, I was having a hell of a time making anything work and remembered that the coastal escort was about the right size for what I was looking for.

The yacht ships diesels rather than oil-fired machinery.  The armament's completely replaced by modest furnishings for the governor, a guest, and a handful of aides, plus a bit of working space.  Some electric lighting and safety barriers to improve the exterior recreational experience.  It isn't palatial, but it means the guy can work while traveling.  The hull itself is seaworthy for the Caribbean, though hurricanes are still best avoided.

The ship will be built to civilian standards, and the governor of the Azorez is highly interested in one of his own.

Governor's Ride, laid down 1927

Displacement:
   261 t light; 267 t standard; 281 t normal; 292 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (147.17 ft / 137.80 ft) x 19.69 ft x (7.87 / 8.09 ft)
   (44.86 m / 42.00 m) x 6.00 m  x (2.40 / 2.47 m)

Machinery:
   Diesel Internal combustion motors,
   Geared drive, 2 shafts, 2,948 shp / 2,200 Kw = 20.34 kts
   Range 2,000nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 24 tons

Complement:
   33 - 44

Cost:
   £0.081 million / $0.323 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 93 tons, 33.2 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 82 tons, 29.4 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 19 tons, 6.8 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 86 tons, 30.6 %
      - Hull below water: 28 tons
      - Hull above water: 15 tons
      - On freeboard deck: 43 tons

Fittings:
   -10 t:  Governor's suite (FD)
   -10 t:  Dining room/amenities (FD)
   -5 t:  Guest suite (FD)
   -8 t:  Cabins for 2 senior staff (FD)   
   -10 t:  Staff workspace (FD)
   -12 t:  Berthing for 6 junior staff (AW)
   -3 t:  Luggage/cargo (AW)
        -28 t:  Machinery (BW)

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     191 lbs / 87 Kg = 1.8 x 6 " / 152 mm shells or 0.2 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.08
   Metacentric height 0.5 ft / 0.2 m
   Roll period: 11.6 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 69 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.00
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.31

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.460 / 0.465
   Length to Beam Ratio: 7.00 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 11.74 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 71 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 53
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 20.00 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 %,  16.73 ft / 5.10 m,  12.80 ft / 3.90 m
      - Forward deck:   20.00 %,  12.80 ft / 3.90 m,  8.86 ft / 2.70 m
      - Aft deck:   45.00 %,  8.86 ft / 2.70 m,  8.86 ft / 2.70 m
      - Quarter deck:   15.00 %,  8.86 ft / 2.70 m,  8.86 ft / 2.70 m
      - Average freeboard:      10.35 ft / 3.16 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 124.2 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 95.3 %
   Waterplane Area: 1,745 Square feet or 162 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 103 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 20 lbs/sq ft or 97 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.58
      - Longitudinal: 7.71
      - Overall: 0.75
   Caution: Hull subject to strain in open-sea
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
   Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

[Jefgte]

Rocky loves small boats.

;)

[The Rock Doctor]

Except for battleships.

But in general they're a lot of fun

[TacCovert4]

I keep meaning to build a royal yacht.  Maybe I'll get around to it with my new focus on low-rate production of support ships, since I've finally gotten a somewhat balanced fleet.

[Kaiser Kirk]

I've also tried my hand at a royal yacht,
but after the 30knot speed for evasion
long range high speed cruise for crossing the large empire,
180mm guns and heavy armor to defeat raiders and ensure the Royals are safe....
they look a lot like a cruiser and aren't very comfy.

In other words, my efforts have failed badly :)

Trying to come up with a good ship to go pick up Princess Shirin...
unless I sent a Battleship with Admirals Quarters, I lack
vessels with decent 'Guest' quarters, so wound up with
the 'Royal Mail' cruiser which was meant for that.

[The Rock Doctor]

The K-class torpedo-boats are the backbone of the Union's overseas territorial squadrons, and hold up relatively well even sixteen years after the first units were laid down.  However, it seems like a modest refurbishment is in order.

The primary change is a shift from oil-sprayed coal to oil-firing machinery and the necessary refurbishment costs associated with that.

The armament's also getting modernized, with 100mm QF, 50mm AA, and twin 15mm machine guns replacing the older 100mm, 50mm QF, and 10mm machine gun battery.

Finally, a sonar dome is being added to complement the existing enhanced hydrophone package.  That and a fix to other miscellaneous weight distribution and fittings adds up to 50 t of new miscellaneous weight.

Cost of this refurbishment is $0.43 and 0.090 BP.  I'll likely do three groups of eight and then the last six over a span of two years.

K-class refurbishment, laid down 1911

Displacement:
   945 t light; 983 t standard; 1,134 t normal; 1,255 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (299.02 ft / 295.60 ft) x 29.53 ft x (10.83 / 11.60 ft)
   (91.14 m / 90.10 m) x 9.00 m  x (3.30 / 3.54 m)

Armament:
      3 - 3.94" / 100.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 30.77lbs / 13.96kg shells, 250 per gun
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1911 Model
     3 x Single mounts on centreline, evenly spread
     Aft Main mounts separated by engine room
      2 - 1.97" / 50.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 3.85lbs / 1.74kg shells, 200 per gun
     Anti-air guns in deck mounts, 1911 Model
     2 x Single mounts on sides amidships
      8 - 0.59" / 15.0 mm 90.0 cal guns - 0.12lbs / 0.05kg shells, 4,000 per gun
     Machine guns in deck mounts, 1911 Model
     4 x Twin mounts on sides amidships
      4 raised mounts
      Weight of broadside 101 lbs / 46 kg

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   0.79" / 20 mm   0.59" / 15 mm            -
   2nd:   0.79" / 20 mm   0.59" / 15 mm            -
   3rd:   0.59" / 15 mm         -               -

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 20,108 shp / 15,000 Kw = 29.31 kts
   Range 6,800nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 271 tons

Complement:
   97 - 127

Cost:
   £0.119 million / $0.476 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 19 tons, 1.7 %
   Armour: 21 tons, 1.9 %
      - Armament: 21 tons, 1.9 %
   Machinery: 576 tons, 50.8 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 253 tons, 22.3 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 189 tons, 16.7 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 76 tons, 6.7 %
      - Hull below water: 25 tons
      - On freeboard deck: 39 tons
      - Above deck: 12 tons

Fittings:
-10 t:  Sonar (BW)
-15 t:  Enhanced hydrophone package (BW)
-16 t:  2x2 530mm heavyweight torpedo carriages (FD)
-14 t:  ASW munitions (FD)
-2 t:  1918 fire control (AD)
-10 t:  Nightfighting doodads (AD)
-9 t:  Weight reserve (FD)



Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     302 lbs / 137 Kg = 9.9 x 3.9 " / 100 mm shells or 0.2 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.31
   Metacentric height 1.3 ft / 0.4 m
   Roll period: 10.9 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.12
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.00

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.420 / 0.434
   Length to Beam Ratio: 10.01 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 17.19 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 65 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 70
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 10.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   20.00 %,  19.36 ft / 5.90 m,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Forward deck:   20.00 %,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Aft deck:   45.00 %,  8.53 ft / 2.60 m,  8.53 ft / 2.60 m
      - Quarter deck:   15.00 %,  8.53 ft / 2.60 m,  8.53 ft / 2.60 m
      - Average freeboard:      11.92 ft / 3.63 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 171.8 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 117.0 %
   Waterplane Area: 5,442 Square feet or 506 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 64 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 26 lbs/sq ft or 126 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.50
      - Longitudinal: 1.39
      - Overall: 0.55
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform

[Jefgte]

It is important to reserve a lot of misc weight when building DDs.
Their weapons and equipment will only grow over the years.
Byzantium works (1927/1928) on the installation of 12.7 Vickers and 40mm pompom on its ships.

[The Rock Doctor]

The Weingarten class torpedo-boats are very slightly modified versions of the preceding U-class boats.

I'd have just gone with the U-class with 1927 engines, but the 1927 engines meant the machinery percentage was below 50%.  So I up-engined a bit and got a bit more miscellaneous weight into the hull and that's pretty much it. 

Probably building 16 over the course of 1927 and 1928. 

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1927

Displacement:
   1,928 t light; 2,018 t standard; 2,289 t normal; 2,507 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (395.26 ft / 383.86 ft) x 36.09 ft x (14.11 / 14.99 ft)
   (120.48 m / 117.00 m) x 11.00 m  x (4.30 / 4.57 m)

Armament:
      4 - 5.12" / 130 mm 45.0 cal guns - 67.61lbs / 30.67kg shells, 250 per gun
     Quick firing guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1927 Model
     4 x Single mounts on centreline ends, evenly spread
      2 raised mounts - superfiring
      1 - 3.94" / 100.0 mm 45.0 cal gun - 30.77lbs / 13.96kg shells, 250 per gun
     Anti-air gun in deck mount, 1927 Model
     1 x Single mount on centreline, forward deck aft
      1 raised mount
      8 - 0.59" / 15.0 mm 90.0 cal guns - 0.12lbs / 0.05kg shells, 4,000 per gun
     Machine guns in deck mounts, 1927 Model
     4 x Twin mounts on sides, evenly spread
      4 raised mounts
      Weight of broadside 302 lbs / 137 kg

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   1.18" / 30 mm   0.79" / 20 mm      1.18" / 30 mm
   2nd:   0.79" / 20 mm   0.12" / 3 mm            -

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Geared drive, 2 shafts, 42,896 shp / 32,000 Kw = 32.76 kts
   Range 12,000nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 489 tons

Complement:
   165 - 215

Cost:
   £0.928 million / $3.713 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 79 tons, 3.5 %
   Armour: 25 tons, 1.1 %
      - Armament: 25 tons, 1.1 %
   Machinery: 1,144 tons, 50.0 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 552 tons, 24.1 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 361 tons, 15.8 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 128 tons, 5.6 %
      - Hull below water: 25 tons
      - On freeboard deck: 58 tons
      - Above deck: 45 tons

Fittings:
-8 t:  1918 fire control (AD)
-25 t:  L/R wireless (AD)
-10 t:  Nightfighting doodads (AD)
-24 t:  2x3 21" TT (FD)
-15 t:  ASW munitions (FD)
-21 t:  Weight reserve (mostly FD)
-10 t:  Sonar
-15 t:  Enhanced hydrophones

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     556 lbs / 252 Kg = 8.3 x 5.1 " / 130 mm shells or 0.3 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.18
   Metacentric height 1.5 ft / 0.4 m
   Roll period: 12.5 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 60 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.47
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.01

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.410 / 0.422
   Length to Beam Ratio: 10.64 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 19.59 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 63 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 59
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 20.00 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 %,  22.31 ft / 6.80 m,  18.37 ft / 5.60 m
      - Forward deck:   28.00 %,  18.37 ft / 5.60 m,  18.37 ft / 5.60 m
      - Aft deck:   37.00 %,  10.50 ft / 3.20 m,  10.50 ft / 3.20 m
      - Quarter deck:   15.00 %,  10.50 ft / 3.20 m,  10.50 ft / 3.20 m
      - Average freeboard:      14.59 ft / 4.45 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 174.6 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 137.6 %
   Waterplane Area: 8,579 Square feet or 797 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 73 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 36 lbs/sq ft or 177 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.50
      - Longitudinal: 1.35
      - Overall: 0.55
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent

[Jefgte]

Exellent DD, well balanced, but...
You could have certainly:

  "Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform".