Armored Cruisers

[Darman]

List of Commissioned Armored Cruisers

Asama-class (1897)
       Asama
       Tokiwa
       Hikari

[Darman]

Asama, Empire of Japan Armored Cruiser laid down 1897

Displacement:
   8,517 t light; 9,006 t standard; 10,008 t normal; 10,809 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (408.00 ft / 408.00 ft) x 67.00 ft x (24.50 / 26.01 ft)
   (124.36 m / 124.36 m) x 20.42 m  x (7.47 / 7.93 m)

Armament:
      4 - 8.00" / 203 mm 45.0 cal guns - 250.00lbs / 113.40kg shells, 180 per gun
     Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1897 Model
     2 x Twin mounts on centreline ends, evenly spread
      14 - 6.00" / 152 mm 40.0 cal guns - 103.51lbs / 46.95kg shells, 200 per gun
     Breech loading guns in casemate mounts, 1897 Model
     14 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      6 hull mounts in casemates- Limited use in all but light seas
      12 - 3.00" / 76.2 mm 40.0 cal guns - 12.94lbs / 5.87kg shells, 250 per gun
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1897 Model
     12 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      4 raised mounts
      8 - 1.85" / 47.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 3.19lbs / 1.45kg shells, 300 per gun
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts, 1897 Model
     8 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      8 raised mounts
      Weight of broadside 2,630 lbs / 1,193 kg
      4 - 14.0" / 356 mm, 15.00 ft / 4.57 m torpedoes - 0.310 t each, 1.239 t total
   In 4 sets of submerged side tubes
      1 - 14.0" / 356 mm, 15.00 ft / 4.57 m torpedo - 0.310 t total
   In a submerged bow tube

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   7.20" / 183 mm   306.00 ft / 93.27 m   9.82 ft / 2.99 m
   Ends:   3.50" / 89 mm   101.98 ft / 31.08 m   9.82 ft / 2.99 m
   Upper:   4.90" / 124 mm   306.00 ft / 93.27 m   8.00 ft / 2.44 m
     Main Belt covers 115 % of normal length

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   6.00" / 152 mm   3.00" / 76 mm      6.00" / 152 mm
   2nd:   6.00" / 152 mm         -               -
   3rd:   1.00" / 25 mm         -               -

   - Protected deck - single deck: 1.50" / 38 mm For and Aft decks
   Forecastle: 1.50" / 38 mm  Quarter deck: 1.50" / 38 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 12.00" / 305 mm,  Aft 0.00" / 0 mm

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, complex reciprocating steam engines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 17,691 ihp / 13,198 Kw = 20.50 kts
   Range 7,000nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 1,804 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
   499 - 650

Cost:
   £0.870 million / $3.481 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 456 tons, 4.6 %
      - Guns: 455 tons, 4.5 %
      - Torpedoes: 2 tons, 0.0 %
   Armour: 2,570 tons, 25.7 %
      - Belts: 1,549 tons, 15.5 %
      - Armament: 380 tons, 3.8 %
      - Armour Deck: 521 tons, 5.2 %
      - Conning Tower: 120 tons, 1.2 %
   Machinery: 2,900 tons, 29.0 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 2,580 tons, 25.8 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,491 tons, 14.9 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 10 tons, 0.1 %
      - Hull below water: 10 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     8,701 lbs / 3,947 Kg = 34.0 x 8.0 " / 203 mm shells or 1.3 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.54
   Metacentric height 5.7 ft / 1.7 m
   Roll period: 11.8 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 72 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.20
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.45

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.523 / 0.532
   Length to Beam Ratio: 6.09 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 20.20 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 50 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   15.00 %,  18.00 ft / 5.49 m,  14.14 ft / 4.31 m
      - Forward deck:   35.00 %,  14.14 ft / 4.31 m,  14.14 ft / 4.31 m
      - Aft deck:   40.00 %,  14.14 ft / 4.31 m,  14.14 ft / 4.31 m
      - Quarter deck:   10.00 %,  14.14 ft / 4.31 m,  14.14 ft / 4.31 m
      - Average freeboard:      14.37 ft / 4.38 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 111.8 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 100.4 %
   Waterplane Area: 18,603 Square feet or 1,728 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 100 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 103 lbs/sq ft or 504 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.94
      - Longitudinal: 1.94
      - Overall: 1.01
   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
   Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

Misc. Weight:
4t below waterline for broadside torpedo tubes.
1t below waterline for bow torpedo tube. 
5t below waterline for torpedo reloads. 

Range:
@12 knots: 4,600nm
@14 knots: 3,200nm
@16 knots: 2,200nm