Well Docks

[Kaiser Kirk]

Man, we have not been social lately.

Anyway, just a question:  I assume well-decks are not considered to be included in the existing Amphibious tech options, yes?

It's a subject area I know little about.
According to Wiki the basic 'Well Dock' concept evolved from the British 1941 design work on LSTs with a very deep Well deck- sounds like basically an open hold, and referenced was in a 1924 patent for transporting Danube Barges. Which actually sounds very applicable to a specialist MTB cargo carrier I was tinkering with.

"That evolved into the British TLC-C that would become the Dock Landing Ship (LSD) that had an open, very deep and special-purpose well deck open to the elements and thus technically a "well deck" in the traditional definition.[2]

The open well deck began to see covering in part with platforms, particularly helicopter landing platforms, and in most modern form is no longer a weather deck, being completely enclosed overhead"

Digging into Landing Ship Docks, there is more information :


The predecessor of all modern LSDs is Shinshū Maru of the Imperial Japanese Army, which could launch her infantry landing craft using an internal rail system and a stern ramp. She entered service in 1935 and saw combat in China and during the initial phase of Japanese offenses during 1942.


The British work did lead to a floodable aft well deck which was built for the RN and USN,
the first efforts seeming to be the Ashland class, first laid June 22, 1942.
That may have had an open well deck, as there's the comment Beginning in November 1943 during World War II, a deck was erected over the top of the well deck which doubled the carrying capacity of light vehicles such as trucks and DUKWs. Further additions included the installation of a mezzanine or spar deck beneath the new deck and atop the well deck to increase the carrying capacity of small vehicles again, with the decks being connected by ramps allowing for the vehicles to be driven onto the ship via the stern.


So... typically the tech is 3 years before it is needed. So 1942 laydown, develop tech 1941, 1940, 1939. Tac's 1938 suggestion is close enough as well.

LSTs and DUKWs, as well as Sherman DD all are covered under the 1920 and 1928 techs.
Mulberry harbors are already included under the 1928 tech, which was an odd choice, but made.

So what would be covered under a hypothetical 1938 or 1939 tech?
Further, since it really did not rely on a technical improvement, would it be disruptive to allow it under the 1928 tech?