WesWorld

Gentlemen,

let´s assume you´re SAE naval architects. You know the MAURITIUS-class BBs are rapidly aging and are in the need for at least a refit.

You also know resources are limited and whatever modernization is planned cannot be launched in 1930 or early 31.

Additionally the RSAN plans to take those ships out of service in 1936 when replacements are at hand.

Do you think it is worth to refit or rebuild those two units? What needs to be modified?

Regards,

HoOmAn

It pretty depends on what you are planning to do with them after 1936. You're going to take them out of service and then what? You're going to scrap them, turn them into target ships, experimental ships, training ships?
I'm not sure exactly when the Mauritius and Réunion were finished, but it is a 1914 design so they're finished somewhere in 1917 or so (36.5 months construction). You need a refit 15 years after a ship was completed, so that would mean 1932. I wonder if refitting or rebuilding them in 1932 would be a good idea. I would think that you're wasting materials if you plan to use the ship for only 4 more years, especially with a rebuild. If you plan to use it for something else (training ship or so) for a longer period, you might want to wait with the rebuild until 1936. Of course in both cases that would mean that between 1932 and 1936 those two ships will be less than optimal warships and in case of a crisis you might want to keep them out of trouble.

Circumstances could lead to one of those situations where you end up retaining the class longer than you'd planned to.

The armor overall is fine, though the deck armor might be a liability in a long-range battle with other capital ships. The powerplant and range are fine for defensive missions.

An aircraft would be nice, but you'd have to move some stuff around to fit a catapult in, and it'd be a 25% refit. Ensure that the class operates with aircraft-carrying cruisers and you should be okay.

But it might still be worth investing in a 15% "minor refit":

-Dump the non-AA 88mm guns, and replace with some 40 and 20 mm guns

-Updating the gun directors and modifying the superstructure to accommodate them.

Won't extend the ship's life any, but a 4% degradation isn't that serious.

I think it would probably be a better idea to hang onto them as is until 1936 them dispose of them into secondary roles.

I think that they are too small and limited to be worth refitting or rebuilding. SA would be better off modernising South Afrika and Cameroon instead.

I'd say if they're going to go out of service in 1936, then there's not much point in giving them a refit UNLESS a "situation" appears to be brewing. I certainly wouldn't give them a rebuild if you're planning on taking them out of service in 1936. Even if they'll be continuing in some form of service after 1936, a rebuild then would make more sense (since most ways they would remain in use would require a rebuild anyway).

Germany has looked at the idea of refitting Helgoland and rejected it for similar reasons (it's old, refitting costs funds that could be used for a replacement, etc).

If you plan to remove them from service entirely in 1936, then the only reason to refit them at all (and waste resources better spent elsewhere) would be if you expect the world to go to pot in 1937 if the treaty falls apart. Or if you think you could sell them, then you can get part of your investment back on sale.

Shop around and see if anyone will want them in 1936. If there's some potential buyers, having them recently modernized makes for a better selling point.

I'd giver her a minor refit at best, 15%, she still has a potent armament but her speed will be her biggest negative asset.

There should be some interested buyers around when she's up for replacement.

What you´ve here is similar to my problem with the R class when I was the british player. In a modern war these ships can still be valuable units, however very limited by their low speed.

I was going to scrap the Rs and re-use the guns, either in new turrets or in the old ones rebuilt. That´s perhaps an option you could consider, if your resources are limited, for their replacements.

I don´t think they´re worth a minor refit or rebuilt, specially in Weswolrd, were many modern BBs are entering or have just entered service by now (early 30s). If you plan only to keep them in service until 1936, in my opinion, you should scrap or sell them.

I have the same problem with them the British had with the R-class historically. Both classes can be rated crackers when introduced but too cramped with not enough reserve for a real modernization. I tried several version for a rebuild including updated machinery etc. but nothing proofed really worth the effort.

Keeping at least one units for training is a good idea. However, until 1936 they have to serve as front line units - probably longer if the CT ends in 1936 and the SAE thus can keep more than 14 hulls.

A cat doesn´t seem to fit (deckspace) and the RSAN has enough units with scout capability.

I was thinking about improved heavy and light AAA as well as improved staff facilities and fire control. Her secondaries can be kept, methinks. Those casemats should still proof fatal against smaller combatants if combined with the latest FC.

Regarding her hull little can be done without a rreconstruction, right? And then the costs will be too high compared to a newly build ship.

So if I refit them (15-25%) - what kind of role would you use them then?

Would a new layout of their superstructure fall under the refit rule or am I talking rebuild then?

Would you keep them if the CT ends in 1936 and more hulls are possible for the SAE?

One thing: keeping more than 14 hulls after 1936 means that there is another limitation (like costs) that makes it impossible to keep unlimited hulls active.

If you had any ships as slow at they are I'd keep them, but since most of the rest of your capital ship fleet is 27+ knots, they won't be useful in a battleline. They can remain in the convoy role and shore bombardment or used for experimental purposes (targets, gunnery, other projects). If not, then the final thought aside from selling the ships to an allied power, or one that is relatively far away from you, is to scrap them and use those funds (and maybe the guns) in a new fast battleship hull (or two). Or scrap/sell one ship to build a newer vessel, and take the other one and convert it to a training ship (removing some if its guns that could be used on the new ship) to make it useful to your navy as it would have some of the 380mm guns for training purposes.

Rebuilding the vessel doesn't look like much of an option if you don't need the ships.

I'd replace them as early as I could.
Are they coal fired? Did you rebuild them in the last 10 years?

Cheers,

The data entry lister them as being an oil fired 1914 design with 8 x 380mm guns at 21 - 22 knots speed.

That´s correct. And there were no modifications meanwhile (at least non that touch our rules).