WesWorld

Figure I'll post dabbles/flights of fancy here and not in my dedicated "New Ships" threads. Unless I actually build them, of course.

Anyway, the idea of a light monitor's been floating about my head for a bit. Notionally, it would bring 6" guns for a coastal defence mission or shore bombardment gig - without the need for a cruiser if one is unavailable.

Although simmed with a triple 6" turret - of which there are two in storage from the Urumi refit a few years back - the thing could also take a new model automatic twin-simmed-as-triple. Given the blocky hull form, the beam, and centre-ish placement of the turret, I think there'd be room.

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1945

Displacement:
1,653 t light; 1,740 t standard; 1,953 t normal; 2,123 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
229.79 ft / 226.38 ft x 55.77 ft x 9.84 ft (normal load)
70.04 m / 69.00 m x 17.00 m x 3.00 m

Armament:
3 - 5.91" / 150 mm guns (1x3 guns), 102.98lbs / 46.71kg shells, 1945 Model
Breech loading guns in a turret (on a barbette)
on centreline forward
4 - 2.24" / 57.0 mm guns (2x2 guns), 5.65lbs / 2.56kg shells, 1945 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts
on centreline, all aft, 1 raised mount - superfiring
6 - 0.98" / 25.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.48lbs / 0.22kg shells, 1945 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
4 - 0.31" / 8.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.02lbs / 0.01kg shells, 1945 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 334 lbs / 152 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 250

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 1.97" / 50 mm 127.95 ft / 39.00 m 11.48 ft / 3.50 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 87 % of normal length

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 3.94" / 100 mm 1.97" / 50 mm 3.94" / 100 mm
2nd: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.39" / 10 mm -
3rd: 0.39" / 10 mm - -
4th: 0.39" / 10 mm - -

- Armour deck: 1.97" / 50 mm, Conning tower: 1.97" / 50 mm

Machinery:
Diesel Internal combustion motors,
Direct drive, 2 shafts, 4,021 shp / 3,000 Kw = 16.76 kts
Range 4,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 383 tons

Complement:
146 - 190

Cost:
£0.741 million / $2.962 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 42 tons, 2.1 %
Armour: 540 tons, 27.6 %
- Belts: 139 tons, 7.1 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 73 tons, 3.7 %
- Armour Deck: 321 tons, 16.4 %
- Conning Tower: 7 tons, 0.3 %
Machinery: 102 tons, 5.2 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 858 tons, 43.9 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 300 tons, 15.4 %
Miscellaneous weights: 112 tons, 5.7 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
7,638 lbs / 3,465 Kg = 74.2 x 5.9 " / 150 mm shells or 2.8 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.12
Metacentric height 2.6 ft / 0.8 m
Roll period: 14.5 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 100 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.21
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.53

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
Block coefficient: 0.550
Length to Beam Ratio: 4.06 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 15.05 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 58 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 67
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 10.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 19.36 ft / 5.90 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 16.40 ft / 5.00 m
- Mid (50 %): 16.40 ft / 5.00 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 16.40 ft / 5.00 m
- Stern: 16.40 ft / 5.00 m
- Average freeboard: 16.64 ft / 5.07 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 42.0 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 188.6 %
Waterplane Area: 8,812 Square feet or 819 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 164 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 71 lbs/sq ft or 346 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.83
- Longitudinal: 4.88
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

something like this ?

Well, more modern looking, I'd think, but the general idea's similar.

Smaller variant with destroyer-sized guns. Probably redundant if one already has sloops and destroyers, of course.

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1945

Displacement:
942 t light; 1,027 t standard; 1,181 t normal; 1,303 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
199.57 ft / 196.85 ft x 42.65 ft x 9.84 ft (normal load)
60.83 m / 60.00 m x 13.00 m x 3.00 m

Armament:
4 - 4.92" / 125 mm guns (2x2 guns), 59.59lbs / 27.03kg shells, 1945 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline, all forward, 1 raised mount - superfiring
4 - 2.24" / 57.0 mm guns (2x2 guns), 5.65lbs / 2.56kg shells, 1945 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts
on side, all aft
6 - 0.98" / 25.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.48lbs / 0.22kg shells, 1945 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
4 - 0.31" / 8.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.02lbs / 0.01kg shells, 1945 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 264 lbs / 120 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 400

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 1.57" / 40 mm 127.95 ft / 39.00 m 7.84 ft / 2.39 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 1.97" / 50 mm 0.79" / 20 mm 1.97" / 50 mm
2nd: 0.79" / 20 mm 0.39" / 10 mm -
3rd: 0.39" / 10 mm - -
4th: 0.39" / 10 mm - -

- Armour deck: 1.57" / 40 mm, Conning tower: 1.57" / 40 mm

Machinery:
Diesel Internal combustion motors,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 3,107 shp / 2,318 Kw = 17.00 kts
Range 4,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 276 tons

Complement:
99 - 130

Cost:
£0.495 million / $1.981 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 33 tons, 2.8 %
Armour: 257 tons, 21.8 %
- Belts: 71 tons, 6.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 20 tons, 1.7 %
- Armour Deck: 163 tons, 13.8 %
- Conning Tower: 4 tons, 0.3 %
Machinery: 78 tons, 6.6 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 474 tons, 40.1 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 238 tons, 20.2 %
Miscellaneous weights: 100 tons, 8.5 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
2,878 lbs / 1,306 Kg = 48.3 x 4.9 " / 125 mm shells or 1.4 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.18
Metacentric height 1.9 ft / 0.6 m
Roll period: 13.0 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 71 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.24
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.22

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
Block coefficient: 0.500
Length to Beam Ratio: 4.62 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 14.03 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 60 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 58
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 10.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 15.42 ft / 4.70 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 11.48 ft / 3.50 m
- Mid (50 %): 11.48 ft / 3.50 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 11.48 ft / 3.50 m
- Stern: 11.48 ft / 3.50 m
- Average freeboard: 11.80 ft / 3.60 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 56.9 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 123.6 %
Waterplane Area: 5,594 Square feet or 520 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 152 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 60 lbs/sq ft or 292 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.87
- Longitudinal: 3.95
- Overall: 1.02
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

The 152mm armed version seems the most useful in terms of shore support. Just wondering if it shouldn't have a bit more deck armour, since plunging fire and strafing attacks and bombing seem more likely threats. The belt is probably ok.

With regards to something armed with destroyer-sized guns, I think a far more useful approach would be something like the wartime Landing Craft Gun - a converted LCT with a pair of heavy guns that can really go inshore with the landing craft and take beach defenses under direct fire. Such a craft is far more expendable and IMHO far more effective than a monitor standing off shore with the same guns.

As they say, "here's one I made earlier..."

Argentina has never gotten around to actually building these useful vessels.

Quoted

Project 612 (Italian MZ1), Argentina/ Italy Landing Transport/Tender/Fire Support laid down 1935

Displacement:
200 t light; 205 t standard; 217 t normal; 226 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
159.71 ft / 154.20 ft x 21.42 ft x 3.28 ft (normal load)
48.68 m / 47.00 m x 6.53 m x 1.00 m

Armament:
1 - 2.95" / 75.0 mm guns in single mounts, 13.67lbs / 6.20kg shells, 1932 Model
Quick firing gun in deck mount
on centreline forward
2 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns in single mounts, 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1932 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
1 - 0.00" / 0.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.00lbs / 0.00kg shells, 1932 Model
Anti-aircraft gun in deck mount
on centreline aft
Weight of broadside 17 lbs / 8 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 50

Machinery:
Diesel Internal combustion motors,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 400 shp / 299 Kw = 12.60 kts
Range 1,900nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 21 tons

Complement:
27 - 36

Cost:
£0.052 million / $0.209 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 2 tons, 0.9 %
Machinery: 11 tons, 5.2 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 82 tons, 37.8 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 17 tons, 7.6 %
Miscellaneous weights: 105 tons, 48.4 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
458 lbs / 208 Kg = 35.6 x 3.0 " / 75 mm shells or 0.5 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.20
Metacentric height 0.7 ft / 0.2 m
Roll period: 10.8 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 50 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.04
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.14

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
Block coefficient: 0.700
Length to Beam Ratio: 7.20 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 12.42 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 44 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 44
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 40.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 6.56 ft / 2.00 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 5.91 ft / 1.80 m
- Mid (50 %): 5.58 ft / 1.70 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 5.58 ft / 1.70 m
- Stern: 5.58 ft / 1.70 m
- Average freeboard: 5.74 ft / 1.75 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 76.9 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 105.6 %
Waterplane Area: 2,648 Square feet or 246 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 151 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 24 lbs/sq ft or 118 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.99
- Longitudinal: 1.09
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate

Quoted

Originally posted by Hood
1 - 0.00" / 0.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.00lbs / 0.00kg shells, 1932 Model
Anti-aircraft gun in deck mount
on centreline aft

Fire the Laser Cannon!

I figured I'd better sort out, once and for all, what method of simming automatic guns I was going to use. So here's a side-by-side comparison.

The cruiser in question is identical in all respects (I think) except for the armament. One uses the triples-as-twins approach, with 300 shells per barrel to represent an actual load of 450 shells per gun. The other ship uses the twins + 50% approach Brock and others use, with 450 shells per barrel. The miscellaneous weight requirement is 14 t per barrel, and is incorporated into the miscellaneous weight...

This is the "twins simmed as triples" approach, and was the baseline for the sim.





Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1945

Displacement:

10,283 t light; 10,923 t standard; 12,758 t normal; 14,226 t full load



Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught

645.80 ft / 629.92 ft x 62.99 ft x 22.97 ft (normal load)

196.84 m / 192.00 m x 19.20 m x 7.00 m



Armament:

12 - 5.91" / 150 mm guns (4x3 guns), 102.98lbs / 46.71kg shells, 1945 Model

Automatic rapid fire guns in turrets (on barbettes)

on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring

12 - 4.92" / 125 mm guns (6x2 guns), 59.59lbs / 27.03kg shells, 1945 Model

Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists

on side, all amidships, 2 raised mounts - superfiring

24 - 2.24" / 57.0 mm guns (12x2 guns), 5.65lbs / 2.56kg shells, 1945 Model

Dual purpose guns in deck mounts

on side, evenly spread, 4 raised mounts

16 - 0.98" / 25.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.48lbs / 0.22kg shells, 1945 Model

Machine guns in deck mounts

on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts

Weight of broadside 2,094 lbs / 950 kg

Shells per gun, main battery: 300



Armour:

- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)

Main: 3.94" / 100 mm 409.45 ft / 124.80 m 16.01 ft / 4.88 m

Ends: Unarmoured

Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length



- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)

Main: 5.91" / 150 mm 1.97" / 50 mm 3.94" / 100 mm

2nd: 1.97" / 50 mm 0.79" / 20 mm 1.97" / 50 mm

3rd: 0.79" / 20 mm 0.39" / 10 mm -

4th: 0.39" / 10 mm - -



- Armour deck: 1.97" / 50 mm, Conning tower: 3.94" / 100 mm



Machinery:

Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,

Geared drive, 4 shafts, 93,834 shp / 70,000 Kw = 33.02 kts

Range 15,000nm at 15.00 kts

Bunker at max displacement = 3,303 tons



Complement:

599 - 780



Cost:

£6.477 million / $25.908 million



Distribution of weights at normal displacement:

Armament: 293 tons, 2.3 %

Armour: 2,559 tons, 20.1 %

- Belts: 1,074 tons, 8.4 %

- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %

- Armament: 447 tons, 3.5 %

- Armour Deck: 992 tons, 7.8 %

- Conning Tower: 46 tons, 0.4 %

Machinery: 2,370 tons, 18.6 %

Hull, fittings & equipment: 4,855 tons, 38.1 %

Fuel, ammunition & stores: 2,475 tons, 19.4 %

Miscellaneous weights: 207 tons, 1.6 %



Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:

Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):

18,875 lbs / 8,562 Kg = 183.3 x 5.9 " / 150 mm shells or 2.2 torpedoes

Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.15

Metacentric height 3.3 ft / 1.0 m

Roll period: 14.7 seconds

Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 55 %

- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.47

Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.10



Hull form characteristics:

Hull has a flush deck

and transom stern

Block coefficient: 0.490

Length to Beam Ratio: 10.00 : 1

'Natural speed' for length: 28.68 kts

Power going to wave formation at top speed: 56 %

Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50

Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 20.00 degrees

Stern overhang: 6.56 ft / 2.00 m

Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):

- Stem: 25.59 ft / 7.80 m

- Forecastle (20 %): 20.67 ft / 6.30 m

- Mid (50 %): 20.67 ft / 6.30 m

- Quarterdeck (15 %): 20.67 ft / 6.30 m

- Stern: 20.67 ft / 6.30 m

- Average freeboard: 21.06 ft / 6.42 m

Ship tends to be wet forward



Ship space, strength and comments:

Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 82.0 %

- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 179.0 %

Waterplane Area: 27,240 Square feet or 2,531 Square metres

Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 130 %

Structure weight / hull surface area: 111 lbs/sq ft or 542 Kg/sq metre

Hull strength (Relative):

- Cross-sectional: 0.97

- Longitudinal: 1.42

- Overall: 1.00

Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent

Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent

And this is the twin+50% model. Lower light displacement, higher hull strength - think we've got a winner here.





Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1945



Displacement:

10,194 t light; 10,923 t standard; 12,758 t normal; 14,226 t full load



Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught

645.80 ft / 629.92 ft x 62.99 ft x 22.97 ft (normal load)

196.84 m / 192.00 m x 19.20 m x 7.00 m



Armament:

8 - 5.91" / 150 mm guns (4x2 guns), 102.98lbs / 46.71kg shells, 1945 Model

Automatic rapid fire guns in turrets (on barbettes)

on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring

12 - 4.92" / 125 mm guns (6x2 guns), 59.59lbs / 27.03kg shells, 1945 Model

Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists

on side, all amidships, 2 raised mounts - superfiring

24 - 2.24" / 57.0 mm guns (12x2 guns), 5.65lbs / 2.56kg shells, 1945 Model

Dual purpose guns in deck mounts

on side, evenly spread, 4 raised mounts

16 - 0.98" / 25.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.48lbs / 0.22kg shells, 1945 Model

Machine guns in deck mounts

on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts

Weight of broadside 1,682 lbs / 763 kg

Shells per gun, main battery: 450



Armour:

- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)

Main: 3.94" / 100 mm 409.45 ft / 124.80 m 16.01 ft / 4.88 m

Ends: Unarmoured

Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length



- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)

Main: 5.91" / 150 mm 1.97" / 50 mm 3.94" / 100 mm

2nd: 1.97" / 50 mm 0.79" / 20 mm 1.97" / 50 mm

3rd: 0.79" / 20 mm 0.39" / 10 mm -

4th: 0.39" / 10 mm - -



- Armour deck: 1.97" / 50 mm, Conning tower: 3.94" / 100 mm



Machinery:

Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,

Geared drive, 4 shafts, 93,834 shp / 70,000 Kw = 33.02 kts

Range 15,000nm at 15.00 kts

Bunker at max displacement = 3,303 tons



Complement:

599 - 780



Cost:

£6.097 million / $24.388 million



Distribution of weights at normal displacement:

Armament: 231 tons, 1.8 %

Armour: 2,483 tons, 19.5 %

- Belts: 1,074 tons, 8.4 %

- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %

- Armament: 371 tons, 2.9 %

- Armour Deck: 992 tons, 7.8 %

- Conning Tower: 46 tons, 0.4 %

Machinery: 2,370 tons, 18.6 %

Hull, fittings & equipment: 4,759 tons, 37.3 %

Fuel, ammunition & stores: 2,564 tons, 20.1 %

Miscellaneous weights: 351 tons, 2.8 %



Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:

Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):

19,345 lbs / 8,775 Kg = 187.9 x 5.9 " / 150 mm shells or 2.2 torpedoes

Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.17

Metacentric height 3.3 ft / 1.0 m

Roll period: 14.5 seconds

Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 56 %

- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.37

Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.12



Hull form characteristics:

Hull has a flush deck

and transom stern

Block coefficient: 0.490

Length to Beam Ratio: 10.00 : 1

'Natural speed' for length: 28.68 kts

Power going to wave formation at top speed: 56 %

Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50

Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 20.00 degrees

Stern overhang: 6.56 ft / 2.00 m

Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):

- Stem: 25.59 ft / 7.80 m

- Forecastle (20 %): 20.67 ft / 6.30 m

- Mid (50 %): 20.67 ft / 6.30 m

- Quarterdeck (15 %): 20.67 ft / 6.30 m

- Stern: 20.67 ft / 6.30 m

- Average freeboard: 21.06 ft / 6.42 m

Ship tends to be wet forward



Ship space, strength and comments:

Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 80.6 %

- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 179.0 %

Waterplane Area: 27,240 Square feet or 2,531 Square metres

Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 135 %

Structure weight / hull surface area: 109 lbs/sq ft or 532 Kg/sq metre

Hull strength (Relative):

- Cross-sectional: 0.99

- Longitudinal: 1.42

- Overall: 1.02

Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent

Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent

Okay, why did everything double-space, and how do I stop it? That's really annoying.

Quoted from "The Rock Doctor"

Okay, why did everything double-space, and how do I stop it? That's really annoying.

The straight dump out of Springsharp has a lot of embedded carriage returns, to which the board (like a lot of such software) automatically inserts another carriage return - hence the double space.

I get around this by putting everything into a simple word editor like Notepad, eliminate the embedded carriage returns from Springsharp, and then do a cut-paste into the board. It's not perfect though, but better.

Either that or post in 'simple reply' which cuts the odd stuff out. The new board software is quite annoying if you try and do full replies with any pasted content.

Bharat's single dedicated hospital ship has a 22 year-old hull. She'll need replacement in a little while - not immediately.

The nature of her acquisition, as a rebuild, probably came with some compromises in the layout of the interior - there's probably some bad corners in corridors, limited elevators, etc.

So notionally, a purpose-built replacement might be in order. In terms of capability, the ship doesn't have more personnel, but does have more beds available for ongoing care and more working space for actual operations/diagnoses.

More significantly for costing purposes, the ship follows the model from recent disaster relief ships and incorporates a well deck for patient and material movement. This particular well deck can accommodate six LCM or one of the 1945 model LCTs (that you've not yet seen stats for). Question would be - would this mean I have to pay for the auxiliary at full cost, or would the 1/4 cost apply?

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1946

Displacement:
6,813 t light; 6,982 t standard; 8,451 t normal; 9,626 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
469.72 ft / 462.60 ft x 72.18 ft x 14.76 ft (normal load)
143.17 m / 141.00 m x 22.00 m x 4.50 m

Machinery:
Diesel Internal combustion motors,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 14,745 shp / 11,000 Kw = 19.98 kts
Range 7,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 1,322 tons
[Simmed as Range 14,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 2,644 tons]

Complement:
439 - 572

Cost:
£2.056 million / $8.225 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Machinery: 368 tons, 4.4 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 2,926 tons, 34.6 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,638 tons, 19.4 %
Miscellaneous weights: 3,518 tons, 41.6 % + 1,322 t simmed as bunkerage
-1,248 t: 40 x 13 x 2.4 metre well deck, flooded (simmed as bunkerage)
-1,150 t: Accommodation for 300 medical personnel at 3.5 t per
-1,150 t: 300 beds for patient care at 3.5 t per
-Facilities: 800 t (6 operating tables, triage/trauma center, patient handling, labs, pharmacy)
-Supplies: 293 t
-125 t: Provision for three landing craft (medium) at 35 t per and ten ambulances at 2 t
-74 t: Fuel for landing craft and ambulances (simmed as bunkerage)

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
23,218 lbs / 10,532 Kg = 215.0 x 6 " / 152 mm shells or 3.2 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.15
Metacentric height 4.0 ft / 1.2 m
Roll period: 15.1 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 80 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.00
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
Block coefficient: 0.600
Length to Beam Ratio: 6.41 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 21.51 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 44 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 40
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 15.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 26.57 ft / 8.10 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 23.62 ft / 7.20 m
- Mid (50 %): 31.50 ft / 9.60 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 15.75 ft / 4.80 m
- Stern: 15.75 ft / 4.80 m
- Average freeboard: 23.86 ft / 7.27 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 60.3 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 269.5 %
Waterplane Area: 24,421 Square feet or 2,269 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 199 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 84 lbs/sq ft or 410 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.92
- Longitudinal: 2.05
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, rides out heavy weather easily

A good question Rocky.

My own feeling is that if the vessel is built from the keel up for naval service, even as an auxiliary, full cost is paid; this is the rule of thumb I followed on the German Donau class replenishment ships and the Lahn class support tankers. In the case of these vessels, the survivability factors (shells absorbed etc) remain per Springsharp. If I am converting a merchantman to a fleet auxiliary I treat it as a 25% refit for cost purposes, but, as you say, some compromises in the interior would have to be accepted, and the survivability factor is reduced to one tenth of the Springsharp value, as the hull and systems were built to commercial standards.

Particularly if you wish to incorporate a well deck I cannot see paying less than full price for this design.

JMHO

Felt like designing a battleship this morning. I guess these would be up-rated Akbars, and more compatible with carrier ops. Still too under-powered against post-treaty ships to be worth building with Bharat's budget, of course.

Main battery's the South African 380mm gun in Bharati-designed quads.

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1945

Displacement:
37,444 t light; 39,194 t standard; 43,053 t normal; 46,141 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
810.68 ft / 793.96 ft x 104.99 ft x 31.17 ft (normal load)
247.09 m / 242.00 m x 32.00 m x 9.50 m

Armament:
8 - 14.96" / 380 mm guns (2x4 guns), 1,818.81lbs / 825.00kg shells, 1945 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread
16 - 4.92" / 125 mm guns (8x2 guns), 59.59lbs / 27.03kg shells, 1945 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, all amidships, 4 raised mounts - superfiring
32 - 2.24" / 57.0 mm guns (16x2 guns), 5.65lbs / 2.56kg shells, 1945 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, 8 raised mounts
30 - 0.98" / 25.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.48lbs / 0.22kg shells, 1945 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 15,699 lbs / 7,121 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 100

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 15.7" / 400 mm 516.08 ft / 157.30 m 13.12 ft / 4.00 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length

- Torpedo Bulkhead:
3.15" / 80 mm 516.08 ft / 157.30 m 28.02 ft / 8.54 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 15.7" / 400 mm 7.87" / 200 mm 15.7" / 400 mm
2nd: 1.97" / 50 mm 0.79" / 20 mm 1.97" / 50 mm
3rd: 0.79" / 20 mm 0.39" / 10 mm -
4th: 0.39" / 10 mm - -

- Armour deck: 5.51" / 140 mm, Conning tower: 15.75" / 400 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 134,286 shp / 100,178 Kw = 30.02 kts
Range 15,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 6,947 tons

Complement:
1,493 - 1,942

Cost:
£22.885 million / $91.539 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 1,818 tons, 4.2 %
Armour: 15,379 tons, 35.7 %
- Belts: 4,578 tons, 10.6 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 1,685 tons, 3.9 %
- Armament: 2,343 tons, 5.4 %
- Armour Deck: 6,356 tons, 14.8 %
- Conning Tower: 417 tons, 1.0 %
Machinery: 3,391 tons, 7.9 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 16,227 tons, 37.7 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 5,609 tons, 13.0 %
Miscellaneous weights: 629 tons, 1.5 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
74,679 lbs / 33,874 Kg = 44.6 x 15.0 " / 380 mm shells or 13.2 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.14
Metacentric height 6.9 ft / 2.1 m
Roll period: 16.8 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.57
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.21

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.580
Length to Beam Ratio: 7.56 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 32.59 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 52 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 58
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 20.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 6.56 ft / 2.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 27.89 ft / 8.50 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 22.97 ft / 7.00 m
- Mid (50 %): 22.97 ft / 7.00 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 22.97 ft / 7.00 m
- Stern: 22.97 ft / 7.00 m
- Average freeboard: 23.36 ft / 7.12 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 73.8 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 182.6 %
Waterplane Area: 62,334 Square feet or 5,791 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 115 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 191 lbs/sq ft or 935 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.96
- Longitudinal: 1.32
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

Nice looking design, rather well balanced overall, despite quad turrets (a personal dislike on my part, sorry).

It is unfortunate that the present behemoths like the Admirals, Sachens or Montanas - not to mention some of the ships built in a country east of Chosen - render such a design useless in one-on-one combat. I think these massive battleship designs sucked up too much tonnage for their real value.

Indeed. The silver lining, of course, is that it's easier to justify the hindsight-ish decision not to build any more battleships and concentrate on other platforms for naval firepower.

This is what Akbar and Jahangir might look like following the 5% refit they received in 1943.

The primary purpose of that work was to fit a modern electronics suite, but the AA armament was also game for upgrading. I'm waffling a bit about what to do with this. While the new 57mm AA would be available in this timeframe, there's apparently only weight for six twin mountings. By contrast, if I stick with the twin 35mm mountings, I can shoe-horn in no less than twenty-one twin mounts. Doesn't quite scale right, to my thinking, but there you go.

Miscellaneous weight is almost exclusively assigned to command and electronics fittings at this point; since the ships are operating as carrier escorts, the aviation facilities have been removed.

Bunkerage has been shifted to show up with a cruising speed of 15 kts but the actual fuel load should be within a few tons of the 1936 50% refit's stats.

I'm working on a drawing, but have encountered the problem that I suck at drawing 1943-ish superstructure. When I produce something that doesn't make me barf, I'll post it.


Akbar redux, laid down 1924 (Engine 1936), post-1943 minor refit

Displacement:
27,955 t light; 29,228 t standard; 31,039 t normal; 32,487 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
705.93 ft / 695.54 ft x 100.07 ft x 28.38 ft (normal load)
215.17 m / 212.00 m x 30.50 m x 8.65 m

Armament:
8 - 13.78" / 350 mm guns (2x4 guns), 1,308.20lbs / 593.39kg shells, 1924 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread
8 - 4.92" / 125 mm guns (4x2 guns), 59.59lbs / 27.03kg shells, 1924 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts - superfiring
8 - 4.92" / 125 mm guns (4x2 guns), 59.59lbs / 27.03kg shells, 1924 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, all amidships
42 - 1.38" / 35.0 mm guns (21x2 guns), 1.31lbs / 0.59kg shells, 1924 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, 18 raised mounts
30 - 0.98" / 25.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.48lbs / 0.22kg shells, 1924 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 11,488 lbs / 5,211 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 100

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 14.2" / 360 mm 419.95 ft / 128.00 m 12.01 ft / 3.66 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Upper: 1.57" / 40 mm 419.95 ft / 128.00 m 8.01 ft / 2.44 m
Main Belt covers 93 % of normal length

- Torpedo Bulkhead:
1.57" / 40 mm 452.10 ft / 137.80 m 26.21 ft / 7.99 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 15.7" / 400 mm 9.84" / 250 mm 15.7" / 400 mm
2nd: 1.97" / 50 mm 0.79" / 20 mm 1.97" / 50 mm
3rd: 1.97" / 50 mm 0.79" / 20 mm 1.97" / 50 mm
4th: 0.79" / 20 mm 0.39" / 10 mm -
5th: 0.39" / 10 mm - -

- Armour deck: 5.12" / 130 mm, Conning tower: 15.75" / 400 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 116,000 shp / 86,536 Kw = 29.02 kts
Range 7,300nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 3,259 tons

Complement:
1,168 - 1,519

Cost:
£8.161 million / $32.645 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 1,436 tons, 4.6 %
Armour: 11,039 tons, 35.6 %
- Belts: 3,372 tons, 10.9 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 691 tons, 2.2 %
- Armament: 2,043 tons, 6.6 %
- Armour Deck: 4,599 tons, 14.8 %
- Conning Tower: 335 tons, 1.1 %
Machinery: 3,255 tons, 10.5 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 12,046 tons, 38.8 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 3,083 tons, 9.9 %
Miscellaneous weights: 179 tons, 0.6 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
43,779 lbs / 19,858 Kg = 33.5 x 13.8 " / 350 mm shells or 7.1 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.08
Metacentric height 5.8 ft / 1.8 m
Roll period: 17.4 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.50
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.08

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has raised quarterdeck
Block coefficient: 0.550
Length to Beam Ratio: 6.95 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 26.37 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 54 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 65
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 20.00 degrees
Stern overhang: -3.28 ft / -1.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 28.54 ft / 8.70 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 20.34 ft / 6.20 m
- Mid (50 %): 20.34 ft / 6.20 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 20.34 ft / 6.20 m (20.01 ft / 6.10 m before break)
- Stern: 20.34 ft / 6.20 m
- Average freeboard: 20.94 ft / 6.38 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 87.4 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 160.4 %
Waterplane Area: 48,573 Square feet or 4,513 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 106 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 180 lbs/sq ft or 881 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.96
- Longitudinal: 1.38
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform