WesWorld

Battlecruisers
French battlecruisers are designed with the expectation that they will have to fight outnumbered. To improve their success, they are designed with two batteries of heavy naval rifles so they can engage two targets simultaneously. The main battery (340mm or 381mm) will engage the most dangerous threat, while the 240mm battery can engage a second target to ensure that the second threat cannot fire unimpeded by return fire. However, when circumstances permit, both batteries may concentrate on one target. In this case, the secondary battery fires HE until the target is straddled, then the main battery commences firing AP.

Dunkerque-class Battlecruisers
- Dunkerque
- Strasbourg

Paris-class Battlecruisers
- Paris
- Lyon

Dunkerque-class, French Battlecruiser laid down 1934

Displacement:
31,984 t light; 33,438 t standard; 37,640 t normal; 41,002 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
721.76 ft / 711.61 ft x 82.02 ft (Bulges 98.43 ft) x 32.15 ft (normal load)
219.99 m / 216.90 m x 25.00 m (Bulges 30.00 m) x 9.80 m

Armament:
6 - 13.39" / 340 mm guns (2x3 guns), 1,322.77lbs / 600.00kg shells, 1934 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread
6 - 9.45" / 240 mm guns (2x3 guns), 551.16lbs / 250.00kg shells, 1934 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts
12 - 4.72" / 120 mm guns (6x2 guns), 61.73lbs / 28.00kg shells, 1934 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts
32 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm guns (8x4 guns), 1.95lbs / 0.88kg shells, 1934 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, evenly spread, 4 raised mounts
8 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm guns (2x4 guns), 1.95lbs / 0.88kg shells, 1934 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts
Weight of broadside 12,062 lbs / 5,471 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 100

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 9.84" / 250 mm 482.94 ft / 147.20 m 13.12 ft / 4.00 m
Ends: 1.18" / 30 mm 228.67 ft / 69.70 m 9.84 ft / 3.00 m
Main Belt covers 104 % of normal length
Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces

- Torpedo Bulkhead and Bulges:
1.57" / 40 mm 482.94 ft / 147.20 m 33.14 ft / 10.10 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 11.8" / 300 mm 7.09" / 180 mm 8.66" / 220 mm
2nd: 11.8" / 300 mm 7.09" / 180 mm 8.66" / 220 mm
3rd: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.20" / 5 mm -
4th: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.20" / 5 mm -
5th: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.20" / 5 mm -

- Armour deck: 4.72" / 120 mm, Conning tower: 8.66" / 220 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 208,855 shp / 155,805 Kw = 34.00 kts
Range 10,900nm at 18.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 7,564 tons

Complement:
1,350 - 1,756

Cost:
£15.005 million / $60.019 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 1,305 tons, 3.5 %
Armour: 10,145 tons, 27.0 %
- Belts: 2,720 tons, 7.2 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 932 tons, 2.5 %
- Armament: 2,450 tons, 6.5 %
- Armour Deck: 3,833 tons, 10.2 %
- Conning Tower: 210 tons, 0.6 %
Machinery: 6,008 tons, 16.0 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 14,421 tons, 38.3 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 5,656 tons, 15.0 %
Miscellaneous weights: 105 tons, 0.3 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
49,440 lbs / 22,426 Kg = 41.2 x 13.4 " / 340 mm shells or 6.7 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.13
Metacentric height 4.7 ft / 1.4 m
Roll period: 19.1 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 50 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.68
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.03

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.585
Length to Beam Ratio: 7.23 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 30.96 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 62 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 48
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 14.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 40.68 ft / 12.40 m
- Forecastle (17 %): 30.51 ft / 9.30 m
- Mid (50 %): 28.87 ft / 8.80 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 27.23 ft / 8.30 m
- Stern: 28.87 ft / 8.80 m
- Average freeboard: 29.70 ft / 9.05 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 104.4 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 178.5 %
Waterplane Area: 43,857 Square feet or 4,074 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 115 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 190 lbs/sq ft or 930 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.92
- Longitudinal: 2.11
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent

Breakdown of Miscellaneous Weights:
Surface search radar - 20 tons
Air search radar - 20 tons
2 Seaplanes, 1 Catapult
Misc - 15 tons

Ships in Class:
- Dunkerque
- Strasbourg

Paris-class, French Battlecruiser laid down 1935

Displacement:
41,518 t light; 43,627 t standard; 49,069 t normal; 53,423 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
885.31 ft / 875.00 ft x 90.55 ft (Bulges 106.96 ft) x 32.48 ft (normal load)
269.84 m / 266.70 m x 27.60 m (Bulges 32.60 m) x 9.90 m

Armament:
6 - 15.00" / 381 mm guns (2x3 guns), 2,039.28lbs / 925.00kg shells, 1935 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread
6 - 9.45" / 240 mm guns (2x3 guns), 551.16lbs / 250.00kg shells, 1935 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts
12 - 4.72" / 120 mm guns (6x2 guns), 61.73lbs / 28.00kg shells, 1935 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts
8 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm guns (2x4 guns), 1.95lbs / 0.88kg shells, 1935 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts
32 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm guns (8x4 guns), 1.95lbs / 0.88kg shells, 1935 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, evenly spread, 4 raised mounts
Weight of broadside 16,361 lbs / 7,421 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 120

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 11.8" / 300 mm 509.19 ft / 155.20 m 13.12 ft / 4.00 m
Ends: 1.18" / 30 mm 365.81 ft / 111.50 m 9.84 ft / 3.00 m
Main Belt covers 90 % of normal length

- Torpedo Bulkhead and Bulges:
1.57" / 40 mm 509.19 ft / 155.20 m 33.79 ft / 10.30 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 13.8" / 350 mm 7.87" / 200 mm 11.0" / 280 mm
2nd: 13.8" / 350 mm 7.87" / 200 mm 11.0" / 280 mm
3rd: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.20" / 5 mm -
4th: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.20" / 5 mm -
5th: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.20" / 5 mm -

- Armour deck: 4.72" / 120 mm, Conning tower: 11.81" / 300 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 225,816 shp / 168,459 Kw = 34.00 kts
Range 12,000nm at 18.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 9,796 tons

Complement:
1,647 - 2,142

Cost:
£19.115 million / $76.460 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 1,671 tons, 3.4 %
Armour: 13,274 tons, 27.1 %
- Belts: 3,520 tons, 7.2 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 1,003 tons, 2.0 %
- Armament: 3,305 tons, 6.7 %
- Armour Deck: 5,104 tons, 10.4 %
- Conning Tower: 341 tons, 0.7 %
Machinery: 6,415 tons, 13.1 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 20,038 tons, 40.8 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 7,551 tons, 15.4 %
Miscellaneous weights: 120 tons, 0.2 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
73,659 lbs / 33,411 Kg = 43.6 x 15.0 " / 381 mm shells or 10.3 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.10
Metacentric height 5.2 ft / 1.6 m
Roll period: 19.8 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.79
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.29

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.565
Length to Beam Ratio: 8.18 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 34.05 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 55 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 54
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 14.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 41.34 ft / 12.60 m
- Forecastle (26 %): 29.86 ft / 9.10 m
- Mid (55 %): 29.53 ft / 9.00 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 29.53 ft / 9.00 m
- Stern: 31.17 ft / 9.50 m
- Average freeboard: 30.96 ft / 9.44 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 89.5 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 200.0 %
Waterplane Area: 58,403 Square feet or 5,426 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 124 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 209 lbs/sq ft or 1,018 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.95
- Longitudinal: 1.52
- 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
Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

Breakdown of Miscellaneous Weights:
Air search radar - 20 tons
Surface search Radar - 20 tons
2 Seaplanes, 1 Catapult
30 tons misc weight