WesWorld

Since I mentioned this over in a recent thread, I thought I'd reference how I set up the rules.

Basic Principles:
I set the game up so we have nine player countries, all second or third-rank nations. Because I had a bit of a rough experience with another Discord-based naval sim that got... way too complicated, I wanted to keep things as streamlined and simple as possible while still using the tried-and-tested rules from Wesworld. As a result, I set things up for annual (rather than quarterly) budgets, and adjusted factory counts accordingly. I made a total of nine nation slots in three tiers, and this is our current nation lineup:

Tier I
* Confederation of Aguilla: 22 factories
* Vesperian Confederation: 20 factories
* Republic of the United Provinces of Valbara: 18 factories

Tier II
* Realm of Nur Phong: 16 factories
* Confederation of Bantuo: 14 factories
* Commonwealth of Nenan States: 12 factories

Tier III
* Kingdom of Beringia: 10 factories
* Kingdom of Söleisia: 8 factories
* Unclaimed: 6 factories

As explained above, since the budgets are based on years rather than quarters, the factory counts should be divided by four to get their Wesworld equivalents. In this system, a 24-factory nation in SeaStates would be a 6-factory nation in Wesworld.

Most of our other rules are broadly similar, although I changed the infrastructure setup. In SeaStates, 100 tons of warship materials buys 1 IP, and 1 IP allows a standard slip to be lengthened by 1 meter. Ergo, a 120m slip costs 120 IP. Another small tweak I made to the SeaStates rules is that the annual budget has some flex in it: we use a die roll to determine how much Congress / Parliament / Dictator funds the Navy's construction plans for the year, with a variance of -20% to +20%.

These minor tweaks to the Wesworld rules made, I introduced one major difference. Every nation has six "National Characteristics" and one "National Challenge." Characteristics identify whether our small nations are capable of designing and building warships on their home turf. One characteristic allows the nation to build hulls; a second covers armour; a third covers guns; and the fourth covers engines. Pick them all and your nation can build anything allowable - although I did restrict this slightly by Tiers. Tier II countries, for instance, are limited from building capital ships, but they might be able to figure out a ship of up to 10,000 tons, just as an example.

But Characteristics also cover other potentially important things, like whether or not the nation has a naval officer's academy, or a large merchant marine, or if Parliament is particularly reliable at funding naval projects reliably year after year. So a player may choose to forgo the shipbuilding characteristics entirely, buy their warships from exporter yards, and concentrate on making their navy particularly skilled.

My Country Right or Wrong
For example, I'm playing the Tier I "Vesperian Confederation", which is perhaps best described as "Switzerland if it inhabited Chile." ...or maybe Norway. A long skinny country stuck between the mountains and the sea, with a few dozen cantons speaking a mix of Not English, Not German, and Not French. Think Canada has it bad with bilingual requirements? The Vesperian Confederation is trilingual, which means the navy has three official names in each language: the Vesperian Confederation Navy, the Marine Federalé, and the most-commonly used Staatenbund Kriegsmarine. Not German is acknowledged as the Navy's command language, so all shipboard commands are given in Not German - but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the primary language for all officers.

For my six national characteristics, I chose the following:
-- 1. Shipbuilding Capability (Tier I): Vesperia is capable of building complicated warships such as a cruisers or capital ships in their own local shipyards.
-- 2. Engine Manufacturer: Vesperia is capable of manufacturing marine powerplants such as diesels and steam turbines within five years of their invention elsewhere.
-- 3. Large Merchant Marine: Vesperia has a larger merchant marine than average. In wartime the navy can hire civilian ships as naval auxiliaries (supply ships, auxiliary cruisers, etc) and can call on a larger reserve of officers and sailors.
-- 4. Naval Academy: has an academy for naval officers that is recognized for good graduates. Requires keeping a training ship in the naval order-of-battle.
-- 5. Stable Government: The Vesperian government maintains a fairly consistent level of spending to the military every year. The annual variance drops from 20% + or - to 10% + or minus
-- 6. Growing Economy: add another factory every ten years.

So, as you can see, I can build warships in my home shipyards, but I have to buy guns and armour from a manufacturer abroad.

My national challenge, by the way, is that the Vesperian Confederation has a teeny-tiny problem where they are economically dependent on one particular foreign country that happens to be notBritain. "Oh, you want Most Favored Nation States? For the thirtieth year in a row? I... guess... we can do that..."

This being 1890, I have a smattering of miscellaneous ironclads, a curiously-unarmoured iron-hulled sailing steam frigate based on HMS Shah, a few composite corvettes, some torpedo boats, and my favorite ships of the period: a duo of Elswick cruisers, and an octet of Rendel Gunboats. Yes, I did shamelessly fit a 10" naval gun on 300 tons light displacement!

Quoted

1x 1865 ironclad monitor (Zittauer)
1x 1870 iron frigate (Schlössi)
2x 1873 central-battery ironclads (Fierswalden, Hauteville)
2x 1880 corvettes (Wildenstein, Bergen)
4x 1882 gunboats (Tiger, Fang, Leopard, Wolf)
4x 1885 corvettes (Langenthal, Weisslingen, Portmeirion, Fischenthal)
2x 1885 colliers (Möwe, Albatros)
4x 1885 torpedo boats (Haifisch, Orca, Walross, Seehund)
2x 1886 protected cruisers (Confederation, Castelmur)
4x 1888 gunboats (Falke, Adler, Kondor, Drachen)
4x 1889 colliers (Rüeggisberg, Etzel, Grimsel, Simplon)
1x 1889 torpedo boat tender (Schleitheim)
2x 1889 torpedo gunboats (Zauberin, Sultanin)

So, that's a brief synopsis. Obviously there's a lot more I can get into, but that covers most of the main points. If anyone wishes to observe (or fill our last little six-factory power), feel free to use this link.

Confederation-class, Vesperian Protected Cruiser laid down 1886
Barbette ship

Displacement:
3,028 t light; 3,166 t standard; 3,563 t normal; 3,880 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
(285.00 ft / 285.00 ft) x 43.00 ft x (18.50 / 19.80 ft)
(86.87 m / 86.87 m) x 13.11 m x (5.64 / 6.03 m)

Armament:
2 - 10.00" / 254 mm 30.0 cal guns - 446.81lbs / 202.67kg shells, 70 per gun
Breech loading guns in open barbette mounts, 1886 Model
2 x Single mounts on centreline ends, evenly spread
6 - 6.00" / 152 mm 28.0 cal guns - 92.81lbs / 42.10kg shells, 100 per gun
Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1882 Model
6 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
2 - 1.85" / 47.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 3.11lbs / 1.41kg shells, 300 per gun
Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1886 Model
2 x Single mounts on sides, forward deck aft
Weight of broadside 1,457 lbs / 661 kg

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Ends: Unarmoured

- Torpedo Bulkhead - Strengthened structural bulkheads:
2.00" / 51 mm 185.25 ft / 56.46 m 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
Beam between torpedo bulkheads 39.00 ft / 11.89 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: - - 3.00" / 76 mm
2nd: 1.50" / 38 mm 1.00" / 25 mm -
3rd: 1.00" / 25 mm 0.50" / 13 mm -

- Protected deck - single deck:
For and Aft decks: 2.00" / 51 mm
Forecastle: 1.00" / 25 mm Quarter deck: 1.00" / 25 mm

- Conning towers: Forward 3.00" / 76 mm, Aft 0.00" / 0 mm

Machinery:
Coal fired boilers, simple reciprocating steam engines,
Direct drive, 2 shafts, 6,640 ihp / 4,953 Kw = 18.00 kts
Range 4,000nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 713 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
229 - 299

Cost:
£0.338 million / $1.354 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 220 tons, 6.2 %
- Guns: 220 tons, 6.2 %
Armour: 653 tons, 18.3 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 219 tons, 6.2 %
- Armament: 129 tons, 3.6 %
- Armour Deck: 289 tons, 8.1 %
- Conning Tower: 15 tons, 0.4 %
Machinery: 1,262 tons, 35.4 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 813 tons, 22.8 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 534 tons, 15.0 %
Miscellaneous weights: 80 tons, 2.2 %
- Hull below water: 20 tons
- Hull above water: 30 tons
- On freeboard deck: 20 tons
- Above deck: 10 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
2,244 lbs / 1,018 Kg = 4.8 x 10.0 " / 254 mm shells or 0.7 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.57
Metacentric height 3.0 ft / 0.9 m
Roll period: 10.4 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 83 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.48
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.66

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck,
a normal bow and a cruiser stern
Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.550 / 0.560
Length to Beam Ratio: 6.63 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 16.88 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 52 %
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: 20.00 %, 17.75 ft / 5.41 m, 14.73 ft / 4.49 m
- Forward deck: 30.00 %, 14.73 ft / 4.49 m, 11.68 ft / 3.56 m
- Aft deck: 35.00 %, 11.68 ft / 3.56 m, 11.68 ft / 3.56 m
- Quarter deck: 15.00 %, 11.68 ft / 3.56 m, 11.68 ft / 3.56 m
- Average freeboard: 12.99 ft / 3.96 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 144.8 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 88.1 %
Waterplane Area: 8,553 Square feet or 795 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 93 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 84 lbs/sq ft or 410 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.89
- Longitudinal: 2.85
- Overall: 1.00
Cramped machinery, storage, compartmentation space
Cramped accommodation and workspace room
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

Ships in Class:
-- Confederation
-- Castelmur

Rendel A1, Vesperian Gunboat laid down 1882
Barbette ship

Displacement:
305 t light; 332 t standard; 340 t normal; 347 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
(92.00 ft / 90.00 ft) x 27.00 ft x (7.00 / 7.12 ft)
(28.04 m / 27.43 m) x 8.23 m x (2.13 / 2.17 m)

Armament:
1 - 10.00" / 254 mm 22.0 cal gun - 422.63lbs / 191.70kg shells, 80 per gun
Breech loading gun in open barbette mount, 1882 Model
1 x Single mount on centreline, forward deck forward
2 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 1.46lbs / 0.66kg shells, 750 per gun
Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1882 Model
2 x Single mounts on sides, aft deck aft
Weight of broadside 426 lbs / 193 kg

Armour:
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: - - 2.50" / 64 mm

- Protected deck - single deck:
For and Aft decks: 2.00" / 51 mm
Forecastle: 2.00" / 51 mm Quarter deck: 2.00" / 51 mm

Machinery:
Coal fired boilers, simple reciprocating steam engines,
Direct drive, 2 shafts, 80 ihp / 60 Kw = 7.25 kts
Range 500nm at 7.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 15 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
39 - 51

Cost:
£0.027 million / $0.107 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 56 tons, 16.5 %
- Guns: 56 tons, 16.5 %
Armour: 91 tons, 26.8 %
- Armament: 18 tons, 5.4 %
- Armour Deck: 73 tons, 21.4 %
Machinery: 16 tons, 4.7 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 142 tons, 41.7 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 35 tons, 10.3 %
Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
665 lbs / 302 Kg = 1.5 x 10.0 " / 254 mm shells or 0.7 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.67
Metacentric height 1.6 ft / 0.5 m
Roll period: 8.9 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 100 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.70
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low forecastle,
a ram bow and a cruiser stern
Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.700 / 0.702
Length to Beam Ratio: 3.33 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 9.49 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 45 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -5.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
Fore end, Aft end
- Forecastle: 20.00 %, 3.50 ft / 1.07 m, 4.00 ft / 1.22 m
- Forward deck: 30.00 %, 8.00 ft / 2.44 m, 5.00 ft / 1.52 m
- Aft deck: 35.00 %, 5.00 ft / 1.52 m, 5.00 ft / 1.52 m
- Quarter deck: 15.00 %, 5.00 ft / 1.52 m, 6.00 ft / 1.83 m
- Average freeboard: 5.29 ft / 1.61 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 56.2 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 54.1 %
Waterplane Area: 1,948 Square feet or 181 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 134 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 72 lbs/sq ft or 350 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.82
- Longitudinal: 6.51
- Overall: 1.00
Excellent machinery, storage, compartmentation space
Cramped accommodation and workspace room
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

Ships in Class:
-- Tiger
-- Fang
-- Leopard
-- Wolf

Notes:
-- 37mm gun is a licensed Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon.

Zauberin, Vesperian Torpedo Gunboat laid down 1889

Displacement:
834 t light; 860 t standard; 924 t normal; 975 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
(237.00 ft / 235.00 ft) x 27.50 ft x (9.00 / 9.39 ft)
(72.24 m / 71.63 m) x 8.38 m x (2.74 / 2.86 m)

Armament:
3 - 3.00" / 76.2 mm 40.0 cal guns - 12.83lbs / 5.82kg shells, 250 per gun
Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1889 Model
3 x Single mounts on centreline, evenly spread
4 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 1.54lbs / 0.70kg shells, 750 per gun
Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1889 Model
4 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 45 lbs / 20 kg
Main Torpedoes
4 - 15.0" / 381 mm, 18.00 ft / 5.49 m torpedoes - 0.312 t each, 1.247 t total
In 4 sets of deck mounted side rotating tubes
2nd Torpedoes
4 - 15.0" / 381 mm, 18.00 ft / 5.49 m torpedoes - 0.312 t each, 1.247 t total
In 4 sets of deck mounted carriage/fixed tubes

Machinery:
Coal fired boilers, complex reciprocating steam engines,
Direct drive, 2 shafts, 4,782 ihp / 3,568 Kw = 20.30 kts
Range 1,500nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 115 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
83 - 108

Cost:
£0.103 million / $0.413 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 12 tons, 1.3 %
- Guns: 8 tons, 0.9 %
- Weapons: 4 tons, 0.4 %
Machinery: 514 tons, 55.6 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 293 tons, 31.7 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 90 tons, 9.8 %
Miscellaneous weights: 15 tons, 1.6 %
- Hull below water: 5 tons
- Hull above water: 5 tons
- On freeboard deck: 3 tons
- Above deck: 2 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
380 lbs / 173 Kg = 28.6 x 3.0 " / 76 mm shells or 1.0 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.70
Metacentric height 1.7 ft / 0.5 m
Roll period: 8.8 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 51 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.03
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.03

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has rise forward of midbreak,
a ram bow and a cruiser stern
Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.556 / 0.562
Length to Beam Ratio: 8.55 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 15.33 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 59 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -10.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
Fore end, Aft end
- Forecastle: 20.00 %, 14.00 ft / 4.27 m, 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
- Forward deck: 30.00 %, 12.00 ft / 3.66 m, 11.00 ft / 3.35 m
- Aft deck: 35.00 %, 5.50 ft / 1.68 m, 5.50 ft / 1.68 m
- Quarter deck: 15.00 %, 5.50 ft / 1.68 m, 5.50 ft / 1.68 m
- Average freeboard: 8.76 ft / 2.67 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 183.5 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 79.3 %
Waterplane Area: 4,536 Square feet or 421 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 51 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 42 lbs/sq ft or 206 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.96
- Longitudinal: 1.39
- Overall: 1.00
Cramped machinery, storage, compartmentation space
Cramped accommodation and workspace room

Notes:
-- 37mm gun is a licensed Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon.

Ships in Class:
-- Zauberin
-- Sultanin