PG Charleston

Matrix Games Forums

Forums Register Login Photo Gallery Member List Search Calendars FAQ

My Profile Inbox Address Book My Subscription My Forums Log Out

PG Charleston

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> War In The Pacific - Struggle Against Japan 1941 - 1945 >> PG Charleston

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

PG Charleston - 7/4/2007 9:21:55 PM

niceguy2005

Posts: 12523
Joined: 7/4/2005
From: Super secret hidden base
Status: offline

I'm looking for a little input from the Navy experts...not knowing that much about ships myself.

I have done a little reading on the net about the Charleston and similar larger gunboats. It seems that the primary purpose of this type of ship is convoy escort. Is that correct? She is actaully decently well armed and armored. What sort of use did these ships generally get put to?

_____________________________

Artwork graciously provided by Dixie

Post #: 1

RE: PG Charleston - 7/4/2007 10:03:18 PM

Oliver Heindorf

Posts: 1911
Joined: 5/1/2002
From: Hamburg/Deutschland
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

I'm looking for a little input from the Navy experts...not knowing that much about ships myself.

I have done a little reading on the net about the Charleston and similar larger gunboats. It seems that the primary purpose of this type of ship is convoy escort. Is that correct? She is actaully decently well armed and armored. What sort of use did these ships generally get put to?

I have no clue but if you ask me, in the cent pac area they are IR a waste of money.

_____________________________

(in reply to niceguy2005)

Post #: 2

RE: PG Charleston - 7/4/2007 10:11:12 PM

Williamb

Posts: 594
Joined: 1/4/2001
From: Dayton Ohio
Status: offline

My understanding is that gunboats were to be used up rivers and coastal areas where larger warships couldnt go.
Sort of watch the movie "Sand Pebbles" to get and idea

_____________________________

(in reply to Oliver Heindorf)

Post #: 3

RE: PG Charleston - 7/4/2007 10:15:48 PM

AW1Steve

Posts: 14507
Joined: 3/10/2007
From: Mordor Illlinois
Status: offline

My readings lead me to beleave that they were built for two reasons 1)because treaties allowed them ,and 2) to be used as seagoing big gunboats / or really low cost small cruisers. They tended to be deployed before the war for "showing the flag" in south and central America, and as training ships. As the USN really never developed a strong doctrine for their use or need , they were really more "prototypes" then any thing else. Both Charleston and Erie had two six inch cruiser guns and carried scout planes , but were not partically fast, though realatively fuel effcient. During the war they were mainly used as convoy escorts , being too slow to travel with main fleet units. Norman Friedman writes and describes this type in his Naval Instititue book on Small Combatants.

quote:

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

I'm looking for a little input from the Navy experts...not knowing that much about ships myself.

I have done a little reading on the net about the Charleston and similar larger gunboats. It seems that the primary purpose of this type of ship is convoy escort. Is that correct? She is actaully decently well armed and armored. What sort of use did these ships generally get put to?

(in reply to niceguy2005)

Post #: 4

RE: PG Charleston - 7/4/2007 10:18:38 PM

goodboyladdie

Posts: 3469
Joined: 11/18/2005
From: Rendlesham, Suffolk
Status: offline

They are handy to escort convoys in CHS where the Japs are using those bloody Armed Merchant Cruisers. Now if only my opponent would pick the right convoy!

< Message edited by goodboyladdie -- 7/4/2007 10:32:35 PM >

_____________________________

Art by the amazing Dixie

(in reply to AW1Steve)

Post #: 5

RE: PG Charleston - 7/4/2007 10:31:02 PM

AW1Steve

Posts: 14507
Joined: 3/10/2007
From: Mordor Illlinois
Status: offline

Sort of. River Gunboats (like the San Pablo in Sand pebbles) were designed to go up river due to a very shallow draft. If fact , most of the "china gunboats" of YANGPAT were built in China . The Large Gunboats like Charleston were seagoing in design and nature. You could operate them in water depths that would handle - say a light cruiser. The River gunboats had flat bottoms and minimum draft.

quote:

ORIGINAL: William Amos

My understanding is that gunboats were to be used up rivers and coastal areas where larger warships couldnt go.
Sort of watch the movie "Sand Pebbles" to get and idea

(in reply to Williamb)

Post #: 6

RE: PG Charleston - 7/5/2007 1:19:20 AM

niceguy2005

Posts: 12523
Joined: 7/4/2005
From: Super secret hidden base
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: AW1Steve

My readings lead me to beleave that they were built for two reasons 1)because treaties allowed them ,and 2) to be used as seagoing big gunboats / or really low cost small cruisers. They tended to be deployed before the war for "showing the flag" in south and central America, and as training ships. As the USN really never developed a strong doctrine for their use or need , they were really more "prototypes" then any thing else. Both Charleston and Erie had two six inch cruiser guns and carried scout planes , but were not partically fast, though realatively fuel effcient. During the war they were mainly used as convoy escorts , being too slow to travel with main fleet units. Norman Friedman writes and describes this type in his Naval Instititue book on Small Combatants.

quote:

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

I'm looking for a little input from the Navy experts...not knowing that much about ships myself.

I have done a little reading on the net about the Charleston and similar larger gunboats. It seems that the primary purpose of this type of ship is convoy escort. Is that correct? She is actaully decently well armed and armored. What sort of use did these ships generally get put to?

Thanks for the reply everyone.

So basically these ships didn't really have a desiganted purpose.

Based on what I am hearing and what I see in the witp stats seems like good uses would be.
1. Escort duty for convoys heading into contested waters.
2. Suppression of shore batteries during invasion
3. Coastal patrol for forward bases.

_____________________________

Artwork graciously provided by Dixie

(in reply to AW1Steve)

Post #: 7

RE: PG Charleston - 7/5/2007 3:42:45 AM

Yamato hugger

Posts: 5475
Joined: 10/5/2004
Status: offline

I use the ones with lots of endurance for convoy escort / invasions. The smaller ones get converted to PT tenders (I make 4 of these minimum).

(in reply to niceguy2005)

Post #: 8

RE: PG Charleston - 7/5/2007 8:33:38 AM

spence

Posts: 5400
Joined: 4/20/2003
From: Vancouver, Washington
Status: offline

Another one of FDRs build stuff to keep people at work projects...looking at this ship I noticed something of a resemblance to the lines of a Treasury Class CG cutter. Checking some of the stats I find it was built in the same shipyard, has about the same dimensions (a bit lighter draft and 1.5 ft longer though) and approxiamately the same powerplant. Just thought I'd mention it.

(in reply to Yamato hugger)

Post #: 9

RE: PG Charleston - 7/5/2007 3:34:47 PM

Feinder

Posts: 6589
Joined: 9/4/2002
From: Land o' Lakes, FL
Status: offline

Charleston also has surface radar. A fairly important commodity for your SC TFs at war's start (since most of your ships don't have radar until about June).

-F-

_____________________________

"It is obvious that you have greatly over-estimated my regard for your opinion." - Me

(in reply to spence)

Post #: 10

RE: PG Charleston - 7/5/2007 6:10:30 PM

niceguy2005

Posts: 12523
Joined: 7/4/2005
From: Super secret hidden base
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: spence

Another one of FDRs build stuff to keep people at work projects...looking at this ship I noticed something of a resemblance to the lines of a Treasury Class CG cutter. Checking some of the stats I find it was built in the same shipyard, has about the same dimensions (a bit lighter draft and 1.5 ft longer though) and approxiamately the same powerplant. Just thought I'd mention it.

Indeed, when I went looking on the net I expected to find info indicating that she had been built basically as a CG cutter, but was surprised not to find any mention of it.

As Feinder points out with radar she is valuable, with her guns and armor she might go toe-to-toe with a DD.

In my game against the AI I sent her on patrol to the Aluetians. However, I think she would be better off running resupply convoys to PM.

_____________________________

Artwork graciously provided by Dixie

(in reply to spence)

Post #: 11

RE: PG Charleston - 7/5/2007 7:14:31 PM

msieving1

Posts: 526
Joined: 3/23/2007
From: Missouri
Status: offline

Historically, USS Charleston operated out of Dutch Harbor and Kodiak throughout the war, providing convoy escort and coastal patrols in Alaskan waters. Her sister ship USS Erie did similar duty in the Caribbean until she was sunk by a U-boat in November 1942.

Charleston also performed miscellaneous tasks, such as landing reconnaisance parties and assisting vessels in distress. She also provided some shore bombardment during the retaking of Attu. Generally, gunboats were intended to perform cruiser type functions, in places where a full size cruiser was not warranted.

(in reply to niceguy2005)

Post #: 12