Tankerace
Posts: 6400
Joined: 3/21/2003 From: Stillwater, OK, United States Status: offline
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After a series of battle tests, the following gunnery guidelines should be observed. Based on available technical data, I feel these are correct. 1) American Gunnery: While not as accurate as the Japanese guns, they can fire up to 30,000 yards, and can thus reply to fire from Japanese warships as soon as they open fire. All US dreadnoughts have all guns on the centerline, and in later dreadnoughts, having triple turrets, can maintain better salvo firing after the target is ranged. With most of their dreadnoughts using the 14" gun, US ships are generally better than opposing ships. In addition, in the 12" category, all US dreadnoughts generally have the same broadside weight as the British ships, but one one less turret. 2) Japanese Gunnery: The most accurate, and the longest ranged. Japanese dreadnoughts (with the exception of the first one) have all turrets on the centerline, and can bring all barrels to bear. In addition, being mounted in twin turrets, the loss of 1 turret doesn't dramatically reduce the number of barrels. Japanese ships are generally more modern than their opponents, however, since there are fewer of them, their only chance to not get pummeled is to stay at extreme range and use their superior gunnery. 3.) British gunnery. The British, having built the most dreadnoughts, also by 1922 have the most obsolescent. All guns are excellent, but none (other than the 15" mounted soley in the Hood and her sisters) can fire over 24,000 yards. In addition, British guns are not terribly accurate. However, once the British ships can get with in range, and once they find their targets, British ships can easily pummel an opponent, especially in a night battle with superiority in numbers. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/03/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat at 22,24 Japanese Ships BB Tosa, Shell hits 2 BB Kaga, Shell hits 17, and is sunk BC Kongo, Shell hits 5, on fire BC Haruna, Shell hits 54, on fire, heavy damage BC Hiei, Shell hits 19, and is sunk BC Kirishima, Shell hits 46, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships BB Malaya, Shell hits 5, on fire BB Iron Duke, Shell hits 5 BB Benbow, Shell hits 16, on fire BB Emperor of India BB Erin, Shell hits 4 BB Agincourt BB King George V BB Ajax BB Centurion BB Orion, Shell hits 1 BB Thunderer BB Conqueror BB Monarch BB Colossus, Shell hits 17, on fire, heavy damage BB Hercules BB Neptune BB St. Vincent BB Collingwood BB Vanguard BB Superb BB Temeraire, Shell hits 1 BB Bellerophon BB Dreadnought In the day phase, Krishima and Haruna sank. On the British side, Royal Oak (damaged from an earlier battle), Benbow, and Colossus were severely damaged. Royal Oak and Colossus would sink in the next turn. In the day battle (before this). Kaga, Haruna, and Hiei were lightly damaged, and Emperor of India and Royal Oak were shot to pieces. In addition, Marlborough, Dreadnought, and Colossus were lightly damaged as well.
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Designer of War Plan Orange Allied Naval OOBer of Admiral's Edition Naval Team Lead for War in the Med Author of Million-Dollar Barrage: American Field Artillery in the Great War coming soon from OU Press.
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