Assume that ww1 happens at about the same time or later than historical and that the latest RN battleships (Royal Sovereign-class) are laid down as improved
Queen Elizabeth-class ships. There will be an earlier Mackensen class BB as response in Germany (basically 6 x 38cm instead of 8 x 35cm, the originally
approved design, laid down a year earlier). By 1916 no conclusive information regarding the staying power in capital ship engagements are aviable other than a
few ACR / BC engagements.
The next generation UK dreadnought, to be laid down 1916 will thus need to fullfill the following requirements:
Laid down 1914
weapons:
main armement: twin turrets with the newly designed 16.5" with enough ammunition for 100 rounds per gun. Layout is up to You.
Due to the heavier wire wound construction of the RN guns of this period, the necessary Springsharp adjustment is 45 cal. -the true barrel length is 40 cal, only.
sec. armement: casematte or pedestal deck mounted 6"/45, layout is up to You.
torpedoes: four 21" submerged torpedoe tubes
protection:
belts: needs to cover at least two thirds of the full waterline (springsharp=100%), it may be inclined by up to 15 deg. A waterline belt extension is required for the foreship and the stern. An upper belt is necessary, if the belt does cover less than 2/3 of the avg. freeboard height. A min. 2" torpedo bulkhead covering all the space from the bottom of the ship to the main armour deck is required for the main belt length.
deck: The deck needs to be placed one deck higher as in our latest (R-class) battleships.
Speed:
The ships are to be intended as uniform battleship doubling in the role as battlecruiser. Therefore all oil firing and small tube boilers will be adopted (engine date: 1916). Minimum design speed is 25.0 Kts, four shafts required.
Endurance:
At about 14 Kts the minimum range is 6.000nm, good seakeeping and gun stability as well as excellent crew habitability are required.
Size:
Only incremental increase in size over the QE-class is allowed due to harbour restrictions.
Good luck everyone!
The next generation UK dreadnought, to be laid down 1916 will thus need to fullfill the following requirements:
Laid down 1914
weapons:
main armement: twin turrets with the newly designed 16.5" with enough ammunition for 100 rounds per gun. Layout is up to You.
Due to the heavier wire wound construction of the RN guns of this period, the necessary Springsharp adjustment is 45 cal. -the true barrel length is 40 cal, only.
sec. armement: casematte or pedestal deck mounted 6"/45, layout is up to You.
torpedoes: four 21" submerged torpedoe tubes
protection:
belts: needs to cover at least two thirds of the full waterline (springsharp=100%), it may be inclined by up to 15 deg. A waterline belt extension is required for the foreship and the stern. An upper belt is necessary, if the belt does cover less than 2/3 of the avg. freeboard height. A min. 2" torpedo bulkhead covering all the space from the bottom of the ship to the main armour deck is required for the main belt length.
deck: The deck needs to be placed one deck higher as in our latest (R-class) battleships.
Speed:
The ships are to be intended as uniform battleship doubling in the role as battlecruiser. Therefore all oil firing and small tube boilers will be adopted (engine date: 1916). Minimum design speed is 25.0 Kts, four shafts required.
Endurance:
At about 14 Kts the minimum range is 6.000nm, good seakeeping and gun stability as well as excellent crew habitability are required.
Size:
Only incremental increase in size over the QE-class is allowed due to harbour restrictions.
Good luck everyone!
