On His Majesty’s Naval Service – A Rule the Waves AAR

[The Minsky Moment]

Odd that New Caledonia is worth more than Algeria as peace term; same as Corsica.

[Norgy]

I expect it's a bit randomnised. Otherwise it makes no sense at all, except if the territories are have unequal worth depending on which country. I imagine getting more bases to project from might be more interesting to the UK than a bunch of semi-rebellious Arabs who speak French at best.

I'll keep reading, anyway. Good stuff, grumbler.

[grumbler]

Odd that New Caledonia is worth more than Algeria as peace term; same as Corsica.

That's also their financial worth, so it makes even less sense. 

[grumbler]

1904  The Year We Started Coming Back

The first few months of 1904 are unremarkable, with the only dilemma encountered being the consideration of whether to concentrate research on guns after getting word that the US was pulling ahead of us in gun technology.  Since gunnery is the RN's forte, I decide to accept the recommendation.



In May, we get the welcome news that economic forecasts were pessimistic, and that the UK's economy is 2% better than forecast.  The naval budget is increased accordingly (by about $4 million annually).  OTOH, tensions with Italy have risen in each of the past two months, and is now 6.  No events caused this, it is just the fluctuation of tensions that occurs naturally.  However, it bears watching.





In June, we get a peculiar intelligence report to the effect that the newly-laid-down Russian battleship Zlatoust has a belt of only 4".  This seems absurdly thin, and for the first time I wonder if my intel reports are accurate.  I suppose we will see when she is finished.



In July, we catch a German spy.  This is the sort of meat the Navy League needs, so I denounce Germany.  Tensions rise but are still pretty low, and the naval budget gets a 2% bump.



In August, I start a modest program to overhaul my larger ships to equip them with central fire control systems.  I'll upgrade one each of the Bs and CAs at a time.



In November comes one of those moments when I wonder what the government is thinking.  The Balkans nations are arming, and the government actually considers not selling arms to them!  I push for the arms sales, and get more money in the budget.



In November, we commission the first of the new Admiral class battleships, and I lay down another.  I decide that this will be the last unit built without underwater protection; torpedoes aren't very good, yet, but they will get better.

As December rolls around, I look back on a pretty good year.  Tensions are higher than at the start of the year, but the budget is in much better shape (10% higher than at the start of the year).  The US proved unable to sustain her high building rate, and is now back to 2 battleships under construction, while we have three (plus one rebuilding).  No one else is close to threatening our dominance at sea.

[grumbler]

1905 The Year We Didn't Build the Dreadnought

As the year starts, the situation with regards to the US battleships is the only cloud on the RN's horizon.  The US commissions a BB in January, giving her 11 to Britain's twelve (though the US battleships are smaller).  This is probably the closest the US will get; she has only two under construction, and Britain has 4 (including one in reconstruction).  So, when a US spy is caught, I must uncharacteristically call for the "softly, softly" approach until we can get our lead back.





In February, I decide to accelerate the pace of the rebuilding to two ships per type per month for the Bs and CAs.  I want to get the new fire control systems into the fleet while tensions allow.



In April, the Russians commission battleship Zlatoust and she does, indeed, have much heavier armor than intelligence was telling us. I have to question her lack of anti-torpedo-boat guns, however.



In May, the PM has an idea that a gunnery competition will be good for the fleet and public morale.  This likely to be a waste of money, but he's the PM, so I go along with it.  The cruiser Phoebe wins the competition and becomes elite.



In September, a group of steel magnates try to maneuver me into backing their plans to gouge the government.  I refuse, and my prestige increases.



Also in September, I decide to use some of my surplus to build a new class of destroyers of 700 tons to replace the older 500 ton destroyers now in the reserve fleet, which I will scrap as the new ships come online.  I am hoping that 4" guns plus a larger hull will give them an actual anti-torpedo-boat capability.



In October, when the third Admiral Class battleship finishes, I lay down the first of the Duke class battleships, Duke of York.  It is an incremental improvement on the Admiral class; 2,000 tons heavier, it has 14" main guns (a new caliber just developed, and actually a pretty good one) and 12" secondaries, with the same speed and armor as the earlier class.



[Note that it is 1905 and I am not close to being able to lay down a Dreadnought – no turbines, and unable to have more than two main battery turrets].

In November, I lay down the first of a new class of colonial cruisers; I have grown less enamored with the 18 knot speed of the Colony class as time has gone on.  The new ships can replace the old on a 2-for-3 basis.



So, 1905 comes to an end with the RN in fine shape.  I sent ahead and put all the remaining Royal Sovereign class into refit to add the central fire control, since I had the money.  Other than those, there are 2 battleships building and I think I will add a third early next year, unless something pops up.  The global naval OOB shows that Britain is actually meeting the two-power standard in terms of tonnage for all classes of warship.  That wasn't intended, but it's welcome.

[celedhring]

That non-dreadnought is better armed than the Dreadnought. Pretty impressive ship to be frank.

[grumbler]

That non-dreadnought is better armed than the Dreadnought. Pretty impressive ship to be frank.

The Duke of York's name isn't "Frank." 

The ship looks powerful (and is, relative to other ships in game), but the 14" gun penetrates only 8.5" of armor at 10,000 yards.  The 12" Mk 10 on Dreadnought penetrates 10.6" at that range.

The 12" guns on DoY penetrate about 6.5" at that range and have no fire control.  This ship is distinctly inferior to the Dreadnought.  It is more equivalent to the IJN's historical Satsuma of about this time period.

[Norgy]

That non-dreadnought is better armed than the Dreadnought. Pretty impressive ship to be frank.

The Duke of York's name isn't "Frank." 

In a Paradox alternative universe it could've been. Anyone remember the Edgar Francis monarch of EU II? 

Can you modernise existing ships?
I really like this AAR, but the game seems like micromanagement at quite a level.

[grumbler]

Can you modernise existing ships?
I really like this AAR, but the game seems like micromanagement at quite a level.

Yes, you can modernize ships.  In the game, I upgraded all my major ships when I got a tech called "central firing control" which increases the main battery hit probability.  It cost about twice as much as the difference between building with and without the component (since you had to take out the old components, I guess) and took 3 months.  This is a minor refit and can include things like increasing turret armor.

You can re-engine ships as well, which gives you a new engineering plant that uses the then-current cost and weight per horsepower (which declines steadily as engineering technology improves) and thus free up weight to increase speed, increase armor, or the like.  You can also increase/change weapons, or add armor or the like.  These things are major overhauls and last a lot longer (I haven't done it, so can't yet say how long it takes, but I'd guess a year+).

And the game is, indeed, all about micro-managing.  The campaigns and battles are just there to see what effect your micro-management had.  It's not nearly as bad as some games, though.  I can play a year in an hour if there is no war - probably less when I get better at designing ships.

[crazy canuck]

I am enjoying this.

[Norgy]

And the game is, indeed, all about micro-managing.  The campaigns and battles are just there to see what effect your micro-management had.  It's not nearly as bad as some games, though.  I can play a year in an hour if there is no war - probably less when I get better at designing ships.

A bit like Football Manager 2015 but at sea with guns. 
I generally like micromanaging stuff, so I might give the game a try.

[grumbler]

A bit like Football Manager 2015 but at sea with guns. 

Great analogy!

[FunkMonk]

This game looks cool and grumbler is cool for doing this AAR. Keep going. 

[PDH]

I am quite enjoying this.  Whilst I might not buy such, it is interesting - is it actually possible to research to get a "Dreadnought" by 1806?

[grumbler]

I am quite enjoying this.  Whilst I might not buy such, it is interesting - is it actually possible to research to get a "Dreadnought" by 1806?

There are a series of technologies that will come together to allow a nation to build a dreadnought - engineering, gunnery, and ship design.  I've not played the game far enough to discover exactly how that works, but I am getting close, at least in ship design, I think.