Recent posts

[July-December 1910]

#41

Digital Gaming AARs / Re: All the colors of the RAIN...

Last post by Tripoli - January 16, 2024, 01:54:42 PM

July-December 1910

Geopolitical
Tensions  with foreign nations, July 1910 
Germany   5
Great Britain   2
France      4
Russia      1
Japan      1
Italy      7
Spain:   0 Allied
AH   2
 

•   July: The Italians seized the island of Rhodes.  The subsequent US objection to the seizure has resulted in a significant increase in tensions.  While normally my policy is to keep tensions low while building the fleet, Italy lacks any allies and is sufficiently small that the USN should be able to defeat it in a short, sharp war.
•   November: Russia tries to send a force to the Dominican Republic, but the US backs a international peacekeeping force.  This raises tensions with Russia to  2.

USA Political

July:  Prestige is 28, Unrest is 0, Fleet Morale: 0

Naval Intelligence
•   July: With the increased tensions with Italy, funding is increased for increased intelligence collection efforts against Italy
•   July: Germany: achieved improved base fuzes for improved AP shells
•   July: Japan invents horizontal turbines.
•   August: Italy invents horizontal turbines.
•   October: ONI receives plans for the German light cruiser STRASSBURG.  It is a capable ship at 6700 tons, 28knt speed and 12-6" guns. Based on this German design, I can see that my USN cruiser fleet is largely obsolescent, and will have to be replaced.

 
•   October: Japan Develops Quality control II

USN Technical Developments

•   July: Improved 10-inch guns are developed.
•   August: Double torpedo mounts are invented. Horizontal torpedo turbines are also discovered, giving torpedoes a range of 3800 yds@ 30knts.
•   October: The USN develops high capacity pumps, increasing damage control capability.
•   November: Improved stee reduces weight by 1%
•   November: A destroyer screen formation is developed, allowing DDs to screen a formation.

USN Budget
•   December: $488,320 (increase of approx. $30,000 from last period)

USN Construction

•   July: A CLEVELAND-class CL is commissioned
•   July: five more BARRY-class DDs are ordered.  Three additional medium range submarines are also ordered.
•   August: A CLEVELAND-class CL is commissioned
•   August: Sixteen BARRY-class DDs go into the yards to receive double torpedo mounts.  Surprisingly, this is a modification that will take one year. Additionally, these mounts are heavier than I estimated when designing the BARRY class.  Due to weight limitations, only two of its three torpedo mounts can be upgraded to double tubes.
•   October: A RHODE ISLAND-class battleship is ordered.

USN Operations

•   NSTR

Other

•   NSTR

December 1910 Naval Balance

[January-June 1910]

#42

Digital Gaming AARs / Re: All the colors of the RAIN...

Last post by Tripoli - January 13, 2024, 10:41:20 AM

January-June 1910

Geopolitical
Tensions  with foreign nations, January 1910
 
Germany   4
Great Britain   2
France      4
Russia      1
Japan      2
Italy      5
Spain:   0 Allied
AH   2
 

•   March: The German/Austro-Hungarian alliance expired.

USA Political
January:  Prestige is 27, Unrest is 0, Fleet Morale: -1
June: Prestige is 28, Unrest is 0. Fleet Morale: -1
Fleet morale was damaged by an officer who was immediately relieved for his leadership failures. However, the damage was done, and will take some time to repair

Naval Intelligence
•   March: Germany the extended double bottom hull
•   April: Russia is conducting night training.
•   May: Reporting indicates that Japan has developed mine rails for light cruisers and is stealing technology from Germany.

USN Technical Developments

Research Emphasis is on armor, damage control, fire control, fleet tactics and gun development (high)  All other fields are set to "Medium" (see image below)

 
•   March: Medium range submarines are developed
•   April: Armor quality improvement is made, resulting in a 1% weight savings on armor
•   April: The USN receives assistance from Russia in developing fleet tactics
•   May: The USN develops Fleet Cruising formation, allowing for cruising in parallel columns and reducing the risk of submarine attacks.

USN Budget
January: $439,040


USN Construction
•   January: an increase in dock size is funded.  Although the current dock size of 30,500 tons is large, it is 500 tons smaller than current Royal Navy capabilities, and only 500 tons greater than German capabilities.  To maintain dominance in ship capability, the dock capacity will have to be increased.
•   January: The four ships of the  pre-dreadnought OKLAHOMA class are scrapped.  These 13,900-ton ships were obsolete, and would have been of little use in combat.  Scrapping them frees up almost $1,000/month for new construction
•   January: A design study of a 14-inch gun Battleship, to be named the ILLINOIS-class is undertaken.  This ship will displace 30,500 tons, have thirteen 14-inch guns and a speed of 22 knots.  The main reason for  undertaking this design is that the US is falling behind Great Britain in the number of battleships, so it is important to get some more units under construction.  While adding several units of the MINNESOTA class is an option, these vessels have only 13-inch guns, and these guns are not particularly effective, as they have a quality rating of -2, as opposed to the newer 14 inch guns, which have a quality rating of -1 .

•   January: The last three units of the BARRY class destroyers are commissioned.
•   April: Three medium-range submarines are laid down.
•   April: Problems with the design of the ILLINOIS-class result in it being delayed and probably canceled.  Basically, the fundamental problem with the design is it is overweight, beyond the capacity of US shipyards to produce.  Reducing belt armor isn't an option, as it will eliminate the immunity zone of the class.  Additionally, the class can only manage an earlier form of torpedo protection.  In summary, before  a truly effective 14' gun armed battleship can be built, the USN will have to achieve additional advances in weight savings technology as well as an increase in drydock size.  Otherwise, any 14" inch armed vessel will lack firepower, speed, armor or underwater protection.  However, to maintain a very rough parity with the Royal Navy and German fleets, additional BB construction is needed.  Accordingly,  and reluctantly, a third unit of the MINNESOTA class BB is laid down.
•   May: Two CLEVELAND-class CLs are commissioned.
•   June: Two more medium-range submarines are ordered.  After months of thinking about the problems with the ILLINOIS design, BUSHIPS submits a proposed 14-inch gun RHODE ISLAND design.  With only nine, instead of thirteen 14" guns, the RHODE ISLAND has 22% less boadside firepower and 34% less lethality compared to the ILLINOIS-class. Like the ILLINOIS,  the RHODE ISLAND is unable to use the level 2 TPS system.  However,  it improves its survivability by having a slightly higher ( 23 knot v. 22 knot) speed, making it more capable of avoiding torpedoes.  More importantly, it has an additional 1.5 inches of belt and turret armor, giving it an 8-18,000 yard immunity zone, compared with the 11-15,000 yard immunity zone of the ILLINOIS class.  Given the quality limitations of the 13-inch gun, I believe the USN should begin moving to 14' gun ships as quickly as possible, so while the RHODE ISLAND is not ideal, it is a safer alternative to building additional MINNESOTA-class ships or waiting for shipbuilding technology to allow for more capable 14-inch armed ships to be produced.

 
USN Operations
•   NSTR

Other
•   The Naval War College is asked to consider how to revise the fleet organization to best integrate the new scouting forces into the fleet structure.  This new structure is to be evaluated in the  Fleet Problem-1911/12 exercise.

[July-December 1909]

#43

Digital Gaming AARs / Re: All the colors of the RAIN...

Last post by Tripoli - January 09, 2024, 03:12:13 PM

July-December  1909

Geopolitical

Tensions  with foreign nations, December 1909 
Germany   4
Great Britain   4
France      4
Russia      1
Japan      2
Italy      5
Spain:   0 Allied
AH   2
 

•   October: Italy defeats the Libyan rebels.

USA Political

July:  Prestige is 29, Unrest is 0.
December: Prestige is 27, Unrest is 0.

•   December: a government proposal to decrease naval spending in favor of social programs is floated.  I have the choice of asking the Navy League to protest, which will maintain the budget, at an increase in tensions, or simply watering down the proposal, which will cost some budget.  With the current building program, I don't believe I can have any less budget without having reduce capital ship construction.  With unrest at 0 and relatively low international tensions, I opt to protest any budget reductions.

Naval Intelligence
•   July: Germany develops CL mine rails
•   August: The United Kingdom invents secondary BB turrets and increases naval spending
•   December: Japan increases naval spending.
USN Technical Developments
•   July: Torpedo range is increased to 2000 yds@28knts or 4000@18knts
•   July: 14 inch naval guns are developed
•   October: Torpedo Protection II and Secondary BB turrets are researched.
•   December: Target designator is invented, giving a gradual gun accuracy improvement.
•   December: The UK develops medium-range submarines

USN Budget

•   July: A world cruise is directed, using some of the older USN ships.  This will increase the budget, but at a cost in prestige (which I can afford).  The alternative was to send the newest ships, which would have increased tensions, but gained me prestige.

USN Construction

•   July: BROOKLYN-class Heavy Cruiser design study (see below).  The mission of this class is to act as the flagship for the scouting force assigned to the battlefleet.  They are intended to operate 12-15,000 yards ahead of the main body, with one such group being assigned to for every four BATDIVs.  The large (16,000 ton) cruisers are armed with ten  9-inch guns, and have a top speed of 25 knots, allowing them to protect the scouting cruisers from enemy CAs.

BROOKLYN-class Heavy Cruiser


•   July: one hull of the CHARLESTON-class commerce raiding CL is ordered.
•   August: two additional CLEVELAND class scouting cruisers are ordered.
•   October: two BROOKLYN-class CAs are ordered.
•   November: The first seven of the new 900-ton BARRY class DDs are commissioned.
•   December: Another ten BARRY-class DDs are commissioned.
•   December: The West Africa port expansion is completed, giving a port capacity of 25 in the region. While less than the 40 capacity bases that both France and the UK have in the region, it should allow the USN to effectively support commerce raiders in the region.

 

USN Operations

•   November: I spend some prestige to remove several incompetent officers.

Other

With the production of the BARRY-class destroyer completed and the construction of the scouting force cruisers underway, I am planning on beginning the design and construction of several 14-inch armed BBs.

[January-June 1909]

#44

Digital Gaming AARs / Re: All the colors of the RAIN...

Last post by Tripoli - January 09, 2024, 01:30:30 PM

January-June  1909

Geopolitical
Tensions  with foreign nations, January 1909

Germany    1
Great Britain    1
France        3
Russia    0 Allied
Japan        3
Italy        3
Spain:    0 Allied
AH    2


•    February: A foreign policy gaffe by POTUS gives me the choice of increasing the budget at the expense of a general rise in tension, increasing my budget by blaming a particular country, or keeping tensions low, but losing prestige.  As tensions with Germany are relatively low, and her geo-political situation is the least threatening to the US, I opt to increase tensions with her and get an increased budget. This option raises tensions with Germany to 3.
•    April: A colonial dispute with Germany gives me the option of increasing budget and tensions or backing down and losing prestige.  Germany is allied with Great Britain, so I don't want to push her too far, but with tensions at 3, I have some wiggle room.
•    In May, Spain wants to send a force to the Virgin Islands to quell a rebellion.  Because we are allied, and because I would rather see a weak power like Spain come into the Caribbean, I don't oppose the move.  Also in May, the alliance with Russia expires.
•    In June, Italy sends forces to put down an upheaval in Libya. Even though there are no US interests at stake, my self-imposed goal in this playthrough is to defeat every nation.  Consequentially, I am not opposed to risking a war with Italy, who lacks allies, while the US has access to Spanish ports in the Med. This increases tensions with Italy from 3 to 5, but also creates a rebellion in Libya that Italy will now have to put down.

USA Political

January: Prestige is 30, Unrest is 0.
June:  Prestige is 30, Unrest is 0.

Naval Intelligence

•    February: The US steals German Q-ship technology
•    February: Germany invents torpedo protection II.  Germany also stops work on a BC due to budget issues.
•    April: Great Britain increases its naval budget to remain pre-eminent
•    April: Japan Develops small tube boilers, and engages in espionage against Great Britain

USN Technical Developments
•    April: Extended double bottom hulls are developed.

USN Budget
•    February: Congress increases the naval budget to $346,400

USN Construction
•    January: USS MINNESOTA-class BB is designed.
•    February: Ten (10) BARRY-class DDs are ordered.
•    April: USS MICHIGAN (BB-2) is commissioned
•    May: USS CONNETICUT and USS NEW MEXICO are commissioned. USS MINNESOTA  and USS OREGON are laid down.
•    June: BB  WYOMING is commissioned.


USN Operations
•    NSTR

Other
The ROCHESTER class protected cruisers are scrapped in April.  They are too old, obsolete and expensive

June 1909 Balance of Forces


June 1909 Foreign Relations

[July-December 1908]

#45

Digital Gaming AARs / Re: All the colors of the RAIN...

Last post by Tripoli - December 23, 2023, 01:38:39 PM

July-December  1908

Geopolitical
Tensions  with foreign nations, December 1908 
Germany    1
Great Britain    1
France        3
Russia    0 Allied
Japan        3
Italy        3
Spain:    0 Allied
AH    2


In July, I renew the alliance with Spain.  While not a major naval player, a Spanish alliance gives the USN access to Northern European ports.  Further, Spain has excellent relations with all other nations, so it is unlikely that the US will get sucked into a war as a result of the alliance.  Overall, the diplomatic situation is relatively quiet, giving the USN a chance to build up its fleet, unhindered by the possibility of impending war.

USA Political

• June:  Prestige is 32, Unrest is 0.
• July: Fleet morale drops to -1, due to a ship CO being a martinet.  He is cashiered at a cost of a point of prestige, but the damage is done.  Fleet morale comes back up to 0 by the end of the year.
• December:  Prestige is 30, Unrest is 0.

Naval Intelligence

• •    July: Japan halts the construction of a BC due to financial difficulties
• •    August-Italy develops 14 inch guns
• •    October: Great Britain increases its naval spending
• •    October: Germany develops 14 inch guns
• •    November: Germany is reported to have halted a BC under construction due to money issues
• •    November: Great Britain develops the target designator

USN Technical Developments

• July: USN hydraulic rammers, giving a ROF increase. 
• July: USN develops 900 ton DDs
• July: USN develops ASW mines
• August: USN develops 3000 yd@30 knt torpedoes
• October: Small tube boilers are developed, resulting in a 1% weight savings.
• USN Budget
• October: SECNAV askes to build 20 DDs.  I have been holding off on this, waiting for the development of double mount torpedo tubes, but the budget and prestige are too tempting.  The budget is further increased to 317,680 at the cost of some prestige when I use the technical superiority of the Austria-Hungarian navy to argue for an increased budget.

USN Construction
•   

• July: US increased dock capacity to 29,500 tons. CL OLYPMIA is commissioned.
• •    July: begin building a naval base in West Africa
• •    August: Private shipbuilding increases capacity to 30,500 tons
• •    August: CL Reno is commissioned.
• •    August CLEVELAND class CL is developed.  Intent is to provide a scouting cruiser for the battlefleet.
• •    October: four CLEVELAND-class CLs are ordered. The 900-ton  BARRY-class  DD is designed (see below)  This class emphasizes speed and torpedo armament.
• •    December: The ALWIN class DDs are scrapped.  Ten BARRY-class  DDs are ordered.

USN Operations

With the advent of 900-ton DDs, the 500-ton ALWIN class have instantly become obsolete.  They are all mothballed. As these were all in the Pacific fleet, I move an equal number of 600-ton RINGOLD class DDs to the West Coast, while plans are made to begin building a new 900-ton DD class.

Other

The BARRY class are 900-ton, 32 knot DDs with 3 center-line torpedo tubes.  There is room to expand this design to carry double torpedo mounts when they become available.  The design is intended to overcome the deficiencies noted in the earlier 500- and 400-ton destroyers, which were too slow to quickly close and too vulnerable to damage to be effective, especially against an enemy's main battleline.

The CLEVELAND class light cruisers are intended to act as advanced scouts for the Battlefleet.  My concept of operations is to have four of these ships performing scouting approximately 30,000 yards in front of the main battlefleet.  They would be backed up by 2-3 heavy cruisers approximately 15,000 yards in advance of the main battleline.  With a top speed of 29 knots, and a broadside of six 5-inch guns the CLEVELAND class is intended to be fast enough to avoid any enemy battlecruisers, but capable of falling back to the main battleline and acting as a "destroyer killer" after contact is made with the enemy's main body.

[January-June 1908]

#46

Digital Gaming AARs / Re: All the colors of the RAIN...

Last post by Tripoli - December 20, 2023, 02:56:35 PM

January-June  1908

Geopolitical

Tensions  with foreign nations, October 1907 
Germany    1
Great Britain    1
France        4
Russia    2 Allied
Japan        3
Italy        3
Spain:    Allied
AH    2


May: France and Japan sign an alliance.

June: France threatens to send a force to the Dominican Republic to quell an uprising.  With the recent Japan-French alliance, the US can not permit a French base in the Caribbean, as this would increase the ability of the French to threaten existing US bases.  The US supports the sending of an international force, which while increasing tensions slightly with France, results is a lower level of increase than taking over the Dominican Republic ourselves would do.  It also prevents them from regaining a foothold in the Caribbean.

USA Political

January: Prestige is 32, Unrest is 2.
June:  Prestige is 31, Unrest is 0.

Cutting the naval budget quickly reduces domestic unrest from 2 to 0.

Naval Intelligence

•    April: German navy has halted the construction of a battlecruiser due to financial difficulties

USN Technical Developments

April: USN develops the light cruiser armor scheme and improved 7inch guns
USN Budget
February: Congress increases the naval budget $260160

USN Construction
•    January: US increased dock capacity to 27,500 tons



USN Operations

To help maintain low tensions, the bulk of the US fleet is recalled to the US East and West Coasts.

Other

February: I am given the opportunity to fill the position of naval attaché to the Vatican.  The game had behind my back, assigned an unknown, CAPT Kirk, to the prestigious position as CO of the brand-spanking new  USS NORTH CAROLINA (BB-1).  I think he is an absolutely the right man to handle all the naval affairs with the Catholic Church... ..This move frees up some command slots, allowing the me to move some more capable officers into Division commands.

The most concerning development is the French-Japanese alliance.  Such an alliance would potentially greatly strain the ability of the US.  Using the French network of bases, a combined Franco-Japanese fleet could cause significant problems throughout the globe for the US.

#47

Digital Gaming AARs / Re: The Shortest-Lived Long AA...

Last post by JasonPratt - December 19, 2023, 03:15:01 PM

 

#48

Digital Gaming AARs / Re: The Shortest-Lived Long AA...

Last post by Tripoli - December 19, 2023, 11:51:09 AM

Are you using any gfx mods? (Or kit mods? I don't know what the modding scene is for this game currently.)

Relatedly, any pix incoming? 

Yes, I'm slowly trying to figure how to balance the time commitment, my WITP:AE incompetence, and a way to make it intersting.  Right now, I think I'm going to include daily snapshots from the real world Nimitz "greybook" and simply use the game more as a chance to engage in a discussion of what was going on in the Pacific war.  Does that sound like a winner?

#49

Digital Gaming AARs / Re: The Shortest-Lived Long AA...

Last post by JasonPratt - December 19, 2023, 11:41:12 AM

Are you using any gfx mods? (Or kit mods? I don't know what the modding scene is for this game currently.)

Relatedly, any pix incoming? 

[October-December 1907]

#50

Digital Gaming AARs / Re: All the colors of the RAIN...

Last post by Tripoli - December 13, 2023, 08:17:49 PM

October-December  1907

Geopolitical
Tensions  with foreign nations, December 1907 
Germany    1
Great Britain    1
France        2
Russia    Allied
Japan        3
Italy        3
Spain:    Allied
AH    0


USA Political
December: Prestige is 33, Unrest is 2. 

Naval Intelligence
•    The intelligence budget is reduced.  Current targets are Germany (High), Great Britain (Low) and Japan (Medium).
•    In December, the Royal Navy begins advertising 14" guns.

USN Technical Developments

December USN develops Krupp cemented armor 
USN Budget
December : $255,360

USN Construction

•    November: Construction of a second 12" shore battery in the Phillipines is halted.  This will be resumed if tensions rise with Japan.
•    December: USS NORTH CAROLINA (BB-1) is commissioned. Construction resumed on USS WYOMING



USN Operations

With the end of the war with France the Fleet is recalled from European waters and redeployed back to the East and West Coasts.  Due to  reductions in the operating fleet, there is an on-going effort to re-balance DESDIV and CRUDIV and re-assign officers and getting rid of some deadwood in the officer corps.

Other
•    Four OKLAHOMA-class B mothballed
•    Three ROCHESTER and Four HURON-class CAs are mothballed
•    one SAN FRANCISCO, two RALEIGH and one DENVER-class CL mothballed
•    nine AYLWIN-class DD (500 tons) are mothballed