ORIGINAL: Froonp
ORIGINAL: warspite1
I knew you would have the answer Patrice! Many thanks.
Have you had your answer for the Shinano and Karyu counters ?
In fact, there are 2 different possible upgrade for each of those ships.
So there is 1 BB Shinano, and 2 replacement CV Shinano. An historical one (class 3) and a what if one (class 6). Same for the Karyu. You can only choose one replacement.
Warspite 1
Yes - I got the answer from Steve telling me where to look - please see attached first draft at describing these counters
[5108 Karyu - by Robert Jenkins]
.B Engine(s) output: 150,000 hp
.B Top Speed: 27 knots
.B Main armament: 16 x 5-inch (127mm), 145 x 25mm AA guns
.B Aircraft: 47
.B Displacement (Full Load): 71,890 tons
.B Thickest armour: 8.1-inch (belt)
.P This is a World In Flames "what if" counter. Karyu was originally
designed as a Yamato-class battleship (see Counter 4364). However in 1942, when
only 30% complete she was broken up. During construction, her sister ship
Shinano was converted to an aircraft carrier and so the technical details above
reflect how Karyu would have appeared if she too had been completed to the same
specification.
.P Shinano`s role was that of a support ship for the fleet carriers and in
addition to forty-seven of her own aircraft, she also had hangar space for an
additional twenty-three aircraft. These aircraft were able to call upon an
impressive 158,000 Imperial Gallons of aviation fuel.
.P She would have featured a 3-inch armoured flight deck between her two lifts,
serving a single hangar. Although her belt armour would have been retained, it
was half the thickness envisaged in her battleship design. Her magazines and
machinery spaces would have been covered by armour plate 7.5-inch thick.
.P She would have featured a strong anti-aircraft defence, supported by no less
than thirty-three triple 25mm guns and a further twelve multi-barrelled rocket
launchers for close-range defence.
.P World In Flames also allows the Japanese player to build Karyu as a more
powerful "what if" carrier (see Counter 4333).
[4364 Karyu - by Robert Jenkins]
.B Engine(s) output: 150,000 hp
.B Top Speed: 27 knots
.B Main armament: 9 x 18.1-inch (460mm), 12 x 6.1-inch (155mm) guns
.B Displacement (full load): 69,990 tons
.B Thickest armour: 16.1-inch (belt)
.P This is a World In Flames "what if" counter. Known as ship No.111, the name
Karyu was never offically given to what would have been the fourth of the Yamato
-class battleships. She was ordered, along with Shinano in 1939 but Karyu was to
be broken up in 1942 when only 30% complete.
.P The Yamato and Musashi were the largest battleships ever built, mounting an
impressive 18.1-inch main armament in three triple turrets. It is likely that
Karyu would have differed slightly from her completed sisters, with thinner
armour but an increased anti-aircraft (AA) armament. However the enhanced AA
weaponry fitted to Yamato in 1943 could not save her from her ultimate fate and
neither of the completed ships had a chance to make much of an impact in the war
before being sunk. It is unlikely that Karyu`s fate would have been any
different.
.P World In Flames also gives the Japanese player the option to complete Karyu
as an aircraft carrier (see Counters 4333 and 5108).
Counter 4333 needs some work as its an entirely fictional proposition - I`ll give that some thought. I`ve given similar treatment to the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau replacement counters:
[5106 Scharnhorst - by Robert Jenkins]
.B Engine(s) output: 165,000 hp
.B Top Speed: 32 knots
.B Main armament: 9 x 11-inch (280mm), 12 x 5.9-inch (150mm) guns
.B Displacement (Full Load): 38,900 tons
.B Thickest armor: 13.75-inches (belt)
.P This is a World In Flames "what if" counter that allows the German player
to upgrade the Gneisenau`s 11-inch main armament to a 15-inch gun.
.P The Scharnhorst and her sister Gneisenau were originally intended to be
better armoured versions of the Deutschland-class pocket-battleships. They would
still mount an 11-inch main gun, although in three twin turrets rather than two.
After the signing of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement in June 1935, Adolf Hitler
wanted to increase the main armament to a 15-inch (381mm) gun in order that the
battlecruisers main armament would compare with that of British capital ships.
However, this would mean their introduction would be delayed by up to two years
and this was not something Hitler could afford to do, given his territorial
ambitions.
.P The two ships were therefore completed as heavily armoured battlescruisers
with a plan to upgrade their main armament at the first opportunity. As it
turned out, the upgrade never happened and the two ships remained with their
original main armament throughout their life.
.P Please see Counter 4771 for brief details of the Scharnhorst`s service record
in World War II.