Q Ship ML?

[Toddr22_slith]

What is the exact function of a Q Ship ML? I know what a Q Ship AK is for but not the ML.

Thanks in advance,

Todd Richard

[Tankerace]

It was originally a Q ship with a ML designation so it could lay mines. However, it evolved into an auxillary cruiser/commerce raider. It creates a CL with 4.7/5" and 6inch guns that carries mines. It should be used for hunting down enemy cargo ship/Q ships, or for laying mines.

[Toddr22_slith]

Thanks! thats cools! [&o] Tankerace you are the man.

One other question, how many Q ships AK and ML would you recommend building?

[Tankerace]

I'd have maybe 10 or so Mls (Commerce Raiders/ Aux Cruisers). Maybe 20 or so Q ships, as they can be used as regular cargo ships, but if you are planning any major actions around sub infested waters, you'll need them as escorts and ASW ships.

[jwilkerson]

Converting AK to Q-ship ML gives us a means to create an improvised ML fleet .. but that begs the question of how do we create an improvsed MS fleet ?

[DuckofTindalos]

You don't, unfortunately. There's not that many, so you have to take care of them.

But, of course, an "improvised" MSW is any ship you don't want any more. Send it in ahead of the rest of your ships...

[Tankerace]

As the Japanese, all Asakaze destroyers in 1923 convert to MSWs. And the US starts out with the huge Bird class of Minesweepers. I'd think that would be more than enough.

[Fallschirmjager]

ORIGINAL: Tankerace

As the Japanese, all Asakaze destroyers in 1923 convert to MSWs. And the US starts out with the huge Bird class of Minesweepers. I'd think that would be more than enough.

Coastal guns tell a different story

[Tankerace]

Ok, more than enough before coastal guns [:D]

[jwilkerson]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

You don't, unfortunately. There's not that many, so you have to take care of them.

But, of course, an "improvised" MSW is any ship you don't want any more. Send it in ahead of the rest of your ships...

Ah gee - I guess I want "enhanced" improvised MS - the kind with some type of serrated wire to cut the mooring cables !! ( and a riflemen upgrade to shoot the mines once they rise to the surface ! )

[Mike Solli]

You don't want much, do you. [:D]

[jwilkerson]

the US starts out with the huge Bird class of Minesweepers. I'd think that would be more than enough

I see about 2 dozen of these "birdees" ... and maybe that is enough ... but it depends on what happens ... if a mining and sweeping campaign breaks out, in the PI or around Formosa for example it might not be enough as the sweepers would probably take heavy and continunous casualties.

During WWI in the Baltic, during Operation Albion, the German attack on thhe Islands off the Gulf of Riga ( Saaremaa et al ) both sides had been mining and sweeping very extensively in this area for most of the war. And during the actual operation in question both sides employeed upwards of 50 sweepers .. on the German side they were mostly non-warship conversions ... on the Russian side many were converted ancient "torpedo boats" .. too old and small to be cconsidered as first line destroyers any more ... so converted as sweepers. The Germans, during the operation also used offensive barriers to screen the flanks of their forces.

The Baltic in WWI may have seen the hey day of fleet mining and counter mining activities - especially by both opposing fleets. In the Dardanelles both sides mined, but the areas mined were smaller. The Turks mined the straights them selves and the British mined the exits, to prevent sorties by the "Turks" ( although some of the Turks in question spoke German pretty darn well [;)] )

So, anyway - it would be nice for both side to be able to augment their minelayers AND minesweepers to react to any needs they might have. As it stands now we can add layers but not sweepers. This being said, in WITP destoryers at least are probably assumed to carry paravane gear as I see destroyers sweeping though they are far more vulnerable to mines than the dedicated MSWs. So assuming that WPO did not remove the "psuedo-sweep" capability of each sides DDs then we can continue to use those as we do in WITP for "risky" sweeping.

[BlackSunshine]

Stupid question, but how the heck do I convert to Q ships? Can only the allies do this?

[Tankerace]

You either do it in Mare Island in the US, or Osaka in Japan. They must be large AKs, with a capacity of at least 5000.

[BlackSunshine]

Doh! Thanks dude. [:)]

[Fallschirmjager]

ORIGINAL: Tankerace

You either do it in Mare Island in the US, or Osaka in Japan. They must be large AKs, with a capacity of at least 5000.

Hmm

In the next patch, could you also make it possible for Karachi or Columbo to be used to convert ships?
As is the British are kind of screwed out of chances to convert ships unless they make the Looooong trek across the Pacific