Matrix Games Forums

I'm posting the intro and artwork for my Britannia Mod before the main files to give me a boost towards completetion, to stop me tweaking the art (again) and get on with the editor and finally to perhaps reserve the art slots. So far as I can tell I haven't overwritten anything (some of the stock art roundels have been changed but the aircraft have n't) The plane art has also been built on JuanG's WNT stuff so there is no need to exchange files. Some of the art has come from other sources so I must thank all those whose work I've shamelessly stolen - Dixie, Fremen, Terminus and Ryan all come to mind.

Intro
The Britannia Mod aims to introduce a larger selection of British forces to WiTP AE - based upon the stock Ironman scenario. If you don't like Brits them I'm afraid this isn't for you - unless you like sinking them I suppose. This is an AH Mod where a large number of real and never were designs have been added or advanced in time to get them involved, 'britannianisation' also means that the GB has no lend lease equipment. Despite this obvious impossibility I have tried to stay close to history but have imagined speeded up production by enforced design standardisation. For example not having to design the KGV 14" turrets would have saved about 12 months in production time. The basic premise is that the British were better prepared for WW2 and that the war with Germany ends in 1943 when Hitler is killed returning from Smolensk due to the success of the Treskow bombplot.

Naval Units
Divergence from real life commences pre WW1 when the RN orders only four R-Class battleships but follows with four ships of the S-Class - a 10 gun development of the Queen Elizabeth Class. Renown and Repulse do not exist. By the time of the Washington Naval Treaty HMS Hood and her sister HMS Howe are nearing completion, two further Admiral class hulls (Anson and Nelson) have been halted in early development.
The Washington Naval Treaty is concluded with only minor differences. In Article VII Japan, GB and the USA are all permitted to build upto 150,000 tons of Aircraft Carriers. Article IX makes no mention of the number carriers (of no more than 33,000 tons) that can be built from existing ships under construction as Carriers are not seen as important. Article XXII includes a clause which allows GB to build additional ships to match any increase in Germany's fleet. In the wake of the WNT Japan converts Akagi, Amagi, Kaga and Tosa to carriers (there is no earthquake). USA continues as planned but is able to complete the USS Wasp as a Yorktown Class within tonnage restrictions. There are no other changes to the US or Japan in the Britannia Mod. Within its limits the UK retains 5 x QE, 4 x 'R' Class, 4 x 'S' Class, Hood & Howe and decides to standardise on the 15"/42 Mk 1 Gun - producing 2 x F3 (Triumph & Trafalgar). All further GB BBs/BCs use a standardised triple 15" turret. Anson & Nelson are completed as carriers. For new capital ship, carrier and cruiser construction GB standardises on four ships in a class but the designs are historical unless stated. At the first London Treaty no additional battleships are scrapped (both Wyoming and Arkansas available in game) and the UK is permitted more Hvy Cruisers but at the expense of Lt Cruiser tonnage. During the early 30s the UK scraps all the C & D Class cruisers in order to build more modern ships and begins to put its capital ships through a modernisation programme with the secondary armament standardised on 4.5"/45 twin mounts. The surviving Hawkins Class are converted to seaplane carriers. In response to the building of the Deutschland class GB invokes its escalation clause in the WNT and builds the Union Class heavy cruisers - armed with 9 x 9.2" guns.
From the mid 30s onwards GB construction (in line with Treaties up to 1937) is as follows:
CVs: 4 x Ark Royal, 4 x Indomitable, 4 x Implacable, 4 x Audacious, 4 x Malta. (slightly modified airgroup sizes).
CVLs: 4 x Pegasus (a modified Unicorn), 6 x Colossus, 6 x Majestic, 4 x Centaur.
CVEs: Numerous Vindex Class and Empire MAC class (slightly modified airgroup sizes).
BBs: KGV Class of 4 ships (KGV, DoY, PoW & Princess Royal) but completed with 9 x 15" with 10 x twin 4.5". (2nd London Treaty has no 14" clause)Lion Class of 4 ships (Lion, Temeraire, Conqueror & Vanguard) completed with 12 x 15" with 12 x twin 4.5". All earlier BBs/BCs are modified by Dec 41.
BCs: Bellerophon Class of 4 ships (Bellerophon, Thunderer, Monarch & Dreadnought) built in response to Scharnhorst etc with 6 x 15" for'ard and 6 x 9.2" astern.
CAs/CLs: As history Dido & Bellona Class completed with twin 4.5"s not 5.25".

Aircraft
Engines. The GB standardises on the number of engines - Bristol devote their focus to the Pegasus, Hercules and Centaurus development line. Rolls-Royce focus on the Merlin and Griffon and Napier on the Sabre. Better focus and co-operation and limiting the number of production lines aids development and production.
FAA. The Fleet Air Arm remains separate from the RAF and enters the war with capable aircraft such as a Sea Hurricane with folding wings. British naval aviation doctrine is different and focuses on a twin track approach of protect (fleet defence fighters, ASW and naval patrol) and project (strike fighters and torpedo bombers). This leads to the development of the following aircraft types:
Fleet Defence Fighters: Sea Hurricane, Seafire, MB5(known in game as the Seahawk) and Sea Venom.
Night Fighters: Fulmar, Firefly, Sea Hornet
ASW Patrol: Swordfish, Barracuda, Firefly
Strike Fighters: Sea Hurricane, Sea Tornado, Firebrand & Firecrest.
Torpedo Bombers: Swordfish, Spearfish, Sturgeon & Sea Mosquito.
RAF. Some of the aircraft that have been added are:
Fighters / FBs / NFs: Hawker Tempest V, Gloster Reaper, Gloster Meteor, B-Paul Defiant, Westland Welkin, Hawker Typhoon.
LBs etc: Bristol Buckingham, Bristol Brigand, H-P Halifax, Short Stirling, Vickers Warwick.
Misc: Avro York, dH Albatross, AW Albemarle
Float: Spitfire, Swordfish
Patrol: Seaford & Shetland

Ground Units
Some small changes to use British AFVs instead of US ones.

A small hiccup the plane art is too big to embed as a bmp - any suggestions on how to post? In the short term will e-mail if you PM me.

Here's a Jpg of the changed area as a taster - the top art is done too.

An interesting idea, but am I mistaken or is this mod mainly adding British goodies ? This would make playing it as Allied vs. AI very easy and make playing this as a PBEM impossible. Will there also be changes to DD/SS and other ships ?

Send your Mod to Spooky or Rogue MC and ask them to host it for you.

Yes this is mainly about adding british goodies. I've based it on the Ironman scenario to even out some of the balance issues and this is also why I'm adding Amagi & Kaga in from the outset to help boost the Japanese from the start. Don't expect too many Brits early on - they don't really arrive in numbers until afer the Med transit route becomes available in May 43. Plus the production on brit aircraft won't be anywhere near US levels so you'll have to go carefully.

I'm not planning on any big changes to DD or SS unless you have a specific request that I could add in. I was thinking about including the Mk X DC - replacing a torpedo tube on some DDs.

Sounds good.

One question - why standardize on the 15"/42 instead of the 15/50 intended for the F3s, or even the 15/45 considered for the King George V.

ORIGINAL: Red Lancer

Yes this is mainly about adding british goodies. I've based it on the Ironman scenario to even out some of the balance issues and this is also why I'm adding Amagi & Kaga in from the outset to help boost the Japanese from the start. Don't expect too many Brits early on - they don't really arrive in numbers until afer the Med transit route becomes available in May 43. Plus the production on brit aircraft won't be anywhere near US levels so you'll have to go carefully.

I'm not planning on any big changes to DD or SS unless you have a specific request that I could add in. I was thinking about including the Mk X DC - replacing a torpedo tube on some DDs.

I'm not nearly knowledgeable enough about these subjects for any requests, but if the premise is that Germany is out of the war, I'd expect a lot of DD/SS/other smaller warships arriving in the Pacific theatre, so I was wondering if that would happen.

The Ironman Allied mod on the this sub forum has a lot of late war allied ships and basically a muc strengthened RN and also more Lend Lease US ships in NZ and Aus hands

One question - why standardize on the 15"/42 instead of the 15/50 intended for the F3s, or even the 15/45 considered for the King George V

For two reasons really - firstly I didn't want to completely copy your mod although I do like your line of thinking, secondly I base my thinking on the RN in real life returning to the 15"/42 with the Vanguard. My thinking is based on reuse of the barrels if and when any ships are scrapped. In my mod the S-Class get an Ise type rebuild into carrier hybrids.

I'm not nearly knowledgeable enough about these subjects for any requests, but if the premise is that Germany is out of the war, I'd expect a lot of DD/SS/other smaller warships arriving in the Pacific theatre, so I was wondering if that would happen.

My mistake - I misunderstood. I'll add a few more DD, SS and other small ships - but not too many due to the balance issue. I want to allow the Brit fanboy to enjoy a range of options but not make it too easy.

ORIGINAL: Red Lancer

One question - why standardize on the 15"/42 instead of the 15/50 intended for the F3s, or even the 15/45 considered for the King George V

For two reasons really - firstly I didn't want to completely copy your mod although I do like your line of thinking, secondly I base my thinking on the RN in real life returning to the 15"/42 with the Vanguard. My thinking is based on reuse of the barrels if and when any ships are scrapped. In my mod the S-Class get an Ise type rebuild into carrier hybrids.

I can understand this, but the only reason the RN used the 15"/42 for the Vanguard was to cut costs. I can see reusing barrels, but as all of the 15" ships will still be in service by WW2 its not really saving you much as you wont have been able to reuse any.

Even if you decide to remain with the 15"/42 for the F3, a new gun (15"/45?) for the KGV/Lions makes sense regardless as a new gun will be lighter and have longer service life, in addition to better performance.