Chitose, Chiyoda, Nisshin and Mizuho
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 6:02 pm
These four ships are remarkable in naval history, without foreign peers,
and not well understood or modeled in AE. They were built as seaplane
carriers in the mid to late 1930s, to provide aviation platforms which were
not aircraft carriers as defined by treaty law. They were designed to permit
rapid conversion to replenishment oilers or aircraft carriers. In addition,
they were in fact all designated for conversion to mid-ocean delivery vessels
for midget submarines. Three of them were converted to this configuration in
1941, and start the Pacific War that way. Not that you can tell by looking
at stock or mods of AE (or its ancestors).
Midget submarines were a super secret. They were not even called submarines,
but instead had various code names, including several kinds of "fittings" and
also "aircraft bombing targets." The concept was evolved and tested of attacking
the United States Fleet mid-ocean. Had all four carriers been converted, they
would have carried 48 midgets, each with two torpedoes, for a total of 96 torpedoes.
Although the concept was considered feasible and enough were built to justify three
of the four proposed conversions in 1941, in the end the decision was made to use
just five of these midget subs delivered by submarine carriers - 1 each. This and
similar attacks were the proper, offensive use of these vessels - the most sophisticated
midgets in the World War II era. Later defensive use was not what they were designed for,
and they were not effective. Long dismissed as technical failures, it turns out that
they actually did score a hit at Pearl Harbor - an act caught on film discovered many
decades after the attack. Any strictly historical scenario of AE should begin with
Chitose, Chiyoda and Mizuho as hybrid-seaplane and midget sub carriers - 12 seaplanes
and 12 midgets.
I misunderstood "rapid conversion" (this means rapid compared to building a new ship) and
only provided the hybrid versions as an alternate configuration of the classes. From now
on, all strictly historical RHS scenarios which start in December, 1941, will feature the
three ships in this form. The midgets are modeled as a peculiar statistical variation of
Type 87 18 inch torpedo. The torpedo has a range which models both its carrier and itself,
and the model includes a very small chance the second torpedo might be fired in some
circumstances. IF it hits, it is the same as a normal Type 87 torpedo would be. These
special "torpedo mounts" launch attacks from the stern, two at a time, with a total of
six shots.
A different dimension of these ships is that they can be converted to other ship types. The most
famous was conversion of the Chitose and Chiyoda to CVL form. There were plans to convert the other
two as well. The conversion of Chitose and Chiyoda exists in stock, implemented with special code
related to the slots involved. RHS has elected NOT to use this code or those slots, and instead
to treat conversions normally. Strictly historical scenarios 121-124 have them start in CVS form -
three of them hybrid midget carriers - with just one of two 12 plane squadrons of seaplanes.
Scenario 125 - which I designed - Japan only modifies things in the run-up to the war. These ships
start in carrier form on the original hulls. Most are CVL's - but Mizuho is rated as a CVE because
of its slower speed. The two squadrons of aircraft are presented in carrier aircraft form.
Scenario 129 - which Mifune designed and which was inspired by the AltWars site - Japan standardizes
ship engine production in 1931 - and begins standardized ship construction without regard for the treaties
from about 1935. All four ships are presented as Chitose class CVLs.
In common with almost all aircraft carriers on both sides, RHS also presents an AKV "configuration" of
these carriers. This is because aircraft carriers are superb transports for troops, cargo and non-carrier
aircraft. Code permits them to carry one squadron of any size, even of very large aircraft. They are
defined with significant troop and dry cargo capacity as well. There is a bit of conversion involved.
The aircrew are removed from the ship, and some of the hanger space is converted for messing and birthing
troops. The hanger and deck also can be used for cargo and/or aircraft (which cannot fly). AKV transported
air units land their aircraft READY FOR OPERAIIONS - not damaged as is normal for aircraft transported by
ship. The AKV "configuration" may also convert back to its parent carrier type. Significant numbers of USN
and RN CVEs enter RHS games in AKV form - because they had no air groups. Japanese seaplane tenders have AKV
configurations after they convert, or at game start in Scenarios 125 and 129.
A still different conversion is presented in strictly historical scenarios 121-124. This is an LSD configuration.
Similar to an AKV, it is a superb transport. Similar to a midget sub carrier, it also carries a few seaplanes.
But it has the bonus in an amphibious landing an LSD provides. This is because the rail system used for the midget
sub carrier configuration is IDENTICAL to those on Navy operated Army amphibious assault ships. If they were not
used in the amphib role, they could have been. These configurations are similar to AKVs in that they can be reversed,
and it only takes a matter of days to do that. Since none of these ships are present in seaplane carrier form
in Japan Enhanced (JES) Scenarios, neither Scenario 125 nor 129 have the LSD variation as an option.
A final conversion option exists (only) in strictly historical scenarios 121-125. This is for Nisshin. Because
she was fitted to lay mines rapidly and in numbers, a CM version is available. As with the LSD and AKV options,
they may cross convert rapidly back to their CVS form.
and not well understood or modeled in AE. They were built as seaplane
carriers in the mid to late 1930s, to provide aviation platforms which were
not aircraft carriers as defined by treaty law. They were designed to permit
rapid conversion to replenishment oilers or aircraft carriers. In addition,
they were in fact all designated for conversion to mid-ocean delivery vessels
for midget submarines. Three of them were converted to this configuration in
1941, and start the Pacific War that way. Not that you can tell by looking
at stock or mods of AE (or its ancestors).
Midget submarines were a super secret. They were not even called submarines,
but instead had various code names, including several kinds of "fittings" and
also "aircraft bombing targets." The concept was evolved and tested of attacking
the United States Fleet mid-ocean. Had all four carriers been converted, they
would have carried 48 midgets, each with two torpedoes, for a total of 96 torpedoes.
Although the concept was considered feasible and enough were built to justify three
of the four proposed conversions in 1941, in the end the decision was made to use
just five of these midget subs delivered by submarine carriers - 1 each. This and
similar attacks were the proper, offensive use of these vessels - the most sophisticated
midgets in the World War II era. Later defensive use was not what they were designed for,
and they were not effective. Long dismissed as technical failures, it turns out that
they actually did score a hit at Pearl Harbor - an act caught on film discovered many
decades after the attack. Any strictly historical scenario of AE should begin with
Chitose, Chiyoda and Mizuho as hybrid-seaplane and midget sub carriers - 12 seaplanes
and 12 midgets.
I misunderstood "rapid conversion" (this means rapid compared to building a new ship) and
only provided the hybrid versions as an alternate configuration of the classes. From now
on, all strictly historical RHS scenarios which start in December, 1941, will feature the
three ships in this form. The midgets are modeled as a peculiar statistical variation of
Type 87 18 inch torpedo. The torpedo has a range which models both its carrier and itself,
and the model includes a very small chance the second torpedo might be fired in some
circumstances. IF it hits, it is the same as a normal Type 87 torpedo would be. These
special "torpedo mounts" launch attacks from the stern, two at a time, with a total of
six shots.
A different dimension of these ships is that they can be converted to other ship types. The most
famous was conversion of the Chitose and Chiyoda to CVL form. There were plans to convert the other
two as well. The conversion of Chitose and Chiyoda exists in stock, implemented with special code
related to the slots involved. RHS has elected NOT to use this code or those slots, and instead
to treat conversions normally. Strictly historical scenarios 121-124 have them start in CVS form -
three of them hybrid midget carriers - with just one of two 12 plane squadrons of seaplanes.
Scenario 125 - which I designed - Japan only modifies things in the run-up to the war. These ships
start in carrier form on the original hulls. Most are CVL's - but Mizuho is rated as a CVE because
of its slower speed. The two squadrons of aircraft are presented in carrier aircraft form.
Scenario 129 - which Mifune designed and which was inspired by the AltWars site - Japan standardizes
ship engine production in 1931 - and begins standardized ship construction without regard for the treaties
from about 1935. All four ships are presented as Chitose class CVLs.
In common with almost all aircraft carriers on both sides, RHS also presents an AKV "configuration" of
these carriers. This is because aircraft carriers are superb transports for troops, cargo and non-carrier
aircraft. Code permits them to carry one squadron of any size, even of very large aircraft. They are
defined with significant troop and dry cargo capacity as well. There is a bit of conversion involved.
The aircrew are removed from the ship, and some of the hanger space is converted for messing and birthing
troops. The hanger and deck also can be used for cargo and/or aircraft (which cannot fly). AKV transported
air units land their aircraft READY FOR OPERAIIONS - not damaged as is normal for aircraft transported by
ship. The AKV "configuration" may also convert back to its parent carrier type. Significant numbers of USN
and RN CVEs enter RHS games in AKV form - because they had no air groups. Japanese seaplane tenders have AKV
configurations after they convert, or at game start in Scenarios 125 and 129.
A still different conversion is presented in strictly historical scenarios 121-124. This is an LSD configuration.
Similar to an AKV, it is a superb transport. Similar to a midget sub carrier, it also carries a few seaplanes.
But it has the bonus in an amphibious landing an LSD provides. This is because the rail system used for the midget
sub carrier configuration is IDENTICAL to those on Navy operated Army amphibious assault ships. If they were not
used in the amphib role, they could have been. These configurations are similar to AKVs in that they can be reversed,
and it only takes a matter of days to do that. Since none of these ships are present in seaplane carrier form
in Japan Enhanced (JES) Scenarios, neither Scenario 125 nor 129 have the LSD variation as an option.
A final conversion option exists (only) in strictly historical scenarios 121-125. This is for Nisshin. Because
she was fitted to lay mines rapidly and in numbers, a CM version is available. As with the LSD and AKV options,
they may cross convert rapidly back to their CVS form.