Fleet size option?

[thedoctorking]

Does the choice of fleet size (small to super large) in the campaign setup screen have any impact on the size of the player's fleet, or is this just a difficulty option setting how big the AI nations' fleets are? Because my navy always seems to be the same size regardless of which setting I choose, both in setting up and in how much I can afford to build going forward.

[WLRoo]

Very much so. Take a close look at the ships you start with, they are usually smaller and less capable

You'll also find your total ship-building capacity is reduced in the smaller games.

Indeed, in some games (usually as China, in the Very Small category), I have started with no ships at all.

Edit

Quick test - all France, 1890 start, Initial Fleet included for these particular starts as a rough guide due to randomisation:

Very small: Shipyard Capacity 36,000; Annual Budget 56,310/Monthly Budget 4,692. Initial fleet - 2 B of 11,700t; 3 CA of 7,500;,1 CL of 5,600t & 1 of 4,500t; 5 KE of 600t & 1 of 1,700t

Small: Shipyard Capacity 53,000; Annual Budget 84,470/Monthly Budget 7,039. Initial Fleet - 2 B of 11,700t and 1 of 10,100t; 2 CA of 8,100t; 4 CL of 4,600t & 2 of 5,200t & 1 of 3,300t; 1 KE of 1,200t & 2 of 6900t & 2 of 600t

Medium: Shipyard Capacity 70,000; Annual Budget 104,280/Monthly Budget 8,690. Initial Fleet - 2 B of 11,700t and 3 of 10,100t;1 CA of 8,100t & 2 of 7500t and 3 of 4,600t; 6 CL of 5,600t & 1 of 5,200t; 2 KE of 2,000t & 2 of 1,700t & 5 of 600t

Large: Shipyard Capacity 86,000; Annual Budget 130,350/Monthly Budget 10,862. Initial Fleet - 6 B of 10,100t; 3 CA of 8,100t and 2 of 7,100t; 8 CL of 5,600t and 3 of 5,200t; 2 KE of 1,700t and 5 of 900t and 1 of 600t

Larger: Shipyard Capacity 103,000; Annual Budget 156,420/Monthly Budget 13,035. Initial Fleet - 4 B of 11,700t & 5 of 10,100t; 4 CA of 7,500t; 4 CL of 5,600t & 2 of 5,400t & 2 of 4,500t & 4 of 3,300t & 1 of 3,200t; 1 KE of 2,400t & 5 of 2,000t & 1 of 600t

Very Large: Shipyard Capacity 120,000; Annual Budget 182,490/Monthly Budget 15,208. Initial Fleet - 8 B of 11,700t; 8 CA of 7,500t; 6 CL of 5,600t & 3 of 5,600t & 6 of 5,400t & 1 of 3,200t; 1 KE of 1,200t and 4 of 600t

Super Large: Shipyard Capacity 137,000; Annual Budget 208,560/Monthly Budget 17,380. Initial Fleet - 5 B of 11,700t & 4 of 10,100t; 10 CA of 7,500t; 12 CL of 5,600t & 1 of 4,600t; 1 KE of 2,400t and 4 of 1,700t.

Just done all that and realised I missed the Under Construction tab for completeness! However, even just based on the relative Budgets, you should be able to maintain significantly larger fleets in the Super Large games, especially once those 1% Base Resource bonuses start to drop.