Hello Bob and the gang in Treaty! If I wanted to build a C-2 cargo ship (459' long, 63' beam, single shaft, single rudder) for convoy scenarios, could I also choose to arm it as an armed merchant ship for treaty? I believe it would be class-1, 1.5 units right? (1 cannon fore/aft and 1/2 pump unit?) And it would be the minimum speed, 40 seconds with a 2 1/4" rudder. If someone better versed in Treaty rules could chime in and correct any mistakes or misconceptions I'd appreciate it. And let me know if could still operate legally as an unarmed convoy vessel with the pump turned off and gun pinned. Thanks!
That is correct, you could build it as a 1.5 unit ship with a half unit pump and 1 unit gun. Minimum speed would be 38 seconds, or 22 knots as that is minimum fleet speed. As for being convoy legal, I just don't know...not sure we really talked about it much.
Mack, I've never heard of an armed C2 or Liberty ship model being used in any style of combat. Their armament was minimal - usually a single 4" gun or similar aft. If you want to buld something that historically had more punch make an Armed Merchant Cruiser. Eric Broderick of Lawrencetown makes hulls for the 385' Prince Class AMCs, later converted to a CLAA (HMCS Prince Robert) and Assault Landing Ships (HMCS Prince David and Prince Henry). Check the photo section for my model of HMCS Prince Robert as a CLAA. If built in it's earlier AMC form it would have 4 x 6" guns instead of 5 x twin 4" DPAA mounts, and a nearly identical superstructure. Eric makes a hull for the German merchant raider Komet, and possibly a bigger German raider. For Allied merchant hulls he makes the American Algol Class assault landing ship and T2 tanker. John Coffill's Pretoria Castle hull can be built as an AMC instead of its later conversion to a large CVE. (It was at lakeside for Sunday's battle but wasn't used.) Bob
Very nice work on the Prince Robert, Bob. Exactly what I was thinking about and it's a Canadian ship to boot. I know I have to concentrate on Dread first, but building up an armed merchant or a Q-ship appeals to me. Mack
We had decided that if someone wanted to build a ship and battle it they should be able to do so. With stories of ships like the liberty ship Stephen B Hopkins sinking the auxilliary cruiser Steir, and the American Taffy groups (CVE/DD/DE vs BB/CA) at Leyte Gulf we felt that it was fair to give every ship a minimum of 1.5 units so they could have a half unit pump and a 1 unit gun. As far as merchy hulls, I'm a fan of the C3 actually since many of them were uses as attack transports, and of course were the basis for the Bogue class escort carriers which served in both the US and Royal navies, and only had one shaft. The T2's can also be used to make USN fleet oilers of the Cimmaron class (I believe they carried like 4-6 5/38's, as well as Commencement Bay and Sangamon class CVEs. The only drawback to them is they all served exclusively in the USN to the best of my knowledge.
