So it's been 4 years since I last battled, still have 3 cruisers that are battle ready (Ok, my Brooklyn class Helena probably needs resheeting). Hoping to get some battles with SCRAP later this year, but am also tentatively considering building a class 4 BC or BB that would allow me sidemounts. Plan would to have the class 4 ship for next battling season in the fall/even spring as Ill likely need to take lots of time building a ship. I bought a Tennessee class battleship from Strike years ago but sadly the hull did not survive the move from Michigan to California. I still have the cannons, drive components, motors, pump, etc from that kit that I plan to use for this class 4 build. Given ive only battled on and off for a few years, and mostly cruisers only, i am very much still a newbie. The SJS kits definitely look like a more rookie friendly build compared to fiberglass hulls. So, looking at SJS kits, ships on my list are: South Carolina -4 units, tubby hull for good turning. 28 seconds and single rudder though, how would it fare for a build and battling with a captain with only cruiser experience, especially with hull length of 37 inches? Kaiser -Twin rudder for better turning, bigger hull for construction, but also 28 seconds. Ive only ever battled 23-24 second ships Erin -Also twin rudder and roomy hull, 28 seconds as well Tiger -Long hull, maybe less turning ability, but twin rudders to mitigate this. I do like that its fast at 24 seconds. Overall, how punishing is 28 second battleships for more rookie captains? Should I stick to the faster Tiger? I do like the idea of ships with good turning ability; my cruisers turning rates definitely limit shot on target. Thanks in advance!
If you battle with SCRAP 28 seconds really isn't too bad. 26 would be better. South Carolina is fairly cramped, so might have some space challenges. Of the ones you've listed, Tiger would be my bet. 3 sidemounts, 24 seconds. Kaiser would be the best of the 28 second ships you listed. Build the ship you like, the key is getting it reliable which means lots of sorties. Kaiser/Erin are big for 28 second ships so maybe a little more forgiving. All of the German 3 shaft twin rudder ships can turn amazing and Kaiser has an optimal gun layout. I am coming down for the November battle as well if you are able to make that one.
well, I'd personally suggest a VDT. SJS has a great kit that'd get you up and ready to go pretty quick. I've only ever seen a fiberglass SoCack sitting in BrianK's workshop but it is a tubby and interesting little thing. I'd prefer a Heligoland or Nassau over it due to their exceptional turning performance as noted above. Kaiser's a great boat, Mark in Ontario has an SJS kit and it's pretty darn good. Erin's the Coors Light of Iron Dukes; it's a good boat but *you could just have a Duke*. Now Tiger...... Oh she's a beaut. If you're going with the SJS Kit, I suggest getting in touch with BrianL over in Texas. his boat, IIRC, won Most Feared in 2024 and from personal experience, was an extremely tough boat to fight against. he had a 1.5 unit rotate in Y turret with the servo under the aft superstructure. this cannon combined with her peppy handling is a lot of why Brian was doing Ninja stuff all week. like ya say, those twin rudders work wonders. just stay mobile and use slasher tactics. of all of them, VDT is probably the overall kindest toward folks new to the sidemount game. 26 seconds is a lovely thing to have, the boat is low and incredibly hard to hit, Will did a great job on the kit, and if you get into trouble, the combination of excellent turning and 26 seconds can get you out of a LOT of situations. I roll with a Blucher as my frontline boat and it has similar handling/fighting characteristics to VDT. Bow in the wing, stern in the wing, and sidemount in the aft turret. shockingly effective. been considering upgrading to VDT in the long haul because boats with only one prop can't go straight in reverse. I'd set up a VDT with the same cannon config. it may sound like a big fish story, but I just did it at NATS with a Blucher--a small, aggressive ACR like Blucher or battlecruiser like VDT can take on and foil the plans of boats twice their size. At one point I was protecting BrianK's wounded QE and held off two of the PPB Nagatos. Those boats are like honey badgers hopped up on cocaine and red bull.
Thats good to hear 28 sec isnt too much of a downside with SCRAP, renodemona. I only battled twice, so memory is fuzzy of how the slower ships did. Sadly with work schedule soonest battle i could make would be the dec battle. Good to hear from you anvil! Remember battling with you with the glas guys. Fun times! Seems so far south carolina is off my list. Size could be an issue with building. I do like the idea of a 24 second tiger, and she truly is a beauty. The best looking ship in my list.Also a nice ww1 service history. Between VDT and Kaiser, in your real world experience, with single powered shaft make the Kaiser still a better turner over the VDT? VDT would be in my list too, but the single shaft of the kaiser seems appealing. All these ships have storied careers, and are good looking ships in their own way. Tiger looks graceful, but kaiser and erin and vdt also look great: they look fat and mean. feel id be happy with any of them. Trying to find more about how they battle to make a decision.
My rookie boat was the Rivadavia. Very tubby single rudder and two side mounts. I won best sortie average for class 5 in it at my first NATs ( I know you are looking at class 4) but she is 28 seconds and she faired very well for me and I still use her today and she is a very fun boat. I was able to out maneuver a few fast boats even being 28 seconds. I honestly like the South Carolina as a 28 boat it’s a nice looking boat and looks like a fun build. I am currently building a Texas as well. It’s a harder build due to all the stringers and casements but she is 28 seconds and will be a fun boat as well and it’s an SJS kit. Overall I have a blast in my 28 second boats so the sky is the limit as long as you are having fun I have dished out my fair share of damage and have taken my fair share. It’s also nice when you have another 28 or 26 seconds boat as a wingman. I do like a 28 second boat with good turning ability. Just my two cents hope it helps. Justin “War Crimes” Ragucci
Yeah that's not the only Riva on the water either. they're tubby and dangerous. HazelK has a Riva with some incredibly nasty dual sterns in the wing turret. Rivas can beat up on anything that tries to bring the smoke on it. Justin and I have been talking for a while about doing a slow boat squad of some kind and just mobbing unsuspecting boats. So with regard to single prop. your problem is going in reverse. you will not be able to back up straight due to rotational inertia of the prop. if you get a one prop boat, just bear in mind that any attack run where you have to back up is gonna take a lot to get used to. you can't make long reverse runs like you can with a 2 prop boat. Kaiser will be a slightly better turning boat than VDT going forward, and she will turn left or turn right in reverse (depending on the spin direction of the prop) with almost zero control. VDT will still turn very well, and will back up straight as an arrow in reverse due to having two props. Hey so were you the fella that came to the Michigan battle with Mark?
Good point Justin about the fun aspect of 28 sec boats. Kinda feel like going toe to toe and turning and shooting would be fun. Hence my original kit i bought years ago was the tennessee. Nice to know about the reversing situation with single shaft; didnt know that. I suppose erin wouldnt have that problem being dual prop. Yeah Anvil, I was the guy that carpooled to saranac with mark roe! Had the brooklyn cruiser that day Another question; lets say i set up a class 4 ship with 1 stern and 2 separate sidemounts; is an accumulator tank still recommended?. I dont have the material to make accumulator tanks
Single guns, sidemount or not, don't need accumulator tanks. VDT is a great all around ship. Kaiser will out turn it, but does have some funky behaviors in reverse. They both have lots of hard area. Kaiser has a 75 gun, vdt is faster.
Thanks all. Taking a closer look at the VDT. Read commodore’s website on axis boat reviews, short length, 26 sec, casements, twin rudder and dual prop for no funky reverse seems fairly beginner friendly. Back when swampworks was around i remember seeing the moltke and thought she was a beauty; vdt looks similar. Great history behind the vdt too. Still considering tiger and kaiser, but appears vdt is a good compromise in turning and speed. In the meantime just waiting until dec and january when i can make scrap battles to get back on the water with my cruisers for more experience. Working every other saturday really cuts down on battling ability
I also have a VDT and it’s a really fun and good beginner boat I will say sheeting it can be a bit rough on the stern of the ship. My ship used to be Fluegels and got a refit from me and I use it as my back up boat to the Riva. The turning is very good on it and the wing turrets give you a decent side mount placement. I have two sides and a bow gun that’s 15 degrees off that it fun to use just have to be careful with the bow not to ram someone. Overall I have had a really fun time in the boat.
Moltke may be pretty but it's a downgrade from VDT BTW. there were a few fellas running them at NATS this year. very mid performance. not great, but not bad.
Oh yeah, I feel Moltke is slightly prettier than the VDT, but the inline rudder is an... interesting setup to say the least. Justin how is sidemounts on wing turrets? The barrels dont extend too far off the side of the ship?
So, I would advise not doing sidemounts in the wings unless you set them up like Tommy T's Heligoland or Carl's Nassau. reason why: you can't get them slung out very far. the barrels will catch on things. but if you do it like Tommy or Carl, they can be effective if you learn how to use them. once you learn, they are pretty darned nasty to encounter. most of the belows on my boat in the last regional were courtesy of Tommy's sidemounts. So an example of this would be Carl's Nassau FastGun - SMS Nassau | R/C Warship Combat An example similar to @Justin Ragucci 's would be @Maxspin 's Nassau here FastGun - SMS Nassau | R/C Warship Combat either can work. the most important part is practice.
Gotcha, yeah might stick to a stern mount,centerline stern haymaker, and bow sidemount for VDT/Kaiser. Leaning towards these two ships now. Lighter weight and size of them over Tiger sounds appealing. Only so much boat i can fit in a 2 door jeep haha. Im sure i can somehow fit a tiger if i tried though
