I build fast gun style, so we do not have the issues that big gun has trying to cram so much stuff into a smaller hull. My VU is already done, then I will make the Rad, and after that the 1908 Austrian Hovercraft may be my next project. Its quite small, so it would only be a convoy ship.
sms konig is a good 1st ship 2 start with its big (48)in its my 1st ship and um amost finished with mine
"Construction-wise, the Radetzky has the advantage of fewer turrets to arm. That dramatically simplifies plumbing, rotation, and overall construction. Heck, you *might* even be able to fit in larger magazines in the Radetzky than in the Viribus." Is he required to arm all the guns? If he was willing to "settle" for the 4 guns of Radetzky, could he not arm fewer guns on the VU? If nothing else, he could always arm two of the triple turrets (as a panzerschiffe would have, set up should be fairly common). That would allow him to get on the water for less $$$ and upgrade to the full 12 guns as desired at a later date. Seems to me, that a VU is the best route to take for that era. More room, more hull volume, more potential fire power. She simply has no disadvantages I see beyond anything that a ship of that era would have. That being said, Radetzky is just a cool looking ship. I'm not really into pre-dreads very much, but something about that ship tugs at the heart strings.
True, there is nothing really preventing anyone from arming fewer than four turrets in the VU. In fact it's actually a pretty good idea, because fitting in all the guns is not easy. You would gain a simple, reliable fighting ship with plenty of firepower packed into one tough porcupine of a ship. However, there are a few other things to keep in mind. First, upgrading from one or two turrets to four would require extensive modifications, including gutting the hull and replacing whatever cannons are previously installed, OR extensive planning ahead of time to ensure that any future upgrades go smoothly. The amount of work involved would easily be comparable to building a whole new ship, so it may be preferable to build the Radetzky first and then the Viribus, if only so you can use the Radetzky as a backup later. Secondly, fitting in those extra turrets may not be so hard as it seems. The biggest obstacle is cost. take a look: This is MY Viribus Unitis, with the gun layout that I would recommend for a rookie builder. Two TANDEM BDE triples, with the accumulators pointing amidships, and one 9oz or 12oz CO2 bottle on either side of center. The 4-oz bottle is provided for size reference only. There is plenty of room elsewhere for motors, batteries, and electronics, if you know what gear to use. It probably would NOT have room for the Fire Control Computer and solenoid firing mechanisms, but those further increase the cost and complexity. PS: don't expect to see this ship sailing any time soon. The hull construction is fully four years outdated and completely lacks any attempt at damage control. Once my transports are done, I will begin construction on two NEW VU's, with more modern construction and electronics.
