Post by antshrike on Nov 19, 2017 15:23:48 GMT
I've had a request for a USS Somers card, a late 1930s US destroyer design. While working up the card, I usually review the stats and SAs supplied by the player just to be sure they seem about right. The Somers class is an interesting class and the model is available at Shapeways. It was a 2,000 ton destroyer with 4 twin 5 inch/38 guns and most impressive, three banks of 4 centerline torpedoes. The best other US destroyers could bring to bear were 8 torpedoes in a broadside, this destroyer could bring 12 tubes to bear. Eight 5 inch guns is also impressive bringing it in line with the Porter's 6/5/5. It was also a flotilla leader suggesting the SA "Destroyer Leader" is appropriate.
The proposed Stats were clearly aiming at that at the high torpedo load with a 3/2/2, pretty much unseen in US destroyers. I think that is appropriate for the weapons provided. However, here is the rub. While this class would look impressive for War at Sea (there 5 units in the class), these ships were very top heavy and the third bank of torpedoes was one of the first things to go. The question is when did the torpedo bank go? This has proven to be a challenging question. The player wants a 1941 card. I see plenty of photos showing that these ships did have three banks in 1940 but by February 1942 they only had two. My guess is that in mid 1941 they shed that extra tube (later many would shed one of the four twin 5-inch guns as well, they were still too top heavy).
So should a 1941 card reflect the weapons status at the beginning of 1941 or the likely condition when the US entered the war? I could simplify this by convincing the player to use 1942 as the year but convention does give cards for ships available in December 1941 a 1941 date. It does seem that if the card reflects the heaviest weapons set, something like a "Top Heavy" negative SA would seem appropriate. Something like "If this unit enters a storm, roll a die, if the roll is 1 or 2, the ship takes one hull damage." Defective torpedo was the players idea of keeping players going too crazy with a 3/2/2 US torpedo load.
Thoughts?
The proposed Stats were clearly aiming at that at the high torpedo load with a 3/2/2, pretty much unseen in US destroyers. I think that is appropriate for the weapons provided. However, here is the rub. While this class would look impressive for War at Sea (there 5 units in the class), these ships were very top heavy and the third bank of torpedoes was one of the first things to go. The question is when did the torpedo bank go? This has proven to be a challenging question. The player wants a 1941 card. I see plenty of photos showing that these ships did have three banks in 1940 but by February 1942 they only had two. My guess is that in mid 1941 they shed that extra tube (later many would shed one of the four twin 5-inch guns as well, they were still too top heavy).
So should a 1941 card reflect the weapons status at the beginning of 1941 or the likely condition when the US entered the war? I could simplify this by convincing the player to use 1942 as the year but convention does give cards for ships available in December 1941 a 1941 date. It does seem that if the card reflects the heaviest weapons set, something like a "Top Heavy" negative SA would seem appropriate. Something like "If this unit enters a storm, roll a die, if the roll is 1 or 2, the ship takes one hull damage." Defective torpedo was the players idea of keeping players going too crazy with a 3/2/2 US torpedo load.
Thoughts?
