SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - War in the Pacific AAR Thread

Ostfriese · 07-06-23, 04:08 AM

So, I basically binge-watched what you have put up on youtube so far. Interesting way of showing things, shows way more about how the game works.

One thing I noticed: You wondered about the capability of Japanese light cruisers in one of the videos. In short: they were awful, mostly old and seriously underarmed and underprotected.
Most Japanese light cruisers at the start of the war were 5,500-ton standard displacement ships (very light even for light cruisers) and designed to be destroyer leaders. They were armed with 5.5in guns and had only a small number torpedo tubes, which means that they were much lighter armed than the destroyers they led into battle. They also had only a very limited armor (less than 5% of their total weight).

To be precise: the Japanese light cruisers at the start of the war

Tenryu Class (Tenryu, Tatsuta), completed 1919
5,500 tons
Four 5.5in guns (in single mounts), two triple torpedo launchers (21in, so they could not fire the 24in Type 93 aka "Long Lance")

Kuma Class (Kuma, Tama, Kiso, Oi, Kitakami), completed 1920 -1921
Nagara Class (Nagara, Isuzu, Natori, Yura, Kinu, Abukama), complefted 1922 - 1923 (Abukama 1925)
Sendai Class (Sendai, Jintsu, Naka), completed 1924-1925

These were all 5,500 ton ships, originally armed with seven 5.5in guns (all in single mounts, in most cases reduced at some point during the war to make room for more AA guns) and four twin torpedo launchers (21in for the Kuma class, 24 in for Nagara class and Sendai class). The 24in launchers were too short for the Long Lance, though.

Oi and Kitakama were converted to torpedo cruisers in 1941, with Oi carrying ten quad launchers early in the war, later reduced to six quad launchers in 1942.
Abukama, Jintsu and Naka were refitted with two quad launchers capable of firing the Long Lance in May 1941.

Yubari
2,900 ton standard displacement (later increased to about 3,500)
Six 5.5in guns (two twin, two single), two twin torpedo launchers (24in, short)
A small, experimental ship.

None of these ships was anywhere near being a match for an Allied light cruiser, not even their contemporaries (British Emerald or E-class cruiser, American Omaha class cruisers or Dutch Java class cruisers), let alone the treaty cruisers.

Katori Class (Katori, Kashima, Kashii), completed 1940 - 1941
6,000 tons
Four 5.5in guns, two twin torpedo launchers
These ships were designed and built as training ships and despite being "modern" were very lightly armed and slow (18 knots).

All in all: in the one battle against the CL Java you might have been numerically superior, but you were considerably outgunned.

The CMs (mine laying cruiser) are mine layers the size of a (very) light cruiser, about 4,000 tons, and they have an even worse armament.

07-06-23, 04:08 AM	#850
Ostfriese Ace of the Deep Join Date: May 2004 Location: Northern Germany Posts: 1,174 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	So, I basically binge-watched what you have put up on youtube so far. Interesting way of showing things, shows way more about how the game works. One thing I noticed: You wondered about the capability of Japanese light cruisers in one of the videos. In short: they were awful, mostly old and seriously underarmed and underprotected. Most Japanese light cruisers at the start of the war were 5,500-ton standard displacement ships (very light even for light cruisers) and designed to be destroyer leaders. They were armed with 5.5in guns and had only a small number torpedo tubes, which means that they were much lighter armed than the destroyers they led into battle. They also had only a very limited armor (less than 5% of their total weight). To be precise: the Japanese light cruisers at the start of the war Tenryu Class (Tenryu, Tatsuta), completed 1919 5,500 tons Four 5.5in guns (in single mounts), two triple torpedo launchers (21in, so they could not fire the 24in Type 93 aka "Long Lance") Kuma Class (Kuma, Tama, Kiso, Oi, Kitakami), completed 1920 -1921 Nagara Class (Nagara, Isuzu, Natori, Yura, Kinu, Abukama), complefted 1922 - 1923 (Abukama 1925) Sendai Class (Sendai, Jintsu, Naka), completed 1924-1925 These were all 5,500 ton ships, originally armed with seven 5.5in guns (all in single mounts, in most cases reduced at some point during the war to make room for more AA guns) and four twin torpedo launchers (21in for the Kuma class, 24 in for Nagara class and Sendai class). The 24in launchers were too short for the Long Lance, though. Oi and Kitakama were converted to torpedo cruisers in 1941, with Oi carrying ten quad launchers early in the war, later reduced to six quad launchers in 1942. Abukama, Jintsu and Naka were refitted with two quad launchers capable of firing the Long Lance in May 1941. Yubari 2,900 ton standard displacement (later increased to about 3,500) Six 5.5in guns (two twin, two single), two twin torpedo launchers (24in, short) A small, experimental ship. None of these ships was anywhere near being a match for an Allied light cruiser, not even their contemporaries (British Emerald or E-class cruiser, American Omaha class cruisers or Dutch Java class cruisers), let alone the treaty cruisers. Katori Class (Katori, Kashima, Kashii), completed 1940 - 1941 6,000 tons Four 5.5in guns, two twin torpedo launchers These ships were designed and built as training ships and despite being "modern" were very lightly armed and slow (18 knots). All in all: in the one battle against the CL Java you might have been numerically superior, but you were considerably outgunned. The CMs (mine laying cruiser) are mine layers the size of a (very) light cruiser, about 4,000 tons, and they have an even worse armament.