SHV Ship Roster?

[AG124]

I think we should have some serious discussions regarding the choice of ships for SHV. However, on a positive note, after the dev team's mostly excellent and thorough selections for the SHIV rosters (with the exception of CVs), I expect a decent roster for most nations in SHV (at least, superior selections to those found in SHIII, which I continue to believe was largely lacking in both merchant and warship classes).

I assume that appropriate models from SHIII and SHIV will reappear; thus, we can probably count on the following warships (Allied nations only, right now):

UK:

BBs:
- Revenge Class
- Nelson Class
- King George V Class

CVs:
- Illustrious Class

CVEs:
- Bogue Class

CAs:
- Kent Class (maybe even London and Dorsetshire Classes, with some 3d changes).

CLs:
- Dido Class
- Fiji Class

DDs:
- C/D Class (maybe some other early A-I Classes too)
- J/K Class (maybe some other L-T Classes, with 3d changes)
- Tribal Class
- V/W Class (Old)
- Town Class

Other:
- Hunt I/II/III
- Armed Merchant Cruiser
- River Class (probably correct model this time)
- Captain Class (either US version)
- Black Swan Class
- Flower Class
- Isles Class
- Generic SHIV Armed Trawler
- Elco Torpedo Boat

US:

BBs:
- New Mexico Class
- North Carolina Class
- Iowa Class
(Colorado Class available, but probably unnecessary for ATO - I'd still like them to be included though)

CVs:
- USS Wasp ("Early War Fleet Carrier/Fleet Carrier")

CAs:
- Northampton Class
- Baltimore Class

CLs:
- Omaha Class
- Brooklyn Class (could have St. Louis class too, without too much work)
- Cleveland Class

DDs:
- Clemson Class
- Somers Class
- Fletcher Class

Other:
- Evarts Class
- Buckley Class
- John C. Butler Class
- Generic SHIV Armed Trawler
- Elco Torpedo Boat
- Maybe the subchaser that didn't make it into SHIV...?

Right now, France has no unique ships from either SHIII or SHIV, and the USSR has only potential lend-lease ships.

In terms of the European Axis, Germany has most of its important ships available (with the exception of the Scharnhorst Class, and all CLs). Italy has only the Soldati Class DD, although this class could produce some other, similar classes.

Personally, I would like to see a few new ships added to these existing ones, including a small number of French vessels, at least two early-war UK CV classes (Courageous Class, plus either Ark Royal or Eagle), two new UK BB/CBs (Queen Elizabeth/Warspite profile, and Renown class/Renown profile), US New York Class BB/Texas Profile, two new US DD Classes (maybe Mahan and Allen M. Summer), at least one Soviet DD, and a few Italian warships of all types.

And of course, we need a good variety of generic merchants, plus a few well-recognized mass produced designs (i.e. Victory, Liberty, T2, North Sands). Some of the Japanese designs from SHIV could easily pass for Western designs (and I would accept some SHIV merchants as such), but I would prefer to see at least mostly new merchant designs. In regards to SHIII merchants, most of the decent models there have already been included in SHIV, with the exception of the Patapsco Class Tanker/Small Tanker, and Small Coastal Vessel (I hope these two, plus the SHIII conversions from SHIV, will be included in SHV). The Coastal Merchant, Small Merchant, Passenger Liner, C2, C3, T2, and Trawler from SHIII can be forgotton, as far as I am concerned.

In regards to the above, I would like to comment that SHIV had (by far, in my honest opinion) the greatest merchant selection of any subsim ever released before it; thus, I have full confidence for the merchant selection of SHV.

Also, the excellent decision to allow customizable random tonnages for merchants in SHIV should be applied in SHV, IMO.

Anyway, final points for comment:

1. Does anyone here have any thoughts for the Merchant or Warship rosters in SHV? Please feel free to discuss and share.

2. Do any Dev team members have any information which they can share at this stage, regarding such information as which national rosters will be fleshed out (and how), or what directions will be taken with merchants? I assume it's a bit too early, for this, but one never knows until one asks.