Tuesday, March 2, 2021

First Blacklands War - Ship Stats

 Following my last posting, with its closing comments on modifying the naval units' Flotation Points values to be based up the weight of the vessels, Bob Cordery reminded me of the system he developed in his Portable Colonial Wargame.  

How could I have forgotten?  I'd used them myself for my HRMS Blunderer and the battle with the ironclads.  So I thought here to recalculate those 'stats' in accordance with his system.  The following is based upon the beam and waterline length of the models, not the originals from which they were modelled.  I also calculated the carrying capacity of the warships and merchant vessels, both.

A reminder:
A Warship's Flotation Points are determined by the expression

FP(WS) = (W x B x C x A)/2  Where;
W = waterline length (I've taken this as overall length, the difference being trivial on my toys)
B = Beam
C = Construction: 0.25 for wooden; 0.5 for iron or steel. 
A = Armour, graded from none (A=1), to light (A=1.25), medium (A=1.5) to heavy (A=2).

As all my vessels for the Blacklands war are held to have iron or steel construction, I've simplified the formula for the warships to:

FP(WS) = (W x B x A)/4.

The formula for the merchant vessels is:

FP(MS) = (W x B x C)/4, which simplifies to (W x B)/8.  As I am classing the armed merchant ship as a warship, its FP will be determined by the 'WS' formula.

I have also calculated the carrying capacity of my warships and merchant vessels.  

Hellenic (Greek):

  • Lemnos: FP = (10 x 4 x 2)/4 = 80/4 => 20
  • Georgios Averof: FP = (10.5 x 3.5 x 2)/4 = 73.5/4 => 18 
  • Hydra: FP = (10 x 3.5 x 1.5)/4 = 52.5/4 => 13
  • Psara: FP = (10 x 3.5 x 1.5)/4 = 52.5/4 => 13
  • Thiros Class Destroyer: FP = (9 x 2 x 1.25)/4 = 22.5/4 => 6


Turcowaz (Turk):

  • Turgut Reis: FP = (10 x 3.5 x 2)/4 = 70/4 => 18
  • Hayreddin Barbarossa: FP = (10 x 3.5 x 2)/4 = 70/4 => 18
  • Masudiye: FP = (10 x 4 x 1.5) = 60/4 => 15
  • Hamidiye: FP = (9 x 3 x 1.5) = 40.5/4 => 10
  • Muavenet Class Destroyer: FP = (7 x 2 x 1.25)/4 = 17.5/4 => 4
Merchant Ships:
  • Armed MS: FP = (8 x 3 x 1)/4 => 6
  • Black: FP = (8.5 x 3.5)/8 = 29.75/8 => 4
  • Blue: FP = (9 x 3)/8 = 27/8 => 3
  • Green: FP = (9.5 x 3.5)/8 = 33.25/8 => 4
Carrying Capacity:
Merchant vessels have double the carrying capacity than do warships of a comparable size.   

CC(WS) = (W x B)/8
CC(MS) = (W x B)/4

Hellenic (Greek): 
  • Lemnos: CC = (10 x 4)/8 = 40/8 => 5
  • Georgios Averof: CC= (10.5 x 3.5)/8 = 36.75/8 => 5
  • Hydra: CC = (10 x 3.5)/8 = 35/8 => 4
  • Psara: CC = 4
  • Thiros Class: CC = (9 x 2)/8 = 18/8 => 2

Turcowaz (Turk):
  • Turgut Reis: CC = (10 x 3.5)/8 = 35/8 => 4
  • Hayreddin Barbarossa: CC = 4
  • Mesudiye: CC = (10 x 4)/8 = 40/8 = 5
  • Hamidiye: CC = ( 9 x 3)/8 = 27/8 = 3
  • Muavenet Class: CC = (7 x 2)/8  = 14/8 => 2

Merchant ships:
  • Armed MS: CC = (8 x 3)/8 => 3 OR (8 x 3)/4 => 6
  • Black: CC = (8.5 x 3.5)/4 = 29.75/4 => 7
  • Blue: CC = (9 x 3)/4 = 27/4 => 7
  • Green: CC = (9.5 x 3.5)/4 = 33.25/4 => 8

According to these numbers, the Hellenic/ Greek fleet is very slightly more powerful than the Turcowaz/ Turkish one. 

River gunboat,  Aithiops Empress: 

Now, how about this work in progress, destined perhaps for activities around Madasahatta, Zanzingabar or the East Aithiopian coasts and rivers?  Bear in mind, this vessel has been constructed to a different scale from the vessels so far discussed.  In 'real life', it would be no larger than the Turcowaz torpedo boat destroyers.

Aithiops Empress:
FP = (10x4x1)/4 = 10 (actually the vessel is 14cm, but as it is supposed to 'fit' a 10cm-wide grid area, it counts as 10cm)
CC = (10x4)/8 = 5.  




   


4 comments:

  1. Hello there Archduke,

    That all looks perfectly sound and the end results look quite close to how I would envisage the FP totals fit specific ships. Seeing this has given me a couple of ideas to play with for the ironclad rules so I shall experiment and see where it goes.

    I loved the gunboat! I am curious about the stern wheel - how did you do that? It looks like a cotton reel with some drastic surgery.

    Any pointers would be appreciated as I have a few of these to build myself!

    All the best,

    DC

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    Replies
    1. Hi David -
      Thanks for your comments. I think Bob's system would work fine for your ACW fleets. Although the system might seem inconsistent across different contexts, so long as the stats are consistent within a given context, it seems to me valid. In my Blacklands war, each stand represents a regiment; in the 'Darkest Aithiops' campaign, they might represent companies.

      It so happens that I have a number of thick cardboard(?) washer-like discs that someone years ago had made for use as wheels. I clipped a small segment from two of these, and, with some fiddling, cut and placed small rectangular pieces of balsa sheet radiating out from the centre. Actually one the 'blades' slipped a bit; it annoyed me, so I've sorted it since the pic was taken.
      A further coat of paint has improved the overall look of the thing. It will win no prizes, but it'll do me!

      I undercoated the whole vessel black, and rather roughly sketch-painted the white to give an impression of a paddlewheel in motion. It will win no prizes, but will do me. A further coat of paint has improved the overall look of the thing. It will win no prizes, but it'll do me!
      Cheers,
      Archduke Piccolo

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  2. Archduke Piccolo,

    A very interesting set of results. It was interesting to see how the two fleets were so closely balanced.

    The gunboat looks very impressive, and would be ideal for the waters in and around Madasahatta!

    All the best,

    Bob

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    Replies
    1. Hi Bob -
      Basically this gunboat was designed specifically for anything vaguely 'African'. Of course the name 'Aithiops Empress' is an oblique nod towards C.S.Forester, not to mention Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. It was also designed to take 1:76 scale figures to man the wheel and the guns, with a few rifle-armed sailors added. Although I have given the vessel a carrying capacity of 5SP, it is more likely to 'transport' (i.e. provide) a 4SP stand of armed sailors.
      Cheers,
      Archduke Piccolo

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