NationStates Jolt Archive

The Portland Iron Works is in the beginning stages (OOC: So far in the beginning that I don't even have specs worked out just yet) of developing a Trimaran battleship that will be designed for coastal bombardment, anti-ship battles, and ASuW warfare. While some attention will be paid to multi-roled weapons, engineers will concentrate on its anti-ship warfare and coastal bombardment capabilities.

Many of the NS battleships on the market have had a strong secondary focus on anti-aircraft weaponry rather than ASuW warfare. This ship will place more emphasis on ASuW to set this ship apart from other similar vessels. As a result, a double-bottomed hull with reinforced cross-mounted bulkheads is an imperative in the design.

Initial plans for weaponry for this class are to have ten 22 inch electro-thermal guns mounted in two triple turrets (A and Y positions) and two double turrets (B and X) positions. The secondary armament will consist of 12 five inch guns in single turrets with two fore and aft and four each port and starboard. The ship will come with the 35 mm Millennium Gun to serve as a CIWS system, with six such systems in place. In addition, six Yellow Jacket mini-SAMs will be used to work with the Millennium Gun as a twin CIWS system. Six 6" railguns mounted on the outriggers will be used for the ship's coastal bombardment role.

To enhance its ASuW capability, the vessel will have four launchers for the 'Silver' anti-ship and ASuW torpedo built by Windham and Green Defense Industries for the Portland Iron Works. A helipad for four large ASuW-dedicated helicopters will also be included.

I didn't post a detailed list of specs since I haven't drawn any up yet, but those are some of my ideas. Constructive feedback is more than welcomed.

*bump* for comments.

ooc: jesus Fucking christ, 10 railguns? what's the power plant on that thing like? It has to be fusion. That thing would suck up U-235 rods like crazy if it was nuclear.

Actually it has six railguns, and it isnt too difficult to achieve with a few nuclear reactors and plenty of capacitors. I agree that the rate of fire wont be too good, but it's definately possible.

ooc: I assumed electro-thermal to mean "railgun". 22 inch railguns are positively massive. My G100 VTOL gunships (huge planes) use 3, 3 inch railguns and require a TOMAK hot fusion reactor onboard. Firing rate for a railgun shouldn't be that bad with a decent capcitator, However, a good solution would be just to D/C your railguns right up to the reactors in order to avoid waiting for the capacitators to recharge, or use 2 capacitators and have one charge while the other one is drained by firing.

ooc: I assumed electro-thermal to mean "railgun". 22 inch railguns are positively massive. My G100 VTOL gunships (huge planes) use 3, 12 inch railguns and require a TOMAK hot fusion reactor onboard. Firing rate for a railgun shouldn't be that bad with a decent capcitator, However, a good solution would be just to D/C your railguns right up to the reactors in order to avoid waiting for the capacitators to recharge, or use 2 capacitators and have one charge while the other one is drained by firing.
OOC: Electro-thermal does not mean railgun, but Im not going to explain. Google it.

You probably wouldnt be able to fire with a direct reactor link, or you'd only be able to fire one at a reasonable rate. I would ignore a plane with 3x 12" railguns, btw. In fact I'd ignore a plane with any number of 12" anythings. On capacitors, you do realise that once their power is used up they're basically useless for the rest of the battle, right? They're like batteries. Once they've run out they take a while to recharge to any useful extent.

Just as an FYI, when I post a thread where I mention a ship I'm considering designing or am readying for sale at the Portland Iron Works, any feedback/comments are OOC.

The railguns that are on the outriggers are six inchers each, which is relatively small (compared to Praetonia's and my Freedom-class superdread which has eight inchers).

ooc: I'm not exactly MT, and you're right, i checked my files, the G100s can't possibly fire off 12 inch shells, their slugs would have to be much smaller, but they still have 3 railguns.

Electrothermal is basically a gun with electrical assist. Gotcha.

Would it be possible to maintain a high rate of fire by diverting part of the power plant's energy to capacitator recharging?

OOC: Yes... I think what Sarzonian means is Electro Thermal Chemical which uses plasma rather than powder bags to fire a shell faster than a normal propellant... it was ages that I read about this, but it is MT and has a logical explaination.

ooc: Electrothermals have been around since the 80s. It's all good. I figured out the term for a capacitator that is charged by the normal power source.
A compulsator.

OOC: Yes... I think what Sarzonian means is Electro Thermal Chemical which uses plasma rather than powder bags to fire a shell faster than a normal propellant... it was ages that I read about this, but it is MT and has a logical explaination.Yeah. That's exactly what I meant.

bump

You should use a compulsator instead of capacitators to feed your railguns.
Capacitators run out, Compulsators are recharged by the central power source.

bump

*bump*

The X-1 battleship (not the final name; it's to indicate a prototype)
Displacement: 324,000 tonnes full load
Length: 523 m; Beam: 146 m; Draught: 13.6 m
Armament: 10 x 22 inch electro-thermal chemical cannons mounted in two triple turrets in A and X positions and double turrets mounted in B and Y positions
6 x 6" naval railguns mounted on the outriggers (three each port and starboard). Railgun power comes from compulsators which distribute power feed from the central power system;
12 x 5" guns mounted in four double turrets port and starboard and two each bow and stern;
6 x 35 mm Millennium Gun CIWS system;
6 x "Yellow Jacket" mini SAM launchers;
4 'Silver' anti-ship and ASuW torpedo launchers linked to upgraded Mk 116 ASWCS system for enhanced target recognition and acquisition (two installed belowships and two available to launch from VLS)
4 anti-submarine rocket launchers for Mk 46 ASuW equivalent missile launchers
Armour: 900-1200 mm reinforced titanium/steel composite above waterline; hull bottom reinforced with hardened crossbeams installed across bulkheads.
Propulsion: Six Pebblebed nuclear reactors; six shafts.
Speed: 35 knots full (emergency only and only after reactors have been running for a while); 32 knots full speed under normal conditions; 28 knots cruising.
Aircraft: Heliopad with space for up to 10 ASuW helicopters. Carries four as standard complement.
Crew: 2,900 sailors and officers; 500 marines

Just out of curiousity, why don't you replace the ASROC launchers with oversized VLS tubes. They'll still be able to fire ASROCs but it'll make the design more flexible.

Further, the main guns will be better at shore bombardment than solid slugs from a railgun... I am extremely skeptical that a railgun can put a slug accurately on a target without some kind of internal guidence system... which would be fried during the firing process. Just look at modern tube artillery. You still need batteries of guns to score kills, and most of those are proximity kills, not direct hits. And they're only firing at about 40km! With a railgun, you need a shack.

A railgun has an extremely flat trajectory. Unlike a gun, there is no shell drop required for calculation.
Just point and shoot.

That only works for LOS targets... I was assuming that the railguns would be used to bombard targets, not engage them directly.

You are correct regarding the intent of the railguns. They would be used primarily to bombard shore-based targets where the damage they inflict would be more effective.