Rules for Warships

This document is a repository of all ship design rules for the **Admiralty Board** game.

## GENERAL DESIGN RULES

1. Unless otherwise specified, all ships must have an Overall Hull Strength of 1.00 or greater.

2. No ship may have a block coefficient of less than 0.38.

## LIGHT FAST COMBATANTS

1. Light fast combatants are ships without armor greater than splinter protection (30mm), no aircraft carrying capacity, guns smaller than 6” caliber, and speeds greater than 24 knots.
2. Fast light combatants have reduced minimum composite strengths, depending on their normal displacement. List of displacement strengths (light displacement):
	* <3000t = 0.55 composite
	* 3000-3999t = 0.75 composite
	* 4000-5500t = 0.9 composite
3. No ship may possess a cross-sectional strength below 0.55
4. All light fast combatants receive a percent bonus to speed based on their normal displacement:
	* 0-500t = 25%
	* 500-1000t = 15%
	* 1000-2500t = 10%
	* 2500-4000t = 5%

## IMPORTANT SPRINGSHARP NOTES

* The following features in Springsharp are broken and shouldn't be used unless specifically stated: "box over machinery", "box over magazines", "box over magazines and machinery", bulges and engine factor slider.

## CONSTRUCTION TIMES

* For large ships. 9 + (light tonnage/1000) months build time
* For small ships. 4 + (light tonnage/1000)months build time applies to any ship 1,000 tons light displacement or under that doesnt have complex components.

*Note*: icebreakers, submarines, torpedo boats, and destroyers are explicitly noted to have complex components, and therefore shall never fall under the Small Ships rule, even when the other conditions would be met.

## FACILITIES

Facility Types:

```
   **Slip**: can be used for construction
   **Drydock**: can be used for construction, repairs, refits and maintenance
   **Floating Drydock**: can be used for repairs and maintenance

```

Note: slips of size 3 and smaller function as marine railways, able to pull small vessels out of the water for repairs and maintenance - functioning in the same way as a drydock.

Standard Slip and Drydock Lengths:

```
   **Type 1**: 45m 148ft
   **Type 2**: 70m 230ft
   **Type 3**: 95m 312ft
   **Type 4**: 120m 393ft
   **Type 5**: 145m 476ft
   **Type 6**: 170m 557ft
   **Type 7**: 195m 640ft
   **Type 8**: 220m 721ft
   **Type 9**: 245m 804ft
   **Type 10**: 270m 885ft
   **Type 11**: 295m 968ft
   **Type 12**: 320m 1049ft

```

Floating Drydocks can be moved to different locations. They must be in place for 1 month before they can restart operations.

Infrastructure is divided into Civilian and Military categories. Civilian infrastructure costs half the price of military infrastructure, but cannot build ships with armour heavier than splinter protection (30mm). Note: destroyers, torpedo-boats and frigates can be built in civilian slips, but submarines cannot.

## SPECIAL CASES

### Auxiliary Ships

For Auxiliary ships crew size, take Springsharp's highest provided crew number. 20% of that number is the actual crew size of the vessel, put this number in the notes of the respective ship as such. "Auxiliary true crew ####" An example is a ship that S2 says need 800 crew, would only need 160 crew.

Oil tankers and colliers are simmed by increasing the range of the ship, using the relevant fuel type. The sum of the not exceed 65% of the ship's light displacement.

#### Purchasing Civilian Ships into Military Service

A navy can purchase a pre-existing civilian merchant ship into military service. -- The merchant ship sim must be presented to the Shipwright for approval. It must be an explicitly civilian vessel (no armour, no weapons).

* The cost of the ship diminishes according to the age of the ship. For every year of the ship's age, subtract 3% of the cost. (*Example*: a 15-year old ship will cost 55% of the price shown by the Springsharp report.)
* A civilian vessel in military service may need to be refitted to conduct military roles. The ship can be refitted according to the costs given in the refit rules.
* Lower the number value of your nation's merchant marine by the light displacement of the ship purchased into service.

### Aircraft Carriers

1) Take the square root of miscellaneous weight; e.g., if miscellaneous weight is 10,000 tons, the weight-based limit for your carrier is 100 aircraft. (In addition, allow at least 25 tons per aircraft, i.e., if miscellaneous weight is just 100 tons, your ship can carry 4 planes, not 10.)

2) Multiply length x beam (both waterline) and divide by 750; e.g., if your CV is 900 ft x 100 ft, the space limit is 120 aircraft.

For the metric gang, divide by 70 instead; if your CV is 280 metres x 30 metres, the size limit is also 120 aircraft.

Use waterline dimensions (if available), NOT flight deck dimensions; they can vary a lot more, and we want a consistant rule.

Your carrier's airgroup is whichever number is LOWER. So in the example above, your CV has an airgroup of 100 aircraft. (That is for WW II or earlier planes. For postwar CVs with jets, I'd estimate about 2/3 of the airgroup calculated by this method.) Usually, the weight rule gives a lower number of planes and thus sets the limit; the size limit will usually apply to CVEs converted from merchant ships with a great deal of miscellaneous weight.

List the data for the carrier airgroup in the Additional Notes section of Springsharp. You may manually copy and paste the airgroup in the armaments section of the report if desired.

Conversions: If you convert a battlecruiser, etc., to a CV, follow the same basic procedure. Start with the original ship, modify main guns, armor, etc., put in miscellaneous weight (i.e., the flight deck), and there is your carrier.

### Icebreakers

Icebreakers should be simmed using low main+end belt armour and shallow torpedo bulkheads.

"Ice-hardened" ships have 1.10 composite strength or greater.

### Submarines

1. Use the Subsim spreadsheet to design the submarine. You can change only the cells in light blue; do not change any other cells.

2. Use '0' for a coastal submarine and '1' for an oceanic submarine.

```
   Until 1940, coastal submarines must remain below 500 tons light displacement; oceanic submarines must remain above 500 tons light displacement.  After 1940, the dividing point rises to 600 tons.

```

3. If the submarine has a deck gun, input the size of the gun (in centimeters) in the appropriate box.

```
   If the submarine has multiple deck guns, determine the weight of the single mounting of that caliber, and add miscellaneous weight in the appropriate box.  In your notes, write down the individual weight of each secondary piece of armament, the number of guns, and the total weight.
   Example:
   -- 7t for a second 75mm deck gun (7t each)
   -- 2t for one 40mm AA guns (2t each)
   -- 3t for three 20mm AA guns (1t each)

```

4. Put down the horsepower for both diesel and electric engines.

```
   All submarines up to 1910 will have petrol engines rather than diesels.

```

```
   H2O2 power may be unlocked by technological research at the appropriate time.

```

5. Input any other miscellaneous weight. Extra items like sonar, radar, cargo, embarked aircraft, etc must be accounted for in miscellaneous weight. Until 1920, wireless equipment is deemed extra equipment; after 1920, is it viewed as a standard fitting.

6. Input the number of torpedo tubes.

```
   Subsim interprets all torpedo tubes being 21" standard.  Talk to a GM if your torpedoes are smaller than 45cm or larger than 22".

```

```
   In the "Mines" box, input the number of tons for reload mines or torpedoes.  Subsim applies 1 ton for each mine carried.  Note: Subsim does not allocate any weight for torpedo reloads, so this weight also accounts for torpedo reloads.

```

7. Input the weight for both diesel (petrol) fuel and electric batteries. 8. Set the cruising speed. Note: cruising speed must be at least one knot less than flank speed.

9. Once design is complete, fill in the design details according to the approved style sheet, and present to the GMs or Shipwrights for approval. It is not necessary to copy the Excel Spreadsheet; giving the information in the Approved Style will allow anyone to double-check the design.

```
   Note: Use "Kerb weight" in the excel sheet for "Normal Displacement."

```

10. Once the design is approved by a GM or Shipwright, you can determine the cost of the submarine. Initial prices are as follows:

```
   Coastal Submarine (to 1910): £125 per ton
   Oceanic Submarine (to 1910): £150 per ton

```

11. Refits to submarines are possible, but difficult. Speak with a GM or Shipwright to get guidance, but follow these general guidelines:

```
   Minor changes (adding MG mounts, etc): £10 per ton
   Refurbishment of internal fittings (no changes to hull): £25 per ton (light displacement)
   Changes to external fittings (e.g. streamlining a conning tower, etc): £50 per ton
   Changes requiring modifications to the pressure hull, or engines: £75 per ton

```

### Sailing Ships

Sailing ships may be designed in Springsharp. Use Miscellaneous Weight > Above Deck to list weights for the masts and rigging. Generally this will be around 15% of the ship's displacement.

It is often advisable to put more miscellaneous weight (or a lot of extra range) low in the ship as ballast to counteract the topweight of the rigging.

Consult with the Shipwrights for further information.

### Light Craft

Insert light craft rules here, when I find them again.

## REFITS

Refits cost a percentage of the ship's construction cost. Some refits (marked with a D) must be undertaken in drydock.

The time to refit a ship matches the percentage associated with each refit.

**Example**: a cruiser of 4,000 tons light displacement is being refitted with new engines. (Change to powerplant.) The cost of the refitted ship is shown by Springsharp as £1,000,000. The refit therefore will cost 50% (or £500,000) of the original ship. Since the ship required 13 months to build, the refit requires 6.5 months.

### Level 1: Minor Alterations (Cost = 2.5%)

* Changes (number/quantity/type/location) to searchlights
* Changes to ship's boats
* Alterations to guns of 20mm and smaller
* Modification or update of an existing radar set

### Level 2: Manual Refits (Cost = 5%)

* Alterations to guns of 21-65mm and smaller not served by hoists
* Cosmetic or temporary changes to superstructure (ie, a fake funnel)
* Addition of radar

### Level 3: Minor Refits (cost = 15%)

* Alterations to snorkel or periscopes
* Alterations to guns of 65mm and smaller served by hoists
* Changes to depth charge racks and throwers
* Changes to mine rails (mines carried on deck)
* Changes to torpedo carriages
* Changes to gun directors
* Minor changes to superstructure (i.e. enclosing a bridge, adding a searchlight platform)

### Level 4: Major Refits (cost = 25%)

* Changes to catapults and/or above-decks seaplane hangers
* Changes to deck mount or turret armor
* Changes to conning tower armor
* Changes to external armor belts
* Changes to underwater torpedo tubes: D
* Changes to sonar: D
* Alterations to guns of 66mm-195mm not involving barbette alterations
* Refurbishment of internal fittings for life-extension purposes
* Changes to superstructure (i.e. lengthening or widening a deck, adding a deck house)

### Level 5: Partial Reconstruction (cost = 50%)

* Changes to bunkerage (type or quantity)
* Replacement of superstructure
* Changes to internal belt armor (upper)
* Changes to deck armor
* Alterations to guns of 66mm-195mm involving barbette alterations
* Replacement of secondary barbettes with powerplant machinery: D
* Alterations to guns 196mm and larger not involving barbette alterations
* Change to powerplant (type and output): D
* Change to bow form: D
* Change to trim of ship: D
* Change to torpedo bulkheads: D

### Level 6: Total Reconstruction (cost = 75%)

* Alterations to guns 196mm and larger involving barbette alterations: D
* Replacement of main barbette with powerplant machinery: D
* Insertion or removal of section of hull amidships: D
* Reshaping of stern (does not allow creation of transom): D
* Welding of ships together (must be like type/class): D

## SCRAPPING

Scrapping a ship takes place at the end of a year. Selling the material scrapped from a ship nets 15% of the ship's construction cost.

## POWERPLANT RULES

Due to the limitations of Springsharp in representing various machinery for ships and in a wish to provide players with certain advantages and disadvantages for certain designs here is a now a list of how certain machinery effects ships.

Note all modifiers here are additive not multiplicative for designs that use more than one or used mixed machinery.

All additional machinery weight should be in Misc - Hull below water

All modifiers (including those that increase cost or weight) should be stated in Notes

Maintenance cost modifiers are applied after ship cost modifiers, Maintenance cost modifies the new cost

Mixed machinery halves both bonus and negative modifiers along with cost modifiers, (Example: Steam turbines with cruising complex reciprocating = -7.5% to ship cost)

### Example 1

* Oil fired Steam turbines Geared
* Additional weight: N/A
* Modifier: N/A
* Cost: N/A
* Typical standard drive arrangement, sticking with this will present the player with no additional modifiers to ship or cost

### Example 2

* Oil fired Steam turbines Electric motors
* Additional weight: +10% machinery weight
* Modifier: Ship responds very quickly to throttle commands and quick reverse, Ship has extensive subdivision, Ship has excess Electrical power, +10% to ship maintenance cost
* Cost: +15% to ship cost
* TE arrangement, This setup allows for generous handling and extensive subdivision at a moderate increase to ship machinery weight and cost

### Example 3

* Coal fired Complex reciprocating Hydraulic drive
* Additional weight: +5% machinery weight
* Modifier: Ship responds quickly to throttle, +15% to Maintenance cost
* Cost: -25% to ship cost
* A unique drive arrangement, a ship with this machinery trades an increased lifetime cost for a low upfront cost and improved handling, Good for Low speed ships that also need handling

### Boilers & Diesel

#### Coal fired boilers

* Additional weight: N/A
* Modifier: +5% to ship maintenance cost
* Cost: -15% to ship cost

#### Oil fired boilers

* Additional weight: N/A
* Modifier: N/A
* Cost: N/A

#### Diesel Motors

* Additional weight: +10% machinery weight
* Modifier: +50% Range of S2 (Real range should be listed in Notes), -9% ship top speed
* Cost: +10% to ship cost

#### Petrol and Batteries

* Will not be touched on due to their absence from majority all designs we use S2 for.

#### Simple reciprocating

* Additional weight: N/A (S2 accounted)
* Modifier: Cannot be used in mixed Machinery layout, -15% to ship maintenance cost
* Cost: -30% to ship cost

#### Complex reciprocating

* Additional weight: N/A
* Modifier: N/A
* Cost: -15% to ship cost

#### Steam turbines

* Additional weight: N/A
* Modifier: N/A
* Cost: N/A

### Drives

#### Direct

* Additional weight: N/A
* Modifier: Ship responds much slower to throttle commands, -15% to ships range due to inefficiency, -10% to ship maintenance cost
* Cost: -10% to ship cost

#### Geared

* Additional weight: N/A
* Modifier: N/A
* Cost: N/A

#### Electric

* Additional weight: +10% machinery weight
* Modifier: Ship responds very quickly to throttle commands and quick reverse, Ship has extensive subdivision, Ship has excess Electrical power, +10% to ship maintenance cost
* Cost: +15% to ship cost

#### Hydraulic

* Additional weight: +5% machinery weight
* Modifier: Ship responds quickly to throttle, +10% to ship maintenance cost
* Cost: +5% to ship cost