Repulse-class battleship
| <imgur w="300">2tWn5EC.png</imgur> Repulse Class Battleship
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Repulse Class Battleship |
| Builders: | Vickers Armstrong Arthurista |
| Operators: | Commonwealth Navy |
| Preceded by: | Elbareth-class battleship, Admiral-class battlecruiser |
| Succeeded by: | Lion-class battleship |
| Completed: | 6 |
| Active: | 0 |
| Laid up: | 2 |
| Lost: | 1 |
| Retired: | 4 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Battleship |
| Displacement: | 45,000 tonnes standard, 52,000 tonnes full load |
| Length: | 248m |
| Beam: | 33m |
| Draught: | 11m (deep load) |
| Installed power: | 4 shafts, 4 x steam turbines, 8 x 2-drum boilers (130,000 shp / 97MW) |
| Speed: | 30 knots |
| Range: | 15,300km at 15kn |
| Armament: |
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| Armour: |
Belt: 6–15 in (152–381 mm) Deck: 2.5–6 in (64–152 mm) Barbettes: 12–15 in (305–381 mm) Gun turrets: 7–15 in (178–381 mm) Conning tower: 3–4.5 in (76–114 mm) Bulkheads: 4–12 in (102–305 mm) |
| Aircraft carried: | 1x sea plane (removed in 1943), 1x helipad (added in 1955) |
The Repulse-class was an Arthuristan fast battleship design, constructed from the early- to mid-1930s. They were intended to replace the 1900s to 1910s-era dreadnought battleships and battlecruisers then remaining in service, considered too slow for modern operational requirements, not to mention insufficiently survivable owing to the obsolete armour schemes they possessed. They were to complement the eight Elbareth-class battleship and Admiral-class battlecruiser which remained in the Commonwealth Navy's order of battle. A production run of eight ships were initially planned, though the final pair were substituted by two Lion-class battleships.
The early-30s was an era of economic hardship for the Arthuristan economy. Nevertheless, the government was increasingly aware of the possibility of a confrontation with the fascist breakway regime known as the Arthuristan National State, and the construction of new warships served to both increase military preparedness, and as a deficit spending program to boost domestic demand. The six Repulse Class vessels which were the results of the program were significantly improved in firepower, protection and mobility over the older dreadnoughts. Their armour was distributed in a ruthless all-or-nothing scheme, designed to protect the ship's vitals which would allow it to float and fight, at the expense of everything else. Deck armour was also significantly enhanced to protect against plunging shellfire and aircraft bomb strikes. Underwater protection was provided by one of the world's earliest forms of composite armour - torpedo bulges with alternating layers of air gaps and diesel fuel. In contrast with the 15 inch guns of older capital ships, which fired a slower, heavier shell, the new 16 inch main armament was supposed to possess improved armour penetration capability by firing lighter AP munitions at higher muzzle velocity. They were complemented by a formidable secondary battery of quick firing 4.5 inch dual purpose guns and a mass of lighter AA weaponry, which would be progressively increased throughout the Great Fascist War. The class's propulsion scheme was capable of providing a top speed of up to 30 knots, a significant improvement of 6 knots over the Elbareth-class and nearly double that of the first generation dreadnoughts.
Eight Repulse class ships were planned, but only six were completed. The final pair, Rama and Regent, were instead superseded by two Lion Class super heavy capital ships, which were laid down in the late-30s. All ships of the class saw action during the war, mostly as fast carrier escorts rather than the envisaged decisive surface engagement against Fascist capital ships. The enemy achieved an eight-eight numerical parity with the Commonwealth Navy in the number of modern fast battleships (despite the Commonwealth's sixteen-eight superiority in overall capital ship numbers owing to its modernisation of older units). This was offset by the Commonwealth's advantages in ship and personnel quality and technology (most notably radar fire control).
One ship of the Repulse Class, the HHS Revenge, was sunk during the war by a Betty torpedo bomber, and another three were retired afterwards as a cost saving measure. The remaining two, Relentless and Resistance, would serve alongside the pair of Lion Class units during the Cold War era. They were progressively upgraded in this period. Their 16 inch main armaments, for instance, were found to be excessively prone to barrel wear during the war and replaced by the superior Emmerian Mark 7 model, while the masses of light AA weapons were replaced by eight twin turrets for 3"/50 guns, considered more effective in stopping contemporary fast jets despite the reduced number of barrels on board. Guided missiles were added in the 1960s - Greenwich Hammerhead anti-ship missiles in the former seaplane handling area and Sea Cat for point defence. They were finally retired and placed in mothball in the mid-90s.