Shipbucket

Hi Guys,

For the historical section of my AU I want to draw some typical WW1-era ships, but the problem is that I have never drawn one.
I believe there are some members here with quite some expertise about, so I want to ask you for help.

This is what I have come up with so far, nothing more than copy-paste really:



Now, in my AU the dutch participated in the First World War on the side of the Allies. Many British forces were stationed in the Eastern Netherlands
and defended together with the Dutch the highly advanced IJssel Defense Line. Despite initial success in withstanding the German advance, the Dutch
lost a large part of the country in the South East. Because of French involvement this area turned into one large battleground riddled with trenches. The war
ended the same as the US got involved in 1917 and the Hindenburg Line fell in 1918. Allied and Axis defensive lines are shown in Blue and Black, respectively.


On the sea the Dutch fared much better, they had a well equipped navy and had their most advanced ships coming over from the Dutch East Indies. Due to two initial lost naval battles near the Oyster Grounds and the Northern Sandbanks, the Dutch Navy together with the British Navy was far superior to the Axis navy.

I would like information and advice about cruisers, destroyers, frigates, airships? I don't know... I'm looking forward to your input

Thanks in advance!

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“The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.”

As I seem to be coming in for some criticism for introducing unwelcome reality into the quicksand of AU, I'll tread carefully..... But serioulsy, if the Netherlands are committed into the land war in WWI that is going to drain away almost all of the naval budget into the army. So you would be looking at (apart from colonial service) a limited fleet dedicated to working with the British in the North Sea and the English Channel. Cruisers? Yes, and destroyers, and maybe submarines against the German navy. The bad news is that I'm no expert on WWI ships, but no doubt you will soon find some members who've worked in this area ready to offer help...good luck

Not being an expert on WW1 I may do have some pointers, apart from what Bill already said.
Your cruiser seem a little too modern, as super-firing guns on cruisers were introduced in the C class cruisers of the RN only by 1917 or 1918, these being the first cruisers to be so configured. Most cruisers in WW1 had guns side by side on the forecastle and besides the bridge, and then along the ship side for maximum broadside.

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Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"

I was thinking of the idea that by the beginning of the first world war, The Netherlands was a far more wealthier country than they actually were back than. The Dutch East India Trading company still existed (but as a modern enterprise), and the Dutch navy had a large ocean-going fleet to protect it's colonial interests (In 1910 the Dutch Empire consisted out of: Dutch East Indies, Ceylon (Modern-day Sri-Lanka), Suriname and a part of the Brazilian Jungle, 9 islands in the Caribbean and a large part of modern day South Africa & Namibia).

So indeed the ''home fleet'' was fairly modest, only composing out of a few cruisers, destroyers and submarines, but the colonial fleet (as I would call it for now) would consist out of several battle-cruisers, light cruisers, frigates and tons of submarines (KI - KXX series, still to be drawn)...

The biggest ship would be something like HMS Invincible (1907) and most ships would actually be designed and built together with Britain.

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“The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.”

I think it looks rather interesting on the whole. Only thought is that there were no "allies/axis" during WW1. GB, France and Russia was refered to as the Triple Entente, and Germany and Austria-Hungary was called the Central Powers(the latter also included the Ottoman empire and Bulgaria).

Ahh yes, I can remember the term ''Central Powers'' from my history lessons... Well, let's call it that then

I started the historical section at my AU page, but only with modified ships Alvama drew a while back: http://www.shipbucket.com/forums/viewto ... 8&start=20

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“The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.”

Minimalist bridgework, extensive standing rigging on your masts, and substantial forecastles are the typical characteristics of ships in service during WW1. Superfiring turrets are generally limited to the battleships and battlecruisers.

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Redhorse

Current Projects:
Republic of Texas Navy
FD Scale F-14s

How about this?


A destroyer class armed with two QF 4.7 inch Gun Mk I and four QF 12 pounder 12 cwt guns.
Still a work in progress ofcourse

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“The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.”

Bridge looks a bit big for a destroyer. The propellers look a little too small IMHO. I also think that depth charges aft are bit early ( RL depth charges were only introduced in 1917).
BTW armament of early destroyers up till 1917 or 1918 was usually 4" guns in Royal Navy ships and many had even smaller guns like the 12 pounder, and IIRC French destroyers had 65mm or 75mm guns.

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Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"