Richelieu
Revision as of 07:30, 17 March 2018 Added design history. | Revision as of 07:31, 17 March 2018 | |||
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Less than two weeks after the characteristics of the new Italian battleships were announced and only eight days after the order for ''Strasbourg'', ''[[Dunkerque]]''’s half-sister-ship, the defined characteristics were laid out for the new French battleships. They would displace 35,000 tons standard, have a main armament of eight or nine guns of the 380mm or 406mm caliber, be capable of a speed of 29.5-30 knots and be armored enough to resist 15” shells. It was envisaged that these new French battleships would be constructed in the same all-forward style as ''[[Dunkerque]]'', to speed up the planning and design of these new battleships and create homogenous combat groups. Early calculations quickly established that 406mm guns simply wouldn’t fit the design – 380mm was judged the maximum that could be successfully accommodated in a quadruple turret, and alternative three-turret designs using 406mm guns all came out at well over 35,000 tons. Six preliminary designs were submitted for consideration, and Project 1 was accepted, as it was, simply, an up-scale of ''[[Dunkerque]]''. | Less than two weeks after the characteristics of the new Italian battleships were announced and only eight days after the order for ''Strasbourg'', ''[[Dunkerque]]''’s half-sister-ship, the defined characteristics were laid out for the new French battleships. They would displace 35,000 tons standard, have a main armament of eight or nine guns of the 380mm or 406mm caliber, be capable of a speed of 29.5-30 knots and be armored enough to resist 15” shells. It was envisaged that these new French battleships would be constructed in the same all-forward style as ''[[Dunkerque]]'', to speed up the planning and design of these new battleships and create homogenous combat groups. Early calculations quickly established that 406mm guns simply wouldn’t fit the design – 380mm was judged the maximum that could be successfully accommodated in a quadruple turret, and alternative three-turret designs using 406mm guns all came out at well over 35,000 tons. Six preliminary designs were submitted for consideration, and Project 1 was accepted, as it was, simply, an up-scale of ''[[Dunkerque]]''. | |||
? | An early concern with Project 1 was that her secondary armament of 20 130mm guns in five quadruple turrets were insufficient on a battleship of such a size; even the older ''[[Courbet]]'' and ''[[Bretagne]]'' classes had 138.6mm secondary batteries. A following request was made for studies of 152mm guns to investigate the number which could be accommodated and their proposed locations. Originally, the 152mm turrets would be complemented by six separate high-angle single 75mm guns for heavy AA purposes similar to the undertakings of the German and Italian navies, but such a plan would take Project 1, which was already 350 tons overweight, would only increase her tonnage. The 75mm guns were dropped, and instead the new 152mm turrets would have a dual-purpose function. To try and reduce weight to an acceptable 35,000 tons, new Sural boilers were accommodated into the design, which were substantially less wide than the boilers used in ''[[Dunkerque | + | An early concern with Project 1 was that her secondary armament of 20 130mm guns in five quadruple turrets were insufficient on a battleship of such a size; even the older ''[[Courbet]]'' and ''[[Bretagne]]'' classes had 138.6mm secondary batteries. A following request was made for studies of 152mm guns to investigate the number which could be accommodated and their proposed locations. Originally, the 152mm turrets would be complemented by six separate high-angle single 75mm guns for heavy AA purposes similar to the undertakings of the German and Italian navies, but such a plan would take Project 1, which was already 350 tons overweight, would only increase her tonnage. The 75mm guns were dropped, and instead the new 152mm turrets would have a dual-purpose function. To try and reduce weight to an acceptable 35,000 tons, new Sural boilers were accommodated into the design, which were substantially less wide than the boilers used in ''[[Dunkerque]]'' and ''Strasbourg'', and the wider 33m beam of Project 1 meant that three boilers could be accommodated side-by-side, reducing the necessary boiler rooms from three to two, shortening the armored citadel by 4.85m and substantially saving weight. Weight was further reduced by cutting down armor on several areas of the ship, notably the belt; which was reduced to 330mm, but the angle of inclination was increased by 4 degrees to compensate. | |
With the secondary armament and weight issues resolved, the last major project was the anti-aircraft suite. The positioning of the five 152mm turrets made it difficult to arrange the 37mm AA guns, as both the existing Mle 1925 and projected Mle 1933 guns were in open mountings. This prompted the development for a new dual-mount 37mm weapon in a fully enclosed and automated mounting. While this 37mm/70 ACAD Mle 1935 gun turned out to be a very successful weapon, the complexity of the design meant that they would not be production-ready until 1940, so the inferior 37mm/50 Mle 1933 was used as a stop-gap. These six dual 37mm mountings were complimented by a set of eight quad 132mm/76 Mle 1929 AA guns. Finally, there was enough space on the stern quarterdeck for two aviation catapults, one positioned to starboard and the other to port, and the design could easily accommodate two aircraft in the hanger, one on each catapult, and a fifth atop the hanger. | With the secondary armament and weight issues resolved, the last major project was the anti-aircraft suite. The positioning of the five 152mm turrets made it difficult to arrange the 37mm AA guns, as both the existing Mle 1925 and projected Mle 1933 guns were in open mountings. This prompted the development for a new dual-mount 37mm weapon in a fully enclosed and automated mounting. While this 37mm/70 ACAD Mle 1935 gun turned out to be a very successful weapon, the complexity of the design meant that they would not be production-ready until 1940, so the inferior 37mm/50 Mle 1933 was used as a stop-gap. These six dual 37mm mountings were complimented by a set of eight quad 132mm/76 Mle 1929 AA guns. Finally, there was enough space on the stern quarterdeck for two aviation catapults, one positioned to starboard and the other to port, and the design could easily accommodate two aircraft in the hanger, one on each catapult, and a fifth atop the hanger. |
Revision as of 07:31, 17 March 2018
380 mm/45 Mle 1935 in a turret2 х 4 pcs. |
Rate of Fire2 shots/min. |
Reload Time30 sec. |
Rotation Speed5 deg./sec. |
180 Degree Turn Time36 sec. |
Firing Range22.97 km. |
Maximum Dispersion313 m. |
HE Shell380 mm HE OEA Mle 1945 |
Maximum HE Shell Damage5,400 |
Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell36 % |
Initial HE Shell Velocity830 m./s. |
HE Shell Weight884 kg. |
AP Shell380 mm AP OPfK Mle 1943 |
Maximum AP Shell Damage11,900 |
Initial AP Shell Velocity830 m./s. |
AP Shell Weight885 kg. |
152 mm/55 Mle 1930 on an Mle 1936 mount3 х 3 pcs. |
Firing Range7.6 km. |
Rate of Fire5 shots/min. |
Reload Time12 sec. |
HE Shell152 mm HE OEA Mle 1937 |
Maximum HE Shell Damage2,200 |
Initial HE Shell Velocity870 m./s. |
Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell12 % |
100 mm/45 Mle 1930 on an Mle 1931 mount6 х 2 pcs. |
Firing Range7.6 km. |
Rate of Fire15 shots/min. |
Reload Time4 sec. |
HE Shell100 mm HE OEA Mle 1928 |
Maximum HE Shell Damage1,400 |
Initial HE Shell Velocity780 m./s. |
Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell6 % |
152 mm/55 Mle 1930 on an Mle 1936 mount3 х 3 pcs. |
. . . Average Damage per Second24.9 |
. . . Firing Range5.01 km. |
100 mm/45 Mle 1930 on an Mle 1931 mount6 х 2 pcs. |
. . . Average Damage per Second40.8 |
. . . Firing Range5.01 km. |
20 mm Oerlikon on a Mk.4 mount48 х 1 pcs. |
. . . Average Damage per Second172.8 |
. . . Firing Range2.01 km. |
40 mm Bofors on a Mk.1 mount14 х 2 pcs. |
. . . Average Damage per Second158.2 |
. . . Firing Range3.51 km. |
Maximum Speed30.4 knot |
Turning Circle Radius850 m. |
Rudder Shift Time21.5 sec. |
Surface Detectability Range16.24 km. |
Air Detectability Range11.02 km. |
Richelieu — French Tier VIII battleship.
One of the most successful and well-balanced "new generation" battleships in the world. The ship was equipped with 380 mm guns, had a high speed, strong armor and very good torpedo protection. The disadvantages of concentrating the ship's main guns on the bow were compensated by the favorable turret traverse angles.
Modules
Compatible Upgrades
Slot 1 |
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Slot 2 |
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Slot 3 |
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Slot 4 |
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Slot 5 |
Player Opinion
Performance
Tier VIII's Richelieu possesses more than a passing similarity to Tier VI premium Dunkerque, but provides greater flexibility. Richelieu is one of the fastest battleships in the game, has good relative immunity to catastrophic damage due to her armor scheme and ability to angle well, and her anti-aircraft armament allows for greater independent operation than many of her same-tier counterparts.
Captains will find Richelieu to be an excellent flanking ship even when there exists little support. Even in Tier IX or X battles the basic fundamentals of the ship do not change, but simply require greater caution. With proper map awareness, Richelieu can remain a threat in nearly any battle. Players should actively seek opportunities to gain the flank of potential targets and use the superior speed of Richelieu to displace if subject to too much attention.
Similar to her slightly smaller Tier VI cousin, Richelieu’s armor scheme encourages captains to keep her bow pointed at the enemy. Her citadel extends above the waterline and she has quite a bit of freeboard; ships that get a free shot at her broadside with armor-piercing rounds are all but guaranteed to do extreme damage. Fortunately, Richelieu’s anti-aircraft defenses are stronger than most of her French contemporaries: Hull (B) represents her summer 1943 refit at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and packs on copious quantities of the 40mm Bofors and 20mm Oerlikon cannons favored by Allied navies of the era. The end result is that her long-range AA bubble remains far weaker than her American and British counterparts, but her mid- and short-range bubbles are essentially equivalent in power.
Though the play style demanded by her unique turret arrangement is different from the other ships in the French battleship branch, Richelieu combines speed, above-average AA, and hard-hitting guns into a comfortable-to-conn package that will remind players strongly of a better Dunkerque.Pros:
- All-forward main armament provides excellent angling potential.
- Superb medium and close range AA suite.
- When Sierra Mike () is equipped and with Engine Boost active, becomes the fastest battleship in the game.
- Well protected citadel.
- Good maneuverability.
- Superb main battery range.
Cons:
- Poor aft coverage for main armament.
- Poor forward coverage for secondary armament.
- Poor concealment compared to same-tier counterparts.
- Extensive coverage of Tier VIII common plate (32mm) means high vulnerability to 150mm and larger high explosive shells.
- Hull (B) loses access to both aircraft consumables.
Research
Availability of researchable upgrades for Richelieu is as follows:
- Hull: Upgrade to Hull (B) for a significant increases in health, anti-aircraft firepower, and rudder traverse time. Research of this module unlocks progression to Alsace. Richelieu also loses access to Spotting Aircraft and Catapult Fighter with this upgrade.
- Gun Fire Control System: Upgrade to PCA n° 8 Mle 2 for an extra 10% range on the main battery.
- Propulsion: Upgrading this module adds an additional 1.5 knots of top speed.
Optimal Configuration
Richelieu is best configured to augment her main battery and AA suite, with any remaining slots dedicated to concealment and damage control.
Upgrades
The recommended upgrades for Richelieu are as follows:
- Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1
- Slot 2: Damage Control System Modification 1
- Slot 3: AA Guns Modification 2 ()
- Slot 4: Damage Control System Modification 2
- Slot 5: Concealment System Modification 1
Commander Skills
The following are recommended commander skills for Richelieu.
Recommended Commander Skills | ||||||||
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Cost (points) |
Endurance | Attack | Support | Versatility | ||||
1 |
★★ |
★★★ |
★ |
|
|
|
★ |
|
2 |
★★ |
★★ |
★ |
|
|
|
★★ |
|
3 |
★★★ |
|
|
|
★★ |
★★★ |
★ |
★★ |
4 |
★ |
★★ |
|
|
★★★ |
|
★ |
★★★ |
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful ★★ - Frequently Useful ★ - Occasionally Useful No stars - Meh Χ - Not recommended |
Consumables
Richelieu can equip the following consumables:
- Slot 1: Damage Control Party
- Slot 2: Repair Party
- Slot 3: Spotting Aircraft or Catapult Fighter [Hull (A) only]
- Slot 4: Engine Boost
Recommended premium consumables are, in order of priority: Damage Control Party II (), Repair Party II (), Engine Boost II (), then Spotting Aircraft II () or Catapult Fighter II ().
Camouflage
Type 1, 2, or 5 camouflage can be equipped for credits; types 1 or 5 are recommended at a minimum to reduce detectability range.
Players who wish to spend doubloons can equip Richelieu with Type 18 camouflage which lowers her detection radius, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, reduces her repair costs, and increases the amount of experience she earns.
Signals
The following are recommended combat signals for Richelieu. Economic signals will be left to the discretion of the player.
Recommended Signal Flags | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Combat | |||||
★ |
★★ |
★★★ |
★ |
★ |
★ |
|
★ |
★★ |
★★ |
★★ |
★★★ |
|
|
Note: Use of the Juliet Charlie signal makes detonation impossible.
Gallery
Historical Info
Historical Gallery
Destroyers | II Enseigne Gabolde • III Fusilier • IV Bourrasque • V Jaguar • V Siroco • VI Guépard • VI Aigle • VII Vauquelin • VIII Le Fantasque • VIII Le Terrible • IX Mogador • X Kléber • X Marceau • X Kléber CLR |
Cruisers | I Bougainville • II Jurien de la Gravière • III Friant • IV Duguay-Trouin • V Émile Bertin • VI La Galissonnière • VI De Grasse • VI Dupleix • VI Montcalm • VII Algérie • VII Toulon • VIII Charles Martel • VIII Cherbourg • VIII Bayard • IX Saint-Louis • IX Brest • IX Carnot • X Henri IV • X Marseille • X Colbert • ★ Condé |
Battleships | III Turenne • IV Courbet • V Bretagne • VI Normandie • VI Dunkerque • VI Dunkerque B • VII Lyon • VII Strasbourg • VIII Richelieu • VIII Gascogne • VIII Champagne • VIII Flandre • VIII Picardie • IX Alsace • IX Jean Bart • IX Jean Bart B • X République • X Bourgogne • ★ Patrie |
Aircraft Carriers | VI Béarn |