Caledon

13.9

Caledon

Cruiser | U.K. | Tier III

Tech Tree Position

stock

 top

General

Research price1900 exp

Purchase price256,000

Hit Points17,500

Main Battery

152 mm/45 Mk.XII on a PXIII* mount5 х 1 pcs.

Rate of Fire7.5 shots/min.

Reload Time8 sec.

Rotation Speed10 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time18 sec.

Firing Range10.75 km.

Maximum Dispersion107 m.

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell0 %

AP Shell152 mm AP 4crh

Maximum AP Shell Damage2,900

Initial AP Shell Velocity853 m./s.

AP Shell Weight45.36 kg.

Torpedo Tubes

533 mm DR Mk II4 х 2 pcs.

Rate of Fire1.46 shots/min.

Reload Time41 sec.

Rotation Speed25 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time7.2 sec.

Torpedo533 mm Mk II

Maximum Damage10,000

Torpedo Speed53 knot

Torpedo Range6 km.

AA Defense

40 mm/39 Vickers QF Mk.II on a single mount2 х 1 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second11.2

. . . Firing Range2.01 km.

76.2 mm/45 QF HA Mk.I on an HA Mk.IV mount2 х 1 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second4.2

. . . Firing Range3 km.

Maneuverability

Maximum Speed29 knot

Turning Circle Radius580 m.

Rudder Shift Time7.8 sec.

Concealment

Surface Detectability Range9.78 km.

Air Detectability Range3.89 km.

Battle Levels

12345678910

13.9

Caledon

Cruiser | U.K. | Tier III

Tech Tree Position

stock

 top

General

Research price1900 exp

Purchase price256,000

Hit Points19,000

Main Battery

152 mm/45 Mk.XII on a PXIII* mount5 х 1 pcs.

Rate of Fire7.5 shots/min.

Reload Time8 sec.

Rotation Speed10 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time18 sec.

Firing Range11.83 km.

Maximum Dispersion107 m.

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell0 %

AP Shell152 mm AP 4crh

Maximum AP Shell Damage2,900

Initial AP Shell Velocity853 m./s.

AP Shell Weight45.36 kg.

Torpedo Tubes

533 mm DR Mk II4 х 2 pcs.

Rate of Fire1.46 shots/min.

Reload Time41 sec.

Rotation Speed25 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time7.2 sec.

Torpedo533 mm Mk II

Maximum Damage10,000

Torpedo Speed53 knot

Torpedo Range6 km.

AA Defense

40 mm/39 Vickers QF Mk.II on a single mount2 х 1 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second11.2

. . . Firing Range2.01 km.

7.7 mm Maxim Mk.I2 х 1 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second3.4

. . . Firing Range0.99 km.

76.2 mm/45 QF HA Mk.I on an HA Mk.IV mount2 х 1 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second4.2

. . . Firing Range3 km.

Maneuverability

Maximum Speed29 knot

Turning Circle Radius580 m.

Rudder Shift Time5.6 sec.

Concealment

Surface Detectability Range9.78 km.

Air Detectability Range3.89 km.

Battle Levels

12345678910

III

256,000

Caledon — British Tier III cruiser.

This light cruiser was designed to provide support to destroyers and perform reconnaissance duties. In contrast to her predecessors, this ship had a higher speed and carried powerful torpedo armament.

Modules

	Rate of Fire (shots/min)	180° Turn Time (sec)	Maximum Dispersion (m)	Maximum HE Shell Damage (HP)	Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell (%)	Maximum AP Shell Damage (HP)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
152 mm/45 Mk.XII on a PXIII* mount	7.5	18	107			2,900		0	22,000

	Hit Points (HP)	Armor (mm)	Armor (mm)	Main Turrets (pcs.)	Secondary Gun Turrets (pcs.)	AA Mounts (pcs.)	Torpedo Tubes (pcs.)	Hangar Capacity (pcs.)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Caledon (A)	17,500	6	152	5		2/2	4			0	60,000
Caledon (B)	19,000	6	152	5		2	4			1,300	125,000

	Rate of Fire (shots/min)	Torpedo Tubes Reload Time (sec)	180° Turn Time (sec)	Maximum Damage (HP)	Torpedo Speed (knot)	Torpedo Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
533 mm Mk II	1.5	41	7.2	10,000	53	6		0	45,000

	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SUO_INCREASE_DIST (%)	Maximum Firing Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Mk III mod. 1		0		0	20,000
Mk III mod. 2		0		500	50,000

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 40,000 hp	29		0	19,000

Compatible Upgrades

Slot 1
Slot 2

Player Opinion

Performance

Warning: The data presented in the AA Defense sidebar section may be incorrect.
Refer to the in-game Port screens for more useful data.

Tier III's Caledon introduces British cruiser captains to something that the cruisers of most other nations don't see until Tier V or VI: multiple centerline mounted turrets. It gives her a lot of flexibility in her firing arcs; flexibility that she will need, since she only mounts five 152mm rifles (compared to St. Louis’ fourteen or Bogatyr’s sixteen). Caledon is badly under-gunned against most of the opponents she will face off against. As is typical of vessels of the era, her anti-aircraft suite is pathetic, and she won't be shooting down many planes (if any) from enemy carriers.

As compensation for woeful AA and a sub-par main battery, she has solid top speed and good handling characteristics: her quick rudder shift and good turning radius can go a long way towards avoiding incoming fire. She also sports two twin-tube torpedo launchers on each side, with generous firing arcs and quick reload times that give her a potent punch should she find herself at close range of enemy vessels. Finding — or making — opportunities to use her torpedoes is key for players looking for high damage games out of Caledon. She also gains access to something very unique for a low tier cruiser: the Repair Party consumable. Cruisers of other nations have to wait until Tier VIII or IX to be able to repair damage already taken in a match, but the British start the trend here at Tier III and carry it all the way up the line.

Pros:

• Main battery guns traverse quickly enough to keep up with radical maneuvering, even without Expert Marksman.
• Double twin-tube torpedo launchers on each side.
• Longest firing range of non-all Tier III cruisers.
• Has access to the Repair Party consumable, long before the cruisers of other nations do.

Cons:

• Torpedo range is only 6.0 km.
• Only five barrels with a mediocre rate of fire leaves Caledon badly under-gunned against opponents such as Bogatyr and St. Louis.
• Low health and armor combine to make Caledon very fragile under concentrated fire. (Caledon's armor is so bad that it allows even destroyer AP and Rocket planes to score citadel hits)
• Part of the citadel is exposed on the main deck (which is in fact pretty easy to be penetrated), allowing even HE Bombs to smash her citadel. (and sometimes the 130mm HE from its peers too!)

Research

Like Weymouth, the Fire Control System upgrade is less expensive than Hull (B) and is a significant boost to Caledon’s range. Invest experience there first, then pick up the second hull.

Optimal Configuration

Upgrades

The recommended upgrades for Caledon are:

• Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1
• Slot 2: Engine Room Protection

Commander Skills

Though Caledon may encounter enemy aircraft carriers, her AA is not worth sinking commander skill points into unless you have spare points. Focus on survivability skills, or maybe try out some Torpedo skills.

Recommended Commander Skills
Cost (points)	Attack				Defense
1	Grease the Gears +15% main battery traverse speed. ★	Swift Fish +5% torpedo speed. ★	Consumables Specialist −7.5% cooldown time of all Consumables except:  Damage Control Party   Repair Party .	Gun Feeder -40% time to switch shell type.	Incoming Fire Alert Receive a warning of a salvo fired at your ship from more than 4.5km. ★★	Last Stand The ship remains able to move and maneuver - slowly - while the engine or steering gears are incapacitated. ★
2	Demolition Expert +1% chance of main and secondary HE shells causing a fire. +15% to the fragmentation damage area of HE ordnance fired at submarines.	Fill the Tubes -10% torpedo tubes reload time. ★	Consumables Enhancements +10% action time of Hydroacoustic Search, Surveillance Radar, Smoke Generator, & Engine Boost.	Eye in the Sky Spotting Aircraft: • +2 charges • -50% cooldown time.	Priority Target The detection indicator will show the number of enemies targeting you with main battery. ★★	Focus Fire Training In an active priority AA sector: •  +1.5% (to 5%) immediate damage. •  +25% continuous damage. •  +1 flak burst per salvo. −10% aircraft preparation time. −15% reload time of Airstrike armament.. ★
3	Heavy HE and SAP Shells +10% HE and SAP shell damage. +15% ship detectability guns 149mm and up.	Pack a Punch +15% torpedo damage. +20% secondary battery range.. ★	Adrenaline Rush -0.2% reload time of all armaments per 1% HP lost +0.2% AA continuous damage per 1% HP lost. ★★★	Heavy AP Shells +5% damage for AP shells 190mm and larger.	Superintendent +1 charge to all consumables. ★★	Survivability Expert +450 HP per ship tier. ★
4	Top Grade Gunner -10% reload time of secondary batteries If enemy ship is spotted within detectability range, -8% reload time of main battery. ★★	Outnumbered If there are fewer allies than visible enemies within the ship's base main caliber firing range: +8% ship speed -10% main battery dispersion. ★	Radio Location Shows the direction to the nearest enemy ship. The enemy is alerted that a bearing has been taken.. ★	Inertial Fuse for HE Shells +25% armor penetration of HE shells Base fire chance reduced by half.	Concealment Expert -10% detectability range of the ship. ★★★	AAA & ASW Expert +25% continuous AA and flak damage. +15% damage inflicted by depth charges. While AAA is active: −50% ship consumables reload time.. ★
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful      ★★ - Frequently Useful      ★ - Occasionally Useful     No stars - Not Useful

Consumables

• Damage Control Party 
• Repair Party  - 3 charges

Signals

Caledon’s access to the Repair Party consumable makes it viable to mount India Delta for extra health recovery.

Recommended Signal Flags
Combat
Juliet Charlie -100% to the risk of magazine detonation.	Juliet Yankee Bissotwo -20% to flooding duration.	India Yankee -20% to fire duration.	Hotel Yankee -20% to damage received when ramming the enemy. +50% to damage dealt when ramming the enemy.	Victor Lima +1% chance for HE bombs and shells with a caliber above 160mm causing a fire. +0.5% chance for bombs and smaller shells causing a fire. +4% chance of torpedoes causing flooding.	India X-Ray +1% chance for HE bombs and shells with a caliber above 160mm causing a fire. +0.5% chance for bombs and smaller shells causing a fire. +5% to the risk of your ship's magazine detonating.
Juliet Whiskey Unaone +15% chance of causing flooding. +5% to the risk of your ship's magazine detonating.	Mike Yankee Soxisix +5% to secondary battery maximum firing range. -5% to maximum dispersion of secondary battery shells. -5% to secondary battery loading time.	November Echo Setteseven +5% continuous AA damage at all ranges. +5% damage from flak bursts.	Sierra Mike +5% to the ship's maximum speed.	November Foxtrot -5% reload time on all consumables.	India Delta +20% to the amount of HP recovered when Repair Party  is used.
X-Ray Papa Unaone +10% action time of a Smoke Generator .	Sierra Bravo +10% action time of Hydroacoustic Search  -10% reload time of Defensive AA Fire .

Note: Use of the Juliet Charlie signal makes detonation impossible.

Gallery

• 

  Caledon prepares for battle.

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  Caledon fires a broadside of armor piercing shells.

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  Caledon borrows smoke and fires at an enemy St. Louis class cruiser.

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  Armor piercing shells from the Caledon break apart upon contact with Arkansas Beta armor.

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  Armor piercing shells do manage to penetrate the superstructure of the Arkansas Beta.

Historical Info

HMS Caledon, 1917

Construction

Cammell Laird Shipbuilding Company;

Birkenhead, England, United Kingdom

Laid down: 17 March 1916

Launched: 25 November 1916

Commissioned: 6 March 1917

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Specifications

4,180 tons displacement, standard

4,950 tons displacement, full load

137.2m length

13.02m beam

4.67m draft

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Machinery

6 Yarrow boilers

2 Parsons turbines

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Performance

29 knots at 40,000 shaft horsepower

5,900nm at 10 knots

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Armor

Main belt: 76.2mm over machinery spaces

Belt middle: 57.15mm

Belt ends: 32mm

Decks: 25.4mm

Gun shields: 25.4mm

Conning Tower: 76.2mm

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Armament

Main

Five (5x1) 152mm BL Mk.XII guns

Anti-Aircraft

Two (2x1) 76.2mm guns QF HA Mk.I

Torpedoes

Eight (4x2) 533mm torpedo tubes

HMS Caledon in harbour during WW1, approximately 1917.

History

Design

HMS Caledon and her sister ships were ordered in 1915 as slight modifications of the preceding Centaur class cruisers. These ships were very rugged and capable ships, built to serve in North Sea and Atlantic. Although usually they had good sea-going qualities, the ships did prove to be rather wet forward at times. The main difference over the previous Centaurs was the new geared turbine machinery used, providing a slightly higher top speed. Other changes included increased size and altered hull form for better sea-keeping, alongside a raked bow.

The cruisers carried five BL Mk.XII 152mm (6-inch) guns, in 'A', 'P', 'Q', 'X' and 'Y' positions, the same as the previous Centaur class. Although this was a lighter armament than contemporary German light cruisers, the arrangement of all the guns on the centerline allowed for similar firepower to a broadside. Another change from previous classes was the inclusion of above water torpedo tubes, in two sets of twin tubes per side, rather than the submerged tubes of previous classes. The armor of the C class cruisers was centered mostly around the main belt with a 51mm belt mounted on 25mm backing plate protecting the machinery. The armor thinned towards the extremities to 25mm, and the deck was also 25mm.

Anti-aircraft armament began with 2 76mm (3-inch) guns fitted to the cruisers on completion, although these guns could potentially be used against submarines too. Caledon herself had a flying off platform fitted for anti-zeppelin purposes, though this was subsequently removed, and during the inter-war period, the AA armament was reinforced a pair of single 40mm 'pompoms' By the beginning of World War II, Caledon was considered old and outdated. Like other members of the C-class, she was converted into an anti-aircraft cruiser, the last C-class to do so. Caledon’s original main battery and torpedo tubes were removed and her superstructure was altered to accommodate the new armament. The new armament consisted of 6 dual purpose 102mm (4-inch) guns in three twin mounts. Numerous Bofors guns and other 20mm guns were mounted during her first and second refits with more added as the war continued. Caledon’s sister ships Calypso and Caradoc did not receive extensive modifications and at most received only five 20mm 'Oerlikon' AA guns.

The four cruisers of the class were ordered in December 1915, with a further five ships being added in 1916, however the last five were modified to become the Ceres class. Sometimes the class is called the Calypso class as Calypso was the first ship laid down, although Caledon was the first to be completed and commissioned.

Service

HMS Caledon joined the Grand Fleet in March 1917 and was assigned to the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron. She participated in the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight as the leader of the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron in November 1917, where she was damaged by a 12-inch shell from a Kaiser class battleship but survived. In 1919, operated against Soviet forces in Latvia and the Baltic. Remaining in commission, she served in the Atlantic and Mediterranean during the interwar period until she was placed in the Naval Reserve in 1931. Recommissioned in 1939, Caledon was posted to the North Atlantic until mid-1940 when she was transferred to the Mediterranean for convoy duty and as support for British operations in Somaliland. In 1941, Caledon was transferred to the Eastern Fleet and operated in the Indian Ocean until 1942, when she returned to the UK for conversion into an anti-aircraft cruiser. Following conversion, in 1943, Caledon was again sent to the Mediterranean for convoy duty, and participated in Operation Dragoon in 1944. She survived the war, earning three battle honours, and was eventually paid off for scrapping in 1948.

HMS Calypso joined the Grand Fleet with Caledon and also participated in the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight. She was also damaged, a shell destroying her bridge and killing all present, including her commander. After the war, Calypso was assigned to patrol duties and anti-Bolshevik operations in the Baltic, capturing two destroyers, Izyaslav-class Avtroil and Spartak, in December 1918. In 1924, Calypso evacuated members of the Greek royal family after a coup, before she was placed in reserve in 1932. Recommissioned in 1939, Calypso was also assigned to the Northern Patrol along with Caledon. From September to November 1939, Calypso captured three German merchants and participated in the hunt for Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, alongside her sister. In 1940, she was also sent to the Mediterranean, where she was hit by a single torpedo from the Italian submarine Alpino Attilio Bagnolini in the early morning of 12 June 1940, two days after Italy declared war on Great Britain. Calypso was lost with thirty-nine men south of Crete.

HMS Caradoc, while also assigned with her sisters to the Grand Fleet, escaped damage in the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight, and World War I as a whole. She was present and participated in the capture of Avtroil and Spartak with Calypso in December 1918, serving her interwar years in the Mediterranean, China, and the Americas until she was transferred to the reserve in 1930. Caradoc was reactivated along with her remaining three sisters in 1939. Her first mission of note was the transport of gold to Halifax as payment for war materials. Transferred to the Caribbean until 1942, Caradoc captured two German merchants before sailing to New York for refit in late 1941. Having finished her refit in February 1942, Caradoc sailed to the Indian Ocean to join the Eastern Fleet. There she served in various administrative capacities like a training ship until the end of the war in 1945. Caradoc earned one battle honour and was paid off and sold for scrapping in 1946.

The fourth ship of the Caradoc sub-class, HMS Cassandra, also served with the Grand Fleet in World War I. Operating against Bolshevik forces on Baltic patrol duties after the end of hostilities against Germany in 1918, Cassandra struck an uncharted German mine off the coast of Estonia and sank quickly, though fortunately only eleven men of her crew died.

Historical Inaccuracies

• Hull (A) is accurate for Caledon during the interwar period, however hull (B) adds two Maxim 7.7mm machine guns that Caledon most likely never received, although it is possible that Calypso received these in different locations.
• The placement of the 40mm AA guns is questionable, as they are usually shown to be placed amidships, not aft of 'X' gun.
• The gun shields had armour 25.4mm thick, not 76.2mm.
• The 25mm deck armour of Caledon is not present.
• Although Caledon uses the same 152mm Mk.XXII guns as Danae and Emerald, Caledon — like other regular Royal Navy light cruisers in-game — only gets access to AP shells. Historically, ships using the Mk.XXII gun were outfitted with both AP/CPBC (Common Pointed Ballistic Cap) as well as HE shells.

Historical Gallery

• 

  HMS Caledon in 1944 after refit.

• 

  Caledon-class light cruiser HMS Cassandra underway at sea.

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  Caledon-class light cruiser HMS Caradoc in May 1942 after her U.S. refit.

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  HMS Caradoc in the Baltic Sea near Liepāja, Latvia, December 1918.

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  HMS Caledon's crew scraping ice off, December 1918.

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  HMS Caledon after a collision with the Italian vessel SS Antares.

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  Caledon-class light cruiser HMS Calypso laying down a smoke screen.

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  HMS Caradoc bombarding Bolshevik positions in Estonia in December 1918.

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• 

  Crest of HMS Caledon.

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  HMS Caledon in dock.

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References

• HMS Caledon (D53) - Wikipedia
• C-class cruiser - Wikipedia

Ship Change Log

See here for links to Update notes.

• Available to supertesters in the game starting from Update 0.5.11.
• Introduced into the game as a researchable ship in Update 0.5.13.
• Update 0.6.12:
  • Detectability when firing main guns in smoke changed to 4.5 km.
• Update 0.6.13:
  • Fire extinguishing time now 30 s instead of 60 s.
• Update 0.9.6:
  • The value of the in-game turning circle radius was changed to 580 m to correct prior discrepancy.

Ships of U.K.

Cruisers