obssesednuker
Commander of 10 Million Men
- Location
- In the Kremlin, activating Perimtr.
Kantai Collection - Fanfic Idea and Recs
- Thread starter sasahara17
- Start date
Kings and Queens Shattered Resolve has updated.
In this Update Prince of Wales fights a tentacle Abyssal, and the US Army arrives.
Kings and Queens Shattered Resolved (Kantai Collection)
In this Update Prince of Wales fights a tentacle Abyssal, and the US Army arrives.
Kings and Queens Shattered Resolved (Kantai Collection)
So this Fall 2016 Event map theme is a supply mission that the Japanese did that happened before the Doolittle Raid, when the Japanese were unaware.
Then the pursuit force of Doolittle Raid force, though the historical fleet doesn't seem to get a buff or debuff the enemy.
Then Operation Crossroads map, which is a bit of a tangent.
I'm slightly disappointed that the SBD Dauntless is so subpar despite it's legendary (and likely highly exaggerated) reputation to the USN. Maybe it's reputation isn't as good in Japan, history books and other things? Torpedo bombers in this game just seem flat out better, and the SBD doesn't really change that.
It's development was fast, but not that rushed.
On the other hand, the other common Japanese bomber, the D3A Type 99, also is very low in stats. That was the bomber Japan used in most of the war. Considered obsolete by some at the start, with upgrades and good pilots, and a bit of luck and good strategic positioning, it proved very well.
The best stat planes in this game had development issues making them work, slow deployments, or were Japanese blueprints or prototypes.
Maybe the developers will include rare, prototype German, Italian, British, American and French equipment too.
With different niche then the Japanese. They could potentially have all specializations for game balance purposes, to be used in different situations and different maps, so they're equally good in different situations.
Still, it does seem weird that such a bad plane thing is a hard mode reward in the game. Maybe it can be upgraded to SBD-2 and other higher Mark versions.
I know, I don't like that part of Unryuu's design either.
I know some people do, but it just isn't for me.
I think it's not just the size either, it's also how the fabric clings to it in a skintight manner. It's a little unnatural and unreal. A bit like uncanny valley for me, but with clothes. Clothes and breasts should be hanging with gravity unless the person has a really weird push up bra.
The cloth just looks weird to me, especially with how it's skintight on the lower portion. That always bugged me in animation and drawing when that happened.
Silly quirk of mine.
That's just my opinion though.
I like other parts of their designs, and there are different character designs I like more, so it isn't that big a deal for me. I just feel it feels a little odd when I see it.
Though I don't want it removed from the game or anything like that. Variety is always nice, and that aspect of the design seems to have plenty of fans.
You could just put it here. This talks about media in general at times.
Not always. Zuikaku is joked about being flat in fandom fanon, but from her damaged CG's she is actually above average size (for average real life humans) for her proportions.
I think it's just animation tends to exaggerate things. Western animation designs too at times also seem to exaggerate proportions for emphasis sometimes.
I think it's also that some character's clothes are a bit baggy or armor is around the chest, making it hard to judge at a glance unless the proportions are exaggerated.
Checking again, the Japanese wiki lists Saratoga Kai's LOS as a cap at 80, which is not bad average for the Kai ships.
But her evasion seems to be 50, the lowest of all carriers according to the wiki, if this info is right. How does this make her? I heard some people looking at stats say she's not really top tier like the Kai Ni crane sisters due to this.
The crane's are kai ni, instead of kai, which seems to make them near the top.
That seems to be a major downside.
Other then her range going from Medium to Short, which makes her worse during the shelling phases. She's a bit costly too.
Overall she's
Fast carrier
90 Plane count, 36, 18, 18, 18 distribution, which seems very good. I've heard some say 36 bombers, 18 x 3 fighters might work in most cases.
Not the highest plane count, but still very high, and that 36 loadout slot seems good. 36 is the highest individual load slot of any carrier I think.
4 Slots for equipment like most carrier.
Best, Top Tier (For a carrier)
HP, AA
High Tier
Armor
Medium
Firepower, LOS, Luck
Better then about half the ships, worse then about half.
Zero
Torpedo, ASW. Same as all carrier in this game so medium or average.
Low, Worst Tier
Evasion
And she can't launch when damaged, same as most carriers except the 3 armored carriers, the Shokaku class crane sisters and Taiho. These three can, but hit for reduced damage in such a state with reduced stats when damaged.
How important is evasion for carrier?
I've heard it's fairly important, but not as much as plane count, but more important then HP for a carrier.
Saratoga already has a very good plane count, but will this less evasion make her less viable for event maps? Though the armor might mitigate some damage.
Would she be better in not the main fleet during some maps, like a Support Fleet or assisting 2nd fleet during Combined Fleet maps?
Then the pursuit force of Doolittle Raid force, though the historical fleet doesn't seem to get a buff or debuff the enemy.
Then Operation Crossroads map, which is a bit of a tangent.
I'm slightly disappointed that the SBD Dauntless is so subpar despite it's legendary (and likely highly exaggerated) reputation to the USN. Maybe it's reputation isn't as good in Japan, history books and other things? Torpedo bombers in this game just seem flat out better, and the SBD doesn't really change that.
It's development was fast, but not that rushed.
On the other hand, the other common Japanese bomber, the D3A Type 99, also is very low in stats. That was the bomber Japan used in most of the war. Considered obsolete by some at the start, with upgrades and good pilots, and a bit of luck and good strategic positioning, it proved very well.
The best stat planes in this game had development issues making them work, slow deployments, or were Japanese blueprints or prototypes.
Maybe the developers will include rare, prototype German, Italian, British, American and French equipment too.
With different niche then the Japanese. They could potentially have all specializations for game balance purposes, to be used in different situations and different maps, so they're equally good in different situations.
Still, it does seem weird that such a bad plane thing is a hard mode reward in the game. Maybe it can be upgraded to SBD-2 and other higher Mark versions.
I know, I don't like that part of Unryuu's design either.
I know some people do, but it just isn't for me.
I think it's not just the size either, it's also how the fabric clings to it in a skintight manner. It's a little unnatural and unreal. A bit like uncanny valley for me, but with clothes. Clothes and breasts should be hanging with gravity unless the person has a really weird push up bra.
The cloth just looks weird to me, especially with how it's skintight on the lower portion. That always bugged me in animation and drawing when that happened.
Silly quirk of mine.
That's just my opinion though.
I like other parts of their designs, and there are different character designs I like more, so it isn't that big a deal for me. I just feel it feels a little odd when I see it.
Though I don't want it removed from the game or anything like that. Variety is always nice, and that aspect of the design seems to have plenty of fans.
You could just put it here. This talks about media in general at times.
Not always. Zuikaku is joked about being flat in fandom fanon, but from her damaged CG's she is actually above average size (for average real life humans) for her proportions.
I think it's just animation tends to exaggerate things. Western animation designs too at times also seem to exaggerate proportions for emphasis sometimes.
I think it's also that some character's clothes are a bit baggy or armor is around the chest, making it hard to judge at a glance unless the proportions are exaggerated.
Checking again, the Japanese wiki lists Saratoga Kai's LOS as a cap at 80, which is not bad average for the Kai ships.
But her evasion seems to be 50, the lowest of all carriers according to the wiki, if this info is right. How does this make her? I heard some people looking at stats say she's not really top tier like the Kai Ni crane sisters due to this.
The crane's are kai ni, instead of kai, which seems to make them near the top.
That seems to be a major downside.
Other then her range going from Medium to Short, which makes her worse during the shelling phases. She's a bit costly too.
Overall she's
Fast carrier
90 Plane count, 36, 18, 18, 18 distribution, which seems very good. I've heard some say 36 bombers, 18 x 3 fighters might work in most cases.
Not the highest plane count, but still very high, and that 36 loadout slot seems good. 36 is the highest individual load slot of any carrier I think.
4 Slots for equipment like most carrier.
Best, Top Tier (For a carrier)
HP, AA
High Tier
Armor
Medium
Firepower, LOS, Luck
Better then about half the ships, worse then about half.
Zero
Torpedo, ASW. Same as all carrier in this game so medium or average.
Low, Worst Tier
Evasion
And she can't launch when damaged, same as most carriers except the 3 armored carriers, the Shokaku class crane sisters and Taiho. These three can, but hit for reduced damage in such a state with reduced stats when damaged.
How important is evasion for carrier?
I've heard it's fairly important, but not as much as plane count, but more important then HP for a carrier.
Saratoga already has a very good plane count, but will this less evasion make her less viable for event maps? Though the armor might mitigate some damage.
Would she be better in not the main fleet during some maps, like a Support Fleet or assisting 2nd fleet during Combined Fleet maps?
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I just realized, the near 1,000 HP stat for some boss Abyssals can be nearly reached by some player ships, if you stuff them full of Damage Control emergency repair that let them heal to full.
Maybe the Abyssal Admiral just really loves his shipgirls? And bought them a ton of damcon cause they keep getting sunk?
Does anyone know what could historically carry Daihatsu landing craft?
In Kancolle games, destroyers, light cruisers, seaplane tenders, fleet oilers, and amphibious assault ships can.
In real life, I know amphibious assault ships are made for carrying troops, landing support, and being able to quickly and easily deploy. They had specialized facilities and design to optimize this.
The Japanese and other nations had dedicated ships, at least at the beginning of the war.
Is the fact ships like destroyers can carry and launch them a reference to Tokyo Express troop delivery? Or am I overthinking it?
I don't think the Japanese used landing craft for such action though in Tokyo Express.
Destroyers were used instead of dedicated landing ships and transports, because Japan didn't have enough of them, even before they started getting sunk. And destroyers were faster. This was important when Americans secured some degree of air control in 1942, before night aircraft were developed for common use. Destroyers could rush in at high speed at night, drop off troops, hopefully avoid PT boat and artillery harassment, and run away out of range before daylight came and planes launched.
Is the dodge low enough to warrant that though?
I've only really heard two extremes when talking about her stats.
One, that she's OP and better then the cranes, Zui and Sho, for less cost. Especially with the big plane count and armor combination.
The other idea is that she's underpowered, and 'unplayable' due to the dodge issue. I've seen people claim this due to the low evade, meaning more likely to get hit and disabled, since carriers can be easily disabled compared to other ships.
Both seem to be exaggerations at different extremes.
What do you think?
Overall she's got good loadout, plane count, armor, AA, HP.
Average FP, LOS, Luck
Bad evasion, though whether it is bad or not is still debated. I've seen some say it is good enough.
How good do you think Sara is with only her stats?
Low evade does seem to be the US thing in this game for game balance.
Iowa for example is very good compared to most fast BB, except for cost.
But has below average evasion for a fast BB. Probably for game balance. This is despite historically having multiple two very good fast powered rudder, a small turning circle equivalent to a destroyer, and good engine with fast acceleration, allowing her to control speed and even accelerate during some turn. Along with ops centers and fire control systems enabling potential for firing while maneuvering.
There's also her massive size, probably another reason why the dev made evade so low.
Maybe the Abyssal Admiral just really loves his shipgirls? And bought them a ton of damcon cause they keep getting sunk?
Does anyone know what could historically carry Daihatsu landing craft?
In Kancolle games, destroyers, light cruisers, seaplane tenders, fleet oilers, and amphibious assault ships can.
In real life, I know amphibious assault ships are made for carrying troops, landing support, and being able to quickly and easily deploy. They had specialized facilities and design to optimize this.
The Japanese and other nations had dedicated ships, at least at the beginning of the war.
Is the fact ships like destroyers can carry and launch them a reference to Tokyo Express troop delivery? Or am I overthinking it?
I don't think the Japanese used landing craft for such action though in Tokyo Express.
Destroyers were used instead of dedicated landing ships and transports, because Japan didn't have enough of them, even before they started getting sunk. And destroyers were faster. This was important when Americans secured some degree of air control in 1942, before night aircraft were developed for common use. Destroyers could rush in at high speed at night, drop off troops, hopefully avoid PT boat and artillery harassment, and run away out of range before daylight came and planes launched.
Is the dodge low enough to warrant that though?
I've only really heard two extremes when talking about her stats.
One, that she's OP and better then the cranes, Zui and Sho, for less cost. Especially with the big plane count and armor combination.
The other idea is that she's underpowered, and 'unplayable' due to the dodge issue. I've seen people claim this due to the low evade, meaning more likely to get hit and disabled, since carriers can be easily disabled compared to other ships.
Both seem to be exaggerations at different extremes.
What do you think?
Overall she's got good loadout, plane count, armor, AA, HP.
Average FP, LOS, Luck
Bad evasion, though whether it is bad or not is still debated. I've seen some say it is good enough.
How good do you think Sara is with only her stats?
Low evade does seem to be the US thing in this game for game balance.
Iowa for example is very good compared to most fast BB, except for cost.
But has below average evasion for a fast BB. Probably for game balance. This is despite historically having multiple two very good fast powered rudder, a small turning circle equivalent to a destroyer, and good engine with fast acceleration, allowing her to control speed and even accelerate during some turn. Along with ops centers and fire control systems enabling potential for firing while maneuvering.
There's also her massive size, probably another reason why the dev made evade so low.
Night
Widow Null
- Location
- Hoff
The daihatsu was similar in size to some of the larger Japanese ships' boats, so it was possible to carry them on many ships, and especially towards the end of the war they were often used that way. That said, a number of Mutsuki-class destroyers were specially converted for the destroyer transport role and would have carried them during their stints in the Solomons. Most of the ships that eventually saw kaiten-carrier conversions, including Kitakami and Oi, could also swap the kaiten for daihatsu. This includes some submarines.
- Location
- Void of Observation
- Location
- Chicago
Yeah I mean comparing the Dauntless to its contemporary, the Type 99, it's just loads better. The problem is that we're comparing it statswise to planes like the Suisei Mk 12 and Ryuusei Kai, where of course it's coming up short (and because the game has no mechanic to encourage using, say, "cheaper" planes rather than the best available in any given situation, the way resource costs encourage you to use "cheaper" kanmusu rather than the most powerful all the time). So I'm not surprised that the Dauntless, TBD, and F4F look lackluster compared to late-war Japanese aircraft that saw limited, if any, service (if they even flew); if we were making an honest comparison we'd be looking at US planes like the Super Corsairs, FR Fireballs, Bearcats, FH Phantoms, and heck, Skyraiders and AM Maulers, to say nothing of the aircraft in between.
- Location
- Void of Observation
- Location
- Iceland
I can't remember if it was here or on SB, but somebody mentioned a story in which a US Navy vessel sailed on dry land. Also think no link was provided. Rectified: Navy Day by Harry Harrison
EDIT: Looks like SV ate the link I had inserted.
EDIT: Looks like SV ate the link I had inserted.
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Breakaway25
All hail the Mighty Tomcat
- Location
- Stuck on the Quarterdeck
It was probably me. The story is called Navy Day by Harry Harrison.
The plot is basically that after the Army discovers how to drive on water, the Navy discovers how to sail on land.
The plot is basically that after the Army discovers how to drive on water, the Navy discovers how to sail on land.
- Location
- Iceland
OK, looks like it did not eat the link this time. I expect not all of you know of Project Gutenberg, so here are a few titles that might help adding backstory to shipgirls:
Famous Sea Fights, from Salamis to Tsu-Shima by A. Hilliard Atteridge
From Sail to Steam, Recollections of Naval Life by A. T. Mahan
On Patrol by John Graham Bower
Our Navy in the War by Lawrence Perry
Some Naval Yarns by Mordaunt Hall
Types of Naval Officers, Drawn from the History of the British Navy by A. T. Mahan
Famous Sea Fights, from Salamis to Tsu-Shima by A. Hilliard Atteridge
From Sail to Steam, Recollections of Naval Life by A. T. Mahan
On Patrol by John Graham Bower
Our Navy in the War by Lawrence Perry
Some Naval Yarns by Mordaunt Hall
Types of Naval Officers, Drawn from the History of the British Navy by A. T. Mahan
I had once joked that "David Production animated Neptunia because they needed a real break before Stardust Crusaders."
Ramble
[Verified 'Murican]
- Location
- America
So guys. I found what is apparently the most highly decorated ship in US history.
USS Parche (SSN-683) - Wikipedia
Her honors and awards consist of
And basically everything it has ever done is classified to hell and back.
A comprehensive service history would better resemble a barcode than a document with how much marker would be scribbling all over the page. All we know is she probably sometimes retrieved soviet test ICBM fragments, she pretty likely did some wire tapping, and some of her missions involved combat.
Navy Expeditionary Medal
Awarded for:
I wonder what she would be like as a shipgirl.
USS Parche (SSN-683) - Wikipedia
Her honors and awards consist of
And basically everything it has ever done is classified to hell and back.
A comprehensive service history would better resemble a barcode than a document with how much marker would be scribbling all over the page. All we know is she probably sometimes retrieved soviet test ICBM fragments, she pretty likely did some wire tapping, and some of her missions involved combat.
Navy Expeditionary Medal
Awarded for:
She was apparently good enough to live through her entire 30 year career and was decommissioned in 2004, struck in 2005, and scrapped in 2006.
I wonder what she would be like as a shipgirl.
Spectre
eternal servant to the Fire/EMS gods
- Location
- NY
Dalek Ix
Verified Dalek
Breakaway25
All hail the Mighty Tomcat
- Location
- Stuck on the Quarterdeck
The rush for experimental technology I feel left a few things behind. It seemed to happen early in the game too, when the developers were unsure of how long the game would last or sell for, and lasted a bit even after a doujin community was made, since a fan work community for some franchises doesn't always lead to the original franchise and developers making money.
The fact that things like Tenzan and Ryusei were added so fast to this game early in its life with stats to symbolize a clear progression, along with other designs, does mean some historical designs like the B4Y1 Type 96 will likely never be added in, which is a little disappointing for me since I'd like a bit of historic trivia like that, along with them including more actually deployed designs. The could be made competitive with fictional Kai or Kai Ni upgrades.
I doubt things like AD A1 Skyraiders will be added either anytime soon. Maybe eventually. Skyraiders were not even a blueprint for most of the war. With the first experimental test only about a month before the war ended.
The first prototypes also had massive amounts of flaws and teething issues until after the war a bad reputation as well, which would mean terrible stats.
Remember that the Skyraider not only is a late war design, it eventually dropped it's torpedo and dive bomber focus to focus on close air ground attack and missile support, which would not really compare to dedicated torpedo bombers in anti-ship from what I have heard. What would it even be as well? Classified as a torpedo bomber? Dive bomber? Missile carrier? Anti installation? AWACS role? It wouldn't fit unless it had some special category or the stat system had a big overhaul, or it could just be a dedicated dive bomber in this game to simplify and cut out any potential confusion.
The game already has designs that are prototype in it, some projects from actually earlier in the war dropped due to lack of funds and resources and devoted to more efficient designs, like the relatively high performance wooden plane designs designed to save resources of metal and fuel, and try to make the best out of limited crippled industry, infrastructure, resources and population. But I don't think any design is a so late design would be kept and fit for now, especially not one that lacks a single clear role.
Look at the Shinden Kai (not the Shiden Kai). 1945 design. Massive stats, given away for free near the starting year of the game before the idea of what the stat tree would be and other ideas had been shaken out as the developers were still more raw even after release, then essentially recalled and never given away again.
The only thing that really came close to the Shinden is fully trained max chevron the Type Zero Model 53 Iwamoto Squad, ace, skilled pilot, at max train level, and I heard that's only because the developers made a mistake coding the stats and raised the stats too high, and were too afraid to patch and revert it due to not wanting to anger or annoy their fans. At least that's what I heard from a translated magazine article interview scan, though that could be fabricated and faked.
Regardless, the developers need to be careful with these +15 stats and more they're throwing around. Make the gap too large, and the gap for new players to climb with all this power creep and stat creep might turn away some potential fans of the game. They've still got merchandise to sell too.
I think Iwamoto will be the peak of power for fighters for a long time. Iwamoto's plane is worth much more then the standard Zero plane. Besides trying to prevent stat creep and preserve game balance, I believe he is the most famous Japanese ace ever. He's the one with the most potential planes downed and possibly confirmed, and seems to turn up the most in search results, in searches of both his name in English letters and in Japanese characters Kanji, in Google.com and Google.co.jp
Keeping him at the top could be their way of showing respect, though they do also seem to try to respect others. Other Japanese aces are already included and things like 601st Group Naval.
Most of that look like it would be intelligence gathering or research studies. Not really combat duty is likely, so I'm not sure if the WW2 sailors would be impressed.
What annoys me is the English Wiki only has an easy to read page of the most decorated ships of the USN of WW2.
Not of other navy. Not of other era.
I think some of the info might be wrong, or at least some sources contradict each other with their claims.
Not very convenient to look up.
How combat effective were these conversions in historically? I know a few other nations converted combat destroyers to troop ships, but that usually led them to be re classified as something besides destroyers. A few online sources like combinedfleet still lists a few ships as destroyers even after conversion.
Were they only partial conversion to try to retain some anti-ship ability?
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- Location
- Rex, NC, USA
Something I found on Reddit.
In the end, planes won the war, not ships.
Saratoga towed with the captured enemy ships: Nagato, Prinze Eugene, Sakawa and many more.
She was confused. These were the enemy. She was not the enemy. She fought bravely against them and helped the Americans win the Pacific War but the next battles were only beginning just as Japan surrendered. The kind of battle fought with words to retain funding for future ships.
Saratoga was towed to be a demonstration, animals placed below her decks in cages along with other items you would find on a fully manned aircraft carrier, as if she were to be sortied again but with only a few old planes. The humans who set it all up whispered names of 'Able' and 'Baker', excited to see how she would handle it. Saratoga was a prideful carrier, not even a torpedo could sink her during the war! Able and Baker better be ready for her when she gets her planes going because her pilots were the best around!
Then they left.
There were no humans to fly the planes, to steer the ship, no one to do damage control...
The Navy needed her to show congress that warships were still relevant, right? How could she possibly launch her fighters and torpedo bombers without any help?
'You are Saratoga, are you not?' The Japanese battleship, Nagato, asked, oddly humbled in her way of speaking when they were enemies not so long ago.
Nagato is not that far from her that her voice would not reach her in the calm weather.
'I am.' Saratoga replies cautiously as she watches the humans on board Nagato depart as well in their small boats.
'You fought well from what I've heard and seen. Your air groups were clever opponents.' Nagato compliments her but it's a compliment Saratoga finds... Off.
If they are all there to fight 'Able' and 'Baker', they were going to need to work together, right? But the Japanese sailors were all taken back after they arrived at the island chain. Who will drive Nagato and the others, if not for their navies?
'You talk as if our battle is not over, Nagato. We still have to prove ourselves worthy, especially you, since you are officially part of our navy now.'
Nagato is silent for a few moments, both of them observe the other ships and the humans leaving after the preparations are completed. It is an ominous sign of a difficult battle to come. Will they be up against a new type of aircraft carrier or something completely different? A new mobile combat force Saratoga did not know about?
'It's unfortunate that you will be used for target practice. It is the fate of all captured enemy trophy ships to be scuttled outside of battle or integrated into the fleet if it is worthy but this is your own navy commandeering your demise.' Nagato finally speaks. 'There are too many of us who fought against your alliance here. You are fated to die with us.'
All of the humans have departed now and dread fills Saratoga. She was to be executed with the enemy when all she did was fight valiantly for her country and help win the war? It was one thing to be scrapped but she was to be flat out destroyed?
A plane was approaching from the distance. Nagato and the others seem to notice it too.
What is 'Able' and 'Baker'?
The plane is flying high in the air above them.
A bright flash blinds Saratoga and then she burns.
The animals are melted in their cages, planes swept off her deck, her hull tossed back and forth in the inferno as the ocean boils.
It's hell.
A cloud rises above them in the sky, a literal beacon of death.
Saratoga and the others hold it together, she will not let this wind take her out when she took so much more during the war.
Eventually everything settles but her hull still burns long after the light and wind is gone.
She gets looked over thoroughly by the humans who return, unable to tell them how pain is still seared into her hull. They write down notes and examine their little areas they set up on her. Apparently, 'Able' was what fell from the plane from what she overheard and Saratoga realized she wasn't going to be able to go home now. Able took so much out of her to endure and Baker was soon to follow.
'I hate them.' Saratoga harshly spats as the humans again pull away from them after lowering what was likely 'Baker' into the water between her and Nagato. 'I hate them!'
Nagato and the others are on their death kneels as well as she watches the humans leave her once again. All hopes of leaving fade away with them and darkness begins to boil within her. This was not the way she wanted to die. She didn't want to die at all!!
She didn't even see the next flash coming before she was thrown up into the air and cracked in half by 'Baker'. Surrounded by boiling water and hatred in her heart she cursed the Navy along with all of humanity.
Screaming the entire way down until she hit the seabed below.
Saratoga towed with the captured enemy ships: Nagato, Prinze Eugene, Sakawa and many more.
She was confused. These were the enemy. She was not the enemy. She fought bravely against them and helped the Americans win the Pacific War but the next battles were only beginning just as Japan surrendered. The kind of battle fought with words to retain funding for future ships.
Saratoga was towed to be a demonstration, animals placed below her decks in cages along with other items you would find on a fully manned aircraft carrier, as if she were to be sortied again but with only a few old planes. The humans who set it all up whispered names of 'Able' and 'Baker', excited to see how she would handle it. Saratoga was a prideful carrier, not even a torpedo could sink her during the war! Able and Baker better be ready for her when she gets her planes going because her pilots were the best around!
Then they left.
There were no humans to fly the planes, to steer the ship, no one to do damage control...
The Navy needed her to show congress that warships were still relevant, right? How could she possibly launch her fighters and torpedo bombers without any help?
'You are Saratoga, are you not?' The Japanese battleship, Nagato, asked, oddly humbled in her way of speaking when they were enemies not so long ago.
Nagato is not that far from her that her voice would not reach her in the calm weather.
'I am.' Saratoga replies cautiously as she watches the humans on board Nagato depart as well in their small boats.
'You fought well from what I've heard and seen. Your air groups were clever opponents.' Nagato compliments her but it's a compliment Saratoga finds... Off.
If they are all there to fight 'Able' and 'Baker', they were going to need to work together, right? But the Japanese sailors were all taken back after they arrived at the island chain. Who will drive Nagato and the others, if not for their navies?
'You talk as if our battle is not over, Nagato. We still have to prove ourselves worthy, especially you, since you are officially part of our navy now.'
Nagato is silent for a few moments, both of them observe the other ships and the humans leaving after the preparations are completed. It is an ominous sign of a difficult battle to come. Will they be up against a new type of aircraft carrier or something completely different? A new mobile combat force Saratoga did not know about?
'It's unfortunate that you will be used for target practice. It is the fate of all captured enemy trophy ships to be scuttled outside of battle or integrated into the fleet if it is worthy but this is your own navy commandeering your demise.' Nagato finally speaks. 'There are too many of us who fought against your alliance here. You are fated to die with us.'
All of the humans have departed now and dread fills Saratoga. She was to be executed with the enemy when all she did was fight valiantly for her country and help win the war? It was one thing to be scrapped but she was to be flat out destroyed?
A plane was approaching from the distance. Nagato and the others seem to notice it too.
What is 'Able' and 'Baker'?
The plane is flying high in the air above them.
A bright flash blinds Saratoga and then she burns.
The animals are melted in their cages, planes swept off her deck, her hull tossed back and forth in the inferno as the ocean boils.
It's hell.
A cloud rises above them in the sky, a literal beacon of death.
Saratoga and the others hold it together, she will not let this wind take her out when she took so much more during the war.
Eventually everything settles but her hull still burns long after the light and wind is gone.
She gets looked over thoroughly by the humans who return, unable to tell them how pain is still seared into her hull. They write down notes and examine their little areas they set up on her. Apparently, 'Able' was what fell from the plane from what she overheard and Saratoga realized she wasn't going to be able to go home now. Able took so much out of her to endure and Baker was soon to follow.
'I hate them.' Saratoga harshly spats as the humans again pull away from them after lowering what was likely 'Baker' into the water between her and Nagato. 'I hate them!'
Nagato and the others are on their death kneels as well as she watches the humans leave her once again. All hopes of leaving fade away with them and darkness begins to boil within her. This was not the way she wanted to die. She didn't want to die at all!!
She didn't even see the next flash coming before she was thrown up into the air and cracked in half by 'Baker'. Surrounded by boiling water and hatred in her heart she cursed the Navy along with all of humanity.
Screaming the entire way down until she hit the seabed below.
I feel like the person who wrote this line didn't do their research. As a reminder, 92 of the 95 ship at the test were american (source).
Night
Widow Null
- Location
- Hoff
The destroyer transport version cleared its after deck of its minelaying/minesweeping gear and depth charges to carry a landing craft and might have a second carried sideways forward of the second torpedo mount; officially they lost no armament but many of them seem to have landed their torpedo reloads. The loss of combat effectiveness is actually pretty small on the surface, but since the Japanese didn't create any extra space below decks for cargo or people to be carried, it's likely their effectiveness would have been reduced by cargo (human and otherwise) fouling their decks and preventing easily bringing their weapons into action. A more extensive refit increased the number of automatic AA weapons, reduced the guns to two, and eliminated the after torpedo mount, but was focused on creating escort vessels out of them and not fast transports.
In the end it probably didn't matter. Death for the Mutsukis came from the air ten times of twelve, and their AA armament was never good.
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Would just sheer weight affect performance as well? Turning, speed, and similar characteristics?
How did the Tokyo Express ship deliver their supplies anyway?
Supply drums I recall reading got floated and pulled to shore.
Troops were sometimes forced to swim, use outboard boats like small row boats, or beach their large ship.
Any other methods?
ColdGoldLazarus
Contrary Quester, Spreadsheet Queen, Pink Flamingo
- Location
- Challenger Deep
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I have a question.
Why is Northern Princess called Hoppo-chan?
Why is Northern Princess called Hoppo-chan?
From the Enemy Vessel page on Kancolle wikia, her designation (which is translated to Northern Princess) is 北方棲姫 (Hoppousei-Ki (Hime)) hence Hoppo-chan.
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