Germanic Empire: please call me William III

“Battlecruiser?” The senior brass of the Germanic Imperial Navy could not help but frown.

They all seemed to be a little confused about the need to build battlecruisers.

Wouldn’t it be nice to continue building battleships step by step?

“According to the information we have, the Imperial Navy has begun to build an Invincible-class battlecruiser. It is a battleship with the firepower of a battleship and the speed of a cruiser. Once in service, none of our cruisers will be able to deal with these battleships in the coming naval battles. Even the Constellation-class heavy cruisers are very difficult.

Therefore, in the future, if war breaks out between us and the Empire that never sets, our cruiser formation will be slaughtered by the battlecruisers of the sun never sets. We must have a battlecruiser that can compete with it, even more powerful! ”

Liu Chuan explained to everyone.

The top brass of the Germanic Empire’s navy nodded their heads.

Since the sun never sets, everyone has a battlecruiser, then the Germanic Empire should have a battlecruiser.

“What’s more, when war breaks out in the future, the sun will never set on people who will definitely choose to block our coastline.” We can also send out battlecruisers to form a squadron to attack the sea transport line where the sun never sets. The Sun Never Sets on battlecruisers, with another purpose also to ensure the safety of their sea transport lines. Liu Chuan continued.

“Your Majesty, then let’s build battlecruisers, we need more advanced battlecruisers than the battlecruisers that never set!” Marshal Count Tirpitz said.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Our battlecruisers must surpass the battlecruisers that never set! Marshal Vonpol also said.

Other admirals agreed.

“It’s nature. The “Invincible Class” battlecruiser with a maximum speed of 25.5 knots and four twin 45 times caliber 305 mm main guns. Obviously, it has a good speed and firepower. However, the biggest problem with the Invincible class battlecruisers was in terms of armor. The armor of this class of battlecruisers is very weak. The thickness of the waterline armor was only 152 mm, the deck armor was only 63.5 mm, the frontal armor of the turret was only 179 mm, and the frontal armor of the command tower was only 254 mm. “Liu Chuan’s performance data on the capital ships that never set on the sun can be described as a good understanding.

“Your Majesty, the defenses of the ‘Invincible Class’ battlecruisers that never set are so weak that even our Constellation-class heavy cruisers can pose a mortal threat to them!” Marshal Vonpol said.

Liu Chuan nodded, “Yes, but again, our Constellation-class heavy cruisers are also unable to block the 305 mm main guns of the Invincible-class battlecruisers.” ”

“We wanted to design a battlecruiser that could withstand the ‘Invincible Class’ defensively and was able to surpass it slightly in firepower. In this way, once we fight with the sun without setting in future naval battles, our battlecruisers will be able to kill these battlecruisers of the sun never setting! Liu Chuan said.

Liu Chuan is very clear that the shipbuilding concept of the next sun will not set, and will adhere to the emphasis on speed and firepower, and despise defense.

In this way, the capital ships of the Germanic Empire could take a lot of advantage in naval battles.

“This is a battlecruiser of my design, which I named the ‘Moltke-class’ battlecruiser in honor of our old Moltke Chief of Staff!” Liu Chuan continued.

The ‘Moltke-class’ battlecruisers, with a displacement of 24,000 tons and a full load displacement of 28,500 tons, are equipped with three triple-mounted 50 times caliber 305 mm main guns. In addition, there are six twin 55 times caliber 150 mm secondary guns, 8 single 105 mm rapid-fire guns, 12 single 88 mm rapid-fire guns, and 12 twin 40 mm rapid-fire guns. In terms of power, 16 oil-fired boilers and two high-power steam turbines are used, and the maximum speed is expected to reach about 28 knots. In terms of armor defense, the main armor belt on the side side is 305 mm thick with new armored steel, and the armor of the turret and commander tower is also 305 mm. The deck armor is 65 mm.

A total of four battleships of this class will be built, named Moltke, Goeben, Schlieffen and Vondethane.

The top brass of the Germanic Navy had no problem with the construction of the Moltke-class battlecruisers. Construction begins next year, and it is expected that these battlecruisers will be in service by the end of 1710.

Time passed slowly, and soon it was June 1708.

Liu Chuan once again went to the naval base in the port of Kiel. This time, he did not come alone, but also the top of the Imperial Cabinet and the top of the Army. Of course, what is indispensable is the upper echelons of the Navy.

All the people gathered here for one thing.

That is, after more than two years of construction, the first ship of the Germanic Imperial Navy’s first dreadnought, the battleship Nassau, has completed various sea trials and can be officially delivered to the Germanic Imperial Navy! The Germanic Imperial Navy held a grand induction ceremony for this purpose.