So, looking at the currently available designs (sadly, there's no current force composition *hint*), my analysis of this situation looks like this:
Army: Has artillery, AA guns, AT guns, machine guns, pistols, APCs and Helmets designed; all of which are produced.
Navy: Has a submarine and FAC designed.
Air Force: Has a Heavy Dive Bomber designed.
We are an island nation, and yet our best force is the army. This turn, we'll need to upgrade both navy and airforce.
Navy: We are producing enough submarines, and those submarines are pretty awesome. We lack in surface forces; specifically anything bigger than a hundred tons. We're going to have to change that.
Air Force: We desperately need a fighter plane.
For any destroyer, we require both main and anti-air plus anti-submarine armament. We do have the AATSM1933 HiLo 105mm cannon available, which is usable in both an anti-ship and anti-air role. With a 0° elevation range of 8000m, the indirect fire range should be sufficient. However, we need further, smaller-calibre AA weaponry. We have the M1932 40mm AA gun available, and should use that. Additionally, I'd like to use a variant of the 20mm gun used for the fighter plane below. As for anti-submarine warfare, we'd need both a hydrophone and depth charges or hedgehogs. I propose leaving space for the latter, and reusing the Shockwave's hydrophone for now, leaving space for expansion. The latter is something that we should do anyway during the whole design process: Make it easier to install new systems on it.
Proposal: Project 3501: N-D-35 "Dartfish"Displacement: ca. 2000t fully loaded
Length: ca. 110m
Beam: ca. 11m
Draft: ca. 5m
Propulsion: TBD
Target Range: 1,500km
Armament:
- 5x single AATSM1933 HiLo guns on double-purpose mounts
- 10x M1932 40mm AAA guns
- 10x 20mm autocannons (C-20mm-35/H Rapier)
- reserved space for anti-submarine rockets
Sensors: Hydrophone system, with space reserved for expansion
Notes: Care should be taken to allow easy modernization and expansion.
(No, this is most definitely not a slightly smaller Fletcher class. No, sir.)
Now, for our fighter plane.
We have an awesome engine we can use, which is tested and (due to usage in our dive bomber) keeps logistics simple. We want to directly start with the use of metal monoplanes, enclosed cockpit etc. Additionally, I propose using a 20mm cannon instead of machine guns. Our only machine gun has a calibre of 7.62mm (which is not enough for air to air combat), and I do not want to mount a dozen MGs in one plane, which is the main change compared to Funk's Tornado plane.
Proposal: Project 3502: P-F-35 "Hawk"All-metal, enclosed cockpit monoplane
Crew: 1
Length: 8.7m
Wingspan: 11.4m
Height: 2.6m
Max. Takeoff Weight: 3000kg
Powerplant: AEM1933 "Hurricane" aircraft engine
Armament: 20mm cannon (C-20mm-35/L Dagger)
Target values:
Range: 1000km
Cruise Speed: 430km/h
Now, for that 20mm cannon.
Proposal: Project 3503: C-20mm-35/H "Rapier" and
C-20mm-35/L "Dagger"Single-Barrel auto-cannon, built in two variants.
One is an anti-air cannon (including mount) with a lower RoF (ca 400rpm) and longer, heavier barrel. This is the main design priority; design that one first.
If this is successful, use the rest of the time to lighten the gun, with a shorter, lighter barrel and higher RoF; designed for short fire and cooling by airflow.
Additionally, we're going to need an engine for the Dartfish.
Proposal: Project 3504: E-S-35 "Watermill"I don't know what kind of stats are important here. It's a fairly purpose-built propulsion complex for the Dartfish, should probably produce around 45MW, be oil-fired and propel the Dartfish to 35-40knots.
Did we ever get the votes in for the POAC? If not, I'll go back and submit them when I get home from school. Secondly, may I suggest we design a new rifle? That's really the only thing that I can think of that would be nice.
The rifle would be semi automatic and use a 15 round box magazine. It will be in the 7.62x54mmR. (Is this too big? Should we use a smaller round? I'm trying to make sure this thing doesn't become a logistical nightmare.)
Preferably a retractable or folding stock for easier motion inside the APCs. The gun needs to, preferably, be fairly light and easy to handle.
As for range, how does accurate to 1,000 meters sound?
Might I suggest using the M1 Carbine as an inspiration? 7.62×33mm cartridge (which makes the recoil far easier to control and ammunition easier to carry), light-weight, and with 15-30 rounds magazines. It is only going to be accurate to 300m or so, but we don't need really need more range - concealment is the main factor in that [1].
Also, thanks for reminding me of voting for traits.
POAC: Top-Hatch, ReliableTop-Hatch allows for mounted combat, allows for easier modification (mortar carriers anyone?) and so on. Reliable, since it's probable we'll rely on these for quite a bit - I am thinking about a cargo carrier variant with lighter armour, for example.
C-V-45-M1935: Optical System, Simpler@aseaheru: Do we need to design bombs, for example? And if so, do we need to design every type (weight class/payload) separately?
[1] See, for example,
here - apparently, about 88% of engagements take place at less than 300m.