British shells, etc.

[Gascan]

At the Battle of Jutland, the British AP shells proved to be highly unreliable, breaking up or failing to detonate when they struck at an oblique angle.  Admiral Jellicoe discovered this fact during his tenure as Third Sea Lord from 1908-1910.  Although he ordered new shells designed, no action was taken until well into the war.  Also at Jutland, three British battle cruisers and two armored cruisers blew up and sank.  Diving on the wrecks has suggested that the cause of the explosions was due to rapid conflagration of the cordite propellant in the enclosed barbettes and turrets, building massive pressures and tearing the ships apart.

These two factors suggest that the British were less likely to inflict damage on their opponent, and more likely to explode from a lucky shot in return.  Will these factors be incorporated into the game or fiction?  In particular, the present engagement between the British and German sky fleets in What Prices Paid seems like a great place to mention it, and have the British start developing improved shells and safer propellant for when the game is released.

[Worktroll]

I'm afraid all I can say is, wait and see! However, at typical Leviathans fighting ranges, shell strikes are more likely to not be oblique strikes, which might have an impact on identification of the problem.

W.

[First Sea Lord Randall Bills]

At the Battle of Jutland, the British AP shells proved to be highly unreliable, breaking up or failing to detonate when they struck at an oblique angle.  Admiral Jellicoe discovered this fact during his tenure as Third Sea Lord from 1908-1910.  Although he ordered new shells designed, no action was taken until well into the war.  Also at Jutland, three British battle cruisers and two armored cruisers blew up and sank.  Diving on the wrecks has suggested that the cause of the explosions was due to rapid conflagration of the cordite propellant in the enclosed barbettes and turrets, building massive pressures and tearing the ships apart.

These two factors suggest that the British were less likely to inflict damage on their opponent, and more likely to explode from a lucky shot in return.  Will these factors be incorporated into the game or fiction?  In particular, the present engagement between the British and German sky fleets in What Prices Paid seems like a great place to mention it, and have the British start developing improved shells and safer propellant for when the game is released.

With the Core Box Set there won't be differences in munitions between Gun Batteries for various factions. That doesn't mean we don't have plans to introduce such variety down the line, however.


Randall

[Gascan]

Although differences in shell performance was historically significant, I tend to think that it might add unnecessary complexity to the game, especially since I don't think it has much of the "wow that was really cool" factor that a crippled Jenner attempting a DFA and spearing its leg into its own engine does.  However, since the shells were discovered by Jellicoe around 1910, I was mostly wondering if they would be noticed and corrected in the fiction to explain their absence from the game.  I figure an early battle, such as the one in What Prices Paid, might be an excellent way to prod the British into fixing these issues.