The design of the armored cruiser sent from Germany is a few layouts that Jochen and Popper discussed at the beginning, although they are not ready to be built, but also as a technical reserve for Popper to complete the design sketch, because the armored cruiser designed by Popper adopts a design equivalent to modularity, so as long as the Russians need it, the design sketch can become a real design in the shortest possible time,

There are a total of 6 design proposals, all of which have a displacement of more than 10,000 tons.

Scheme IA is equivalent to the enlargement of the design scheme selected by the German Navy, with a standard displacement of 10,000 tons, and the firepower layout and speed are basically unchanged, but the thickness of the armor on the side side is increased to 150 mm, making its defense more powerful than the scheme adopted by the Germans themselves. Based on it, the IB scheme is a heavy protection design that reduces the speed and increases the thickness of the armor belt to 203 mm.

Scheme IIA is to further increase the displacement, increase the displacement to 12,000 tons, and change the main gun gun mounted on the car insurance to a single rotating turret and install it on the upper deck, which has the advantage that the secondary gun can be raised up to the deck to improve the use environment, and the scheme IIB is also a version of reducing the speed and improving the armor.

Scheme IIIA, which is an improved version of Scheme IIA, changes the two single-mounted main turrets to a twin-mounted turret, adopts the same layout as the American Brooklyn-class armored cruisers, and the difference between Scheme IIIB and Scheme IIIA is the same as the above scheme.

In fact, the design layout of this No. III scheme is also an enlarged version of the one that Poper was going to use to bid for the design of the German Navy's heavy cruisers, and the Germans did not adopt it, so now they use it to fool Maozi.

Moreover, all the systems on the ship are using the latest technology, such as electric turrets, water-tube boilers, stereo rangefinders, etc., of course, the application of these new technologies also makes the quotation of the battleship very "exciting".

Due to the high price, the Royal Shipyard Technical Shipyard was very considerate and said that it could install Russian-made weapons, and when the ship was completed and delivered, it would return to Russia after sea trials and acceptance to install the weapon system. Otherwise, if you use German-made naval guns, the price will be even more "exciting." ”

Nikolai and Chekhachev were dumbfounded when they saw these six design proposals, and it was clear that the Germans came up with a design that was far beyond the imagination of the Russians.

Chekhachev made some excuses and said as if he was prevaricating: "Your Highness, the layout of these three designs of the Germans is not outstanding, and the diamond-shaped arrangement of the four main turrets of the third plan is very common on the French ironclads. ”

Nikolai was in a very bad mood at this time, and Chekhachev, who was choked on a word, almost gasped: "Diamond-shaped arrangements are common? So why can't our designers come up with it? And we have ordered warships from France, why didn't we think about learning from the French ?! ”

"Your Highness's forgiveness is our negligence." What else can be said at this time, Chekhachev immediately obediently admitted his mistake.

Chekhachev lowered his head and didn't dare to come out of that atmosphere, Nikolai saw that he was dumb, so he could only wave his hand angrily: "Okay, go on, don't say anything useless, just say where the German design is better than ours." ”

"Yes, Your Highness." Chekhachev straightened up, and now he no longer found fault with the German design: "Although it is not new in the layout of the artillery, the advantages of the German rotary turret design far exceed the rotary turret, and it is difficult for us to achieve such a large area of armor with such a powerful firepower, and their power system is also very space-saving and weight-saving." ”

"So which of the three designs do you think is better?" Nikolai asked.

"Plan 1 has the smallest tonnage and the cheapest price, but his main gun arrangement is not as good as that of No. 2 and No. 3, and No. 2 and No. 3 are actually not much different, but I think that the weight of 4 single-mounted turrets is higher than that of 2 twin-mounted turrets, and the ammunition depot is also separated, which is not conducive to the protection of the ship." Chkhachev replied.

"So you mean Plan 3 is the best? However, with a displacement of only 12,000 tons, her price is much more expensive than our Russia. ”

"Yes, Your Highness, but I have to admit that she is also much stronger than the Russo, after we purchased this battleship, we got the design drawings, and then we can copy it, and more importantly, the Germans said that we can install our own weapons and equipment. Chkhachev said.

"Therefore, the armament can be equipped with our Pattern1892 203 mm 45 times the diameter naval gun and Pattern1892 type 152 mm 45 times the diameter of the naval gun, which can also save a lot of money."

After pondering for a while, Nikolai asked, "So does our navy have enough money to buy this warship?" ”

Chtakachev hurriedly replied: "Back to Your Highness, all our budgets have been spent, and if we want to buy such a huge battleship, it is estimated that the plan to terminate one battleship or two or three cruisers." ”

Chekhachev continued: "In next year's scheduled shipbuilding program, the Parada-class protection cruiser Navy plans to build more than one, so the termination of the construction of the lead ship may adversely affect future plans."

And the small tonnage and low price of the protective cruiser Svetlana that we ordered from the French will not only not cover the payment for the cruiser ordered from the Germans, but will also affect our relations with the French.

Therefore, if we really want to buy battleships from the Germans, I will terminate the construction of the battleship Rostislav. ”

"Terminate the construction program of the battleship?!" For Nikolai, who does not understand the Navy but likes the Navy, there is nothing more important than a battleship, and now Nikolai is a little unhappy to stop the construction of his favorite big toy for the sake of a cruiser.

"Your Highness, although we do not want to end the construction of battleships, if we do not do this, the navy really will not have extra funds."

"Okay, you stand down and let me think again." Nikolai could only wave his hand helplessly.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Nikolai hesitated, in his mind that there would be no more important ship than battleships at sea, and that the Russian Empire needed a powerful battlefleet. But if the cruisers of the Germans were really that good, Russia would have to have them, and then copy them.

It's just that what Nikolai doesn't know is that in fact, there are more exaggerated designs in Pooper's hands, and the reason why he came up with these copies is entirely due to Jochen's dislike that the development of armored cruisers is too advanced.

For example, on the basis of the No. III scheme, the staggered diagonal span layout of the swollen parts is adopted, so that the 8 main guns can be pointed to one side. Further, with a rear knapsack, staggered straddles, five twin 8-inch guns, and a 16,000-ton super armored cruiser, if this design is taken out, it is difficult for Jochen to imagine what the design direction of the armored cruiser will look like in the future.

The golden period of the development of armored cruisers was 1898-1906, before which the armored cruisers were actually not very good, the British built for the Japanese in 1896 Asama-class armored cruisers, although the overall design is much more advanced than the Russians' Russia, but its displacement of 9700 tons, in terms of firepower and protection are not very good.

Although it is true that there are good ships such as the Garibaldi class, because they are built by Italians, there are not many people who really take them to heart. It was only after the British learned from the Italians the essence of the design of armored cruisers that the situation gradually changed.

Then the armored cruiser began to develop to large-scale, high-speed, and comprehensive protection, and after 1904, it reached its peak, with the pinnacle of patrolling such as the Minotaur class, the Blucher class, and the Rurik (second generation).

The large-scale armored cruisers also installed the main guns of battleships on armored cruisers, laying the foundation for the development of battle cruisers.

Therefore, the Russians were given a relatively less noticeable design, a battleship with more than 8 main guns, and the main guns were completely turreted, the Americans had already done this, and the tonnage of the battleship was also controlled by a less noticeable standard, after all, with the Qiangsheng class and the Russian in the way, 12,000 tons was not too big.

Moreover, when the installation patrol began to pursue large-caliber main guns and thus raise the caliber of bow and stern main guns to the 10-inch level, they would find that 8 inches was inferior to 10 inches in power, and the rate of fire was not much higher, so the Americans would degenerate into the old way of using 10-inch main guns in the bow and stern, and using 6-inch level in secondary guns.

In fact, what Jochen doesn't understand is that in fact, in the era of the battleship of the Central Iron Fort, the broadside straddle was a very common design method, why no one thought of using the broadside straddle, so that all 4 turrets could point to one side?

So I have to say that sometimes the opening of an era is a very important flash of inspiration, and it is not the technology that leads the era, but the concept, and Jochen does not want this concept to make the British people with more experience, stronger strength, and better cost control grasp it early.

However, even the No. III scheme is enough to beat the Japanese armored cruisers in history, and the surface carburized hardened armor of the 6-inch level or even higher can basically ignore the fire of the 10-inch class naval guns in the era when there are no hard cap-piercing shells, and even the main guns of the 12-inch class battleships have a certain chance of being able to prevent it.

So in the face of the Japanese's so-called 66 fleet's 2 Asama-class, 2 Izumo, 1 Yakumo, and 1 Azuma, Joheng didn't know how many orders he could grab from the Japanese, but Jochen said that the performance of the gadgets given to the Japanese would not be much stronger than the two Kasuga-class ships that the Japanese bought later.

Therefore, if the Russians still imitate the new type of cruiser after they have it, then at least it can be completely crushed in the performance of a single ship in terms of loading.

Now it's up to Nikolai to decide. RS