- Yes
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Hello everyone, and welcome to this new suggestion.
Today, I am presenting another battleship from the French “sample fleet” (flotte d’échantillon): the Charles Martel.
In 1890, the French Admiralty launched an unusual naval construction program known as the “sample fleet.” Its objective was to encourage innovation by ordering several ships from different shipyards, with each designer being given considerable freedom to develop their own interpretation of the ideal modern battleship.
The program ultimately resulted in five ships, each representing a different approach to naval architecture. The first of these vessels was the Charles Martel. Construction began in 1891, but the ship’s development was marked by significant delays. After a lengthy period of construction followed by an equally extensive series of trials, Charles Martel finally entered service with the French Navy in 1897.
Upon commissioning, the battleship was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet, where she became the flagship of the formation. Her early career consisted primarily of fleet maneuvers, training exercises, and ceremonial duties. Like many major warships of the period, she was also occasionally used to host or escort foreign dignitaries during diplomatic visits.
Despite her status as a flagship, however, Charles Martel never had the opportunity to prove herself in combat. As the years passed, the ship gradually lost her importance within the fleet.
She was initially assigned to the First Cruiser Division before eventually being transferred to the Second Cruiser Division. Later, as newer and more capable warships entered service, Charles Martel was placed in the reserve fleet.
By the outbreak of the First World War, the ship was already considered obsolete. She had been decommissioned in 1912 and transferred to Brest, where she was used as a floating barracks ship.
Consequently, despite remaining in existence throughout the entire conflict, Charles Martel never took part in any combat during the First World War. Following the end of the war, there was little reason to preserve the aging battleship. Her hull was put up for sale and eventually purchased by a Dutch shipyard in 1920, where she was dismantled for scrap.
Characteristics
Length : 121.59 m
Width : 21.71 m
Draught : 8.40 m
Mass : 12,145 tons
The ship is propelled by two triple-expansion engines powered by 24 boilers, delivering a total of 14,900 hp and a top speed of 18 knots. It has a range of 2,200 nautical miles at a speed of 13.8 knots.
The crew numbers 651 sailors under normal conditions, rising to 751 when serving as a flagship.
Armor
Like other battleships of the era, the vessel features substantial armor capable of withstanding fire from ships of similar size. The armor layout is as follows:
- Belt: 31 to 45 cm
- Turrets: 37 cm
- Barbettes: 32 cm
- Conning tower: 23 cm
- Deck: 7 to 10 cm
Weapons
The ship’s armament is similar to that of other vessels in the fleet; the main battery consists of two single turrets, supplemented by secondary turrets of various calibers.
Guns:
- 2 x 1 305mm Mle 1887 guns
- 2 x 1 274mm Mle 1887 guns
- 8 x 1 138mm Mle 1893 guns
- 4 x 1 65mm Mle 1891 guns
- 16 x 1 47mm Hotchkiss guns
Other:
- 4 x 450mm torpedo tubes
In-game, this vessel would be an interesting addition to the French tech tree; as a heavily armored ship with relatively slow speed and a powerful main armament, it would secure a prime spot in the French lineup and complement it effectively.
