Today we’ll be taking a look at the Renown-class Battlecruiser, HMS Repulse, coming to Great Britain’s Bluewater fleet research tree!
HMS Repulse: A Battlecruiser for Great Britain at Rank VI
At a glance:
- 381 mm (15 inch) guns!
- Good mobility but mediocre protection.
- Weak air defense capability.
The development of a new type of ship for the Royal Navy, which was to become an improved version of the Revenge class, began in late 1914. Despite the high pace of work, both ordered ships did not make it in time for the famous Battle of Jutland. The lead ship of the class, HMS Renown, was enlisted into the fleet on September 20th 1916, while the second ship, HMS Repulse, entered service a little earlier in August. The only battle that HMS Repulse participated in during the First World War was the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight. From the first months of the Second World War, HMS Repulse was actively used in combat, participating in the Norwegian Campaign. In 1941, she went to Indochina, where she joined up with the battleship HMS Prince of Wales. In December 1941 both ships were sunk by Japanese aircraft in the South China Sea. The place where the ships sank has been discovered and well studied, and the remains of the ships are recognized as a military burial site.
Meet HMS Repulse!
The Battlecruiser HMS Repulse will be one of the best ships in Great Britain’s Bluewater fleet tree when it arrives at rank VI in the Firebirds major update. HMS Repulse is the second and final ship of the Renown-class, with the lead ship of this class, HMS Renown, already in the game. What are the differences between the ships and what are the strengths and weaknesses of HMS Repulse? Let’s have a look!
In the game, HMS Repulse will be coming in its latest 1941 upgrade. The immediate and most noticeable difference is the composition of the auxiliary weapons and the absence of a radar — after all, HMS Renown as we know was significantly rebuilt in 1944. Instead of 114 mm universal guns, HMS Repulse has three turrets featuring three 102 mm BL Mk IX guns in each, as well as single 102 mm Mk V guns, which can fire at aircraft. The engine and transmission are also different, with the max speed of HMS Repulse being 28.4 knots (52.6 km/h).
Interesting: The motto of HMS Repulse was “Qui Tangit Frangitur”, which in English means “Who touches me is broken”.
One key advantage of HMS Repulse is its powerful main armament: six 381 mm guns (15 inches) in three turrets, with two turrets located in the bow of the ship and one in the stern. A well-trained crew can reload the guns in 30 seconds, so the density of Repulse’s broadside salvo is quite high! These beefy guns can fire excellent semi-armor piercing shells, which are inferior to armor-piercing ones in terms of armor penetration at short and medium distances, but cause incomparably greater destruction due to the larger amount of TNT.
Did you know? HMS Repulse and HMS Renown were often referred to as HMS Refit and HMS Repair, due to the enormous amount of time spent on repairs and modifications.
In terms of protection, HMS Repulse is ambiguous. The armor belt hides most of the engines and transmission, but its thickness does not give it a chance to survive for long under fire, even from cruisers, not to mention battleships. The main caliber gun magazines are also almost completely unprotected, leading to a catastrophe if these areas are hit accurately. On the other hand, the elevators and main battery turrets are protected much better. In general, getting involved in long-range firefights will not be to the advantage of HMS Repulse — it’s better to rely on the relatively good speed to control the engagement distance, and utilize Repulse’s maneuverability to reduce incoming damage.
That’s it for today’s dev blog! HMS Repulse, being a complex and interesting ship, will come to the game in the Firebirds major update, coming soon — everything is nearly ready. See you!
Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.