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Hello everyone, and welcome to this new suggestion.
Today, I am presenting a new class of French destroyers: the L’Adroit class. To begin, let me introduce the lead ship of the class, L’Adroit.
The L’Adroit class was developed as an improved successor to the Bourrasque class, which is already present in the game. Although the two classes shared a broadly similar main armament, the newer ships incorporated several improvements, most notably the addition of dedicated anti-submarine weaponry.
Construction of the lead ship, L’Adroit, began in Dunkirk in 1925, and she entered active service with the French Navy in 1929. The early years of her career were relatively uneventful, with the ship primarily carrying out the usual training exercises, patrols, and fleet duties expected of a destroyer during peacetime.
Her career changed dramatically with the outbreak of the Second World War. In 1940, L’Adroit was deployed to the English Channel following the German invasion of Western Europe. As the situation rapidly deteriorated and the French government was forced to retreat, the ship was urgently recalled to France.
She was subsequently sent to Dunkirk, where she took part in the evacuation of Allied troops trapped by the German advance. The operation proved extremely dangerous, as German aircraft repeatedly attacked the ships attempting to evacuate the surrounded forces.
On May 21, 1940, L’Adroit was struck by a German bomb while operating off Dunkirk. The damage was severe, and the destroyer began taking on water. Realizing that the ship could no longer remain afloat for long, her captain made the decision to deliberately beach her on the nearby shore. This decision ultimately saved the entire crew. However, L’Adroit’s story did not end there. Shortly after being beached, the forward ammunition magazine exploded, causing the ship to break in two and completely destroying the vessel.
Unfortunately, L’Adroit had only a relatively short career under the French flag. Nevertheless, her final mission during the evacuation of Dunkirk gave her a particularly memorable ending, as she was sacrificed in an attempt to save her crew during one of the most desperate moments of the Battle of France.
Charactersitics
Length : 107.20 m
Width : 9.90 m
Draught : 3.50 m
Mass : 1,380 tons
The ship is powered by two steam turbines fed by three boilers, delivering a total output of 30,500 hp; this allows it to reach a top speed of 33 knots and achieve a range of 3,000 nautical miles at 15 knots.
The crew consists of 162 sailors.
Weapons
The ship’s armament is very similar to that of the Bourrasque class, though there are a few notable differences.
Guns:
- 4 x 130mm Mle 1924 guns (single mounts)
- 2 x 37mm Mle 1925 guns (single mounts)
- 2–4 x 8mm Hotchkiss machine guns
Other:
- 2 x triple torpedo tube launchers (for Mle 1919D torpedoes)
- 6 x 200kg depth charges
- 2 x Thornycroft depth charge throwers
In-game, this ship would be an interesting addition to the French tech tree, introducing a vessel with solid combat capabilities that allows for engagements against blue-water ships at lower Battle Ratings while rounding out the French lineup.
Pictures
