- Yes
- No
- Italy
- USSR
- Germany
- Other (comment)
- I said no
- I like it as-is
- I like it, but it needs some work (comment your suggestions)
- I don’t like it/I said no
ROMANIAN COASTAL SUB-TREE PROPOSAL
Hello everyone! This is a project I’ve been working on for several months now, and is likely my most ambitious project to date. It has been something I’ve wanted to put together for a long time, and It is now finally here! I am pleased and excited to share my proposal for a Romanian Coastal Fleet Sub-Tree, designed ideally to fit within the Italian Coastal Fleet Tech Tree. My reasoning for this is that Romania has been proposed in the past, both by players and by the devs themselves, as a possible sub-nation to add to Italy in the same fashion as South Africa is for the UK. We already have Romanian aircraft in the Italian lineup (albeit premium), so tanks and ships shouldn’t be too far-fetched. Italy is by FAR the weakest when it comes to naval. Excluding the one-off boats like the Sparviero and the Saetta, Italy’s coastal fleet leaves much to be desired. Many of the boats are nearly identical to each other, and they have serious deficiencies in both armament and survivability. They also lack cohesive lineups due to several large gaps in the tree, which this aims to alleviate to a certain degree. Finally, there is a distinct lack of heavily-armed gunboats in the Italian coastal fleet. Compared to other nations, Italy only has four boats with guns larger than 40mm (at time of writing), and two are premium. By adding these boats to the tech tree (NOT as premiums) it would seriously bolster Italy’s capabilities in naval battles and make playing them more fun! I do realize that where vehicles are placed in the game is up to the devs to decide, but that is my reasoning. I will be putting options for other nations in my poll as is required, but I strongly encourage you to consider it for Italy! Regardless, let’s get into the tree!
This tree was made using the free WT Tech Tree Maker tool by Zanju13.
I have the full tree with all the details about each ship hosted on my neocities site, which you can check out here: Romanian Coastal Sub-Tree.
Torpedo/Gunboats:
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RANK I:
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Căpitan Romano Mihail (WWII Refit) - BR 1.3
Class: Gunboat
This boat was part of a class of gunboats originally introduced in 1907. They are armed with a Skoda 47mm naval gun, which is a license-produced version of the Hotchkiss 3-pdr naval gun. As a secondary armament they initially had only a 6.5mm machine gun, but this was upgraded to a 20mm Oerlikon for WWII. A 300mm depth charge launcher was also fitted. Though somewhat weakly armed, they have around 20mm of armor, which makes them well-protected at such a low BR. Top speed is around 18 kts, or 20 mph.
Rank II:
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NMS Vedenia - BR 1.7
Class: Motor Torpedo Boat
Based on the British Vosper-type MTBs, these were assembled in Romania as a successor to the previous class of Romanian MTBs which had been built by the British directly. They featured a substantial upgrade in firepower over their precursors, moving from .303 Vickers machine guns to a pair of 20mm Oerlikon cannons in glazed turrets. Coupled with two 533mm (21in) torpedo tubes, these are formidable and capable torpedo boats that will be very fun to play. The Oerlikons are significantly more capable than the Breda or Scotti 20mm guns, and so these will be a nice change of pace from the usual type of play. Top speed is 41 kts, or 47 mph.
Rank III:
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NMS Sborul (WWII Refit) - BR 2.7
Class: Torpedo Boat
Originally an Austro-Hungarian torpedo boat, she was given to Romania as reparations for WWI in 1920 along with several other ships. Armed with a pair of Skoda 7cm L/30 guns (actually 66mm, but they round up to the nearest cm for naming) and two 450mm (18in) torpedoes, the Romanians added a pair of 20mm Oerlikons for WWII. Though the guns may be a bit weak compared to others around this BR, I believe the complete package sits well here. Speed is 28 kts or 32 mph.
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VD-149 Paul Apostolescu (2003 Refit) - BR 2.7
Class: Minesweeper
This class of boats serves two roles: river patrol and minesweeping. Initially put together in 1977, this refit in 2003 upgraded a variety of elements, including the armament. The main armament is a twin-barrel 30mm M1980/88 AA gun. Developed by Romania as a ground-based anti-aircraft gun on a towed mount, they also serve as naval guns. At the rear of the boat is a quad 14.5mm MR4N mount (Romanian ZPU-4). It can also carry twelve mines on two rails. Its powerful armament is offset by its very slow speed of 13 kts (15 mph).
Rank IV:
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NMS Democrația (Mid-life Refit) - BR 3.3
Class: Minesweeper
NOTE: The image above is of a later refit of this ship. I couldn’t find any photos of her with this specific refit - only diagrams. But I do know that this was indeed a configuration for the better part of 20 years.
Initially based on the German M40-class of minesweepers, Romania could not complete this class of ships due to WWII. They were not finished until the early 1950s. Despite this, they received many updates over the years and saw service all the way into 2001. This particular refit was the configuration they had from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. The armament consisted of three twin 37mm V-11 gun mounts capable of laying down loads of fire. They also have two twin 14.5mm mounts for good measure. To top it all off, it features two depth charge launchers and space for 50 mines. However, it can only hit speeds of 17 kts (20 mph).
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NMS Sublocotenent Ghiculescu (WWII) - BR 3.3
Class: Gunboat
Four of these class of ships were sold to Romania from France in 1920. Configured as part of the Friponne-class, she features two 100mm Hotchkiss Mle. 1891 guns as her main armament. These were augmented in WWII with four 20mm Oerlikon cannons for air defense. Two 400mm depth charge throwers are also present. Not too fast at 15 kts (17 mph), but reasonable for a ship of this type. This class was not stricken until 2002!
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NMS Amiral Murgescu (Late-war Refit) - BR 3.7
Class: Minesweeper
Now we get to the real fun stuff! Perhaps the most important Romanian coastal vessel of the entire Second World War, NMS Amiral Murgescu served throughout the entire war up until 1944 when she was captured by the Soviets. She was responsible for sinking or assisting in sinking multiple vessels, and she was the pride of the Romanian Navy, being the largest ship yet built in Romania. By the later part of the war, she had a significant armament and was a force to be reckoned with. Her primary armament was two 105mm SK C/32 naval guns from Germany. secondary and AA guns include two 37mm M1939 (FlaK 36) autocannons, four 20mm Oerlikons, and two twin 13.2mm Hotchkiss M1939 heavy machine gun mounts. She could also carry 65 depth charges and/or 135 mines! Imagine the area denial! Her speed is quite slow though at 16 kts/18 mph.
Rank V:
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Contraamiral Eustațiu Sebastian (F-264) - BR 4.3
Class: Corvette
The first of the two big ships to round out the line! This mighty ship features a main armament that may be a little weak, but she more than makes up for it in secondaries! Laid down in 1983, only two of the proposed four of her class were completed, with the remaining hulls awaiting the trip to the scrapyard. Her main weapon is the 76mm AK-176 naval gun. A small caliber for this BR, but it is rapid-firing to make up for it. Where she shines is in her secondary weapons. She mounts no fewer than four 30mm AK-630 CIWS turrets, one at each corner of the superstructure. These provide a complete 360-degree arc of protection against anything in the skies and on the seas intending to damage her, though they overheat and run out of ammo fast. For additional weapons she can carry four 533mm torpedoes in two twin launchers (one per side) and a pair of RBU-6000 rocket mortars just aft of her main gun. She tops out at 24 kts, or 27 mph.
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Amiral Petre Bărbuneanu (F-260) - BR 4.7
Class: Corvette
The final ship in this sub-tree! Initially laid down in 1983, only two of the four ships of her class still remain in service. All four were completed, but two have since been stricken. Large and imposing, this ship is armed with two twin 76mm AK-726 mounts with one at the bow and one at the stern. This is a major step up in armament from the previous ship (though ironically this ship came before it temporally). It trades this for poorer secondary weapons, with only a pair of 30mm twin AK-230s and a pair of 14.5mm quad MR4Ns. Lastly, it carries two pairs of 533mm torpedo tubes and two RBU-2500 rocket mortars. Same speed as the prior ship: 24 kts (27 mph).
Monitors:
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Rank III:
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VB-76 Maior Constantin Ene - BR 2.3
Class: Armored Gunboat
The VB-76 class of gunboats was built between 1973 and 1977 to act as a river patrol and coastal support ship. Armed with a 76mm ZiS-3 gun in the main turret and two MR2N twin 14.5mm heavy machine gun mounts (Romanian ZPU-2s), they were capable of providing lots of fire support. They also could carry mines as well as a pair of 81mm mortars, though I believe they were only stowed for use once a landing force had reached the shore. The ZiS-3 has many shells to offer, and though this is an armored gunboat with lots of firepower, the machine gun turrets are open-topped, so it fits well at 2.3. Speed is 17 kts, or 20 mph.
Rank IV:
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NMS Lascăr Catargiu - BR 3.3
Class: River Monitor
Representing the first major refit of the Brătianu-class, in the aftermath of WWI, it was recognized that the anti-aircraft armament of this class needed to be enhanced, as well as general modernization needing to be carried out. The superstructures were reduced in size, shrinking the overall profile of the vessel. The two 12cm howitzers were removed, with the forward one being replaced by an anti-aircraft derivative of the French 75mm M1897. Two of the 47mm guns were removed, while the other two were placed into new mounts capable of anti-aircraft fire. Lastly, the main 120mm cannons were enhanced with added elevation and high-velocity shells, significantly enhancing the range. All of these upgrades would dramatically increase the Brătianu-class’ fighting and defensive capabilities. Speed remains at 13 kts (15 mph).
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NMS Alexandru Lachovari - BR 4.0
Class: River Monitor
Representing the third and final major refit of the Brătianu-class, this final upgrade came about during WWII, bringing the anti-aircraft armament to the standards of 1941-43. It retained the upgrades from 1938-39, including the longer 120mm main guns, 37mm AA gun, and twin 13.2mm machine guns, but exchanged the two remaining 47mm guns for two more 37mm SK C/30 cannons and added two 20mm FlaK C/38 autocannons, finally providing some serious aerial protection. This would be the final armament refit performed by the Romanians, with two of the monitors being sunk in 1944 and the other two being captured and further modified by the Soviets. Speed remains at 13 kts (15 mph).
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Smârdan (F-178) - BR 4.0
Class: River Monitor
Probably my favorite in the entire tree, this is one of the two classes of river monitor currently in use by Romania in the Danube Flotilla. Introduced in 1990, it is heavily armed and well-armored, capable of taking lots of hits and serving an equal amount of them back! The main gun is the A430, the naval version of the Romanian M1977 anti-tank gun. This gun is derived from Russian 100mm designs such as the D-10, BS-3, and T-12. This version is by far more modern, and it is capable of using modern types of ammo (though I doubt APFSDS and GL-ATGMs would be of much use here). The turret it is mounted in is derived from the TR-85. Flanking the main gun are two turrets from TAB-77 APCs, each mounting a 14.5mm KPVT and 7.62mm PKT. Just behind the pilot house are two MR4N quadruple 14.5mm turrets, and finally a twin 30mm M1980/88 on the stern. But wait, there’s more! Hidden inside the hull between the pilot house and 30mm turret are a pair of retractable 40-tube 122mm rocket launchers inspired by the BM-21 Grad! These can swivel 360 degrees and are capable of laying down a MASSIVE amount of suppressive rocket artillery (and also function as gigantic ammo racks). As you might expect from such a well-armed and armored boat, her speed is only around 16 kts/18 mph.
Rank V:
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Mihail Kogălniceanu (F-45) - BR 4.3
Class: River Monitor
The successor of the Smârdan-class, the best features are retained and improved upon, creating a larger and more powerful monitor. Introduced in 1993, this ship adds a second 100mm gun to the stern, with the extended pilot house forcing the two MLRS units to be mounted on its roof. Also on the roof are two M1980/88 30mm twin mounts, with a pair of quad 14.5mm mounts flanking the forward turret and replacing the TAB-77 turrets. It also features two quad mounts for the CA-94 MANPADS - a local variant of the Strela-2M. These MANPADS are also found on the Smârdan, though not in the special quad mount (as far as I can tell). Probably not a good idea to implement these just yet! She cruises along at a reasonable 21 kts (24 mph).
Premium:
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Rank III:
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NMS Smeul (WWII Refit) - BR 2.7
Class: Gunboat
The sister ship of NMS Sborul, also given to Romania by Austria-Hungary following WWI. Armed with the same pair of Skoda 7cm L/30 guns (actually 66mm, but they round up to the nearest cm for naming), the Romanians added a pair of 20mm Oerlikons for WWII. Where she differs from her sister is in the lack of torpedoes. They were replaced on Smeul with a 400mm depth charge thrower. The rest of her stats are the same as her tech tree sister. Speed is 28 kts or 32 mph.
Rank IV:
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NMS Ion C. Brătianu - BR 3.0
Class: River Monitor
Squadron Vehicle!
The Brătianu-class of river monitors was first laid down in 1907, being constructed by the Austro-Hungarian STT shipyard for the Kingdom of Romania. Four were built, and at the time of their introduction they were the most powerful monitors on the Danube river. Initially armed with three 120mm naval guns, two 120mm howitzers, four 47mm guns, and two 6.5mm machine guns, they would undergo several refits over the years. During WWI, the monitors would fight heavily against Bulgarian and, ironically, Austro-Hungarian positions, bombarding coastlines and providing fire support. They were heavily armored and, as a result, very slow, at only 13 kts (15 mph).
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NMS Mihail Kogălniceanu - BR 3.7
Class: River Monitor
Representing the second major refit of the Brătianu-class, NMS Mihail Kogălniceanu would go on to become perhaps the most notable of the four. In 1938-39, the class would undergo a major refit with almost all of their guns being upgraded. The three 120mm main guns would be replaced with higher velocity, longer-barrel models, allowing for improved range and damage. The 47mm guns were reduced to two, with only the high-angle mounts remaining. A German 37mm SK C/30 replaced the 75mm gun added in the first refit (1920), and the 6.5mm machine guns were removed, being replaced by a single twin 13.2mm Hotchkiss heavy machine gun mount. This greatly improved their fighting capacity and prepared them well for WWII. Speed remained at 13 kts (15 mph).
Thank you so much for checking this out! Please share any thoughts, questions, or suggestions in the comments, and share this wherever you can. Please also check out my other suggestions, and have a wonderful day!
Sources:
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Wikipedia (Mostly as a base to find the ships themselves, but also to help me find other sources)
Romanian Navy – Current and Retired – The Searchers
Romanian Navy Forțele Navale Române - seaforces online
A Brief Review of the Romanian Navy after WWII World Naval Ships Forums Archive
Romanian River Flotilla World Naval Ships Forums Archive
Warsaw Pact Navies (1955-1991)
The state and prospects of development of the naval forces of Romania (2013)
ION C. BRĂTIANU river monitors (1907-1908)
Monitoarele clasa BRATIANU - Romania Military
And all the other written sources these web sources used (quite a lot, in fact!)