Unrivaled in its time and one of the first representatives of a class of fast battleships, HMS Barham is the main reward for the Steel Baron naval event!
HMS Barham: An Event Vehicle Battleship for Great Britain at Rank VI
At a glance:
- Deadly 381 mm guns!
- Good armor protection.
- One of the best top speeds amongst British battleships.
- Very weak AA defense, just two 76 mm cannons.
Queen Elizabeth-class battleships were revolutionary for their time, with two key differences making them unrivaled in combat performance for many years. Firstly, the most powerful main battery with a rate of fire of two rounds per minute, which allowed them to destroy any potential enemy, and secondly the power plant with oil boilers, which provided these ships with high speed. The armor also took a step forward compared to other British ships, and the class was considered so successful that the Admiralty suspended the production of battlecruisers in favor of building another Queen Elizabeth-class battleship.
HMS Barham was launched in the autumn of 1914 and commissioned a year later. Barham took part in the famous Battle of Jutland as part of the 5th Battleship Squadron, attached to Beatty’s battlecruisers. During the interwar period, HMS Barham carried out patrols and took part in exercises. She also took part in active military operations during WWII from the first days after its outbreak, mainly in the Mediterranean. On November 24th 1941, while escorting a Maltese convoy, HMS Barham was torpedoed by German submarine U-331. Three torpedoes hit Barham, causing a fire and detonation on board. The moment of the tragic death of hundreds of sailors and the sinking of HMS Barham as a result of a huge explosion was captured on newsreel footage filmed from battleship HMS Valiant.
Meet HMS Barham!
Meet the main reward for the Steel Baron naval event, which was probably the best battleship in the world at the time of its inception, the mighty HMS Barham! This battleship features powerful armament and a good top speed, all coming to rank VI in the British Bluewater fleet tree. Let’s take a closer look.
Like the other four Queen Elizabeth-class ships, HMS Barham is armed with 8 x 381 mm (15 inch) guns in four turrets, with a rate of fire of two rounds per minute. In terms of auxiliary caliber weapons, HMS Barham features 14 x 152 mm (6 inch) guns in single-barrel mounts, with seven per side. As you may have already figured out, this is one of the most powerful ships in the game, capable of sinking any enemy ship with a few accurate salvos. The main caliber guns have shells that weigh a massive 871 kg, the SAPCBC and APC, both great for dealing with thick enemy battleship armor, with the APC featuring good post-pen effects.
For armor, HMS Barham is well-protected. The thickness of the armor belt and front turret reaches 330 mm, which, together with the well-protected barbettes and large crew size make HMS Barham very survivable and capable of quickly eliminating fires and leaks. One signature feature of the Queen Elizabeth-class battleships is their oil boilers, which allow them to accelerate to 24 knots (44 km/h). This is very good compared to other Royal Navy battleships and one of the best among other early battleships in other nations.
HMS Barham has a few disadvantages though, one of which includes its weak AA capability. Only 2 x 76 mm guns are defending Barham from aircraft which are unlikely to be of much use against a good pilot. Another disadvantage is her very slow horizontal aiming speeds of the main turrets, meaning HMS Barham won’t be able to react quickly and attack ships that are firing at her from several directions. Keep your distance to ensure that you have the widest possible view of the open sea, and plan your route in advance. And lastly, if you do need to get involved in close-range combat, four 533 mm underwater torpedo tubes with 20 torpedoes are there to help.
HMS Barham is the main reward in the Steel Baron event that started today. Check out the link below for all the terms and how to participate in this event to earn yourself this awesome battleship!
Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.
