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Hello everyone, and welcome to this new suggestion.
Today, I’m introducing you to a Valiant-class Aviso, La Conquérante.
The Conquérante is a 2nd-class aviso of the Vaillante class, built during the First World War to reinforce the French Navy’s light fleet. Commissioned in 1917, this type of vessel was designed to meet the urgent needs of submarine warfare and the protection of maritime traffic. With a displacement of approximately 600 tons, a speed of nearly 20 knots, and a light armament including 100 mm cannons and machine guns, the Conquérante offered a compromise between a patrol boat, a coastal escort boat, and a colonial aviso. Its name evokes determination and combativeness, in line with the French naval tradition of naming ships after military qualities or heroic values.
During the end of the First World War, La Conquérante was used for convoy escort, anti-submarine patrol and coastal surveillance missions, particularly in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Its moderate size and autonomy made it an ideal vessel for the protection of port approaches and trade routes vulnerable to attacks by German U-boats. In the interwar period, it continued its career as a colonial aviso, occasionally deployed overseas for maritime presence and sovereignty missions. Sunk by German bombing in Falmouth Harbour in 1941, La Conquérante illustrates this generation of small multi-purpose units, designed in the urgency of the global conflict but called upon to extend their service during peacetime.
Characteristics
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Length : 66.4 m
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Width : 7.90 m
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Draft : 2.80 m
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Mass : 457 tons
The ship is powered by two Sulzer diesel engines, giving it a total power of 1,800 hp. The Conquérante therefore reaches a maximum speed of 17 knots and can travel 3,000 nautical miles at a speed of 10 knots. The crew is made up of 54 sailors.
The Valliante class is based on the Friponne class but has much greater engine power, allowing it to go faster.
Equipment
There is no notable equipment on the ship, as its construction date makes it unsuitable for the installation of radar or sonar.
Weapons
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Guns :
- 2 x 100mm Mle 1897 canons
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Other :
- 2 x Anti submarines grenades
The weapon system of this ship is very simple, focusing mainly on minesweeping nets and keeping only two 100mm guns to defend against possible threats.
In game this ship would be a very interesting addition to the French tree, bringing a ship with low firepower but possessing a significant size and interesting speed in the coastal tree, complementing it intelligently.
Pictures
