Next generation grik navy

Well, the bad guys need attention also? So, what about the next-generation Grik navy, build with the experience of fighting the Alliance.

Some ideas:

- Rifled guns. At least muzzle-loaders. The Grik standard 100pdr cast-iron smoothbore probably could be converted into 8-inch muzzle-loading rifle by inserting the wrought-iron rifled sleeve through the muzzle. The similar work were done with 10-inch cast-irons Rodman guns:



The rifled guns would, at least, partially solve the problems with Grik's gunnery and would put the Alliance frigates completely out of evaluation. They already aren't looking good against Grik's ironclad cruisers.

- Better horizontal protection. All new Grik designs must have armored deck and complete iron hull plating to prevent ignition. The thickness of armored deck is a matter of calculation.

Let's assume that the Alliance would be able to produce 500lb armor-piercing bomb, based on the "Amagi" AP shells. I have some data about the penetration ability of first-generation soviet AP bombs, that was remade out of old artillery AP shells. The 220-kg BrAB-220 (Broneboinaya AviaBomba - i.e. armor-piercing aerial bomb), dropped from 1000 meters was - in theory - able to penetrate the 1-1,5 inch armored deck of hardened XX century armor.

The equivalent in wrough iron plates (avaliable for Grik's) would be around 2,5-3 inches. It's within tolerable limits.

- So, the my opinion - Griks should go for the protected cruisers, with as thick sloped armored deck as possible. The 3-inch wrought iron armored deck with 4-5 inch slopes would gave them adequate protection against aerial attacks and Alliance gunnery (including the 4-inch/50 guns of "Walker" and c.o.) for the vital parts of the ship. They may also include some armored belt of 2-3 inch thickness to protect at least central parts of the ship. It would not stop the "Walker" guns, but it would provide enough protection against Alliance smoothbores and in would force the "Walker" to use much less effective AP shells.

- The anti-air defense. Currently Griks used rocket batteries and small snivel guns for some anti-air defense. I think, they may pretty quickly move to the volley-guns (basically by placing a number of their firearms on the single base), and then - to the mitrailleuse. It would not be perfect solution, but it would work fine against "Nancy"'s, and made the aerial attack a lot harder. Also, they definitely need a better firefighting teams, because Alliance liked incendaries a lot.

- The speed. This problem needs a lot of attention. The current Grik steamships are too slow. They need at least 14-15 knots to be able to engage Alliance warships. Probably they shoud go to the triple-screw scheme.

So, the next-generation Grik's warship should probably be the 4500-5000 tons composite (iron-frame, wooden plating, outer hull sheeted with iron) protected cruisers, with the sloped 3-4 inches wrought armored deck, and, possibly, a thin belt near the center. They may be armed with casemate or barbette 8-inch muzzle-loading rifles and a large number of anti-aircraft systems, i.e. rocket batteries and mitrailleuses. They should be able to steam at least 15 knots.

Well, it's what they need with our own insight but is it really what they are going to get? This is the good question!

Unfortunately the Grik are not creative thinkers, and I doubt Kurokawa will share more advanced tech with them.  They can however reverse engineer and might capture allied tech.  In that case they might soon have breach loaders to study. However Kurokawa did teach steel making and they might have better armor.

Well, I don't really believe that griks will be able to solve problems. They are not innovative, that's a fact. They would need japanese engineers to oversee any significant change whike lemurians must have tried many things.

The answer to Greek armor is a 500 pound bomb with a rocket booster to give an equivalent of much higher altitude dropping without losing the accuracy this was done during World War II by the Japanese I believe and was also done by the Russians According to some books I read

The answer to Greek armor is a 500 pound bomb with a rocket booster to give an equivalent of much higher altitude dropping without losing the accuracy this was done during World War II by the Japanese I believe and was also done by the Russians According to some books I read

Er, yes, but it required A LOT better engineering, that currently available for Alliance.