Rule the Waves 2 Game 1 - March 1933

Gentlemen, I am sad to inform you that your time in office has finally come to an end. Your work has remained exceptional, even to the very end, but after over three decades, the latest government has decided that it is time for a new team to take over at the Ministère de la Marine. When you came into office, France was a second-rate naval power. Today, we and our British allies inarguably rule the waves. We have defeated everyone we have fought against, expanding the French Empire and ensuring the security of the seas. In an extraordinary gesture, the government has approved promotions for all of you to the rank of Grand officier in the Légion d'honneur.

I am bringing the RTW2 game to an end. It's been fun, but I've gotten tired of writing stuff up, so here we are. I do plan to continue some form of gaming, probably with Aurora, because I can dodge the worst of the problems. At some point soon, I'll play through the existing game to 1950, and provide a report of that. Also, I can upload the save file as of March 1933 if anyone wants that. Thanks to everyone who participated.

Our current fleet

Ships under construction

March 1932

Design work begins on KE Parfait. CL Tage commissions and easily surpasses her trial speed. Fighting breaks out in the Balkans due to Austrian meddling. UK commissions a BB and a CA, the US a CV.

April 1932

10 new KEs laid down. We extend our security arrangement with Britain. CAs Jeanne d'Arc and Dupleix commission. Italy commissions a CL. We begin BB Redoubtable's rebuild, along with refits for CLs Infernet and Cosmao.

May 1932

2 CLs finish their refits. TB Bloch MB.133 enters operational service. AH lays down 2 KE, Germany finishes a BC.

June 1932

We lay down 4 more KEs. Our dock expansion completes. Germany lays down a BC, AH a KE. Italy commissions 3 DD. Design work begins on BB Courbet, with 8 17" guns.

July 1932

BB Ocean and 2 cruisers finish their overhauls. Breakthroughs: DD of up to 2500 tons displacement, Transverse arrestor wires. We select the Breget Loire 139 for our new fighter. Germany commissions a CV, the US a CA, Italy a CA and 2 DD. BB Iena begins her rebuild.

August 1932

Germany lays down 3 DD, Italy commissions an AV.

September 1932

CL Admiral Cecille commissions. We buy Sound location devices for submarines from the British. Breakthrough: Advanced face hardening. Germany lays down a DD, AH 2 KE. Germany commissions a DD, AH and the US CLs.

October 1932

We buy early AA directors from the Germans. Germany lays down 3 DD. Italy commissions a CA and a DD, the US a BC and a CL. Laying-down of Courbet is delayed to allow AA directors to be fitted.

November 1932

We buy Advanced alloying from the British. Breakthrough: 5 in dual-purpose mountings. Germany and the US lay down CVs, Italy a CL. Italy commissions a CA, the US 2 BBs and a CV. BB Courbet is delayed again to allow 5" secondaries.

December 1932

CL Linois commissions. AH lays down a KE, the US a BC. Britain commissions a battleship, Italy an AV. We finally lay down BB Courbet.

January 1933

We redeploy to the Mediterranean to counter the Austrian threat. 8 KEs commission. Breakthroughs: Lighter steam turbines, Improved fleet logistics. Italy lays down a BB, the US a BC. Britain commissions a BB.

February 1933

2 KEs commission. Britain takes control over Southern Korea. Breakthroughs: Improved damage control practices, bulbous bow. UK lays down a CL, the US a BC. Germany commissions 2 DD, AH a KE, Italy a CVL, the US 2 BCs.