Issue: 4
System: Space 1889
Publisher: GDW

H.M.A.F. Warhammer
An aerial battleship for Space 1889
by Neil Simpson

Background

The Admiralty placed an order for a large aerial warship when it became clear that the French and Germans were planning on building craft bigger than any that had yet been seen. The British response to the French Charlemagne was the Warhammer class of Aerial Battleship.

Production of the Warhammer was authorised by the Admiralty in June 1887 with two more being ordered in August 1887 and January 1888. The Warhammer was commissioned in March 1889 and the Battleaxe was commissioned in May. The Broadsword was expected to enter service in October, but delays in commissioning mean she will enter service in December 1889.

The Warhammer is currently serving with the British China Squadron and the Battleaxe is based at Plymouth. The Broadsword will be based in Gibraltar when it enters service.

Description

The Warhammer class of ships are approximately 800 feet long with a beam of 150 feet. They are powered by a triple airscrew forced draught boiler producing twenty knots with lift provided by Liftwood panels and slats.

The Warhammer and her sister ships have 3" armour on all locations. They are armed with eight 4.7 QF breech loaders, two 6" breech loaders, three 8" breech loaders, four 40 pdr low powered breech loaders, four 1 pdr Pom Poms, four 6 pdr Botchkiss Revolvers, four 3 pdr Hotchkiss revolvers, eight 5-barrel Nordenfelt machine guns, a Smutts Aerial Torpedo launcher, eight Bale Rocket batteries, ten tether mines and four drogue torpedoes. This class of vessel is designed for use as a line-of-battle warship.

The crew consists of the Captain, ten Officers, seventeen Petty Officers, one hundred and fifty seven Ratings and forty Marines for a total of two hundred and twenty five officers and men. The class has been received with pleasure by the Royal Naval Air Service as the Charlemagne had seriously outclassed the Intrepid class of Aerial Cruiser previously Britain's heavies Aerial Flyer operating on Earth.

Game Information

Hull Size - 60. Hull Type - Steel. Lift - Liftwood. Max weight - 6,000 tons. Max Altitude - High. Cost - 600,000

Propulsion - Forced Draught Boiler with three airscrews. Engine size - 40. weight - 200 tons. Cost 80,000. Coal Bunker Size - 80. weight - 800 tons. Endurance - 20 days. Speed - 4.

Armour Value - 3. Weight - 1800 tons. Cost - 18,000

Armament

Crew - Captain plus ten officers. Helmsman, Trimsman, fifteen Petty Officers. Fifty seven Gunners. Forty Engineers. Sixty Deckhands. Forty Marines.

Quarters for Marines - Weight 100 tons. Cost - 600.

Total Cost - 734,600.

The ship was designed using the rules given in Cloudships and Gunboats. The above information allows you to use a Warhammer class ship in any of your Space 1889, Sky Galleons or Ironclads etc. games. If you do encounter a Warhammer it will probably be the flagship for a British force of at least ten ships.

Intorductory Scenario:

Mano a Mano (Britain v France)

The British and French are at war. In the Pacific the aerial forces of both sides meet in a clash for control of the skies.

Battle Area: Open sea off the coast of Indo-China.

British Squadron (Crack, Leadership +1)

French Squadron (Crack, Leadership + 1)

Set Up:

The British enter from one side. The French enter from the opposite side. Initial range is 15 cables.

Victory Conditions:

The last player with a ship aloft wins.