Something to note about secondary guns: the earlier the timeline, the more important they are. Predreadnaughts, armored cruisers, and early light cruisers deal most of their damage by secondary broadsides, while the main battery, like the torpedo tubes, act as a crippling right hook to enemy ships.

I didnt know about the ctrl trick for moving guns without placement slots despite having played for so long. I suppose it is true that you learn something new every day. Thank you :)

so, if you pay attention to your accuracy, you'll notice that while shortening the barrels doesn't decrease 1000m accuracy by much, the accuracy loss at range is much greater. At 17.5km, your guns had an accuracy of 1.4% at full barrel length, but at -9% length they had an accuracy of 0.7%. That's actually decrease of 50%. Meanwhile, your fire rate increased from 1.04 to 1.26, or a little less than 22%. Volume of fire only makes up for a lack of accuracy when your rate of fire increases by more than your accuracy decreases. The only time you'll see an increase in dps with this caliber is when you're brawling at ~4.5 or below kilometers, as that's the only time your volume of fire increase will be outpacing your accuracy loss.

I've long had an interest in ships, but UAD has has taught me so much more. The latest update has got me looking up the calibres of various naval guns. The 55 cal on the Scharnhorst, for example. Yikes. Mega pen, but no shell weight. The shotgun 42.5 cal Queen Elizabeth-class 15". I find the sweet spot for firepower to be ~40,000 tons. Bigger than that and you'll pay an extra $100m for the privilege of having the same guns and same tech in a slower 60,000 ton package. More than once in campaign I've designed a beautiful, fast BC, armed with triple 16"s, and built a handful. Then I go through the whole process of designing a bigger sister BB. At the end I take a step back, look at the headline stats of each ship... and I can't bring myself to actually order the giant battleships to be built. Maybe 5% better, but 100% more expensive. I feel weight scales up badly on large hulls, and you don't end up with substantially more weight to mount bigger guns.

Bulkheads is an interesting issue. As someone who has studied Real Life Military Technology History, I understand how Bulkhead Development has changed over time. However, within ULTIMATE ADMIRAL: DREADNOUGHTS, Bulkhead Technology doesn't accurately simulate Real Life Bulkhead Technology Development. Thus, in 1890, a Player could design a Warship with Maximum Bulkheads when in Real Life only Minimum Bulkheads were utilized. Having Maximum Bulkheads does greatly protect your Warships; and, allows the Player to easily overwhelm Enemy AI Warships; even when, the Enemy AI Warships do outgun the Player Warships. I used Bulkhead Protection with great effect within NAVY FIELD 1. This is also true with Single-Hull Bottoms and Double-Hull Bottoms and Triple-Hull Bottoms. In Real Life, Hull Bottom Designs were more about Hull Structure Support for Ship Component Weight due to Wave Motion Hull Flexing of the Hull; than about, Underwater Hull Defenses.

Some useful tips in here, and a few that I take as 'personal taste'. For one example, the Radio when you have Radar still gives a couple of stats that Radar doesn't - mostly the communication, the recon bonuses, and thus, I believe, also the flagship bonus adjustments. If you have a fleet, or at least more than one ship, they can all get bonuses for being with the flagship, but this is modified by the radio. At least, that's how I read what the game info had. I like all my destroyers to have recon ability, which _I think_ gives accuracy bonuses to the rest of the fleet, and I like my Battleships or my division-leading cruisers to have flagship bonuses from comms. I'd say that *most* of my fleet ships will have at least advanced radio in addition to radar, and I find that the accuracy is better (for me) that way. You gave yourself the easiest start there balancing a battleship - the one with the absolute most base stability. 🤣 The ones I always struggle more with are the destroyers and the light cruisers, where you want to give them some decent armament, but the pitch and roll become huge issues pretty quickly. It isn't as if you can allocate them much armour plate or a citadel to put the weight into anything useful *other* than guns, torps, and towers. Even to max out the speed you'll end up with a ton of funnels at least early on. Plus with destroyers, you can't even make use of increasing the beam for secondaries, so just more torp launchers, or it is wasted space...

China 1890 starting hulls are crazy. With only natural aspiration boilers, bad funnels, and loads of casemates the balancing is very hard. I ended up with one cruiser that had more aft belt and deck than main belt and deck because that was the only way left to balance out the offset.

Oh, while I'm at it, a tip in return - Stereoscopic Rangefinders can be the best choice for Battle-Cruisers who have battleship guns, but without the battleship armour. Having your BCs be much more accurate at long ranges, and to avoid closing in to melee with anything more than a sneaky DD can be a great way to help them maximize that firepower and minimize the inherrent armour limitations. Not worthwhile before radar really, unless always with DDs (that can recon), but after radar this can be extremely effective.

Hard disagree on the radio for fleet engagements, since the boosted communications range means boosted range for your flagship proximity accuracy bonus. That and when comms become more important in campaign, it's good to show up prepared to have that bite taken out of weight.

My solution to DPM and Pen, is mixed main guns. I like 40km range. Because with the plunging angle at great ranges, it will go through any upper deck like butter. I already blew quite a few BBs within the first 5 salvos at more than 30km.

This was quite useful as I struggle with armour schemes but I'd love to see a balancing video on a much smaller ship as I find balancing them much harder.

I would say bulkheads are more important very early when anti flooding and damage control isn't the best. I usually use maximum in 1890/1900 and slowly go down to standard around 1920 when the damage control is good enough to mitigate the effects of fewer bulkheads.

I definitely needed this. I struggle a lot to figure out a balanced design for ships especially with armor. Thanks for the video

Changing the Hull Length and/or the Hull Beam and/or the Hull Draft also affects the Warship's Maximum Speed and the Warship's Turning Circle Size and the Warship's Maximum Travel Distance Range. Long & Narrow Hulls tend to be Faster Warships with very large Turning Circles. Short & Wide Hulls tend to be Slower Warships with very small Turning Circles. Long Hulls improve Pitch Modifiers. Wide Hulls improve Roll Modifiers. Deep Drafts improve Fuel Capacity and Hull Defenses.

Lovely video exactly the kind of guide I've been trying to find for awhile now.

I always get a 0.1 offset and it drives me nuts because I can never balance it out. I would love to see a fine movement tool implemented by the devs so we can move things like 2" guns in tiny increments. Maybe one day. I love your channel, UA:D has become one of my favourite pc games of all time.

Well as an experienced player (playing since alpha 10) I didnt actually know that increasing the size towards a lower mk gun made it progress towards the lower mk. good to know. On the note of reload speed I honestly usually go for long barrels even if it takes 60-70 secs to reload it the accuracy and pen buff is just so strong.

Great video as always, keep up the great content!

Hull Types lend themselves to Specific Weapon Loadouts and Superstructure Loadouts and Funnel Choices; especially, Early Game (1890s) Hulls. Balancing Hull Types based on Weight Offsets alone may require undesirable Weapon Loadouts and/or undesirable Superstructure Layouts and/or undesirable Funnel Choices and/or undesirable Armor Schemes. Changing the Dimensions of a Hull Type may, or many not, provide more choices in terms of Weapon Loadouts and Superstructure Loadouts and Funnel Choices.

just got the game your video are a great help thanks.

Battleship Speed in the 1930s thru the 1940s were more about Fast Battleship Designs that served as Anti-Aircraft Weapon Platforms for Aircraft Carriers that were designed to be as fast a Cruisers. Thus, Battleships with 25 Knots to 30 Knots Top Speed were A Thing in Real Life. Within ULTIMATE ADMIRAL: DREADNOUGHTS, Fast Battleship Designs could be replaced with Battlecruiser Designs; even though, Battlecruisers became a pariah within Real Life during the 1939s thru 1940s. Thus, Post 1930 London Treaty Warship Designs that were clearly not Battleships, and clearly not Cruisers; but, shared traits of both Battleships and Cruisers were classified in ways that ignored the term "Battlecruiser" altogether.

In terms of Main Gun Armament, and Secondary Gun Armament; as well as, Ammunition Design, the Warship Type and the Warship Mission Role will be the Primary Factors of Gun Size Selection. GUN CALIBER -- Barrel Length in relation to Gun Size. GUN SIZE -- The Diameter of the Gun Ammunition being fired. NOTE-- Naval Artillery Gun Caliber Definition is different from Infantry & Civilian Firearm Gun Caliber Definition. -- 13-Inch/30 Naval Artillery Gun == 30 Caliber 13-Inch Gun Size Naval Artillery Gun; which, is actually read as "13-Inch 30 Caliber Gun" Battleships tend to have the Largest Guns available. Prior to 1890, 9-Inch Guns were considered as Battleship Size Main Guns. In 1900, 12-Inch Guns were considered as Battleship Size Main Guns; and, anything under 12-Inch were Obsolete Battleship Main Guns. By 1910, 12-Inch Guns were considered as Obsolete Battleship Size Main Guns. By 1930, 13-Inch Guns were considered as Minimum-Sized Battleship Main Guns; even though, 13-Inch Main Gun Battleships weren't being designed. AP Shells = Armor Piercing Shells HE Shells = High Explosive Shells AP Shells are designed to Penetrate Warship Armor Plating and Damage Warship Equipment. HE Shells are designed to Kill Crew and Cause Fires on Warships. Light Shells have Flatter Trajectories; thus, are better at hitting Belt Armor. Heavy Shells have Higher Arcing Trajectories; thus, are better at hitting Deck Armor. General Rule Of Thumb == Gun Size equals Armor Penetration. -- 1-Inch Gun can penetrate 1-Inch Armor -- 20-Inch Gun can penetrate 20-Inch Armor Armor Quality, and Ammunition Design, can affect Armor Penetration Rating. Combat Activities also affect Armor Penetration Rating... -- Attack Range -- Ship Movement -- Ship Positioning -- Armor Fatigue -- Structural Integrity 2-Inch Guns are basically useless for Surface-To-Surface Naval Combat; except, against Unarmored Ships like Transports and Torpedo Boats and Destroyers. 3-Inch Guns are effective against Transports and Torpedo Boats and Small Destroyers. 6-Inch Guns are effective against Large Destroyers and Unarmored, or Lightly Armored, Cruisers. 9-Inch Guns are effective against Cruisers; and, are a threat to Battleships and to Battlecruisers. 13-Inch, and Larger, Guns are effective against Battleships; but, can devastate Smaller Ships if a Hit lands; but, due to the Ship Speed of Smaller Ships, and the Rate Of Fire of 13-Inch Guns and larger, the chances of a Battleship hitting a Smaller Ship is small; thus, Battleships tend to have Secondary Guns that range in size from 3-Inch to 8-Inch.

Great video!

12:57 - I haven't tested with this particular setup, but I find that often adjusting the Draught will make things like this work. Especially since you have it set to -20% when trying it here. For example, in 1890, there's at least one French hull where you can add 5" turrets, but if you do, the arc of the main turret is severely limited, unless you increase the draught slightly above 0.

Some alternatives to your design choices. - Concearning selection of Shells. You can use SAP-Shells pretty effective for ow calibre, high rate of fire guns witch can be pretty effective especially against angled ships. While Capped shells are devastating as long as you can penetrate the enemy armour, if the enemy angles you will have a hard time. SAP are very good against those ships too since the will strip enemy armour pretty well. - About gun placement. You try to minimize your citadell, having less weight, which is fine. But I tend to look at the firing angles of the guns. The better the firing angles of the guns, the better you can angle towards enemy ships and the more enemy shells you bounce. So investing some 100 tons in better gun angles will let you use all of your guns while increasing the effectiveness of your armour while having a better angle towards the enemy. (You know all those enemy BBs and CAs fleeing from you with all those bounces while you have to work through the back of the ship or burn it down with HE)

Thanks for the video.

Love it! I would also like to see an armor tutorial. I think I have the hang of everything else, but armor is tricky since there are so many different areas.

The Fore Superstructure Options, and the Aft Superstructure Options, may be limited by Hull Width; thus, some Superstructures won't fit unto Smaller Beam Hulls; or, some Superstructures will only fit on Wider Beam Hulls. Another thing to consider in selecting Superstructure Designs is Weapon Placement, and/or Funnel Placement, on the Superstructures; which, can factor in Fore-Aft Weight Offset Balance; as well as, determine the Maximum Gun Size Availability and the Gun Size Placement upon the Hull Type. -- Instead of having 2 Bow Main Gun Turrets, your Warship can have 3 Bow/Stern Main Gun Turrets; or, 2 Bow/Stern Main Gun Turrets and 1 Bow/Stern Secondary Gun Turret. -- Superstructures with Funnel Placements don't require Open Deck Space for Funnel Placement between the Superstructures -- Secondary Gun Placements on the Superstructures may provide space for lots of 2-Inch Guns; or, may have space for 5-Inch thru 8-Inch Guns -- Superstructures may have desirable, or undesirable, Gun Placements for Visual Aesthetics and/or Combat Firing Arcs From 1930 thru the 1940s, 2-Inch Guns are primarily representative of Real Life Anti-Aircraft Weapon Mountings. From 1890 thru 1900, the 2-Inch Guns were primarily Anti-Personnel Weaponry; but, with the advent of HMS Dreadnought, the 2-Inch Guns became Anti-Torpedo Boat Weapons; because, Naval Warfare Combat ceased to occur within Sailor-To-Sailor Combat Range. Players like "Stealth17 Gaming" who like to get within Sailor-To-Sailor Combat Range may find having 2-Inch Guns very desirable.

I go for the largest gun that's a better model (mark 4 over mark 3) and size that up to 0.9 and 20 percent longer barrels. Good reload, accuracy and pen relatively and well my ships are all optimized for long range combat. Which means cheesing the 0.9 20 percent to the max in order to get max accuracy. Edit: yeah I tend to meme around as well , 37 knot BC in 1930 on a 27000 tons base I use AXYZ or AXY for BC, ABX or ABXY for BB in case you're wondering. For cruiser killer BCs I use AXY.

wish you did a video of how to armor up crusiers and battlecrusiers

In the early game, ships that have a rear quarterdeck allow you to have rear superimposed guns, before you're allowed to put turrets on barbettes.

I found very difficult to physically balancing the ship when trying to reconstruct a Queen Elizabeth :/

25:30 I’d switch the 4 inch and aft main gun around to get more benefits

Hey there, great content, but i had a question about secondaries. In my experience, when your ship has an overall High rate of Fire...It seems like the game can handle only so much rate of Fire, and It prioritizes secondaries. Eg. When i get in 2" range my main guns completely stop firing. If i disable secondaries, main guns resume firing normally. Did you ever encounter this bug? Have you a solution? Had no luck on the uad forum

And on a barbett to allow the 2 inch guns on main rear to work

very helpfull, ty :)

Crew Quarters is another interesting issue. I don't have ULTIMATE ADMIRAL: DREADNOUGHTS; therefore, I can't see the details of the Slider Effects concerning Crew Quarters. However, there is a definite difference between each Crew Quarter Classification. As with Bulkhead Technology and Hull Bottom Technology, Crew Quarter Technology isn't accurately represented; in that, the Player could create Max Out Crew Quarter Capacity during the Time Period when Real Life Crew Quarters were Cramped. Crew Quarters Mechanics also allows the Player to easily overpower Enemy AI Warships. There does seem to be a Slider Range for each Crew Quarter Classification. ¿Does this mean that each Crew Quarter Classification has a Minimum Crew & Maximum Crew Range that is separate from the other Crew Quarters Classifications? ¿Does The Minimum Crew Quarters Rating have a different Crew Performance Rating from the "Maximum" Cramped Crew Quarters Rating?

I have it quite often where I lose the train of thought and go with whatever's next For I felt that the title of the video was lost in the process of, well, the first part of the video

Currently playing a Italy campaign my very first and my laptop is so old and jankey that I've only been able to design a battleship using this as a guide. Every time I try to design another ship it crashes, sooo can you do a one ship challenge campaign?

There is third way to think of a Balanced Ship. ¿How is the Warship balanced in relation to the other Warships within your Task Force; and/or, within your Fleet; and/or, within your Naval Force? This is Advanced Gameplay Theoretics; and, relates to how you want to utilize, and Design Warships; based on, the various Warship Types. -- BBs -- BCs -- CAs -- CLs -- DDs -- Ts Typically, the Battleship is The Queen Of The Seas. It is the Largest Surface Combat Warship (Aircraft Carriers aren't designed for Surface-To-Surface Naval Artillery Combat) within your Naval Force; and, it has the Biggest Guns and the Heaviest Armor of all the Warships within your Naval Force; thus, tends to be the Slowest Warship within your Naval Force. However, you can create a Fast Battleship that has the speed of Cruisers; and, be the Largest Warship with the Biggest Guns and the Heaviest Armor of all the Warships within your Naval Force. In contrast, Battlecruisers are designed to have the speed of Cruisers; and, to be armed with Battleship Main Guns; and, are typically less Armored than Battleships. Thus, a 20-Inch Gun Battleship will theoretically defeat a 20-Inch Gun Battlecruiser; however, Tactics & Strategy and Warship Design; and, Random Luck, may result in the 29-Inch Gun Battlecruiser defeating the 20-Inch Gun Battleship. Early Game (1890) Torpedo Boats tend to be Coastal Warships; while, Early Game (1890 & 1900) Destroyers are High Seas Torpedo Boats. However, Torpedo Boats and Destroyers could be designed as Dedicated Mine Warfare Warships; and/or, Dedicated Anti-Submarine Warfare Warships. Cruisers tend to be the Workhorses, and The Heroes, of the National Navies; and, Cruisers have the most numerous Sub-Classes of all Warship Types ... -- Unarmored Cruiser -- Protected Cruiser -- Armored Cruiser -- Light Cruiser -- Heavy Cruiser Battlecruisers are typically larger than the other Cruiser Sub-Classes; thus, some Nations classify Battlecruisers as a Ship Classification unto itself; while, some Nations classify Battlecruisers as a Sub-Class to Battleships; while, some Nations classify Battlecruisers as a Sub-Class to Cruisers. It is because of the very wide range of Warship Designs that could be created on Cruiser Hulls that The Washington Treaty Of 1922, and The 1930 London Treaty, was established. -- one of the many reasons Thus, you could create a Naval Force with a Slow Battleship that has 15-Inch Guns and Heavy Armor and that is very maneuverable; while, your Battlecruiser is a 20-Inch Gun Warship that is very fast and not maneuverable and Less Armored than your Battleship; while, having Coastal Mine Warfare Torpedo Boats and Coastal Anti-Submarine Torpedo Boats and High Seas "Torpedo Boat" Destroyers and "Fleet Scout" Cruisers and Armored/Heavy Cruisers serving as your Primary Fleet Combat Warship. Within the Campaign Game, there may be Scenarios where your Fleet will only consist of Battleships; and, you may find it desirable to have various different Battleship Designs that can complement each other against a Mixed Fleet Opponent. Within the Campaign Game, Early Game Warship Designs and/or Early Generation Warship Designs will become obsolete for their Intended Combat Roles due to Technology Advancement; but, these Warship Designs could serve in other Combat Roles that your Existing Warships can't fulfill; which, can help with your Financial Budget Management. Again, the Third Way of Balancing Warship Designs is in relation to the other Warship Designs within your Naval Force; and, how your Warship Designs compliment (synergize with) each other when encountering various different Enemy Warship Groupings that do occur within the Campaign Game. This is heavily dependent upon your Gameplay Style. "Stealth17 Gaming" prefers Close-In Combat; thus, his Warship Designs need to allow him to maneuver his Warships into 2-Inch Gun Range and 3-Inch Gun Range; especially, when a Battle Scenario begins outside 20-Inch Gun Maximum Range. Fleet Management Skill is also required for this Third Way of Balancing Warships.

I've noticed that when you changed the caliber length of your main guns the display changed as well, so you knew what the caliber of your guns were. I'm using 1.08.4 live, and it still doesn't update. When I install the guns, it shows the default caliber and doesn't change no matter what I do plus or minus % caliber.

from what i can see twin turrets are better higher rate of fire and more accurate better than having a extra gun

Why not swap the rear turret and the centerline 4" to shorten the citadel?

Hi, I'm playing using the RN from 1930. I'm using the stock fleet on a refit and improve basis. How do I go about correcting pitch and roll levels that are wildly off? I can balance the ship fore and aft okay, its just the pitch and roll I struggle to correct. Thanks

the hulls from the 1890s and 1900s by default has yellow or red pitch and roll...should i just roll with it?

You hardly have any small ship deffens in the rear

Do you ever manually set your small guns to HE? TY

If it was April 1, I'd just say, 'You can't. Screw you and thinking of a balanced ship.'

In my campaign, the mere modern battleship 3 Hull (USA) costs about 350 million, a completely equipped battleship (similar to yours) even costs 2.500.500.000, so FAR more than you show... did they change campaign economics within the last year or what's my mistake?

There is no One Correct Way to Design A Warship. As someone who has played BATTLETECH 2nd Edition and AEROTECH 2nd Edition and the MECHWARRIOR Video Game Series and GALACTIC CIVILIZATIONS II: DREAD LORDS and TRAVELLER: SCIENCE-FICTION ADVENTURES IN THE FAR FUTURE ©1980 and NAVY FIELD 1 and NAVY FIELD 2 and WORLD OF WARSHIPS and WORLD OF TANKS, I have developed my own Method Of Design that is different from the Prescribed Methods of the above Game Systems; because, I had become familiar enough with those Warmachines Design Mechanics that I could start with whatever Design Feature that I want as The Number One Priority. Thus, aside from choosing a Hull Type, I may first focus on The Propulsion System; or, first focus on The Main Gun Weapons; or, first focus on Casemate Guns; or, first focus on Secondary Guns; or, first focus on Torpedoes; or, first focus on The Armor Scheme; or, first focus on Ship Components; or, first focus on Crew Quarters; or, whatever. For me, my interest in ULTIMATE ADMIRAL: DREADNOUGHTS is about Designing A Warship based on Visual Aesthetics; and, not based on Maximum Optimization Of Game System Mechanics; and, not based on Rock-Paper-Scissors "Anti-Deck" Deck (MAGIC: THE GATHERING CCG Terminology) Warship Design. "¿What could I do with a Warship Design of my own making that utilizes the Technology of a given Time Period?" is my primary interest in Game Systems like ULTIMATE ADMIRAL: DREADNOUGHTS and NAVY FIELD and RULE THE WAVES. For me, I am not necessarily interested in having The Best Of The Best; so that, I can Dominate With Impunity the AI Opponent. -- Ultimately, that sort of Gameplay will become boring; especially when, the Game System AI Opponent isn't on my Par Level in terms of Warship Design and Warship Operation and Naval Fleet Tactics & Strategy. Having played Game Systems like COMMAND & CONQUER: RED ALERT and RISE OF NATIONS and WARCRAFT: ORCS VS HUMANS and WARCRAFT II: TIDES OF DARKNESS, I have found Game System AI Logic to be seriously lacking in Basic NPC Operation. -- ¿What is the Mission Role for the Warship? -- ¿What are the Design Priorities for the Warship? -- ¿How familiar am I with the Game System Warmachine Design Mechanics? These questions determine how I go about Designing An ULTIMATE ADMIRAL: DREADNOUGHTS Warship. I have been watching UA:D Videos for almost as long as "Stealth17 Gaming" has been Posting his UA:D Video is on KZfaq; so, I am very familiar with the UA:D Game System Warship Designs Mechanics for someone who has never played the Game; and, for someone who has never seen firsthand the Game System being played by someone else.

UAD - Naval big scale battles every turn.... IRL WW1 - 1 big battle for the whole war....

The citadel with the all forward armament is odd currently, it’s not as effective as it was historically as the citadel becomes too short. I want actual adjustable citadel, though will you look at the citadel plans when considering Devision 2?

How come your ship comes out to roughly 170 million, and the exact same ship on my game comes out to over 1.2billion?

That little gun in the rear above the rear main is a joke . At least put a long barrel 5.9 there

what the hell these 16 inch AP shells weigh as much as a 20 inch shell would have. The heaviest 16 inch shell was 1225kg and this was a super heavy shell standard 16 inch Ap shell weighed around 950kg. The IJN's 18.1 inch Ap shells weighed 1,460kg. your 16 inch shells are like a 1000kg heavier than his 18's I think the game might need some fixing