Thiaria: Reboot

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Thiarian Submarines 1908 through 1918

The Thiarian Navy was very slow to take up submarine design. They considered anything that might divert funds away from battleship construction as a threat to national security and maintained as late as 1905 that submarines were totally useless and had no future as a weapon system. Only in 1908, the political leadership ordered the first two submarines; as the established naval powers considered submarine technology as top secet at that time and would not permit any exports, both were ordered at a newly established state-run specialized submarine yard, the CFC (Cath-Fomhuireanchearta) at An Trionaid which had been built between 1905 and 1908. The boats were small 220-tonners sporting many typically french features, like the tiny CTs and the lack of internal torpedo tubes, with four 450mm fish carried in external Drzewiecki-type drop-collars. They were experimental in many ways and sorely lacked reliability; their petrol engines in particular were a constant lethal danger to their crews. They were never used operationally, but enabled the Thiarians to collect valuable experience; unfortunately, the poor performance of their engines led them to the conclusion that steam turbines were a better option for submarine propulsion. The names of these boats mean Malevolence and Ambush, respectively.
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The follow-on class was - unlike the purely experimental first two boats - designed to be used in combat. They were slightly larger at 270 tons, had twice as many torpedo drop-collars and used imported Koerting diesels from Germany for propulsion. Like their predecessors, they were unreliable and poor performers in most respects, being slow to move (9 knots above water and 5 below), even slower to dive (three minutes) and very short ranged. During the war, they were - wisely - used for training only. They were named for magic weapons from ancient Irish mythology.
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After their efforts to produce usable submarines domestically had not yielded much, the Thiarian government finally persuaded the French to deliver something really workable to them and ordered two boats at Schneider's in 1912. They were quintessentially french designs with double hulls, steam turbine propulsion, eight torpedoes carried externally and none inside the hull and very small CTs. They shared all good and bad characteristics of contemporary french submarines, particularly the high surface speed (17 knots), the good reliability, the sturdiness of the hull providing for good damage resistance and an - by the standards of the time - impressive operational maximum depth of 80 meters - and the extremely long diving time of over ten minutes, the short range and the indifferent underwater stability. Nevertheless, they were much better than what the Thiarians had designed themselves, so they ordered ten more to be license-produced at An Trionaid (8) and the Boldisaire-yard, Thiaria's first private yard to engage in submarine construction. All twelve were in active service during the war, although the last four appeared only in 1918 and saw not much action. Due to a fundamentally faulty doctrine that used submarines to serve as fleet scouts rather than sending them after merchants, they achieved very little; LT Foghlai was the only one to sink a major enemy warship, the old protected cruiser HMS Rainbow in 1917. They did however perform their scouting mission successfully at the battle of Craigmiadh, where four of the class were present and managed to sneak up to and shadow three of the four squadrons of the allied fleet, enabling the Thiarians to engage them in sequence rather than all at once. Seven of the class were lost during the war; ominously, three of them fell victim to accidents (two diving accidents and one was rammed by a merchantman). The others were surrendered to Great Britain in 1919. Their names mean - in the sequence on the drawing: Marauder, Insurgent, Rogue, Reaver, Privateer, Trickster, Pirate, Knave, Assassin, Berserk, Executioner and Killer. That choice of names amply illustrates the lingering lack of enthusiasm of the Thiarian Navy for submarines.
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The next domestically designed submarine class outwardly looked very much like the worthless Claiomh-Solais-Class, but these boats introduced some important novelties (all of which were standard for most foreign submarines for some years already): They used licensed MAN Diesels, at that time the most reliable on the planet, and they were Thiaria's first submarines with internal torpedo tubes and a deck gun (a 65mm piece in her case). They sported much improved performance compared with the Claiomh Solais, being faster (13/8 knots), having better diving time (90 seconds) and were much safer to operate. The number and caliber of torpedoes remained the same. Their names mean Serpent, Dragon, Spectre, Wyvern, Vampire, Demon, Phantom and Imp. They were mostly used defensively to block the entrance to the Bauaine against enemy incursions, but also unleashed upon Brazilian shipping in 1917; they were the only Thiarian submarine class to score significantly against enemy merchants (between them 29 with 117.000 tons, mostly small coasters); they also claimed two British destroyers and one Brazilian one, two British minelayers and two British submarines. Three were lost in action, none of them by accident.
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The first large, oceangoing submarine design of the Thiarian Navy (1.000 tons surfaced) was an upscaled development of the Bladhmiaire-class, featuring steam propulsion for a very high surface speed of 20 knots (10 knots submerged due to very strong batteries, although at very short range), half the torpedo loadout externally and still not much of a CT, resulting in the same poor submerged stability. Diving time was the same, but range had been tripled. The boats were reliable enough, but they were employed by the same doctrine as the Bladhmiaires and achieved almost nothing. One of them sunk the large British destroyer HMS Swift in 1918, but four of them were lost, two by mines during a botched attack on capetown harbour, one in a diving accident and one by gunfire by Brazilian destroyers. Their names mean Cachalot, Dolphin, Porpoise, Whale, Mereswine, Walrus, Seal, Sealion, Narwhale, Killer Whale, Sea Leopard and Pilot Whale.
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The follow-on to the Siolpaire-class was a thoroughly revised 600-ton design that obviously incorporated some German influence; several German submarines had reached Thiaria during 1916 and were intensely studied. Although their performance looked impressive enough on paper (Speed 15/10 knots, one 100mm and one 65mm deck gun, four of the new 559mm torpedo tubes with eight fish), only six of the class were finished before the war ended, and those six failed to achieve anything during their very short active service period. Two were lost, one rammed by a British destroyer and one mined; the others were either surrendered in 1918/19 or broken up. Two were used by the Brazilian Navy between 1920 and 1936, but had to be scrapped prematurely due to a lack of spare parts. All boats in the class were named for ancient celtic deities from Irish mythology.
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The final Thiarian submarine type to be ordered during the war was this much improved 1.100 ton oceangoing long-range sub, whose performance was fully comparable with contemporary German submarines. None were finished, and all had to be broken up in 1919. Their names mean Barracuda, Hammerhead Shark, Swordfish, Stingray, Sea Devil, Basking Shark, Blue Shark and Octopus.
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Greetings
GD

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Thiarian Gunboats, Sloops, Minelayers and Minesweepers

1. Gunboats

1.1. Straeir-Class
Thiaria had no colonies (her politicians always made a point of telling everyone how morally superior that made them to the rest of the world), so her navy was not tasked with protecting or controlling colonies, which considerably limited the need for gunboat-type ships. The requirement for some muscle to protect Thiarian economic interests in underdeveloped countries was however recognized in the early 1890s, and in 1893 and 1894, four large gunboats primarily intended for 'diplomatic' missions in the most cynical sense of the word were ordered. They displaced 1.700 tons and carried four 140mm and six 65mm pieces, plus four 37mm revolvers, placing them among the most powerful of their kind. Their completion was delayed by the 1894 war against Brazil, and they commissioned in 1896 and 1897. Their names were Straeir (Ranger), Ambasadoir (Ambassador), Toscaire (Envoy) and Teachtaire (Messenger). They were single screw ships with long range and comfortable accomodation, but poor speed and maneuverability; in the classical gunboat role, they were not very useful due to their deep draught which prevented them from operating on most Chinese rivers and other shallow waters. All four were fitted as cadet training vessels, but usually only one of them at the same time performed that duty.
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All units of this class spent lengthy detachments on foreign stations; from 1900, Thiaria always maintained one gunboat in the Caribbean (usually based in Venezuela) and one on the China station (based in Macao under an agreement with Portugal dating to 1898). Three of four were sunk during the first world war: Teachtaire was intercepted by the cruiser HMS Amethyst on her way back from a visit to New York a few days after the war was declared; she was eventually sunk, but gave the Amethyst a fierce fight for her life. Ambasadoir was rather unceremoniously sunk by HM submarine D2 in August 1916, and Toscaire was stranded on a well charted rock while chasing an imaginary british submarine late in 1917. Straeir's engines were in a poor condition in 1916 and she was laid up in February; she was used as a stationary TS till 1919, then broken up.

1.2. Pionsoir-Class
After the defeat in the war of 1894, piracy and smuggling became worse around Thiaria, and the fight against this kind of crime assumed greater priority. In 1896, 1897 and 1898, the Thiarian navy ordered four 1000-ton gunboats every year. As they were intended for police duties only, they carried only light armament (five 65mm guns), but they had quarters for a 40-strong Marine detachment, a spacious prison and - most importantly - could carry two steam launches armed with 47mm guns for pursuit of pirates and smugglers to waters which were a little too littoral for the gunboats themselves. Speed and maneuverability were essential, so they had twin screws for 18 knots. All were commissioned prior to 1900. Their names were Pionsoir (Fencer), Dornalai (Boxer), Fiagai (Chaser), Garda (Guard), Gunnadoir (Gunner), Peas (Policeman), Marascal (Marshall), Sealgaire (Hunter), Rialtoir (Governor), Sirriam (Sheriff), Coimirceoir (Guardian) and Tarrthalai (Rescuer).
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They were instrumental in quelling the pirate scourge in the first decade of the 20th century; by 1915, their primary mission was all but accomplished. From 1910, the Thiarians deployed two of them to the China station; in 1916, it was Rialtoir's and Dornalai's turn. Rialtoir was sunk by HMAS Melbourne just outside Macao, while Dornalai made it to Corregidor and was interned. After the US entered the war, her crew was given leave by the Thiarian Admiralty to surrender her. She was scrapped in Japan in 1920. The class was slated for replacement from 1916, but the first world war shifted priorities, and they had to soldier on as minelayers.

2. Sloops

2.1. Ursan-Class
A few weeks after the war had begun, British D-, G- and J-class long range submarines started to operate around Thiaria and prey on Thiarian shipping, at first with near impunity. There were no provisions for effective ASW warfare, and the Thiarians were lucky that the British could only spare a dozen submarines at the same time to harass them. A convoy system was proposed, but at first not implemented because almost no escorts were available; the fleet command jealously kept all active destroyers for itself, and did not start to fit them with ASW gear prior to mid-1917. To close this obvious capability gap, the 1916 supplementary estimates provided funds for a crash-development programme of a dedicated ASW escort vessel with secondary mine warfare capability similar to the British Flower-class sloops. As the ships were supposed to be oceangoing and reasonably fast (turbine propulsion and 20 knots were specified), the Thiarians designed them big; at 1.100 tons, the hulls were approximately the same size as a contemporary F-class destroyer, but shorter and beamier and with only 40% of a destroyer's designed hp. They were comfortable and good seaboats, but due to their very small rudder, they were not really maneuverable enough to be effective escorts, having the same tactical diameter as a Neamhspleachas-class pre-dreadnought battleship. Few WW1-era Thiarian ships featured serious design flaws, but this certainly was one. They carried four 100mm guns in a lozenge arrangement and were fitted with DC racks and Hydrophones from the beginning. Two 65mm AA guns and four 8mm AAMGs were retrofitted to all completed units before the first one was commissioned. The 1917 and 1918 estimates provided for 12 units each; the first four were laid down before funding was authorized in November and December 1916, which clearly shows how direly they were needed. Like the torpedo gunboats of 25 years before, which served as the Thiarian Navy's principal minelayers during the first world war, these ships were named for predatory animals: Ursan (Bear), Cadhoit (Coyote), Tiogar (Tiger), Sionnach (Fox), Broc (Badger), Mactire (Wolf), Nathair (Snake), Siota (Cheetah), Fiachat (Wildcat), Faolchu (Jackal), Leon (Lion), Hieana (Hyenah), Gairial (Gharial), Dobharchu (Otter), Grisun (Grison), Lincse (Lynx), Pantar (Panther), Firead (Ferrett), Mangus (Mongoose), Caiman (Caiman), Minc (Mink), Easog (Stoat), Neas (Weasel), and Fosa (Fossa Cat).
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All were laid down before they were officially authorized, the last two in February 1918, and they averaged a building time of 12 months. When the war ended, 16 were complete and 12 in commission. Ursan and Broc fell prey to British submarines (G4 and G2, respectively) in 1918, the others survived the war. Since the Thiarians were slow to develop a sound ASW doctrine and training regime, they were not very efficient; none of them ever sunk an enemy submarine. But their presence alone was a considerable deterrent, and Thiarian merchant shipping losses dropped sharply in the final year of the war, for which these vessels have to be at least partly credited. With allied escorts abounding, there was no interest in them as reparations, and all 14 completed units remained in Thiaria. Two further ones were completed postwar; Fosa, Neas, Easog, Caiman, Mangus and Minc were dismantled on stocks. When the Thiarian coast guard was established in 1922, twelve of these ships were transferred to the new service (minus their lateral 100mm guns, their 65mm flaks and their ASW gear) and formed the nucleus of its fleet.
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The other four (Sionnach, Nathair, Leon and Lincse) were completely disarmed during the 1920s and used as tenders and later as accomodation ships till the end of the second world war. Although they were sturdy ships, their engines were in poor shape (12 knots top speed in 1939), so they were not reacivated. The Coast Guard ships, which were thoroughly refurbished in the early 1930s and still good for 18 knots in 1939, were rearmed in 1940 and pressed into escort service, although they remained under Coast Guard command. They were mostly used in low-threat areas, so ten of them survived the war and continued to serve with the Thiarian coast Guard till they literally fell apart in the late 1950s.

2.2. Caithne-Class
While the Ursan-Class was designed to wait for the submarines to come to them and then pound them, be it surfaced or submerged, the simultaneously acquired 750-ton Caithne-Class adhered to the other common ASW tactic employed in the first world war, the offensive ASW patrol by warships disguised as coasters (Q-Ships), which carried only guns (two 140mm monsters in front and aft of the bridge and a 65mm flak aft), but no depth charges. They not only looked like merchants - some 30 genuine ones of similar size were requisitioned in 1916 and converted to makeshift Q-ships - but also had cargo berths to double as supply ships or troop transports. Twelve were authorized in 1917 and twelve more in 1918. They were very similar to the later French Amiens-class, but neither was based upon the other; there simply were not many different ways to design such purpose-built Q-ships. Unlike the Ursan-Class, which were built by naval yards and large private shipbuilders rather quickly, the Caithnes were contracted to small private yards which had to operate with very limited manpower, so building time varied wildly from nine to seventeen months. They were named for trees: Caithne (Arbutus tree), Peine (Pine), Dair (Oak), Mailp (Maple), Cuileann (Holly tree), Fearn (Alder Tree), Beith (Birch) Ceadar (Cedar), Mahagaine (Mahogany), Conbhaiscne (Dogwood Tree), Eabann (Ebony), Crannrubar (Hevea/Rubber tree), Acaicia (Acacia), Faibhile (Beech), Hicearai (Hickory), Poibleog (Poplar), Cufrog (Cypress), Giuis (Fir), Siorghlas (Thuja), Learog (Larch), Sprus (Spruce), Iur (Yew), Pailm (Palm tree), and Beallai (Laburnum tree).
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Although the first units of the class entered service as late as May 1918 and the last twelve not at all, they accounted for two enemy submarines between them (HMS D3 and the Brazilian F1), both by gunfire. Acacia was lost on action to a Brazilian mine, while Beith, Dair and Conbhaiscne were sunk by British submarines (G4, J6 and E19, respectively). After the war, all but four were broken up within five years, as the concept of the Q-ship had become obsolete. The four survivors (Mailp, Cuileann, Mahagaine and Eabann) were used as minesweeper tenders throughout the second world war and broken up soon afterwards.

3. Minelayers

3.1. Iaguar- and Crogall-classes
Four torpedo gunboats, which were considered too slow to effectively deal with enemy torpedo boats after the war against Brazil in 1908. They were rebuilt to minelayers, the first such ships in the Thiarian fleet not based on merchant hulls. Modifications were nearly identical, and the four ships were very hard to tell apart. Their armament was changed to 1 - 100mm and 5 - 65mm in 1910. In 1914, they received a new bridge forward; from 1916, up to four 8mm MGs were mounted on top of the old bridge structure, of which only a skeleton remained.
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After the war, the two older ones (Iaguar-class) were hulked and used for mine and torpedo training, lasting another twelve years before being scrapped in 1931. The two newer ones (Crogall-class) had seen more active service and were completely spent. They were scrapped in 1921 and 1924, respectively.

3.2. Contuirt-Class
Two old cruisers which were rebuilt to minelayers in 1912. By 1916, both approached a quarter century of age and were only employed defensively and as mine warfare training ships.
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Fiontar was wrecked and driven ashore during a defensive mining operation in a heavy winter storm in August 1917; Contuirt survived the war as a minesweeper tender and was scrapped in 1923.

3.3. Pionsoir-Class
The surviving gunboats of the Pionsoir-class were rebuilt to minelayers in 1915/16. Their size, speed (after a major overhaul, their machinery was still good for 16 knots in 1916) and maneuverability made them well suited to the task, and by the end of 1916, all ten had been converted.
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They were so successful that Thiaria did not need to build any purpose-designed minelayers. Corai caught the Brazilian submarine F5 surfaced in March 1918 and sunk it with gunfire; Garda was wrecked 1917 on a mining mission off the Brazilian coast, and Marascal was torpedoed by HMS E17. After the war, the survivors were completely worn out and were broken up in 1921 through 1924.

4. Minesweepers

4.1. Seangan-Class
The fifteen surviving Seangan-Class torpedo boats were rebuilt to costal minesweepers between 1911 and 1913 and served in this capacity during the first world war. For names see the torpedo boat entry.
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Apart from two which were lost in accidents (Dreancoid had to be scrapped after a boiler explosion in 1915 and Maintis was blown up while clearing a friendly minefield shortly after the armistice), all survived the war; they were used as tenders and training vessels till the mid-twenties, then scrapped.

4.2. Aibiuil-Class
Formerly french-designed Durandal-class destroyers which were refit to minesweepers between 1912 and 1913 and served in this capacity during the first world war and some years after; for names see A-Class destroyers.
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Amharach was sunk by a Brazilian MTB in 1917, the other six were scrapped in 1928.

4.3. Briomhar-Class
Eight former destroyers based on the Claymore-group of the French Durandal-class, which were refitted to mine warfare craft in 1913 through 1915. For names see B-class destroyers. They could alternately be used as minesweepers or minelayers, and their high speed (still 24 knots in 1916) enabled them to perform some daring offensive minelaying missions off the Brazilian coast during the first world war.
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Buan and Beartach were lost during one of these missions when they were caught by two Brazilian destroyers and sunk by gunfire. The other six continued to serve as minesweepers till the mid-twenties and were scrapped in 1926/7.

4.4. Seabhac-Class
Unlike ASW, for which the Thiarians showed little aptitude, they were well versed in mine warfare since the Brazilian war of 1907/8; even before they entered the first world war in 1916, they had already converted 15 old destroyers and 14 torpedo boats to minesweepers and employed two old cruisers and four old torpedo gunboats as minelayers. Within days after the declaration of war, some 90 civilian trawlers were earmarked for activation as auxiliary minesweepers, complete with their crews, and ten large patrol gunboats were converted to minelayers. In July 1916, 24 purpose-built minesweepers were ordered. They were trawler-type ships with minimal armament (only a single 65mm gun to explode mines after their wires were cut), but very good seakeeping abilities. They were named for birds: Seabhac (Hawk), Iolar (Eagle), Ulchabhan (Eagle Owl), Meirliun (Merlin), Croman (Harrier), Bultur (Vulture), Cur (Kite), Screachog (Owl), Pocaire (Kestrel), Fabhcun (Peregrine Falcon), Clamhan (Buzzard), Condar (Condor), Preachan (Crow), Meirleach (Skua), Spiorog (Sparrowhawk) and Naoscach (Snipe). All were begun in August - October 1916 and completed within six months.
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During the war, they were mostly used in Thiarian home waters and around New Portugal. Meirliun, Pocaire, Meirleach and Naoscach were lost, all to mine detonations while doing their job. As neither the British nor the Brazilians were very active with mines, half the class were refitted to patrol ships with two additional 65mm guns aft; of the 90 requisitioned civilian trawlers, only 20 received sweeping gear, and the other 70 were used as patrol caft only. After the war, they were considered redundant and sold to civilian interests to be used as fishing trawlers.

4.5. Coirneach-Class
The Thiarians had realized the requirement for large fleet minesweepers since the war of 1908, but due to the absolute priority of the battlefleet, no funding was made available in peacetime. The 1916 emergency programme had provided the Thiarian fleet with a large number of auxiliary minesweepers, which were however deemed too small, too slow, too uncomfortable for prolonged operations and not sufficiently armed. Moreover, due to the relative inactivity of Thiaria's British and Brazilian enemies on the mine warfare sector, the initial fear that numbers might not suffice had evaporated early in 1917. At this time, a smaller number of larger, more versatile ships was considered more useful, and a design for a large oceangoing minesweeper which could double as a fleet tug if necessary was adopted in May 1917. Construction commenced in September, and the first unit was commissioned in June 1918. Like all purpose-built Thiarian minesweepers, they were named after birds: Coirneach (Osprey), Peileacan (Pelican), Frigead (Frigatebird), Canog (Puffin), Piasun (Pheasant), Broigheall (Cormorant), Cruidin (Kingfisher), Guardal (Petrel), Gainead (Gannet), Faoilean (Gull), Piongain (Penguin), Fulmaire (Fulmar), Fainleog (Swallow), Colur (Pigeon), Corr (Heron), Gealbhan (Sparrow), Lasairean (Flamingo), Faracha (Guillemot), Eala (Swan), Saidbhear (Kittiwake), Tucan (Toucan), Ibis (Ibis), Pearaid (Parrot) and Eamu (Emu).
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When the war was over, the first batch of 12 was completed, and the others followed at a leisurely pace in 1920 through 1922. 16 boats remained in service with the navy and formed the core of its minesweeping force between the wars; all saw active service in the second world war, where five were lost. Eight (Peileacan, Piasun, Broigheall, Guardal, Piongain, Corr, Gealbhan and Eamu) were refitted to oceangoing salvage tugs without armament or sweeping gear and handed over to the new Thiarian Coast Guard in 1923.
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A few of them served in this capacity till the late 1950s.

This post wraps Thiaria's WWI-era fleet. I will continue with 1920 - 1945 era ships, beginning with aircraft carriers, in a few days; of course, that will take some time, because they won't be reposts, but still have to be drawn (the first three are nearing completion...)

Greetings
GD

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