Is Ruralia forbidden by treaty to have an actual navy or does it just not have one?
Is Ruralia forbidden by treaty to have an actual navy or does it just not have one?
The USN was disposing of many of their Eagle Class patrol craft in the late 1930's. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle-class_patrol_craft
Many of these hadn't been used too much, so they would have had a lot of life left. Armament would be adequate for coastal defense against smugglers, poachers, or any enemy smaller than a destroyer. Speed is high enough for coastal work and learning to operate the simple turbines would bring the Ruralia Navy (?) into the 20th century.
The Steam Gun Boats proved expensive to build and operate, and had to be built by the same yards that were building DE because of their steam turbines. The real success story in that class was the Fairmile D, but too late for Ruralia.For a small patrol class suitable for a rough sea enviroment then you will be hard pushed to beat the SGB, fast enough to catch fast smugglers and more capable in a rough sea than and Eboat or MGB.
Steam gun boat - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
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Fast and capable with a decent main gun
Pair it up with some Bangor class minesweepers or if you have the money Halcyon class sweepers, your choice of engines to suit what Rualia is capable of maintaining, the longer Bangor fitted with diesels would give a little more accommodation for crew or stores.
Halcyon-class minesweeper - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
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Bangor-class minesweeper - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
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An excelent concept (cheap mass produced oceanic escort) but a bad design (a case of: "If it looks bad it sails bad"They'd be a better fit than the surplus four pipers I suggested. Much better suited to a coast guard than old destroyers. I still think armed trawlers are the more likely option though.
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