Only after the IJN DECIDED they were, due to getting a remodel. Besides, there´s over thirty years between the two. Battleships got a lot bigger since Kongou was built.
Kongou was reclassified as a fast battleship in 1935. Standards change, you know?
No they didn't, the Japanese just decided to engage in a bit of wishful thinking that war experience laid bare as the absurdity it was.
armory18 said:
8 inches of belt armor make not a battleship.
They got penetrate by 5 inch destroyer guns. I think it was Hei.
Uh no, destroyer guns weren't even issued armor piercing projectiles they had at most "semi-armor piercing" shells that where really just HE shells with thicker cases rather then true armor piercing ammunition. Regardless even the best of these guns might penetrate perhaps 5 inch max if you basically placed the muzzle against a plate.
The ship that did it was was actually a heavy cruiser, and it didn't actually penetrate the belt but rather the entirely too weak steering gear protection (3 inch sides).* That said it's side main protection would still be suspect in a close in fight with cruisers, the USN 260 pound 8" AP could possibly become a threat at about 10km or less, but the move to the 335 pound "super heavy" round pushes that out to 15km which is starting to get into 'worryingly possible' engagement ranges.
By contrast real battleships with belts of 12 inches or more would be effectively immune to cruiser fire until it was damn near within ramming distance.
*
For some reason that evades me most navies seem to have placed lesser importance on armoring the steering gear, the assumption seems to be that being low in the ship it was unlikely to be hit. This wasn't an issue of the Kongou battle cruiser heritage either many battleships including Japanese ones were similarly weak in this area. Only the USN seems to have judged the steering systems worthy of heavy plating, and in fact the side and roof protection of the steering gear on many USN BBs was greater then the main citadel!
Darkestvampire92 said:
Only after the IJN DECIDED they were, due to getting a remodel. Besides, there´s over thirty years between the two. Battleships got a lot bigger since Kongou was built.
Even without the shoes Iowa looks like she'd have a few inches on Kongou.
Also, is it me or does it look like Iowa's head is larger than Kongou's?
Tk3997 said: For some reason that evades me most navies seem to have placed lesser importance on armoring the steering gear, the assumption seems to be that being low in the ship it was unlikely to be hit. This wasn't an issue of the Kongou battle cruiser heritage either many battleships including Japanese ones were similarly weak in this area. Only the USN seems to have judged the steering systems worthy of heavy plating, and in fact the side and roof protection of the steering gear on many USN BBs was greater then the main citadel!
But when it does get hit, it fucks shit up (see: Bismarck, though that admittedly was more the rudder itself).
For some reason that evades me most navies seem to have placed lesser importance on armoring the steering gear, the assumption seems to be that being low in the ship it was unlikely to be hit. This wasn't an issue of the Kongou battle cruiser heritage either many battleships including Japanese ones were similarly weak in this area. Only the USN seems to have judged the steering systems worthy of heavy plating, and in fact the side and roof protection of the steering gear on many USN BBs was greater then the main citadel!
Actually got it in the rudder, not the gear itself. No defense against that.
I think the only conclusion is that, in the age of the torpedo (whether by air, by destroyer, or by sub), a battleship is a niche weapon, not an ultimate weapon.
Sadly Iowas popularity already seems to have been diminished. Japan just can't get over their german waifus. Even touhous clownpiece lasted longer, American character are never popular in japan.
Sadly Iowas popularity already seems to have been diminished. Japan just can't get over their german waifus. Even touhous clownpiece lasted longer, American character are never popular in japan.
Well Iowa isn't in the main game just yet. Once all the Admirals can get their hands on her, things may change.
Well Iowa isn't in the main game just yet. Once all the Admirals can get their hands on her, things may change.
Iowa's intro was by far the strangest Kancolle has ever seen. She's off in some low budget Vita game. She doesn't have American destroyers or cruisers to talk to, or anyone to talk to really, so it's hard to make comics about her. She was preceded by her turret. She doesn't have any other cool equipment to discuss. She doesn't even have a lengthy battle history like many other USN ships. Sodak? Washington? Maury? Enterprise? Lex? Independence? Laffey? Johnston? Yorktown? Wasp? San Francisco? Atlanta? I could go on and on.
It isn't surprising that Iowa has nothing but pinups. It's surprising she got as much attention as she did, having nothing to go on.
Kongou was reclassified as a fast battleship in 1935. Standards change, you know?
Even by 1935 standards, Kongou was still a battlecruiser by any realistic definition. A much better battlecruiser than she'd been prior to the refit, but still a battlecruiser. Bear in mind that HMS Hood, despite never getting planned upgrades that turned out to be desperately needed, still had better armor in most respects than the refitted Kongou. And certainly nobody ever tried to designate her as a battleship.
Iowa's intro was by far the strangest Kancolle has ever seen. She's off in some low budget Vita game. She doesn't have American destroyers or cruisers to talk to, or anyone to talk to really, so it's hard to make comics about her. She was preceded by her turret. She doesn't have any other cool equipment to discuss. She doesn't even have a lengthy battle history like many other USN ships. Sodak? Washington? Maury? Enterprise? Lex? Independence? Laffey? Johnston? Yorktown? Wasp? San Francisco? Atlanta? I could go on and on.
I strongly agree with you on most of your points, with the exception of "She doesn't have anyone..to talk to", since she's joining kancolle, its only natural that she team-up and interact with her former enemies.
aceofspudz said: It isn't surprising that Iowa has nothing but pinups. It's surprising she got as much attention as she did, having nothing to go on.
I understand your view, with the "most creative" potrayals of how all the other ships get devalued just to make her look superior, I can see how she might have nothing interesting.
I'm very happy that Iowa gets introduced but the meager amount of creativity that she gets is kinda doing her an injustice. At least this pool has started using her in a more interesting way: pool #11020
Iowa's intro was by far the strangest Kancolle has ever seen. She's off in some low budget Vita game. She doesn't have American destroyers or cruisers to talk to, or anyone to talk to really, so it's hard to make comics about her. She was preceded by her turret. She doesn't have any other cool equipment to discuss. She doesn't even have a lengthy battle history like many other USN ships. Sodak? Washington? Maury? Enterprise? Lex? Independence? Laffey? Johnston? Yorktown? Wasp? San Francisco? Atlanta? I could go on and on.
It isn't surprising that Iowa has nothing but pinups. It's surprising she got as much attention as she did, having nothing to go on.
There was that one guy who played up the dynamic between her and Katori...
GoldSaw said:
Sadly Iowas popularity already seems to have been diminished. Japan just can't get over their german waifus. Even touhous clownpiece lasted longer, American character are never popular in japan.
ithekro said:
Well Iowa isn't in the main game just yet. Once all the Admirals can get their hands on her, things may change.
Eh, I'd say getting 10 pages of art in almost as many days is still pretty noteworthy.