The Commodore's (Axis) Ship Reviews

The Commodore's (Axis) Ship Reviews

It's Autumn, Fall regionals are mostly behind us, and winter building season is nearly upon us. Many of us are (no doubt) looking foward to refurbishing that old ship, or building that new ship to dominate the waves next Summer.

Ah, but what ship to build, you ask? Well, thanks to our kind suppliers, there are more ships to choose from than ever, and many, if not all of them are excellent in one way or another. Which one you choose will likely depend on your own tastes, skills, or economic circumstances.

That said, choosing which ship offers the most "bang" for the, ah, buck, can be a bit tough, and while others have tried to quantify this process via mathematical models and database manipulations, I thought that I would offer my own reviews and comparisons here, based on my own experience and knowledge.

Keep in mind that having owned and battled (or battled with and against) several of these, I -might- know what I'm talking about. Feel free to disagree. If you do disagree, feel free to prove me wrong. Wouldn't be the first time that's happened.

So, before we get started, a little background and explanation. I've been enjoying over the past year or two a series of ship reviews written by a clever little rodent with a bouncy avatar. If you know whom I refer to, you will understand. If not, don't worry about it. I will be borrowing some of the concepts and terminology from those reviews, but hopefully not the verbosity. I don't have time for that.

Ships will be reviewed and 'graded' for each of the following characteristics:

Firepower: Does it have a lot of bang? If so, why? How does it compare to others?
Speed: Can it get into and out of harm's way with alacrity? Can it even get out of its own way?
Maneuverability: Once in harm's way, can it juke and jive, or is it merely a barge waiting to be hammered upon?
Target factor: Is there a lot to shoot at, or is it a prickly little porcupine, with lots of casemates?
Each factor will be given a grade from A to E. A meaning "best in class", and E meaning "It doesn't really get any worse."
Skill floor/ceiling: Is this ship beginner friendly, or does it require a skilled builder and battler to have a chance of being successful? If it is in the hands of a skilled battler, is it kind of meh, or is the sky the limit???

Finally, I will give a summary and overall grade, along with a catchprase such as "Gudbote", etc. You'll understand when you see them. So, without any further ado, here are my reviews of the battleships available to the Axis fleet...

AUSTRIA