Once the 6,000-ton target proves unrealistic, the campaign accepts a force of roughly fifty 12,000-ton escort cruisers. The extra displacement buys a coherent set of capabilities. Six quadruple Pom-Pom mountings, three on each side, provide dense close-range air defence, while twelve 5.5-inch guns and three torpedo launchers yield substantial surface firepower and a nine-torpedo broadside. The ship also reaches 36.4 knots with maximum bulkheads, increased ammunition, and a strong long-range accuracy modifier. Halving the planned ship count produces a vessel whose speed, weapons, and survivability can coexist.
Notable Point · 42:49-45:54
What the 12,000-ton escort cruiser buys
Accepting a roughly 12,000-ton hull produces a 36.4-knot escort cruiser with dense anti-aircraft fire, twelve 5.5-inch guns, a nine-torpedo broadside, and strong survivability settings.