Man the Guns replaces the existing naval technology system of set, successive designs with an extensive modular system that allows players to create more highly customized individual ship classes. Each ship has a number of slots for modules depending on its hull type, located above and below its portrait in the ship design screen. The bottom-side slots are considered fundamental mountings for the class and are universal to them, though some such as AA or torpedoes need not be filled. For instance, all destroyers have bottom-side mountings for one battery gun, one AA mount, a fire control/sonar, a sonar/radar, a torpedo launcher, and an engine. All ships also are required to have certain mountings -- a destroyer, for instance, must have a battery and an engine, as otherwise it has no means to move or defend itself.
However, the mountings above the portrait are additional slots for customizing the class, and contain no mandatory elements. These are divided into three sections for the ship -- front, middle, and rear, with up to two front and rear slots and three middles ones. As an example, the Early Destroyer Hull only has one middle and one rear slot above-portrait, but the 1940 Destroyer Hull has a middle, rear, and front.
Exactly what can go in the optional slots also changes from ship class to ship class. Cruisers and battleships can only mount main guns or AA in their front slots, but destroyers can mount depth charges in theirs (as the 1940 technology bracket also unlocks the Depth Charge Mortar). A wide variety of equipment exists that can produce highly specialized ships.
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The naval research tree without Man the Guns activated.
The Naval technologyresearch tree unlocks new ships and technologies related to naval invasions. It can be found between the land doctrine and naval doctrine tabs in the research interface. There are a total 31 different technologies within the naval tree: 28 ship classes organized into seven types and three naval transport technologies. Note that the first naval transport technology, Transport Ship, is required to execute naval invasions. Also note that a blue diamond on a ship's portrait indicates that it is a capital ship; capital ships are designed to sink enemy ships in surface battles and are capable of providing shore bombardment except for aircraft carriers which provide bombardment via their close air support (CAS) planes.
The lightest screening vessel. Screens are very important because they defend the larger ships from enemy small ships that can carry torpedoes (torpedoes have a lower hit chance but when they hit they do a ton of damage on large ships). Destroyers are cheap screens that can evade large caliber fire, add anti-air capabilities, and let you detect and neutralize submarines.
Icon (generic)
Technology
Year
Base cost
Prerequisites
Description
Effects
Destroyer I
1922
150 days
To ensure the safety of convoys, the destroyers of the Great War must be repurposed and developed. Arming vessels with more torpedoes will allow more opportunities to engage.
Longer torpedo range and faster reload speeds, along with new types of armaments such as anti-air turrets, will allow our destroyers to remain efficient and versatile.
The modern destroyer must be fitted with a variety of different detection technologies, new depth charge deployment systems and be built at a larger scale than their predecessors.
Light Cruiser - A light screening vessel. Cruisers are good at taking out other screens. Its primary duty is to shield capital ships from enemy light ships that carry torpedoes, but it can also unleash powerful torpedoes that are capable of hurting bigger ships if they get close enough.
Heavy Cruiser - A large armored cruiser that is pretty flexible. A good choice for nations who can't afford to build larger capital ships. Heavy cruisers can take a lot of hits and carry a lot of firepower.
Icon (generic)
Technology
Year
Base cost
Prerequisites
Description
Effects
Light Cruiser I
1922
150 days
Maneuverable light cruisers that can maintain a high speed will continue to be useful for scouting missions.
Now skirting the limits of treaties, larger and more heavily armored cruisers can be built, still with light enough weaponry to be classified as light cruisers.
Tactically employed to protect larger ships, the modern generation of light cruisers can shake off most past restrictions and be better armed to handle aerial attacks.
The Washington Naval Treaty was set up to prevent an arms race in cruisers, among other ships, but this seems inevitable. By keeping armor light, the weapons load can be increased.
As restrictions are increasingly ignored worldwide, more balanced heavy cruiser designs with more priority on armor can be built. Better anti-air guns allow these ships to cooperate in naval air warfare.
A large capital ship often with offensive abilities close to those of a battleship, but weaker armor traded for faster speed. Battlecruisers can take a lot of hits and carry a lot of firepower.
Icon (generic)
Technology
Year
Base cost
Prerequisites
Description
Effects
Battlecruiser I
1922
150 days
The post-war battlecruiser arms race resulted in several heavily armed designs, sacrificing armor for speed compared to battleships.
Rebuilt and repurposed battlecruisers continue to outrun even modern battleship designs by lighter protection, but have developed better systems for fire control, detection and aerial defenses.
The largest capital ship with the biggest guns and strongest armor that money can buy. Such an expensive investment deserves proper support of smaller screening ships. Battleships can take a lot of hits and carry a lot of firepower.
Icon (generic)
Technology
Year
Base cost
Prerequisites
Description
Effects
Battleship I
1922
150 days
Considered by some to be a relic of a bygone era of naval warfare, by others as the most impressive ships ever built, no one can deny that these remnants of the battleship arms race constitute some of the most heavily armed and armored vessels ever built.
With improved stability and range, a new generation of battleships improve upon previous designs while remaining within limits stipulated by naval treaties.
Thicker armor, stronger engines, a battery of high-caliber guns and improved anti-air capabilities can allow battleships to remain relevant, if correctly employed, in a world where naval warfare is increasingly dominated by aerial support.
The current state of the world no longer has any room for abiding by naval treaties. Without these limitations, we can focus entirely on creating the heaviest, most well-armed battleships of all time, able to engage multiple lesser vessels.
A capital ship able to carry wings of powerful carrier capable aircraft into battle. Also useful as a floating airfield you can position off the coast of your enemy.
Icon (generic)
Technology
Year
Base cost
Prerequisites
Description
Effects
Carrier I
1922
150 days
Many military theorists believe that naval aviation is the future. Converting old capital ships and ocean liners to carry aircraft will be the first step towards utilizing these new doctrines.
As work begins on the first keel-up carrier designs, we must ensure that these ships have the range and speed to keep up with the rest of our navy, while respecting the post-war naval treaties.
With many naval treaties now increasingly ignored, we can proceed to build carriers capable of transporting more planes than ever to secure air superiority cover.
The role of the submarine is to hunt down enemy shipping and not have to challenge a superior enemy fleet directly to hurt them. Submarines employ stealth and powerful torpedoes to destroy enemy convoys. Submarines can also fill a role in regular fleet combat should the enemy be low on submarine detection. A submarine starts out hidden and is either spotted if it gets too close to a destroyer or after firing a torpedo after which it will try to escape. It won't be an effective weapon against an enemy with a proper fleet, but unescorted capital ships won't have much defense.
The goal of the submarine is primarily to attack your enemy's economy by preying on convoy routes. For example:
Attacking convoys along an enemy trade route will deny them foreign resources.
A nation split across the globe like Britain must convoy home resources to their capital area from many places in its empire to use them, making them vulnerable to submarine raiding.
When receiving lend lease, convoys carrying equipment can be sunk and will be lost forever.
When deploying troops on foreign theaters of war a nation must ferry supply and reinforcement equipment to them. By taking out these convoys their troops will be weaker and easier to defeat.
Troops being transported or during a planned invasion may be attacked leading to them being wiped out or severely weakened. You always want to be very careful and guard your transport routes before sending troops somewhere in war time.
Icon (generic)
Technology
Year
Base cost
Prerequisites
Description
Effects
Submarine I
1922
150 days
Submarines are stealthy vessels designed to take out undefended convoys. The early models from the Great War pave the way for new methods of naval warfare.
Better armed and more stable, new submarine designs are made to take advantage of advancements in naval tactics and have longer range, being able to attack distant convoy routes.
The role of the submarine in the fleet outside of convoy attacks is still under debate. Achieving a balance between combination of speed, range and weaponry will be key to the necessary model.
Increased test depth and efficient layouts will be features of the modern submarines, taking advantage of field experience to select appropriate armaments and engines.
Man the Guns replaces the existing naval technology system of set, successive designs with an extensive modular system that allows players to create more highly customized individual ship classes. Each ship has a number of slots for modules depending on its hull type, located above and below its portrait in the ship design screen. The bottom-side slots are considered fundamental mountings for the class and are universal to them, though some such as AA or torpedoes need not be filled. For instance, all destroyers have bottom-side mountings for one battery gun, one AA mount, a fire control/sonar, a sonar/radar, a torpedo launcher, and an engine. All ships also are required to have certain mountings -- a destroyer, for instance, must have a battery and an engine, as otherwise it has no means to move or defend itself.
