e guns while under high speed and facing bad weather.
Floatability: Affects the impact of flooding on the hull. Raising this number reduces the probability of flooding after a hit and decreases the speed penalty from flooding.
All the above may be further modified by technology and ship design choices. For example, by balancing the placement of objects on your ships, Pitch/Roll factors are calculated which can penalize or improve the Stability and Floatability of the Hull.
The ship’s displacement determines how many tons of machinery, armor, armament and other important equipment can be fitted. The more tonnage, the larger and more powerful the ship at the cost of maneuverability, detectability and, of course, expense.
The maximum displacement of a hull cannot be exceeded during the design process so this is why you need to carefully utilize the available free space and take advantage of design choices that offer weight savings. The final built may have flaws and make the ship overweight or lighter than expected.
The ship’s propulsion system is integral, as it determines the ship's maximum speed, maneuverability, operational usefulness and survivability in many ways. The following aspects are directly controlled in the design process:
Speed: This determines how fast the ship travels over the sea, measured in nautical miles per hour (“Knots”). Fast warships can outmaneuver slower enemies or evade and withdraw when needed. Slow warships will not be able to keep a safe distance from torpedo-equipped enemies and cannot run down weaker targets to destroy them. Moreover, fast ships are capable of maintaining higher cruising speeds. Reduced engine vibrations at cruise speed increases ship gun accuracy, while higher speed makes the ship a more difficult target.
Range: Operational Range has major effect in campaign play but can also help in weight balancing for your ship. It measures how far the ship can travel away from friendly ports without refueling and is mainly determined by the ship’s fuel storage. As technology develops, the engine fuel consumption becomes more efficient allowing longer journeys in shorter time, so a smaller share of ship tonnage is needed for storing fuel and provisions. The ship designs with minimum operational range limit the ship to coastal defense and standard naval duties, while higher ranges give the capability to participate in distant naval raids, surprise strikes and special missions, making for a much more useful and versatile warship.
Fuel: A ship can be fueled by either coal or oil. Late technology allows the usage of boilers that can either burn both types or exclusively oil. The choice for the player in this section allows for the immense weight savings and engine efficiency gained by oil-fired boilers, at the cost of added expense and the loss of the extra protection and floatability offered by coal bunkers lining the ship’s sides.
Main Engine: As technology develops, more advanced engines become available. If they can be afforded, Steam Turbines are the essential upgrade for any ship, because they offer extreme engine efficiency and reliability compared to older reciprocating engines. Later, Marine Diesel Engines become available, lacking the horsepower of Turbines but providing for immense weight savings from less fuel consumption and lighter structure, while they are even more reliable and easily repaired in combat conditions.
Auxiliary Engine: Extra engines may be fitted which increase total engine weight but they compensate this with improved fuel consumption, increased engine reliability during combat and power supply for the ship’s electric generators which speed up repairs, water pumping, turret traverse and other mechanisms.
Propeller Shaft: Advanced drive shafts substantially improve ship’s maneuverability, by increasing acceleration and turn rate. Engine reliability is improved also. But all this comes at additional cost and engine weight.
Boilers: Except from the various improvements gained by technology, boilers can be set up to have “natural”, “induced”, “forced” or “balanced