SMS Bayern Super-Dreadnought Battleship (Best WWI German BB!)
BEST WWI GERMAN BATTLESHIP - 1916 15-Inch Power! - 2 ships completed: SMS BAYERN, SMS BADEN (+ 2 cancelled: Sachsen, Württemberg). BEST WWI GERMAN BATTLESHIP! ONLY GERMAN 15-INCH GUNS! (8× 38cm SK L/45!). 28,530 tons, 22 kts, 8× 38cm (15") guns in 4× twin superfiring turrets (2 forward + 2 aft!). Germany's answer to HMS Queen Elizabeth! 750 kg armor-piercing shells, 20,400m range. Krupp armor (350mm belt/turrets/barbettes). TOO LATE FOR JUTLAND! (Bayern commissioned July 1916, 1 month after battle). Only 2 of 4 completed (U-boat priority halted Sachsen & Württemberg!). Bayern ran aground 1918, scrapped 1920. Baden: Scuttled Scapa Flow 1919, SALVAGED! (sank too slowly), Royal Navy studied extensively (1919-1921), used for gunnery/bomb/torpedo tests, finally sunk by British gunfire August 1921. MOST POWERFUL GERMAN BATTLESHIPS UNTIL BISMARCK!
Specifications
- Displacement (std)
- 28530 t
- Displacement (full)
- 32200 t
- Length
- 590.6 ft
- Beam
- 98.4 ft
- Crew
- 1171 (42 officers + 1129 men)
- Ships built
- 2 (of 4 planned - 2 cancelled for U-boat priority)
- Commissioned
- 1916
- Decommissioned
- 1919-1921 (Bayern scrapped, Baden scuttled/salvaged)
Performance
- Top speed
- 21 kn
- Range
- 20,400 m (66,900 ft) maximum range
Armament
- Main guns
- "8× 38cm SK L/45 guns" (4× twin turrets - 15-INCH!)
- Secondary guns
- "16× 15cm SK L/45 guns" (casemates)
- Torpedoes
- "5× 60cm torpedo tubes" (LARGEST torpedo tubes!)
Armor & Systems
- Belt
- 350mm (14 inches)
- Deck
- 63mm
- Fire control
- Advanced optical rangefinders, centralized fire control
In-Game
- Tier
- T2
- Game power
- 20.28
- Research cost
- 1,785
- Credit cost
- 14,196
Notable
- **BEST WWI GERMAN BATTLESHIP!** (Most powerful!)
- **ONLY GERMAN 15-INCH GUNS!** (8× 38cm SK L/45!)
- GERMANY'S ANSWER to HMS Queen Elizabeth! (Britain's 15" gun ships)
- 28,530 tons standard (+10% over König)
- 22 knots maximum speed (turbines, 56,000 shp)
- 2 ships completed (Bayern, Baden) + 2 cancelled (Sachsen, Württemberg)
- 8× 38cm (15") guns in 4× twin turrets (2+2 superfiring layout)
- 750 kg armor-piercing shells (MASSIVE penetration!)
- 20,400 m maximum range (66,900 feet)
- 60cm torpedo tubes (largest German WWI torpedoes!)
- Krupp armor (350mm belt, turrets, barbettes)
- Bayern commissioned July 1916 (TOO LATE for Jutland!)
- Baden commissioned October 1916
- Bayern laid down January 1915, launched February 1915
- Only 2 of 4 completed (U-boat construction priority shift!)
- Sachsen & Württemberg construction halted 1916-1917
- Bayern ran aground November 1918, scrapped 1920
- Baden: Scuttled Scapa Flow June 21, 1919
- Baden: SALVAGED 1919 (sank too slowly, recovered!)
- Royal Navy studied Baden extensively (1919-1921)
- Baden used for gunnery/bomb/torpedo tests
- Baden finally sunk by British gunfire August 16, 1921
- Last German WWI battleships completed
- Most powerful German battleships until Bismarck (1940)!