Gazelle-Class
First Modern Light Cruiser Design (1901) - 10 ships built (1901-1904), established worldwide light cruiser standard. 2,644 tons, 10× 10.5cm guns, 21.5 knots. Revolutionary watertight cellular construction, Schulz-Thornycroft water-tube boilers. Designed for High Seas Fleet scouting, not colonial service like predecessors. WWI service: SMS Frauenlob became first German cruiser sunk in WWI (Battle of Heligoland Bight, 28 Aug 1914, 320 killed). SMS Niobe transferred to Yugoslavia 1925, survived WWII as Dalmacija. Gazelle-class established design principles used throughout WWI.
Specifications
- Displacement (std)
- 2643 t
- Displacement (full)
- 3150 t
- Length
- 344.5 ft
- Beam
- 40.7 ft
- Crew
- 257
- Ships built
- 10
- Commissioned
- 1901-1904
- Decommissioned
- 1914-1929
Performance
- Top speed
- 19.5 kn
- Range
- 3560 nm at 10 knots
Armament
- Main guns
- 10× 10.5cm (4.1-inch) SK L/40
- Secondary guns
- 10× 3.7cm revolver cannon
- Torpedoes
- 2× 45cm
Armor & Systems
- Belt
- None (deck only)
- Deck
- 20-50mm
- Fire control
- Optical rangefinders
In-Game
- Tier
- T2
- Game power
- 19.22
- Research cost
- 1,691
- Credit cost
- 13,454
Notable
- FIRST MODERN LIGHT CRUISER DESIGN (1901) - established worldwide standard
- First German cruisers with watertight cellular construction
- First German cruisers designed specifically for High Seas Fleet scouting
- First standardized 10.5cm SK L/40 armament (10 guns)
- Revolutionary Schulz-Thornycroft water-tube boilers (10 boilers)
- SMS Frauenlob: First German cruiser sunk in WWI (Heligoland Bight, 28 Aug 1914)
- SMS Niobe: Transferred to Yugoslavia 1925, survived WWII