Difference between revisions of "USS Asheville"
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== Description == | == Description == | ||
<!-- ''In the first part of the description, cover the history of the ship's creation and military application. In the second part, tell the reader about using this ship in the game. Add a screenshot: if a beginner player has a hard time remembering vehicles by name, a picture will help them identify the ship in question.'' --> | <!-- ''In the first part of the description, cover the history of the ship's creation and military application. In the second part, tell the reader about using this ship in the game. Add a screenshot: if a beginner player has a hard time remembering vehicles by name, a picture will help them identify the ship in question.'' --> | ||
| − | + | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American motor gun boat {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]] as part of the fleet closed beta test. | |
| − | + | ||
| − | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American motor | + | Being near the end of the coastal line, the armament and utility of the Asheville is greatly improved over previous gun boats, such as a rapid firing 3" gun and access to radar targeting module. Serving in the Vietnam war, Asheville excels in harassment tactics by destroying gun mounts of light bluewater ships and sinking coastal ships alike, then vacating the area before return fire can be sent. |
== General info == | == General info == | ||
=== Survivability and armour === | === Survivability and armour === | ||
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}} | {{Specs-Fleet-Armour}} | ||
| − | ''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.'' | + | <!-- ''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.'' --> |
| + | The USS Asheville suffers from a severe lack of armour, even against small arms fire. As a light coastal vessel, it does not have access to anti-fragmentation armour with a hull thickness barely surpassing 8 mm. This lack of armour is compensated for by impressive engines, allowing the vessel to reach speeds far higher than any other US ship of its size., | ||
| + | |||
| + | Weighing in at 245 tonnes, the Asheville's damage model relies on hull sections to determine crew damage, rather than the internal compartments modeled on larger frigates. This means that any projectile capable of penetrating her hull has the potential to eliminate crew. For this reason, you should avoid showing your broadside to anyone with a rapid-fire auto-cannon. | ||
| + | |||
| + | With only a single main gun located on the bow, there's no substantial loss in firepower if you face the enemy bow-on. The long bow can also provide a short stand-off distance between light auto-cannons and the main magazine, but will not protect against AP rounds from anything larger. While her 3-inch mount is enclosed, it sports no anti-fragmentation armour commonly seen on some other frigates with the same weapon, such as USS Dealey or Japan's Chikugo. This means nearly any hit at its BR will completely disable your only primary weapon and is highly likely to start a fire. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Due to the bridge module spanning the entire length of the superstructure, it's easy for most weapons to tear it apart and leave the ship with no helm control until it is repaired. If the gun and bridge weren't big enough targets, there's also 200 ready-use shells stored on the deck between them, capable of causing substantial damage if hit. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Truly, the best armour she has is to remain unseen and hidden, primarily close to rocky locations or against any environmental cover that is big enough to conceal her. | ||
=== Mobility === | === Mobility === | ||
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}} | {{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}} | ||
| − | ''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.'' | + | <!-- ''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.'' --> |
| + | The Asheville is a pretty agile vessel, featuring a CODOG (Combined Diesel Or Gas) propulsion system, allowing it to reach high speeds quickly. It has a pretty responsive rudder even at low speeds. However, sometimes the rudder tends to "stick" when going backwards, making relatively hard to keep a constant heading while going on reverse. While it is not faster than many of the rest of coastal vessels seen in game, it certainly has a high endurance and speed for a vessel its size. | ||
{{NavalMobility}} | {{NavalMobility}} | ||
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=== Modifications and economy === | === Modifications and economy === | ||
{{Specs-Economy}} | {{Specs-Economy}} | ||
| + | After researching the tool set and the fire protection system, you can either select the APHE shell for anti-ship duty or the HE-VT shell to combat enemy aircraft. Then, you can either focus on improving the mobility or the gunnery. The 40 mm additional belts can be left aside, as the default universal belt is already effective against both surface and air targets. | ||
== Armament == | == Armament == | ||
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=== Primary armament === | === Primary armament === | ||
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}} | {{Specs-Fleet-Primary}} | ||
| + | <!-- ''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.'' --> | ||
{{main|3-inch Mk.34 (76 mm)}} | {{main|3-inch Mk.34 (76 mm)}} | ||
| − | + | The main armament is the 76 mm Mk.34 gun located on the bow. It has an excellent rate of fire and elevation angles. It has access to HE, APHE, and HE-VT rounds. At its battle rating, HE rounds vary in effectiveness against lightly-armoured PT boats, and it currently takes multiple direct strikes to knock out even the most lightly-crewed of boats. APHE shells are of great use versus more armoured gun boats allowing you to deal with them way faster. HE-VT rounds combined with excellent gun elevation angles and radar allow you to deal with planes from a safe distance, compensating for the lacking dedicated anti-air armament (it should be noted that the Asheville only has a tracking radar onboard and not a search radar as well, so aerial target acquisition must still be done manually). Switching ammo type can take around 10 seconds. The gun also overheats quickly and it can take some time to bring it back online, which should be taken into account when engaging bigger or more numerous targets. | |
| + | |||
| + | {{:3-inch Mk.34 (76 mm)/Ammunition|76 mm HC Mk.27, 76 mm APHE, 76 mm HE-VT}} | ||
=== Secondary armament === | === Secondary armament === | ||
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}} | {{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}} | ||
| + | <!-- ''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.'' --> | ||
{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 3 (40 mm)}} | {{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 3 (40 mm)}} | ||
| − | + | The Asheville has a single 40 mm L/60 Mark 3 Bofors cannon located on the stern. While it might not seem extremely useful in combat, in practice it helps mitigate weaknesses of the primary armament. It provides a fast way to deal with threats directly behind the ship where the main gun can't cover or it can even be used to replace the main cannon during repairs. Its good damage output combined with a very short reload time allows you to shred any lighter enemy vessels. Overall, it's a great secondary to have for close quarters situations the main battery won't be able to handle. | |
| + | |||
| + | * '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}} | ||
| + | * '''40 mm HE clips:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}} | ||
| + | * '''40 mm AP clips:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{:Bofors L/60 Mark 3 (40 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T, AP-T}} | ||
=== Anti-aircraft armament === | === Anti-aircraft armament === | ||
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}} | {{Specs-Fleet-AA}} | ||
| + | <!-- ''An important part of the ship's armament responsible for air defence. Anti-aircraft armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control <code>Select anti-aircraft weapons</code>. Talk about the ship's anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets. If there are no anti-aircraft armaments, remove this section.'' --> | ||
{{main|AN-M2 (12.7 mm)}} | {{main|AN-M2 (12.7 mm)}} | ||
| − | + | The Asheville has access to two twin AN-M2 12.7 mm heavy machine guns. They are effective against lightly armoured vessels such as the German LS3 and Soviet G-5, as well as low- or slow-flying aircraft such as floatplanes. When confronting aircraft, keep in mind that the general range that 12.7 mounts will accurately engage aircraft is about 500 m, giving limited coverage from incoming CAS. because of the 12.7 mm MG's limited range, its is advised to instead use the 3" inch HE-VT shells for defense, or to use the rear mounted 40 mm, as both of these weapons have a much more comfortable engagement distance. | |
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== Usage in battles == | == Usage in battles == | ||
| − | ''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).'' | + | <!-- ''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).'' --> |
| − | + | The Asheville currently has a peculiar playstyle compared to other coastal vessels due to updated damage modules and changes to 3" shells, Asheville is a glass cannon that can no longer hull break light PT boats as was possible in previous updates, nor survive for an extended period of time since the majority of crew is found in the bridge which can be easily knocked out. Because of this, positioning is the most important skill for a captain of an Asheville if they wish to produce results. Finding firing angles that apposing ships don't expect and hitting them in rapid succession until they die is the bread and butter of Asheville's gameplay. If the target fails to die after the fourth or fifth shot, get out. Any retaliation the Asheville faces is likely to end in her demise, so don't let the enemy even get a glance of Asheville and captains will do much better playing her. | |
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=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
| − | ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' | + | <!--''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''--> |
'''Pros:''' | '''Pros:''' | ||
| − | * | + | |
| + | * 3-inch mount with good rate of fire, access to radar tracking | ||
| + | * Access to 3-inch HE, APHE and HE-VT rounds allow USS Asheville to deal with a large array of targets | ||
| + | * Nimble and quick, allowing Asheville to quickly get into position and reposition when spotted | ||
| + | * 40 mm mount in the back can deal with offending aircraft or PT boats if 3-inch gun is knocked out | ||
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
| − | * | + | |
| + | * Sparse and unprotected crew results in immediate knock-outs, even rifle-calibre machine guns are a threat | ||
| + | * Main armament, single 3-inch gun, will quickly overheat | ||
| + | * Large ship for crew size, likely to be spotted, leading to quick demise | ||
| + | * Exposed ready rack behind 3-inch -gun mount, easy to hit and detonate | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> | <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> | ||
| − | USS | + | USS Asheville (PGM-84) was the lead ship of the Asheville class, a series of seventeen patrol gunboats built for the US Navy. Completed in 1967, she saw service in the Vietnam War as a blockade ship and patrol vessel. Following the end of hostilities in Vietnam, Asheville returned to the United States as a training vessel; she would eventually serve as a training ship in the Great Lakes, and was transferred in 1977 to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.<ref name=":0">Ashe, W., & Holland, R. (2006)</ref><ref name=":1">Priolo, G. (1996)</ref> |
=== Design and construction === | === Design and construction === | ||
| − | The | + | The Asheville was designed as a small gunboat, and thus displaced 240 tons. She carried an armament of a single 3-inch (76 mm) gun at the bow, a 40 mm Bofors gun at the rear and two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns.<ref name=":1" /> Being a patrol boat, she had a small crew complement of just 37. Equipped with a CODOG (combined gas and diesel propulsion) system, she could make a top speed of 40 knots (74 km/h).<ref name=":1" /> Asheville was laid down on April 15th 1964 by the Tacoma boat-building company. She was launched on May 1st 1965, and commissioned on April 1st 1967.<ref name=":1" /> |
=== Operational History === | === Operational History === | ||
| − | [[File:USS Asheville (PG-84).jpg|thumb| | + | [[File:USS Asheville (PG-84).jpg|thumb|350px|USS Asheville underway in 1966.]] |
| − | Following her commissioning and shakedown cruise, the | + | Following her commissioning and shakedown cruise, the Asheville was homeported at San Diego, California. She departed the port in April and sailed to Hawaii, then Guam, then her final destination of South Vietnam to serve in the Vietnam War.<ref name=":0" /> She saw eight years of service in the Asian and Pacific theatre, though large parts were spent in port due to a shortage of men and engine parts to service her rather unreliable propulsion system. She frequently conducted blockade missions off of the Vietnamese coast, in an effort to prevent the flow of arms and supplies to the communist rebels in South Vietnam.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> |
| − | In December of 1972, the United States stopped its military involvement in Vietnam; this halted | + | In December of 1972, the United States stopped its military involvement in Vietnam; this halted Asheville's combat activities. She remained in the Western Pacific for an additional two years, visiting a variety of Pacific ports. She then sailed for Chicago via the Panama canal, and arrived at her final destination in December of 1974. She served as a training vessel on the Great lakes between 1974 and 1977;<ref name=":0" /> she was decommissioned on January 31st 1977 and simultaneously stricken from the navy list. She was then given to the Maine Maritime academy as a training vessel; her name is now taken by USS Asheville (SSN-758), a Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine.<ref name=":0" /> |
== Media == | == Media == | ||
| − | ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' | + | <!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> |
| + | |||
| + | ;Skins | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_ashville_class Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.] | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:'' | ''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:'' | ||
| + | |||
* ''reference to the series of the ship;'' | * ''reference to the series of the ship;'' | ||
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' | ||
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<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' | <!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' | ||
* ''topic on the official game forum;'' | * ''topic on the official game forum;'' | ||
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* ''other literature.'' --> | * ''other literature.'' --> | ||
=== References === | === References === | ||
| + | |||
| + | ;Citations | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
| − | + | ||
| + | ;Bibliography | ||
* Ashe, W., & Holland, R. (2006). Asheville, USS. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from <nowiki>https://ncpedia.org/asheville-uss</nowiki> | * Ashe, W., & Holland, R. (2006). Asheville, USS. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from <nowiki>https://ncpedia.org/asheville-uss</nowiki> | ||
Latest revision as of 01:34, 14 May 2024
Contents
Description
The Asheville-class, USS Asheville (PGM-84) is a rank IV American motor gun boat with a battle rating of 3.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.79 "Project X" as part of the fleet closed beta test.
Being near the end of the coastal line, the armament and utility of the Asheville is greatly improved over previous gun boats, such as a rapid firing 3" gun and access to radar targeting module. Serving in the Vietnam war, Asheville excels in harassment tactics by destroying gun mounts of light bluewater ships and sinking coastal ships alike, then vacating the area before return fire can be sent.
General info
Survivability and armour
The USS Asheville suffers from a severe lack of armour, even against small arms fire. As a light coastal vessel, it does not have access to anti-fragmentation armour with a hull thickness barely surpassing 8 mm. This lack of armour is compensated for by impressive engines, allowing the vessel to reach speeds far higher than any other US ship of its size.,
Weighing in at 245 tonnes, the Asheville's damage model relies on hull sections to determine crew damage, rather than the internal compartments modeled on larger frigates. This means that any projectile capable of penetrating her hull has the potential to eliminate crew. For this reason, you should avoid showing your broadside to anyone with a rapid-fire auto-cannon.
With only a single main gun located on the bow, there's no substantial loss in firepower if you face the enemy bow-on. The long bow can also provide a short stand-off distance between light auto-cannons and the main magazine, but will not protect against AP rounds from anything larger. While her 3-inch mount is enclosed, it sports no anti-fragmentation armour commonly seen on some other frigates with the same weapon, such as USS Dealey or Japan's Chikugo. This means nearly any hit at its BR will completely disable your only primary weapon and is highly likely to start a fire.
Due to the bridge module spanning the entire length of the superstructure, it's easy for most weapons to tear it apart and leave the ship with no helm control until it is repaired. If the gun and bridge weren't big enough targets, there's also 200 ready-use shells stored on the deck between them, capable of causing substantial damage if hit.
Truly, the best armour she has is to remain unseen and hidden, primarily close to rocky locations or against any environmental cover that is big enough to conceal her.
Mobility
The Asheville is a pretty agile vessel, featuring a CODOG (Combined Diesel Or Gas) propulsion system, allowing it to reach high speeds quickly. It has a pretty responsive rudder even at low speeds. However, sometimes the rudder tends to "stick" when going backwards, making relatively hard to keep a constant heading while going on reverse. While it is not faster than many of the rest of coastal vessels seen in game, it certainly has a high endurance and speed for a vessel its size.
| Mobility Characteristics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Mode | Upgrade Status | Maximum Speed (km/h) | |
| Forward | Reverse | ||
| AB | |||
| Upgraded | 97 | 46 | |
| RB/SB | |||
| Upgraded | 72 | 34 | |
Modifications and economy
| Seakeeping | Unsinkability | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
After researching the tool set and the fire protection system, you can either select the APHE shell for anti-ship duty or the HE-VT shell to combat enemy aircraft. Then, you can either focus on improving the mobility or the gunnery. The 40 mm additional belts can be left aside, as the default universal belt is already effective against both surface and air targets.
Armament
Primary armament
The main armament is the 76 mm Mk.34 gun located on the bow. It has an excellent rate of fire and elevation angles. It has access to HE, APHE, and HE-VT rounds. At its battle rating, HE rounds vary in effectiveness against lightly-armoured PT boats, and it currently takes multiple direct strikes to knock out even the most lightly-crewed of boats. APHE shells are of great use versus more armoured gun boats allowing you to deal with them way faster. HE-VT rounds combined with excellent gun elevation angles and radar allow you to deal with planes from a safe distance, compensating for the lacking dedicated anti-air armament (it should be noted that the Asheville only has a tracking radar onboard and not a search radar as well, so aerial target acquisition must still be done manually). Switching ammo type can take around 10 seconds. The gun also overheats quickly and it can take some time to bring it back online, which should be taken into account when engaging bigger or more numerous targets.
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | |||||
| 100 m | 1,000 m | 2,000 m | 3,000 m | 4,000 m | 5,000 m | ||
| HC Mk.27 | HE | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| APHE | APHE | 121 | 98 | 77 | 61 | 49 | 39 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (s) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | |||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| HC Mk.27 | HE | 823 | 5.9 | 0 | 0.1 | 500 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
| APHE | APHE | 823 | 5.9 | 0.01 | 4 | 63.7 | 47° | 60° | 65° | |||
| Proximity-fused shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Arming distance (m) |
Trigger radius (m) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | |||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| AA Mk.31 | HE-VT | 823 | 5.85 | 0 | 0.1 | 548 | 15 | 352.8 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |
Secondary armament
The Asheville has a single 40 mm L/60 Mark 3 Bofors cannon located on the stern. While it might not seem extremely useful in combat, in practice it helps mitigate weaknesses of the primary armament. It provides a fast way to deal with threats directly behind the ship where the main gun can't cover or it can even be used to replace the main cannon during repairs. Its good damage output combined with a very short reload time allows you to shred any lighter enemy vessels. Overall, it's a great secondary to have for close quarters situations the main battery won't be able to handle.
- Universal: AP-T · HEFI-T
- 40 mm HE clips: HEFI-T · HEFI-T · HEFI-T · AP-T
- 40 mm AP clips: AP-T · AP-T · AP-T · HEFI-T
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | ||||||
| 10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
| HEFI-T | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| AP-T | 81 | 78 | 68 | 58 | 49 | 41 | |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | ||||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| HEFI-T | 874 | 0.9 | 0 | 0.1 | 67.13 | 79° | 80° | 81° | ||||
| AP-T | 874 | 0.89 | - | - | - | 47° | 60° | 65° | ||||
Anti-aircraft armament
The Asheville has access to two twin AN-M2 12.7 mm heavy machine guns. They are effective against lightly armoured vessels such as the German LS3 and Soviet G-5, as well as low- or slow-flying aircraft such as floatplanes. When confronting aircraft, keep in mind that the general range that 12.7 mounts will accurately engage aircraft is about 500 m, giving limited coverage from incoming CAS. because of the 12.7 mm MG's limited range, its is advised to instead use the 3" inch HE-VT shells for defense, or to use the rear mounted 40 mm, as both of these weapons have a much more comfortable engagement distance.
Usage in battles
The Asheville currently has a peculiar playstyle compared to other coastal vessels due to updated damage modules and changes to 3" shells, Asheville is a glass cannon that can no longer hull break light PT boats as was possible in previous updates, nor survive for an extended period of time since the majority of crew is found in the bridge which can be easily knocked out. Because of this, positioning is the most important skill for a captain of an Asheville if they wish to produce results. Finding firing angles that apposing ships don't expect and hitting them in rapid succession until they die is the bread and butter of Asheville's gameplay. If the target fails to die after the fourth or fifth shot, get out. Any retaliation the Asheville faces is likely to end in her demise, so don't let the enemy even get a glance of Asheville and captains will do much better playing her.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- 3-inch mount with good rate of fire, access to radar tracking
- Access to 3-inch HE, APHE and HE-VT rounds allow USS Asheville to deal with a large array of targets
- Nimble and quick, allowing Asheville to quickly get into position and reposition when spotted
- 40 mm mount in the back can deal with offending aircraft or PT boats if 3-inch gun is knocked out
Cons:
- Sparse and unprotected crew results in immediate knock-outs, even rifle-calibre machine guns are a threat
- Main armament, single 3-inch gun, will quickly overheat
- Large ship for crew size, likely to be spotted, leading to quick demise
- Exposed ready rack behind 3-inch -gun mount, easy to hit and detonate
History
USS Asheville (PGM-84) was the lead ship of the Asheville class, a series of seventeen patrol gunboats built for the US Navy. Completed in 1967, she saw service in the Vietnam War as a blockade ship and patrol vessel. Following the end of hostilities in Vietnam, Asheville returned to the United States as a training vessel; she would eventually serve as a training ship in the Great Lakes, and was transferred in 1977 to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.[1][2]
Design and construction
The Asheville was designed as a small gunboat, and thus displaced 240 tons. She carried an armament of a single 3-inch (76 mm) gun at the bow, a 40 mm Bofors gun at the rear and two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns.[2] Being a patrol boat, she had a small crew complement of just 37. Equipped with a CODOG (combined gas and diesel propulsion) system, she could make a top speed of 40 knots (74 km/h).[2] Asheville was laid down on April 15th 1964 by the Tacoma boat-building company. She was launched on May 1st 1965, and commissioned on April 1st 1967.[2]
Operational History
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Following her commissioning and shakedown cruise, the Asheville was homeported at San Diego, California. She departed the port in April and sailed to Hawaii, then Guam, then her final destination of South Vietnam to serve in the Vietnam War.[1] She saw eight years of service in the Asian and Pacific theatre, though large parts were spent in port due to a shortage of men and engine parts to service her rather unreliable propulsion system. She frequently conducted blockade missions off of the Vietnamese coast, in an effort to prevent the flow of arms and supplies to the communist rebels in South Vietnam.[1][2]
In December of 1972, the United States stopped its military involvement in Vietnam; this halted Asheville's combat activities. She remained in the Western Pacific for an additional two years, visiting a variety of Pacific ports. She then sailed for Chicago via the Panama canal, and arrived at her final destination in December of 1974. She served as a training vessel on the Great lakes between 1974 and 1977;[1] she was decommissioned on January 31st 1977 and simultaneously stricken from the navy list. She was then given to the Maine Maritime academy as a training vessel; her name is now taken by USS Asheville (SSN-758), a Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine.[1]
Media
- Skins
See also
Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the ship;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
References
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Ashe, W., & Holland, R. (2006). Asheville, USS. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from https://ncpedia.org/asheville-uss
- Priolo, G. (1996). NavSource Online:Motor Gunboat/Patrol Gunboat Photo Archive. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/11084.htm
| Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. | |
|---|---|
| Motor Gunboats (PGM) | |
| Asheville-class | USS Asheville · USS Douglas |
| USA boats | |
|---|---|
| Motor torpedo boats | PT-3 · PT-6 · PT-20 · PT-71 · PT-103 · PT-109 · PT-174 |
| PT-200 · PT-314 · Thunderbolt (PT-556) · PT-565 · PT-658 · PT-810 · PT-811 · PT-812 | |
| Motor gun boats | Kim Qui · LCS(L)(3) · PT-59 · PTF-7 · USS Candid · USS Asheville · USS Douglas · USS Flagstaff · USS Tucumcari · USS Cyclone |
| Armoured gun boats | LCM(6) Zippo |
