Difference between revisions of "Dark Adventurer"

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{{Specs-Card|code=uk_dark_class}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=uk_dark_class
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
 +
}}
  
 
== 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 understand which ship is being discussed.''-->
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
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[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was the lead ship of the Dark-class fast patrol boats built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1950s. The boats featured alloy framing and wooden decks and skin. 27 were ordered in 1954, but nine were cancelled a year later. The ships featured interchangeable armament which meant they could serve in both motor gun boat and motor torpedo boat roles, depending on their task. They were also the only diesel engine-powered fast patrol boats in the entire Royal Navy. Dark Adventurer was launched on 28th October 1954 and sold in January 1970.
−
{{Break}}
+
 
−
The '''{{specs|name}}''' is a rank {{specs|rank}} British motor gun boat {{Battle-rating|1}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]] as part of the British fleet closed beta test.
+
The Dark Adventurer was introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]] as part of the British fleet closed beta test. With the split of the naval tech trees in [[Update "New Power"]], {{PAGENAME}} was moved to the coastal fleet tech tree. The Dark Adventurer is depicted in the motor gun boat configuration featuring a single 114 mm gun on the bow and 40 mm Bofors autocannon on the stern with no torpedo launchers. Her sister [[Dark Aggressor]] is depicted in the motor torpedo boat configuration with four 533 mm torpedo tubes and 40 mm autocannon on the bow.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and 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 armament separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Tips for preserving survivability should be saved for the "Use in battle" section.''
+
{{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.'' -->
 +
 
 +
Dark Adventurer has the following armour layout:
 +
 
 +
* [[8cwt QF Mk I (114 mm)|114 mm 8cwt QF Mk I]] gunshield: 12.7 mm, hardened armour
 +
* Hull: 40 mm, wood
 +
* Superstructure: 15 mm, wood
 +
 
 +
[[File:{{PAGENAME}}_internals.png|thumb|{{PAGENAME}} internals (starboard side). Note the ammo racks below the forward gun.]]
 +
 
 +
Like most coastal vessels, Dark Adventurer has no practical armour. The gunshields are largely superficial; while they may stop low-calibre machine guns, heavy machine guns and cannons will easily penetrate them at any range. The hull and superstructure are unarmoured and will not stop any sort of gunfire.
 +
 
 +
The hull is split into four hull sections. Starting from the bow and working towards the stern, the first section starts at the bow and ends just in front of forward gun; the second ends just after the bridge; the third ends where the fuel tanks end, just in front of the engines; and the fourth ends at the stern.
 +
 
 +
Any round with a large enough diameter and explosive mass can hull break Dark Adventurer. In general, this is limited to HE rounds greater with a diameter greater than or equal to 4 inches (102 mm) and with an explosive mass greater than 1.5 kg. At Dark Adventurer's own battle rating, there is only one gun capable of hull-breaking her:
  
−
''If necessary, use a graphic template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''
+
* the [[8cwt QF Mk I (114 mm)|114 mm 8cwt QF Mk I]], found on Dark Adventurer herself.
 +
 
 +
There is one ammunition storage that holds ammunition for both the primary and secondary gun turrets. It is located directly behind the forward gun turret just above the waterline. Destroying it will instantly destroy Dark Adventurer.
 +
 
 +
Dark Adventurer has a crew complement of 15. With a stock crew, Dark Adventurer is knocked out when 10 crew are lost; with an aced crew, this is increased to 11. Overall, the survivability is average.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
−
''Write about the ship’s mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward speed and reverse speed.''
+
{{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.'' -->
 +
 
 +
{{NavalMobility
 +
|SpeedForwardStockAB = 73
 +
|SpeedBackStockAB = 27
 +
|TurnTimeStockAB = 26.46
 +
|TurnSpeedStockAB = 45.62
 +
 
 +
|TurnTimeSpadedAB = 17.53
 +
|TurnSpeedSpadedAB = 28.67
 +
 
 +
|SpeedForwardStockRB = 64
 +
|SpeedBackStockRB = 24
 +
|TurnTimeStockRB = 29.42
 +
|TurnSpeedStockRB = 52.03
 +
 
 +
|TurnTimeSpadedRB = 23.53
 +
|TurnSpeedSpadedRB = 40.57
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
Dark Adventurer has a displacement of 64 tons.
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
 +
 
 +
The recommended modification research order is:
 +
 
 +
# Tool Set
 +
# Fire Protection System
 +
# 40 mm HE clips
 +
# 40 mm AP clips
 +
# Smokescreen
 +
# Propeller Replacement
 +
# Improved Rangefinder
 +
# Artillery Support
 +
 
 +
After that, prioritize the rest of the seakeeping modifications first, then finish researching the remaining modifications in whatever order you prefer.
  
 
== Armament ==
 
== Armament ==
 +
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
 
=== Primary armament ===
 
=== Primary armament ===
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''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>.''
+
{{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|8cwt QF Mk I (114 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
The primary armament consists of a single 114 mm 8cwt QF Mk I cannon mounted forwards, with a maximum ammunition load of 100 rounds. Stock, the mount can traverse horizontally at a rate of 26°/s and vertically at a rate of 21°/s; with the "Primary Armament Targeting" modification installed, this is increased to 30°/s and 25°/s respectively. The gun is single-shot with a nominal rate of fire of 12 rounds/min. With a stock crew, it can be reloaded in 6.5 seconds; with an aced crew, this is decreased to 5 seconds.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="25%"
 +
! colspan="2" | Primary armament guidance
 +
|-
 +
! Horizontal !! Vertical
 +
|-
 +
| ±180° || -8°/+12°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
There is only one ammunition type available:
  
−
''Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''
+
{{:8cwt QF Mk I (114 mm)/Ammunition|114 mm HE}}
 +
 
 +
The 114 mm HE round is able to hull break most coastal vessels smaller than sub-chasers.
  
 
=== Secondary armament ===
 
=== Secondary armament ===
−
''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armament 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 anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section.''
+
{{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|QF Mark VII (40 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
The secondary armament consists of a single 40 mm QF Mk VII cannon mounted aft with a maximum ammunition load of 1,500 rounds. Stock, the mount can traverse horizontally at a rate of 34°/s and vertically at a rate of 29°/s; with the "Auxiliary Armament Targeting" modification installed, this is increased to 40°/s and 34°/s respectively. The gun has a magazine capacity of 4 rounds and a cycle rate of fire of 160 rounds/min. With a stock crew, it can be reloaded in 0.49 seconds; with an aced crew, this is decreased to 0.38 seconds. The reload is short enough that there is a seamless transition between magazines, although continuously firing for too long will cause the gun to overheat and jam. This happens after continuously firing for about 1.25 min, or about 200 rounds. There is no noticeable drop in accuracy as the gun overheats.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="25%"
 +
! colspan="2" | Secondary armament guidance
 +
|-
 +
! Horizontal !! Vertical
 +
|-
 +
| ±180° || -10°/+89°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
There are three ammunition types available:
 +
 
 +
* '''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}}
 +
 
 +
{{:QF Mark VII (40 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T, AP-T}}
 +
 
 +
The best ammunition is the 40 mm HE clips because it has the highest ratio of HE rounds to AP rounds. Take mostly 40 mm HE clips along with several 40 mm AP clips for armoured targets. Because of the gun's seamless reload, there is no reason to use the Universal belt once the others are unlocked.
  
−
''If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''
+
=== Additional armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.'' -->
 +
{{main|Mk.VII depth charge}}
  
−
=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
+
Dark Adventurer has two possible loadouts:
−
''An important part of the ship’s armament responsible for air raid defense. 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 is no anti-aircraft artillery, remove this section.''
+
# Without load
 +
# 2 x Mk.VII depth charge
  
−
=== Torpedo armament ===
+
'''Depth charges'''
−
''Many ships are armed with torpedo launchers, and for some vessels such as boats, torpedoes are an extremely important means of defeating an opponent. Evaluate the position of the torpedo launchers, discuss the ammunition available, firing specifics such as dead zones, features of the torpedoes themselves, etc.''
 
  
−
''If there is no torpedo armament, remove this section.''
+
[[File:{{PAGENAME}}_DC_Order.png|thumb|Mk.VII depth charges numbered according to their drop order.]]
  
−
=== Special armament ===
+
The Mk.VII depth charges are carried amidships in front of the aft gun, one on each side. They are dropped one at a time in the following order:
−
''Depth charges, mines, rocket launchers and missiles are also effective in skilled hands and can be an unexpected surprise for an opponent. Evaluate the ammunition of this type of armament and rate its performance in combat.''
 
  
−
==Usage in battles==
+
# Starboard
−
''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 get 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).''
+
# Port
  
−
===Modules===
+
Before spawning, the detonation time delay can be set anywhere between 3 seconds and 10 seconds.
−
{| class="wikitable"
+
 
−
! Tier
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
−
! Seakeeping
+
! colspan="7" | Depth charge characteristics
−
! colspan="2"|Unsinkability
 
−
! colspan="3"|Firepower
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| I
+
! Mass (kg)
−
| Dry-Docking
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! Explosive type
−
| Tool Set||
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! Explosive mass (kg)
−
| 40 mm HE clips||||
+
! TNT equivalent (kg)
 +
! HE armour penetration (mm)
 +
! Armoured vehicle destruction radius (m)
 +
! Fragment dispersion radius (m)
 
|-
 
|-
−
| II
+
| 196 || TNT || 130 || 130 || 101 || 8 || 122
−
| Rudder Replacement
 
−
| Fire Protection System||Smokescreen
 
−
| 40 mm AP clips||Auxiliary Armament Targeting||
 
−
|-
 
−
| III
 
−
| Propeller Replacement
 
−
| ||
 
−
| Depth Charges||Primary Armament Targeting||Improved Rangefinder
 
−
|-
 
−
| IV
 
−
| Engine Maintenance
 
−
| New Pumps||
 
−
| ||Artillery Support||
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
===Pros and cons===
+
There is almost no practical reason to use depth charges on any naval vessel in the game. Although they usually result in a one-hit kill if used properly, they are extremely situational, requiring the player to close to point-blank ranges to even use them. In almost every case, anytime a depth charge could be used, the guns can be used instead to greater effect. In fact, depth charges tend to actually be a liability in battle, since they essentially act as exposed ammo racks before they're dropped. They can be shot at, and if destroyed, they have a chance to detonate, instantly destroying the boat.
−
''Summarize 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 - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
+
 
 +
Despite this, some success can be had in dropping them either next to, or in front of a large, slow target. If dropping them next to the target, remember the depth charge drop order, since it's most likely that only the depth charges dropped on the side closest to the enemy will deal any damage. If dropping in front of the target, rush in from the sides as quickly as possible and drop them all at once directly in front of the target. For both cases, set the depth charge time delay to the minimum 3 seconds, since any higher time delay will only allow the depth charge to sink further away from the target, giving them more time to move out of the way. Again, using depth charges is extremely situational, and they will only be a liability the vast majority of the time, so take them at your own discretion.
 +
 
 +
== 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).'' -->
 +
 
 +
Dark Adventurer's main armament, the 114 mm 8cwt QF Mk I, is one of the largest calibre coastal fleet weapons in the game and fires the single strongest HE round of any coastal vessel, allowing it to knock out anything smaller than a sub-chaser. Guns that can hull break are very rare in the coastal fleet, and Dark Adventurer is, by far, the lowest BR vessel equipped with one. However, against sub-chasers and other larger vessels, the damage is lacklustre, often requiring multiple hits to destroy a single hull segment. Additionally, the terrible muzzle velocity and very poor ballistics make the gun difficult to use in practice, with it only really being effective against stationary targets or at very close ranges, within 500 m at most. Additionally, while the muzzle velocity is bad, it isn't quite bad enough to allow the 8cwt QF Mk I to fire from behind cover. Because of this, and despite the knock-out potential, the 8cwt QF Mk I is simply outclassed by the secondary 40 mm QF Mark VII in the vast majority of situations.
 +
 
 +
In battle, make the most of the QF Mark VII by switching to manual control with Alt+2. The best advantage of the QF Mark VII over many other coastal weapons is its seamless reload. Without having to worry about reloading, vessels equipped with these types of weapons can be played much more aggressively. However, on Dark Adventurer, the gun is mounted aft, which limits its versatility by preventing it from firing forwards and increasing the time needed to traverse the gun from one side to the other. While being mounted aft does come with some benefits—mainly, it gets destroyed less often—this is an overall net disadvantage and limits Dark Adventurer's effectiveness in comparison with vessels with forward-mounted guns, like {{Specs-Link|uk_dark_class_mtb}}.
 +
 
 +
Because of this, try to not be the first to rush into action and avoid meeting enemies head-on as much as possible, since it takes some time to turn the hull to get the QF Mark VII on target. Instead, flank the enemy and try to get into ambush positions behind cover. Once in place, turn the hull around so that the stern is facing towards the enemy and use the QF Mark VII to make short work of anything that passes by, prioritizing armoured targets if possible. Dark Adventurer has a somewhat poor reaction time, so try not to stay in one place for too long to avoid being flanked yourself. Since the hull is already turned around, you can quickly retreat if necessary by using smoke and going forwards. In general, stick to close-range engagements on the flanks with the QF Mark VII, but don't be afraid to switch back to the 8cwt QF Mk I to one-shot tricky opponents either.
 +
 
 +
While manually controlling the QF Mark VII, there are several things to keep in mind. First, while you don't have to worry about reloads, the QF Mark VII is one of the few weapons that can overheat, causing it to jam after continuously firing about 200 rounds. This is more than enough for multiple engagements, though, and the overheating doesn't have any noticeable negative effect on accuracy as is the case with some other guns. However, you should still pay attention to the overheating and occasionally retreat to let the gun cool off. The second thing to consider is what to do with the primary 8cwt QF Mk I. This gun is completely useless against aircraft, and under AI control, it is practically worthless against surface targets too. Because of this, it's best to just disable the AI gunners. This keeps the gun loaded, level, and forward-facing for when it's actually needed. This ties into the last thing to be aware of, which is that there will be no AI anti-aircraft defense while playing like this, so always look out for aircraft. The AI gunners are very inaccurate against aircraft unless the enemy is coming directly head-on, so don't bother giving control of the QF Mark VII back to the AI gunners; just try to shoot down enemy aircraft manually.
 +
 
 +
=== 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".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Primary armament can hull-break most opponents
 +
* Secondary armament: very good damage output, high armour penetration, seamless reload
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Primary armament: very low muzzle velocity, low rate of fire, difficult to use
 +
* Secondary armament is mounted aft, cannot fire directly forwards
  
 
== 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 big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-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></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.''
+
<!-- ''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).'' -->
 +
 
 +
The Dark-class fast patrol boats, also known as the Admiralty Type "A" Fast Patrol Boat (FPB), were 18 patrol boats used by the Royal Navy, with another 8 built for export. The class was originally ordered in the late 1940s, calling for a new diesel-powered FPB, with Saunders-Roe eventually winning the design contract in early 1952. The Dark-class was built between 1954 and 1958 primarily by Saunders-Roe alongside several other British shipbuilding companies. The Dark-class had interchangeable armaments and could be configured as motor torpedo boats, as motor gun boats, or as minelayers. These armaments include:
 +
 
 +
* 4 x 21-inch torpedoes
 +
* 1 x 40 mm Bofors gun (forward), 2 x 21-inch torpedoes
 +
* 1 x 40 mm Bofors gun (aft), 1 x 4.5-inch cannon (forward)
 +
* 16 x mines
 +
 
 +
The Dark-class boats had a length of 71 ft. 8 in., a beam of 19 ft. 5 in., a draught of 6 ft. 1 in, and a standard displacement of 50 long tons and were the first of their kind in Royal Navy service to use diesel engines. Each boat was powered by two 18 cylinder Napier Deltic diesel engines, each producing 2,500 bhp and driving a single shaft, with an exhaust port on the port side hull. The first few Dark-class boats were painted entirely in standard grey. However, the port side of the hulls would quickly become stained by the diesel exhaust fumes, even after only a short period of use. Initially, an experimental paint scheme was tried on HMS Dark Biter (P1104) around March 1956 that had the rear hull painted in black with the front hull still in grey. This, too, was found to be unsatisfactory, and eventually, it was decided that the entire hull of the Dark-class boats was to be painted in black.
 +
 
 +
Eighteen Dark-class boats served with the Royal Navy. All of these were built with wooden hulls and aluminium decks on aluminium hull frames with the exception of the final boat, the unique HMS Dark Scout (P1116), which had an all-aluminium welded construction, a redesigned bridge, and transom exhaust ports. In addition to these, eight more Dark-class boats were also built for export, all built by Saunders-Roe: two standard boats to Finland; five riveted, all-aluminium boats with an additional electric drive system to Burma; and one standard boat to Japan. A further nine Dark-class boats were planned to be built as well for Royal Navy service, but these were all cancelled in 1955. During the 1960s and 1970s, of the 18 Dark-class boats in Royal Navy service, two were used as target practice with one being sunk. The surviving 17 were sold to various places, including several to Italian law enforcement in the late 1960s.
 +
 
 +
HMS Dark Adventurer, pennant number P1101, was the first of the Dark-class boats. She was built by Saunders-Roe in Beaumaris and was completed on 28th October 1954. She was sold in early 1970.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as 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=uk_dark_class Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Images
 +
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
 +
File:Dark_class_Newsflash_from_Igromir_2016_001.jpg
 +
File:Dark_class_Newsflash_from_Igromir_2016_002.jpg
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|LW_BVvR7CIg|'''The Shooting Range #122''' - ''War Machines'' section at 00:32 discusses Dark Adventurer.}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
−
<!--''Links to the 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.'' -->
−
* [[Dark class (FPB 1102)]] - Sister motor torpedo boat.
+
 
 +
* {{Specs-Link|uk_dark_class_mtb}}
 +
* {{Specs-Link|uk_brave_borderer}}
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
−
''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;''
−
* ''encyclopedia page on ship;''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
−
* ''other literature.''
+
 
 +
* [[wt:en/news/4272-development-newsflash-from-igromir-2016-new-ships-and-first-look-at-japanese-ground-forces-en|[Development] Newsflash from IgroMir 2016! New ships and first look at Japanese Ground Forces!]]
 +
* [https://cfv.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=215 <nowiki>[Coastal Forces Veterans Forum]</nowiki> The British "Dark" Class]
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* [http://cfv.org.uk/research/boat/database <nowiki>[Coastal Forces Veterans]</nowiki> Boat Database]
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* [http://www.bmpt.org.uk/boat%20histories/Dark%20Class/index.htm <nowiki>[British Military Powerboat Team]</nowiki> Dark Class Boats]
 +
* [http://dave-mills.yolasite.com/saro-dark-class-mtbs.php <nowiki>[mprints.co.uk]</nowiki> SARO Dark Class MTBs]
 +
* [http://cfv.org.uk/research/boat/database <nowiki>[Coastal Forces Veterans]</nowiki> Boat Database]
  
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{{ShipManufacturer Saunders-Roe}}
 
{{Britain boats}}
 
{{Britain boats}}

Latest revision as of 12:09, 8 January 2024

Rank VI USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Su-25K Pack
Dark Adventurer
uk_dark_class.png
GarageImage Dark Adventurer.jpg
Dark Adventurer
Britain flag.png Britain
II Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
2.0 2.0 2.0
Class:
Research:14 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:32 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Dark-class, Dark Adventurer (FPB 1101) was the lead ship of the Dark-class fast patrol boats built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1950s. The boats featured alloy framing and wooden decks and skin. 27 were ordered in 1954, but nine were cancelled a year later. The ships featured interchangeable armament which meant they could serve in both motor gun boat and motor torpedo boat roles, depending on their task. They were also the only diesel engine-powered fast patrol boats in the entire Royal Navy. Dark Adventurer was launched on 28th October 1954 and sold in January 1970.

The Dark Adventurer was introduced in Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea" as part of the British fleet closed beta test. With the split of the naval tech trees in Update "New Power", Dark Adventurer was moved to the coastal fleet tech tree. The Dark Adventurer is depicted in the motor gun boat configuration featuring a single 114 mm gun on the bow and 40 mm Bofors autocannon on the stern with no torpedo launchers. Her sister Dark Aggressor is depicted in the motor torpedo boat configuration with four 533 mm torpedo tubes and 40 mm autocannon on the bow.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull40 mm (wood)
Superstructure15 mm (wood)
Number of section4
Displacement64 t
Crew15 people

Dark Adventurer has the following armour layout:

  • 114 mm 8cwt QF Mk I gunshield: 12.7 mm, hardened armour
  • Hull: 40 mm, wood
  • Superstructure: 15 mm, wood
Dark Adventurer internals (starboard side). Note the ammo racks below the forward gun.

Like most coastal vessels, Dark Adventurer has no practical armour. The gunshields are largely superficial; while they may stop low-calibre machine guns, heavy machine guns and cannons will easily penetrate them at any range. The hull and superstructure are unarmoured and will not stop any sort of gunfire.

The hull is split into four hull sections. Starting from the bow and working towards the stern, the first section starts at the bow and ends just in front of forward gun; the second ends just after the bridge; the third ends where the fuel tanks end, just in front of the engines; and the fourth ends at the stern.

Any round with a large enough diameter and explosive mass can hull break Dark Adventurer. In general, this is limited to HE rounds greater with a diameter greater than or equal to 4 inches (102 mm) and with an explosive mass greater than 1.5 kg. At Dark Adventurer's own battle rating, there is only one gun capable of hull-breaking her:

There is one ammunition storage that holds ammunition for both the primary and secondary gun turrets. It is located directly behind the forward gun turret just above the waterline. Destroying it will instantly destroy Dark Adventurer.

Dark Adventurer has a crew complement of 15. With a stock crew, Dark Adventurer is knocked out when 10 crew are lost; with an aced crew, this is increased to 11. Overall, the survivability is average.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB100 / 37 km/h
RB74 / 27 km/h
Mobility Characteristics
Game Mode Upgrade Status Maximum Speed (km/h) Turn Time (s) Turn Radius (m)
Forward Reverse
AB Stock 73 27 ~26.46 ~53.37
Upgraded 100 37 ~17.53 ~22.22
RB/SB Stock 64 24 ~29.42 ~67.67
Upgraded 74 27 ~23.53 ~42.2

Dark Adventurer has a displacement of 64 tons.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB911 → 1 148 Sl icon.png
RB1 317 → 1 660 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications13 840 Rp icon.png
20 150 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost860 Ge icon.png
Crew training9 200 Sl icon.png
Experts32 000 Sl icon.png
Aces320 Ge icon.png
Research Aces250 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
80 / 100 / 100 % Sl icon.png
130 / 130 / 130 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Seakeeping Unsinkability Firepower
Mods new ship hull.png
Dry-Docking
Research:
920 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship rudder.png
Rudder Replacement
Research:
620 Rp icon.png
Cost:
890 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship screw.png
Propeller Replacement
Research:
870 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship engine.png
Engine Maintenance
Research:
1 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 200 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png
Mods ship damage control crew.png
Damage Control Division
Research:
920 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods ship fire control crew.png
Fire Division
Research:
620 Rp icon.png
Cost:
890 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
Smokescreen
Research:
620 Rp icon.png
Cost:
890 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship pumps.png
New Pumps
Research:
1 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 200 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
40 mm HE clips
Research:
920 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods new aux caliber turrets.png
Auxiliary Armament Targeting
Research:
620 Rp icon.png
Cost:
890 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
40 mm AP clips
Research:
620 Rp icon.png
Cost:
890 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods new main caliber turrets.png
Primary Armament Targeting
Research:
870 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods depth charge.png
Depth Charges
Research:
870 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods ship rangefinder.png
Improved Rangefinder
Research:
870 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods ship art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
1 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 200 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png

The recommended modification research order is:

  1. Tool Set
  2. Fire Protection System
  3. 40 mm HE clips
  4. 40 mm AP clips
  5. Smokescreen
  6. Propeller Replacement
  7. Improved Rangefinder
  8. Artillery Support

After that, prioritize the rest of the seakeeping modifications first, then finish researching the remaining modifications in whatever order you prefer.

Armament

Primary armament

Turret114 mm/19 8cwt QF Mk I cannon
Ammunition100 rounds
Vertical guidance-8° / 12°
Main article: 8cwt QF Mk I (114 mm)

The primary armament consists of a single 114 mm 8cwt QF Mk I cannon mounted forwards, with a maximum ammunition load of 100 rounds. Stock, the mount can traverse horizontally at a rate of 26°/s and vertically at a rate of 21°/s; with the "Primary Armament Targeting" modification installed, this is increased to 30°/s and 25°/s respectively. The gun is single-shot with a nominal rate of fire of 12 rounds/min. With a stock crew, it can be reloaded in 6.5 seconds; with an aced crew, this is decreased to 5 seconds.

Primary armament guidance
Horizontal Vertical
±180° -8°/+12°

There is only one ammunition type available:

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
1,000 m 2,500 m 5,000 m 7,500 m 10,000 m 15,000 m
114 mm HE HE 34 34 34 34 34 34
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
114 mm HE HE 457 6.66 0 0.1 2.9 79° 80° 81°

The 114 mm HE round is able to hull break most coastal vessels smaller than sub-chasers.

Secondary armament

Turret40 mm QF Mark VII gun
Ammunition2000 rounds
Belt capacity4 rounds
Fire rate160 shots/min
Main article: QF Mark VII (40 mm)

The secondary armament consists of a single 40 mm QF Mk VII cannon mounted aft with a maximum ammunition load of 1,500 rounds. Stock, the mount can traverse horizontally at a rate of 34°/s and vertically at a rate of 29°/s; with the "Auxiliary Armament Targeting" modification installed, this is increased to 40°/s and 34°/s respectively. The gun has a magazine capacity of 4 rounds and a cycle rate of fire of 160 rounds/min. With a stock crew, it can be reloaded in 0.49 seconds; with an aced crew, this is decreased to 0.38 seconds. The reload is short enough that there is a seamless transition between magazines, although continuously firing for too long will cause the gun to overheat and jam. This happens after continuously firing for about 1.25 min, or about 200 rounds. There is no noticeable drop in accuracy as the gun overheats.

Secondary armament guidance
Horizontal Vertical
±180° -10°/+89°

There are three ammunition types available:

  • 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°

The best ammunition is the 40 mm HE clips because it has the highest ratio of HE rounds to AP rounds. Take mostly 40 mm HE clips along with several 40 mm AP clips for armoured targets. Because of the gun's seamless reload, there is no reason to use the Universal belt once the others are unlocked.

Additional armament

Setup 12 x Mk.VII depth charge
Main article: Mk.VII depth charge

Dark Adventurer has two possible loadouts:

  1. Without load
  2. 2 x Mk.VII depth charge

Depth charges

Mk.VII depth charges numbered according to their drop order.

The Mk.VII depth charges are carried amidships in front of the aft gun, one on each side. They are dropped one at a time in the following order:

  1. Starboard
  2. Port

Before spawning, the detonation time delay can be set anywhere between 3 seconds and 10 seconds.

Depth charge characteristics
Mass (kg) Explosive type Explosive mass (kg) TNT equivalent (kg) HE armour penetration (mm) Armoured vehicle destruction radius (m) Fragment dispersion radius (m)
196 TNT 130 130 101 8 122

There is almost no practical reason to use depth charges on any naval vessel in the game. Although they usually result in a one-hit kill if used properly, they are extremely situational, requiring the player to close to point-blank ranges to even use them. In almost every case, anytime a depth charge could be used, the guns can be used instead to greater effect. In fact, depth charges tend to actually be a liability in battle, since they essentially act as exposed ammo racks before they're dropped. They can be shot at, and if destroyed, they have a chance to detonate, instantly destroying the boat.

Despite this, some success can be had in dropping them either next to, or in front of a large, slow target. If dropping them next to the target, remember the depth charge drop order, since it's most likely that only the depth charges dropped on the side closest to the enemy will deal any damage. If dropping in front of the target, rush in from the sides as quickly as possible and drop them all at once directly in front of the target. For both cases, set the depth charge time delay to the minimum 3 seconds, since any higher time delay will only allow the depth charge to sink further away from the target, giving them more time to move out of the way. Again, using depth charges is extremely situational, and they will only be a liability the vast majority of the time, so take them at your own discretion.

Usage in battles

Dark Adventurer's main armament, the 114 mm 8cwt QF Mk I, is one of the largest calibre coastal fleet weapons in the game and fires the single strongest HE round of any coastal vessel, allowing it to knock out anything smaller than a sub-chaser. Guns that can hull break are very rare in the coastal fleet, and Dark Adventurer is, by far, the lowest BR vessel equipped with one. However, against sub-chasers and other larger vessels, the damage is lacklustre, often requiring multiple hits to destroy a single hull segment. Additionally, the terrible muzzle velocity and very poor ballistics make the gun difficult to use in practice, with it only really being effective against stationary targets or at very close ranges, within 500 m at most. Additionally, while the muzzle velocity is bad, it isn't quite bad enough to allow the 8cwt QF Mk I to fire from behind cover. Because of this, and despite the knock-out potential, the 8cwt QF Mk I is simply outclassed by the secondary 40 mm QF Mark VII in the vast majority of situations.

In battle, make the most of the QF Mark VII by switching to manual control with Alt+2. The best advantage of the QF Mark VII over many other coastal weapons is its seamless reload. Without having to worry about reloading, vessels equipped with these types of weapons can be played much more aggressively. However, on Dark Adventurer, the gun is mounted aft, which limits its versatility by preventing it from firing forwards and increasing the time needed to traverse the gun from one side to the other. While being mounted aft does come with some benefits—mainly, it gets destroyed less often—this is an overall net disadvantage and limits Dark Adventurer's effectiveness in comparison with vessels with forward-mounted guns, like Dark Aggressor.

Because of this, try to not be the first to rush into action and avoid meeting enemies head-on as much as possible, since it takes some time to turn the hull to get the QF Mark VII on target. Instead, flank the enemy and try to get into ambush positions behind cover. Once in place, turn the hull around so that the stern is facing towards the enemy and use the QF Mark VII to make short work of anything that passes by, prioritizing armoured targets if possible. Dark Adventurer has a somewhat poor reaction time, so try not to stay in one place for too long to avoid being flanked yourself. Since the hull is already turned around, you can quickly retreat if necessary by using smoke and going forwards. In general, stick to close-range engagements on the flanks with the QF Mark VII, but don't be afraid to switch back to the 8cwt QF Mk I to one-shot tricky opponents either.

While manually controlling the QF Mark VII, there are several things to keep in mind. First, while you don't have to worry about reloads, the QF Mark VII is one of the few weapons that can overheat, causing it to jam after continuously firing about 200 rounds. This is more than enough for multiple engagements, though, and the overheating doesn't have any noticeable negative effect on accuracy as is the case with some other guns. However, you should still pay attention to the overheating and occasionally retreat to let the gun cool off. The second thing to consider is what to do with the primary 8cwt QF Mk I. This gun is completely useless against aircraft, and under AI control, it is practically worthless against surface targets too. Because of this, it's best to just disable the AI gunners. This keeps the gun loaded, level, and forward-facing for when it's actually needed. This ties into the last thing to be aware of, which is that there will be no AI anti-aircraft defense while playing like this, so always look out for aircraft. The AI gunners are very inaccurate against aircraft unless the enemy is coming directly head-on, so don't bother giving control of the QF Mark VII back to the AI gunners; just try to shoot down enemy aircraft manually.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Primary armament can hull-break most opponents
  • Secondary armament: very good damage output, high armour penetration, seamless reload

Cons:

  • Primary armament: very low muzzle velocity, low rate of fire, difficult to use
  • Secondary armament is mounted aft, cannot fire directly forwards

History

The Dark-class fast patrol boats, also known as the Admiralty Type "A" Fast Patrol Boat (FPB), were 18 patrol boats used by the Royal Navy, with another 8 built for export. The class was originally ordered in the late 1940s, calling for a new diesel-powered FPB, with Saunders-Roe eventually winning the design contract in early 1952. The Dark-class was built between 1954 and 1958 primarily by Saunders-Roe alongside several other British shipbuilding companies. The Dark-class had interchangeable armaments and could be configured as motor torpedo boats, as motor gun boats, or as minelayers. These armaments include:

  • 4 x 21-inch torpedoes
  • 1 x 40 mm Bofors gun (forward), 2 x 21-inch torpedoes
  • 1 x 40 mm Bofors gun (aft), 1 x 4.5-inch cannon (forward)
  • 16 x mines

The Dark-class boats had a length of 71 ft. 8 in., a beam of 19 ft. 5 in., a draught of 6 ft. 1 in, and a standard displacement of 50 long tons and were the first of their kind in Royal Navy service to use diesel engines. Each boat was powered by two 18 cylinder Napier Deltic diesel engines, each producing 2,500 bhp and driving a single shaft, with an exhaust port on the port side hull. The first few Dark-class boats were painted entirely in standard grey. However, the port side of the hulls would quickly become stained by the diesel exhaust fumes, even after only a short period of use. Initially, an experimental paint scheme was tried on HMS Dark Biter (P1104) around March 1956 that had the rear hull painted in black with the front hull still in grey. This, too, was found to be unsatisfactory, and eventually, it was decided that the entire hull of the Dark-class boats was to be painted in black.

Eighteen Dark-class boats served with the Royal Navy. All of these were built with wooden hulls and aluminium decks on aluminium hull frames with the exception of the final boat, the unique HMS Dark Scout (P1116), which had an all-aluminium welded construction, a redesigned bridge, and transom exhaust ports. In addition to these, eight more Dark-class boats were also built for export, all built by Saunders-Roe: two standard boats to Finland; five riveted, all-aluminium boats with an additional electric drive system to Burma; and one standard boat to Japan. A further nine Dark-class boats were planned to be built as well for Royal Navy service, but these were all cancelled in 1955. During the 1960s and 1970s, of the 18 Dark-class boats in Royal Navy service, two were used as target practice with one being sunk. The surviving 17 were sold to various places, including several to Italian law enforcement in the late 1960s.

HMS Dark Adventurer, pennant number P1101, was the first of the Dark-class boats. She was built by Saunders-Roe in Beaumaris and was completed on 28th October 1954. She was sold in early 1970.

Media

Skins
Images
  • Dark class Newsflash from Igromir 2016 001.jpg
  • Dark class Newsflash from Igromir 2016 002.jpg
Videos
The Shooting Range #122 - War Machines section at 00:32 discusses Dark Adventurer.

See also

External links


Saunders-Roe Limited
Fast Patrol Boats 
Dark-class  Dark Adventurer · Dark Aggressor

Britain boats
Motor torpedo boats  Brave Borderer · Dark Aggressor · Dark Aggressor TD · Fairmile D (617) · Fairmile D (697) · Fairmile D (5001) · HMS Gay Archer
  MTB-1(1) · MTB-1(2) · MTB Vosper · MTB Vosper(2) · MTB-422
Motor gun boats  Dark Adventurer · Fairmile A (ML100) · Fairmile B (ML345) · Fairmile C (312) · Fairmile C (332) · Fairmile D (601) · Fairmile H LCS(L)(2)
  HMAS Arrow · HMAS Fremantle · MGB-61 · MGB-75 · ML 1383 · SGB Grey Fox · SGB Grey Goose
Gunboats  HMS Spey

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