VAS 201
Contents
Description
After the design of the CRDA 60(t), also known as MS (Moto Silurante: Motor Torpedo boat), the Regia Marina saw the validity of using the CRDA 60(t) hull and modifying it with anti-submarine capabilities; this type of boat would be called VAS (Vedetta Anti Sommergibile: Anti-Submarine Boat Lookout). They were built in 3 series, with differences in construction material and armament, and were used for the role of escort and anti-submarine warfare. Used between 1942 and 1943 by the Regia Marina, only 14 survived to the end of the war, and they were then used to clear mines deployed during the war. The VAS 201 operated anti-submarine search missions in 1942-1943, and after WW2 was used as a minesweeper. On 15th May 1949, it was renamed VAS 711, and was used for coastal surveillance. The boat was put out of service and decommissioned on 1st November 1952.
Introduced along with the initial Italian naval tree in Update "Starfighters", the VAS 201 is a very slow ship with a mediocre armament consisting of two single 20 mm Breda cannons, 16 depth charges which find little utility due to the poor speed of the vessel, and finally two torpedoes with good performance with fairly destructive capabilities even against destroyers.
General info
Survivability and armour
The VAS 201 has 40 mm of wood in the hull and 15 mm of wood in the superstructure as armour, and doesn't have a composite armour. It has terrible survivability because it is slow so you can't quickly cover yourself from incoming enemy fire, plus the crew present (26 crew members) can be knocked out easily by any enemy ship, so be careful when engaging enemy ships.
Mobility
The VAS 201 is not very manoeuvrable. With her 2 engines, she reaches a maximum speed of 53 km/h in AB and 38 km/h in RB, which slow for its BR. It is possible that several enemy ships will overtake you easily. Even larger sub-chasers and minesweepers can keep up with you.
| Mobility Characteristics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Mode | Upgrade Status | Maximum Speed (km/h) | |
| Forward | Reverse | ||
| AB | |||
| Upgraded | 53 | 35 | |
| RB/SB | |||
| Upgraded | 38 | 25 | |
Modifications and economy
| Seakeeping | Unsinkability | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armament
Primary armament
The VAS 201 is equipped with two 20 mm/65 Breda autocannons, one at the bow and one at the stern. When facing forward, only one gun can shoot and in order to get the rear gun on target, a large part of the ship needs to be exposed. The autocannons themselves have quite a low rate of fire and very small clips of 12 shells, although they are reloaded very quickly. The damage is similar to the German or the American 20 mm autocannons, although it has a lower damage than the German one and lower fire rate compared to the American one
- Universal: API-T · HEFI-T*
- HE belt: HEFI-T* · HEFI-T* · HEFI-T* · API-T
- AP belt: API-T · API-T · API-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* | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| API-T | 38 | 36 | 27 | 19 | 14 | 10 | |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (s) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | ||||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| HEFI-T* | 830 | 0.14 | 0 | 0.1 | 3 | 79° | 80° | 81° | ||||
| API-T | 832 | 0.14 | 0.001 | 1 | 1.7 | 47° | 60° | 65° | ||||
Additional armament
The VAS 201 is equipped with 2 x W.200 torpedoes. They are average in most statistics, although they have a somewhat low speed. As the boat faces entirely small and nimble enemies, torpedoes in general are not too effective as the enemy can dodge them with ease. In the low tiers, torpedoes are very situational, so it's advised to leave the ship without torpedoes as they can act as an external ammorack, which can destroy the ship if hit.
The VAS 201 can equip 16 x B TG depth charges. They are next to useless, as they are made to destroy submarines, which are not yet in the game and all ships can escape the blast of the depth charge. Overall it's a very situational weapon, that's not advised to use or equip, as it can act as an external ammorack, which can destroy the ship if hit while not adding any considerable advantage.
Usage in battles
The VAS 201 is a slow boat: its biggest disadvantages are its poor top speed, small magazines, and no protection whatsoever. Unfortunately, these disadvantages cover most of what can make a ship good, so the VAS is simply a below average ship, especially when compared to the MS-15 (same firepower and survivability, almost twice the speed) and the S-38 (pretty much better in everything but size). Overall, although it is not exactly the best you can have, it is still a solid boat for its battle grade, the best advice is not to attack frontally or end up surrounded by the enemy but to go around them and shoot them from the side, you will immediately notice the little damage it causes so it is recommended using 2 belts, one AP for tough targets and armoured and the other HE for targets little armoured. Most of the time the torpedoes are going to be useless.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Two 20 mm cannons deal a lot more consistent damage, compared to the reserve MAS 555
- Can shoot forwards and the firing arc of the rear gun is not bad
- Very fast clip reload of the main armament
- Good torpedoes
Cons:
- Tiny 12-round clips for the main armament and a slow rate of fire
- Although more stable than the reserve MAS 555, it's still not the most stable gun platform at the battle rating, can roll a lot in sharp turns
- Quite slow
- Terrible survivability
- No anti-aircraft defense
- Bad turn time
History
After the design and production of the MS, the Italian Navy saw the validity of this platform in the field as escort with anti-submarine capabilities, especially in more littoral scenarios.
Between 1942 and 1943, the anti submarine lookouts type VAS-201 were produced on the basis of the hull of MS-11, in 3 series that differed in construction materials (wood or composite), motorization, and armament (a maximum of 30 depth charges, 37 mm and 20 mm cannons and 8 mm machine guns, mine-dredging equipment).
Eventually 14 ships survived, left to the Italian Navy largely employed for dredging activities, during which in 1947 was lost VAS-246.
Media
- Images
See also
External links
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
| Cantieri Navali Baglietto | |
|---|---|
| Motor Torpedo Boats | |
| MAS 500-class | MAS 561 · MAS 569 |
| Submarine Chasers | |
| MAS 438-class | MAS 441 |
| VAS Type I | VAS 201 |
| Italy boats | |
|---|---|
| Motor torpedo boats | MC-490 · Freccia P-493 · MAS 555 · MAS 561 · MAS 569 |
| MS-15 · MS-53 · MS-472 · Stefano Turr · VAS 201 · GIS 811 · MS 444 · MC 485 | |
| Motor gun boats | MAS 441 · MS-473 · MV-611 · Alano · Sparviero |
| Motor torpedo gun boats | Saetta P-494 |
| Gunboats | Albatros · Alcione |
