Difference between revisions of "Dark Aggressor"

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(Added main links for armament pages, converted section descriptions into comments)
(Usage in Battle left unchanged for now, will update in a later edit)
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== 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.-->
+
<!--''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.''
  
Being a light torpedo boat, the Dark class is an entirely unarmoured vessel, lacking even a gun shield for the 40 mm cannon. That being said, survivability is somewhat surprisingly good for an MTB, having an above-average number of crewmen, 15 members are spaced in both the hull and superstructure will give you enough time to respond to immediate danger should you come across it. This does not mean that you can afford to take fire in the Dark Class, just that you might have time to escape or defeat the enemy ship before it gets you. It compares favourably with American and Russian MTBs, however, the Dark class lacks the sheer numbers of crew members which the S-boat series has. Take this into consideration if you are starting from one of these countries.
+
''If necessary, use a graphic template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''-->
 +
 
 +
Dark Adventurer has the following armour layout:
 +
 
 +
* Hull: 40 mm, wood
 +
* Superstructure: 15 mm, wood
 +
 
 +
Dark Adventurer has no armour at all, lacking even a gunshield for the main cannon. Right beneath the gun are also two large ammunition racks. These cannot be removed unless all ammo for the main gun is emptied. Altogether, with a crew complement of only 15, Dark Aggressor's survivability is low.
 +
 
 +
On top of this, being a small boat, she can be hull-broken by any gun with a diameter above 4 inches (102 mm). At Dark Aggressor's battle rating, there are three guns capable of hull-break: the [[8cwt QF Mk I (114 mm)]] (found on {{Specs-Link|uk_dark_class}}), the [[10.5 cm SK C/32 (105 mm)|10.5 cm SK C/32]] (found on {{Specs-Link|germ_artilleriefahrprahm_typ_d3}}), and the [[120 mm/45 Type 3 (120 mm)|120 mm/45 Type 3]] (found on {{Specs-Link|jp_escort_hiburi_class_syonan}}). Luckily for Dark Agressor though, the first two are quite rare to see and are mounted on vehicles that are easily knocked out themselves, and the third is a rather bad cannon that most players don't even use. This makes hull-breaks fairly rare.
 +
 
 +
All things considered, aside from the ammunition racks in the bow, Dark Aggressor's survivability is more or less average. Low survivability and the ability to be hull-broken are the norms for most boats at this battle rating and really shouldn't be looked at as a disadvantage on the part of Dark Aggressor.
  
 
=== 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.''-->
 
<!--''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.''-->
The Dark Class maintains excellent manoeuvrability with high top speed and a small turn radius. Acceleration and Deceleration are both very impressive and contribute to the all-round good mobility of this vehicle. Once again the similarity to American MTBs comes into play, meaning players coming from the US tree will feel right at home with the Dark class. This isn't so much the case for Russian and German players as the Dark class has much lower and higher performance than their counterparts respectively.  
+
 
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
! colspan="6" | '''Mobility Characteristics'''
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | Game Mode
 +
! rowspan="2" | Upgrade Status
 +
! colspan="2" | Maximum Speed (km/h)
 +
! rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Turn Time (s)|Time needed to complete a 360° turn at maximum speed}}
 +
! rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Turn Radius (m)|At maximum speed}}
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="1" | Forward
 +
! rowspan="1" | Reverse
 +
|-
 +
| rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|AB|Arcade Battles}}
 +
| {{Annotation|Stock|All modifications removed}} || 73 || 27 || ~26.18 || ~43.98
 +
|-
 +
| {{Annotation|Upgraded|All modifications installed}} || 100 || 37 || ~17.38 || ~27.66
 +
|-
 +
| rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|RB|Realistic Battles}}/{{Annotation|SB|Simulator Battles}}
 +
| {{Annotation|Stock|All modifications removed}} || 64 || 24 || ~29.02 || ~50.04
 +
|-
 +
| {{Annotation|Upgraded|All modifications installed}} || 74 || 27 || ~23.83 || ~40.03
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
Dark Adventurer's maximum speeds, mobility, acceleration, and stopping are all average, not too much better or worse than any of the other fast motor torpedo boats or motor gun boats around her battle rating.
  
 
== Armament ==
 
== Armament ==
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{{main|QF Mark VII (40 mm)}}
 
{{main|QF Mark VII (40 mm)}}
  
Despite what the name might make players assume, the QF Mk.VII is in fact a Bofors 40 mm gun. Easily being one of the greatest weapons a captain of War Thunder can use, the Bofors cannon combines fire rate, accuracy and power into a single incredible weapon. Its high reloading speed allows for a near-constant stream of fire as you pump shells into your enemies. The shells themselves are devastating against small boats with the Universal and AP belts, allowing for an excellent combination of penetration against components and HE to start fires or deal damage to deck mounts. Attention must be paid to overheating, however, as jamming does occur if sustained fire (usually against large gunboats or early destroyers) is prolonged.
+
In its primary armament group, Dark Agressor has a single 40 mm QF Mark VII mounted just in front of the bridge. The gun has a magazine size of 4 rounds and has 1500 rounds of ammunition available for it. It can traverse horizontally at a rate of 40°/s and vertically at a rate of 34°/s. With a stock crew, the gun can be reloaded in 0.49 seconds; with an aced crew, it can be reloaded in 0.38 seconds. Firing for too long will cause the gun to jam.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
! colspan="2" | '''Guidance for the Secondary Gun Turret'''
 +
|-
 +
! Horizontal !! Vertical
 +
|-
 +
| ±180° || -10°/+89°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
There are three ammunition options 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
 +
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="7" | '''Penetration Statistics'''
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
 +
|-
 +
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 +
|-
 +
| {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-Explosive Fragmentary Incendiary Tracer}} || _ || _ || _ || _ || _ || _
 +
|-
 +
| {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-Piercing Tracer}} || 80 || 77 || 66 || 57 || 50 || 45
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 +
<!-- Datamined info. Leaving this here in case its ever needed later.
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="12" | '''Shell Details'''
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Type
 +
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (kg)
 +
! rowspan="2" | TNT Equivalent (kg)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Fuse Delay (m)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Fuse Sensitivity (mm)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Normalization at 30°
 +
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 +
|-
 +
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 +
|-
 +
| {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-Explosive Fragmentary Incendiary Tracer}} || 0.9 || 881 || {{Annotation|Tetryl|1.45x TNT}} || 0.068 || 0.0986 || 0.0 || 0.1 || _° || _° || _° || _°
 +
|-
 +
| {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-Piercing Tracer}} || 0.882 || 874 || N/A || N/A || N/A || N/A || N/A || _° || _° || _° || _°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 +
{{notice|Tetryl is equivalent to 1.45x TNT.}}
 +
-->
 
=== Torpedo armament ===
 
=== Torpedo armament ===
 
<!--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.-->
 
<!--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.-->
 
{{main|Mark VIII}}
 
{{main|Mark VIII}}
The Dark class is equipped with four torpedoes in an angled forward mounting setup, akin to many American or Soviet MTBs. Their placement allows for releasing torpedoes with relatively little adjustment and captains can become extremely proficient in the wiggling pattern necessary to drop multiple torpedoes should they use the Dark Class. The torpedoes themselves are quite average with high speed and relatively short-range when stock level and becoming very average in these metrics with the torpedo mode upgrade installed. The 327 kg warhead of TNT is quite effective at dealing with anything short of a cruiser and able to hull break ships with one torpedo which might not be possible with American or Soviet-style torpedoes.
+
 
 +
Dark Aggressor has four torpedo tubes, two on each side, and can carry a total of four 533 mm Mk.VIII torpedoes. The torpedo tubes are pointed forwards but are angled outwards on each side. They are fixed, requiring the boat to be turned in order to aim them.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="9" | '''Torpedo Characteristics'''
 +
|-
 +
! Torpedo Mode !! Mass (kg) !! Maximum speed in water (km/h) !! Travel distance (km) !! Depth stroke (m) !! Arming distance (m) !! Explosive type !! Explosive mass (kg) !! TNT equivalent (kg)
 +
|-
 +
| {{Annotation|No|"Torpedo Mode" modification uninstalled}} || 1566 || 84 || 4.57 || 1 || 50 || TNT || 327 || 327
 +
|-
 +
| {{Annotation|Yes|"Torpedo Mode" modification installed}} || 1566 || 76 || 6.40 || 1 || 50 || TNT || 327 || 327
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
The Torpedo Mode modification is available as a tier IV modification. Installing it has the following changes:
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
! colspan="2" | '''Torpedo Mode Specification Changes'''
 +
|-
 +
! Max Distance (m)
 +
! Max Speed (m/s)
 +
|-
 +
| +1830 || -1
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
=== Special armament ===
 
=== Special armament ===
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{{main|Mk.VII depth charge}}
 
{{main|Mk.VII depth charge}}
  
The Dark Class is equipped with two standard depth charges with each of which containing 130 kg of explosives. Should captains of the Dark Class manage to close the distance on a destroyer, they can destroy them by dropping them directly next to the turrets of their target (within 5 meters of the hull preferably).
+
Dark Adventurer can carry two Mk.VII depth charges mounted on the aft, one facing each broadside. The depth charges can be dropped one at a time, with the one on the starboard side always dropping before the one on the port side. Before spawning, the detonation time delay can be set anywhere between 3 seconds and 10 seconds.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! Mass (kg)
 +
! Explosive Type
 +
! Explosive Mass (kg)
 +
! TNT Equivalent (kg)
 +
|-
 +
| 196 || TNT || 130 || 130
 +
|}
  
 
== 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 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).-->
 
<!--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).-->
  
With the Dark Aggressor class, the tactics are in the name. Use the ship's high mobility to reach capture points quickly, subduing any targets on the way with the Bofors 40 mm, and then continue to advance either into their spawn, cargo ship area (on encounter mode) or into channels where Destroyers will enter the small boat areas. Torpedo and depth charge these ships from the safety of cover to secure victory. Pushing into open water is possible, however not recommended due to the accuracy of secondary armament gunners and the poor survivability to high calibre HE fire.
+
With the Dark Aggressor class, the tactics are in the name. Use the ship's high mobility to reach capture points quickly, subduing any targets on the way with the Bofors 40 mm, and then continue to advance either into their spawn, cargo ship area (on encounter mode) or into channels where Destroyers will enter the small boat areas. Torpedo and depth charge these ships from the safety of cover to secure victory. Pushing into open water is possible, however not recommended due to the accuracy of secondary armament gunners and the poor survivability to high calibre HE fire.  
 +
 
 +
===Modules===
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
! Tier
 +
! Seakeeping
 +
! colspan="2" |Unsinkability
 +
! colspan="3" |Firepower
 +
|-
 +
| I
 +
| Dry-Docking
 +
| Tool Set ||
 +
| 40 mm HE clips ||  ||
 +
|-
 +
| II
 +
| Rudder Replacement
 +
| Fire Protection System || Smokescreen
 +
| 40 mm AP clips ||  ||
 +
|-
 +
| III
 +
| Propeller Replacement
 +
|  ||
 +
| Improved Rangefinder || Primary Armament Targeting || Depth Charges
 +
|-
 +
| IV
 +
| Engine Maintenance
 +
| New Pumps ||
 +
| Artillery Support || Torpedo Mode
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
* Fast firing 40 mm cannon
+
* 40 mm QF Mark VII: large explosive mass, high armour penetration, very quick reload, can out-range most enemies
* 4 x torpedoes
 
* Fast speed for a water vehicle
 
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
* Low survivability compared to German and Japanese motor torpedo boats of the same rank
+
* 40 mm QF Mark VII cannot fire directed rearwards
* Torpedoes are average once upgraded and suffer from short range stock
+
* Two large ammo racks below the forward gun, cannot be removed
  
 
== 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 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.''-->
 +
 
 +
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 included:
 +
 
 +
* 4x 21-inch torpedoes
 +
* 1x 40 mm Bofors gun (forward), 2x 21-inch torpedoes
 +
* 1x 40 mm Bofors gun (aft), 1x 4.5-inch cannon (forward)
 +
* 16x 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 the 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 should 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 for Finland; five riveted, all-aluminium boats with an additional electric drive system for Burma; and one standard boat for 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 Aggressor, pennant number P1102, was the second of the Dark-class boats. She was built by Saunders-Roe in Beaumaris and was completed on 9th December 1954. She was sold on 3rd October 1961.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!--''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''-->
 +
 
 +
<div class="portale" align="center">
 +
{| class="catlist" frame="box" style="background: #efefef;" align="center"
 +
|<span style="white-space:nowrap;">[[File:GEN_LIVE_WT_1_HPL.jpg|810px|link=https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=britain&vehicleType=ship&vehicleClass=boat&vehicle=uk_dark_class_mtb|]]</span> ||
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
</div>
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 64: Line 236:
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''-->
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''-->
  
* [[Dark class (FPB 1101)]] - Sister motor gun boat.
+
* {{Specs-Link|uk_dark_class}}
 +
* {{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;''
 
* ''encyclopedia page on ship;''
* ''other literature.''
+
* ''other literature.''-->
 +
 
 +
* [https://cfv.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=215 Coastal Forces Veterans Forum - The British "Dark" Class]
 +
* [http://www.bmpt.org.uk/boat%20histories/Dark%20Class/index.htm British Military Powerboat Team - Dark Class Boats]
 +
* [http://dave-mills.yolasite.com/saro-dark-class-mtbs.php mprints.co.uk - SARO Dark Class MTBs]
 +
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark-class_patrol_boat Wikipedia - Dark-class patrol boat]
  
 
{{Britain boats}}
 
{{Britain boats}}

Revision as of 06:16, 9 March 2020

Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
uk_dark_class_mtb.png
Dark Aggressor
Research:18 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:47 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

GarageImage Dark Aggressor.jpg


The Dark-class, Dark Aggressor (FPB 1102) is a rank III British motor torpedo boat with a battle rating of 2.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea" as part of the British fleet closed beta test.

General info

Survivability and armour

Dark Adventurer has the following armour layout:

  • Hull: 40 mm, wood
  • Superstructure: 15 mm, wood

Dark Adventurer has no armour at all, lacking even a gunshield for the main cannon. Right beneath the gun are also two large ammunition racks. These cannot be removed unless all ammo for the main gun is emptied. Altogether, with a crew complement of only 15, Dark Aggressor's survivability is low.

On top of this, being a small boat, she can be hull-broken by any gun with a diameter above 4 inches (102 mm). At Dark Aggressor's battle rating, there are three guns capable of hull-break: the 8cwt QF Mk I (114 mm) (found on Dark Adventurer), the 10.5 cm SK C/32 (found on AF D3), and the 120 mm/45 Type 3 (found on Syonan). Luckily for Dark Agressor though, the first two are quite rare to see and are mounted on vehicles that are easily knocked out themselves, and the third is a rather bad cannon that most players don't even use. This makes hull-breaks fairly rare.

All things considered, aside from the ammunition racks in the bow, Dark Aggressor's survivability is more or less average. Low survivability and the ability to be hull-broken are the norms for most boats at this battle rating and really shouldn't be looked at as a disadvantage on the part of Dark Aggressor.

Mobility

Mobility Characteristics
Game Mode Upgrade Status Maximum Speed (km/h) Turn Time (s) Turn Radius (m)
Forward Reverse
AB Stock 73 27 ~26.18 ~43.98
Upgraded 100 37 ~17.38 ~27.66
RB/SB Stock 64 24 ~29.02 ~50.04
Upgraded 74 27 ~23.83 ~40.03

Dark Adventurer's maximum speeds, mobility, acceleration, and stopping are all average, not too much better or worse than any of the other fast motor torpedo boats or motor gun boats around her battle rating.

Armament

Primary armament

Main article: QF Mark VII (40 mm)

In its primary armament group, Dark Agressor has a single 40 mm QF Mark VII mounted just in front of the bridge. The gun has a magazine size of 4 rounds and has 1500 rounds of ammunition available for it. It can traverse horizontally at a rate of 40°/s and vertically at a rate of 34°/s. With a stock crew, the gun can be reloaded in 0.49 seconds; with an aced crew, it can be reloaded in 0.38 seconds. Firing for too long will cause the gun to jam.

Guidance for the Secondary Gun Turret
Horizontal Vertical
±180° -10°/+89°

There are three ammunition options 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 _ _ _ _ _ _
AP-T 80 77 66 57 50 45

Torpedo armament

Main article: Mark VIII

Dark Aggressor has four torpedo tubes, two on each side, and can carry a total of four 533 mm Mk.VIII torpedoes. The torpedo tubes are pointed forwards but are angled outwards on each side. They are fixed, requiring the boat to be turned in order to aim them.

Torpedo Characteristics
Torpedo Mode Mass (kg) Maximum speed in water (km/h) Travel distance (km) Depth stroke (m) Arming distance (m) Explosive type Explosive mass (kg) TNT equivalent (kg)
No 1566 84 4.57 1 50 TNT 327 327
Yes 1566 76 6.40 1 50 TNT 327 327

The Torpedo Mode modification is available as a tier IV modification. Installing it has the following changes:

Torpedo Mode Specification Changes
Max Distance (m) Max Speed (m/s)
+1830 -1

Special armament

Main article: Mk.VII depth charge

Dark Adventurer can carry two Mk.VII depth charges mounted on the aft, one facing each broadside. The depth charges can be dropped one at a time, with the one on the starboard side always dropping before the one on the port side. Before spawning, the detonation time delay can be set anywhere between 3 seconds and 10 seconds.

Mass (kg) Explosive Type Explosive Mass (kg) TNT Equivalent (kg)
196 TNT 130 130

Usage in battles

With the Dark Aggressor class, the tactics are in the name. Use the ship's high mobility to reach capture points quickly, subduing any targets on the way with the Bofors 40 mm, and then continue to advance either into their spawn, cargo ship area (on encounter mode) or into channels where Destroyers will enter the small boat areas. Torpedo and depth charge these ships from the safety of cover to secure victory. Pushing into open water is possible, however not recommended due to the accuracy of secondary armament gunners and the poor survivability to high calibre HE fire.

Modules

Tier Seakeeping Unsinkability Firepower
I Dry-Docking Tool Set 40 mm HE clips
II Rudder Replacement Fire Protection System Smokescreen 40 mm AP clips
III Propeller Replacement Improved Rangefinder Primary Armament Targeting Depth Charges
IV Engine Maintenance New Pumps Artillery Support Torpedo Mode

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • 40 mm QF Mark VII: large explosive mass, high armour penetration, very quick reload, can out-range most enemies

Cons:

  • 40 mm QF Mark VII cannot fire directed rearwards
  • Two large ammo racks below the forward gun, cannot be removed

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 included:

  • 4x 21-inch torpedoes
  • 1x 40 mm Bofors gun (forward), 2x 21-inch torpedoes
  • 1x 40 mm Bofors gun (aft), 1x 4.5-inch cannon (forward)
  • 16x 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 the 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 should 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 for Finland; five riveted, all-aluminium boats with an additional electric drive system for Burma; and one standard boat for 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 Aggressor, pennant number P1102, was the second of the Dark-class boats. She was built by Saunders-Roe in Beaumaris and was completed on 9th December 1954. She was sold on 3rd October 1961.

Media

GEN LIVE WT 1 HPL.jpg

See also

External links


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 · MGB-61 · MGB-75 · ML 1383 · SGB Grey Fox · SGB Grey Goose
Gunboats  HMS Spey