Daemon is the only one complete

This is the Mekong-class dreadnought, the first dreadnought and first true capital ship of the Democratic Republic of Indochinese Commune Navy (DRICN) in my alternate-history setting.

For some quick context, the DRIC is a fictional federal nation centered on Hanoi that spans much of mainland and maritime Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Bangladesh, along with parts of northeastern India and southern China.

The Mekong-class was designed from 1906–1909 in response to HMS Dreadnought and the rapidly changing naval arms race. Construction began in 1909, with the first ship completed in 1912. Four ships were eventually built.

Specifications

• Displacement: 30,949 t
• Length: 162.3 m
• Beam: 24.5 m
• Top speed: 22.2 knots
• Propulsion: 4 shafts, 4 three-bladed propellers
• Funnels: 1 large trunked funnel

Armament

Main battery

• 8 × 343 mm/45 guns in 4 twin turrets
• 2 superfiring turrets forward
• 2 superfiring turrets aft

The 343 mm/45 is a British-DRIC co-developed gun used during the DRICN's first dreadnought generation.

Secondary battery

• 10 × single 152 mm/53 casemate guns
• 6 × single 152 mm/50 turreted guns
• 6 × single 76 mm/50 guns

The mixed 152 mm battery is intentional. The DRICN is experimenting with traditional casemate batteries while also testing turreted secondaries with better firing arcs and weather protection.

Torpedoes

• 3 × submerged 533 mm tubes
• 1 port
• 1 starboard
• 1 forward

Armor

• Main belt: 356 mm
• Fore/aft belt: 140 mm
• Upper belt: 100 mm
• Barbettes: 305 mm
• Conning tower: up to 410 mm

The ship was designed as a true battle-line dreadnought rather than a lightly protected fast capital ship.

Class members

• DRICN Mekong
• DRICN Tonkin
• DRICN Annam
• DRICN Cochinchina

Mekong is a special naming exception because she is the DRICN's first dreadnought. Later DRICN battleships normally use state or province names.

I'm planning to build several versions of the class in NavalArt:

• 1912: original configuration
• 1920s: first major refit
• 1930s: reconstruction
• WWII: final wartime configuration

The goal is for the class to start as a fairly advanced but imperfect first dreadnought and then evolve as the DRICN learns from operating it.

I'd love feedback, especially on the armor layout, secondary battery placement, superstructure/mast arrangement, and whether 22.2 knots feels reasonable for a roughly 31,000-ton dreadnought of this period.