Navy of the Kingdom of Asturies (Q&A)

Interesting idea.

Similar to Rick Robinson's Tarrantry, but closer inshore to the continent. And unlike Tarrantry, definitely NOT a third Britannic island.

I think we need a little more information. Who are Asturies' historic rivals? For past forces, how were timber supplies on the island? Did they have to resort to importing timber and if so, what types and from where?
( I recall HMS Macedonian was built of "Danzig Oak" imported from the continent. It turned out to be pine, and she was 'rebuilt' by the USN after her capture by USS United States. The pine ship was scrapped, but the replacement was so exact a copy when a musician employed by the RN aboard her visited the new ship in US service, he did not recognize a difference...)

Further questions: What is the economy like? Are there any overseas holdings? What were the country's positions in World War I and World War II?

More recently, have they been part of any multi-national efforts like FREMM or MEKO designs, etc.?

Regards,

For anyone wondering what Tarrantry is, you can get some background on Rick Robinson's Observatory site here


rocketpunk-observatory.com/tarrantry.htm

Given the proximity of the island to Gaul and Brittany (Bretagne) the island probably had a Celtic population and was likely conquered by the Romans, probably before the conquest of Britain.  It was probably abandoned by Rome at the same time Britain was, but given the later ties to Spain was probably occupied by Visigoths instead of Saxons, Angles and Jutes like Romano-Britain.  I would think the Romano-Celtic culture would be supplanted by the Visigoths.  The island of Asturies probably helped northern Spain/Asturias resist the Muslim invasion from 711-718, and likely had problems with Viking Raids, as well as having Viking settlers, in the next two centuries.   

911 AD was the year Rollo (Viking) became Christian and settled in Normandy as a vassal of Charles III.  Perhaps a similar circumstance resulted in Asturies' ruler, be he Visigoth, Romano-Celt, Norse or a combination, becoming a vassal of Charles and part of France instead of Spain?

But onto the question:

In the sail era, once independent, I would think there would be station ship in the West Indies, early on smaller frigates like 32 or 36 guns along with the usual corvettes, sloops and brigs.   At home, I would think there would be a couple squadrons of Frigates and a squadron on line-of-battleships (likely 64s early on, later 74s) perhaps lead by a couple 98 or 100 gun flagships.  In the late 18th and early 19th century, as larger frigates become popular, I would think the smaller frigates would be replaced by ships similar to the RN's Portland class (50 guns) or the USNs Consititution/President type (44 guns officially, though ported for 52)

I would think steam frigates, both paddle-wheel and screw would come by the mid-19th century, and ocean-going ironclads would be likely.   Monitors might be attractive as well for coastal defense, though I don't think the Bay of Biscay would be very good for a low-freeboard vessel.  

I would think as the 20th century dawns, light cruisers with 4in guns would be likely on the West Indies station, and in Home waters for scouting, armored cruisers for trade protection and predreadnought battleships as the main firepower of the fleet.  Not in great numbers, but perhaps in squadron strength.  

Five million is not a lot of population. Romania around the time of World War I had a population of 6 million.   OTOH, Asturies does not need a very large army, so the navy could be the focus.

I think there is a choice at this point:    Is Asturies' Navy closer in concept to Sweden, relying on Coast Defense ships, destroyers and torpedo boats, or is it closer in concept to the RM, which for decades has countered the MN with a smaller, faster fully-equipped fleet (battleships, cruisers, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, auxiliaries).  In either case, I would think there would be some token trade-protection forces, which the light and armored cruisers could undertake, but the bulk of trade protection would rely on the Pax Britannica.   I would think if the naval tradition is strong enough, Asturies might be in the latter category.  Say three capital ships, three or four armored cruisers and six or eight light or protected cruisers as major units. Getting into the dreadnought/superdreadnought game might break economy with so small a population. The Dutch Empire had a population of 47 million and despite plans, never got into the dreadnought capital ship game. Asturies might have a fertile ground (sea) for Jeune École-types, favoring destroyers, torpedo boats, fast attack craft (torpedo and gun) and submarines for local defense with a small force of cruisers for overseas stations and trade protection.  But I think some important things like natural resources, ship-building capacity, economy and defense industries need to be fleshed-out.  

I'll offer some thoughts on the 20th century later.

Regards,

  

In order to prevent to be mistaken for French naval ships during the 17th and 18th Century, the Kingdom of Asturies created the Asturies Naval Ensign.

Setting aside issues of climate and larger questions, it would be difficult to avoid the orbit of France, even if it is a bit further away than Ireland from Britain.

Why? Because by its very position, it completely controls French access to the Atlantic, interdicting all the traditional western ports of La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Saint-Nazaire and Lorient, leaving only Brest, which is extremely controllable for Britain. Without these, France is extremely land locked on a side that it never was historically and her position as a great power is seriously challenged.

A British invasion in 1702 doesn't hack it, as we aren't talking about Gibraltar or Minorca level specks on the map, but a hunk of land the size of the Netherlands or Switzerland positioned right athwart France's 'sea axis of sovereignty.'

The effects are major enough in the 18th and 19th centuries, but once we hit the 20th century, the World Wars are completely changed.

That would be corecht.