"USS Montana" (1946) “Naval Standards Update”

Good morning, captains — as promised, here is the USS Montana in a hypothetical 1946 version.

History

The USS Montana (BB-67) was the first planned battleship of the Montana-class, designed by the United States Navy during World War II as a response to foreign super-battleships and as the culmination of American battleship development.

Conceived in the early 1940s, the Montana was intended to be the most powerful battleship ever designed by the United States, prioritizing firepower and armor over speed. Unlike the Iowa-class, the Montana-class would have mounted twelve 16-inch (406 mm) guns in four triple turrets, along with a significantly reinforced armor scheme capable of withstanding heavy artillery fire at long ranges.

However, this increase in protection and armament came at the cost of reduced maximum speed, making the Montana unable to operate alongside fast aircraft carriers, which by 1943 had become the central element of naval warfare in the Pacific. As a result of shifting naval doctrine, industrial limitations, and the growing importance of carrier-based aviation, construction of the USS Montana and the rest of her class was canceled in July 1943, before her keel was laid.

Although never built, the USS Montana holds a prominent place in naval history as the last great American battleship project, symbolizing the peak of the era of naval combat dominated by guns and armor, just before it was definitively surpassed by air power.

Controls

Fire Action 1 for the main guns

Fire Action 2 for the secondary guns

B to launch the aircraft

Fire Action 2 to release the aircraft bombs

others things

I know, I know — I said I was going to make it in its 1942 version, and for a long time I did. In fact, when the ship was almost finished, I realized while looking for references that the model I used actually belonged to a 1946 version... But if you think about it, the Montana doesn’t have an official or definitive appearance, so it’s from whatever year you like most.

I hope you like this new style I’m adopting — I think I’ve found a balance between detail and optimization, and I believe this will be my standard going forward.

good luck at seaaa! :D