Ship study: Red Hessians

[Soban]

Log Report 1
Mac Donagan
Position: Livadia administrator and Phoenix Fleet Engineer
Topic: Ship study: Red Hessians

I’ll begin this progress report with a brief recap of our knowledge of Rheinland vessels.

Regarding Rheinland shipbuilding, our pilots have already gotten hands-on experience with civilian Rheinland ships—various transports and the Tiger Shark, in particular. Years of operating and maintaining these hulls have given us a solid grasp of how they function and the design philosophy behind them.

Ships specifically designed by the Red Hessians are another matter. We’ve seen a few militant Zoners bring their Hel or Grendel to Livadia for repairs, but our practical knowledge of these frames is limited compared to the civilian types. Even so, it’s clear they’re shaped by the same cultural and historical concepts that inform broader Rheinland engineering. We also have combat records from joint actions with the Red Hessians against the Corsairs, which provide valuable performance data.

Under the guidance of Red Hessian shipwright Herr Müller, here are our planned research steps:

1. Select and train crews to test, pilot, and employ the ships in combat drills for one month. Goal: give crews a feel for handling while engineers acquire baseline know-how for maintenance and field repairs.
   
2. Dismantle both ships and configure Engineering to produce components specific to these designs or identify Zoner-built alternatives where feasible.
   
3. Crucial phase: attempt full scratch-builds. Grendel first, followed by Hel.
   
4. Conduct a one-week test period, then forward each hull to Vogtland Base for final inspection.
   

If we successfully complete these steps, we should be able to produce these ships to strengthen both our trade convoys and defense fleet.
Should any phase fail, Mr. Müller has provided contacts to procure second-hand hulls as a contingency.