"Richelieu" (1940)

Les Géants de la République Richelieu / Jean Bart / Surcouf low brick version: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3676822027 Good afternoon, captains. Today I present a battleship I’ve long wanted to showcase. So without further delay, let’s take a deeper look at this King Without a Kingdom of naval history. Richelieu: L’Errant de l’Empire The battleship Richelieu was laid down in 1935 as France’s response to the rising naval tensions in Europe. Her original purpose was clear: to counter the growing strength of the Italian Navy in the Mediterranean, particularly the modern battleships of the Regia Marina that threatened the balance of power in the region. France required a warship capable of matching, and surpassing, those Italian giants in speed, protection, and firepower. Thus, Richelieu was born: the lead ship of her class and one of the most advanced battleships of her time. She was fast, heavily armored, and armed with eight 380 mm guns concentrated in two forward quadruple turrets, a bold and distinctly French design choice. But history had other plans. When Germany invaded France in 1940, Richelieu was still incomplete. To avoid capture, she fled to Dakar in West Africa just days before France surrendered. There, she found herself in an uncertain position, serving under the Vichy regime while the Free French forces, led by Charles de Gaulle, sought to continue the fight. In July 1940, during Operation Catapult, British forces attacked French ships to prevent them from falling under Axis control. Richelieu was struck by torpedoes launched from aircraft of the carrier HMS Hermes, leaving her damaged and partially disabled. For a time, she stood isolated, powerful, yet politically adrift. A battleship without clear allegiance. In 1942, following the Allied landings in North Africa and the gradual alignment of French forces with the Allies, Richelieu joined their cause. She was sent to the United States for extensive modernization in New York,