Kirov Class Cruiser
Ship/ Class
Length
Beam
Disp.
Main Arm.
Speed
#
Date
Kirov Class
626’8â€
57’11â€
7,800 t
9x 7.1â€
34
6
1935-1940
ID: Plastic cruiser gaming piece: Hipper class cruiser from the game Axis & Allies Europe 40-2nd Ed.
The Story of the Kirov Class: The Kirov class were the first and only Soviet modern “heavy†cruisers built before and serving during the war. Also based on Italian designs, the Kirov’s were based on the Italian light cruiser Raimondo Montecuccoli. (The Italian company involved, the Ansaldo Company of Genoa, also known for helping the Soviets with their design for the Sovietsky Soyuz battleships, which bore a remarkable similarity to the Italian Littorio class scaled up to use 16†guns...) With a 7.1†main armament and a main belt of only 2â€, they were on the “light†side for “heavy†cruisers, but their very high speed (a classically Italian feature) made them potentially dangerous opponents. Husbanded carefully during the war (perhaps a bit too carefully), all survived the contest and went on to serve in the post-war Soviet navy.
Usage Notes: Use this piece for “Global 1939†and “Invasion of Italy†Variants as a cruiser unit. Other Soviet warships of interest may be: Gangut class battleship, & Gnevny class destroyer.
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