USS Arkansas

The USS Arkansas is an American World War I unit in Empires: Dawn of the Modern World. It was one of the first powerful battleships that served in both World War I and World War II. Capable of destroying enemy battleships as well as U-boats, it is a great addition to any navy.

Its Sonar ability lets it detect nearby enemy submarines (100 power, hotkey S).

Description[]

The modern battleship evolved from a long line of major, or "capital", ships, dating back to the monstrous three or four decked sailing ships of the Napoleonic era and before, sporting over 100 muzzle-loading cannon. In the 19th century steel began to replace wood as the preferred hull material, and sails gave way to steam power, but it was not until 1906 with the completion of Britain's HMS Dreadnought that the true modern battleship came on the scene. From that point on, all earlier battleships were known as "pre-Dreadnoughts," and immediately became obsolescent. For the next three decades, Dreadnought's descendants ruled the waves, symbols of might naval power and national resolve.

The United States, with its need to defend three massive coastlines, and a tradition of international trade, was quick to see the need for similar vessels for its own navy. One of the earliest and longest-lived of the new Navy the Americans built was USS Arkansas, designated BB33. A Wyoming class vessel of some 26,000 tons, it benefited from the lessons the USN had learned in its around the world cruise (the "Great White Fleet") of 1907-09, as well as experience gleaned from observing the Royal Navy's Dreadnought and its sister ships. USS Arkansas had twelve 12" guns in six dual turrets, all of which could fire to either side. During World War I, she served in the Atlantic, operating with an escort of destroyers, and attacked German submarines as part of her duties with the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet. During WWII, USS Arkansas supported the D-Day landings in Europe and the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa in the Pacific. In both cases, she worked closely with escorting cruisers and destroyers for protection against enemy submarines.

In Empires, USS Arkansas gives the American player a strong advantage at sea. In addition to being a powerful naval unit in its own right, fully capable of standing up to enemy battleships in head to head combat, she also serves as the center of a strong anti-submarine force. Representing the core of a hunter-killer task force, USS Arkansas has the technological capability to use sonar to detect enemy submarines. Once detected, these stealthy vessels can then be engaged and destroyed, and the seas made safe for American warships and transports. Just as the historical ship served in two world wars and engaged in a variety of combat activities, in Empires USS Arkansas is a flexible and powerful unit that epitomizes the US Navy's tradition of innovation, enterprise, and valor at sea.^[1]