War at Sea
Allied Nations
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- France
- Greece
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Soviet Union
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Allies stat table
Axis Nations
Neutral Nations/Installations
Sets
- War At Sea
- Task Force
- Flank Speed
- New Starter
- Condition Zebra
- Set V (Fleet Command)
- Surface action
- First Strike (Forumini Expansion Deck A)
- Infamy (Forumini Expansion Deck B)
- Battle Line (Forumini Expansion Deck C)
- All Hands on Deck (Forumini D)
- Action Stations (Forumini E)
- Dead Reckoning (Forumini F)
Unit Card:
Set - Rarity - Number
Set V - Rare - 1/39
History:
Australia was a member of the County class of cruisers constructed to treaty limits by the British between the world wars. The Counties were more of a family than a class, however, consisting of three different sub-sets of which this ship belongs to the original group, the Kent class. Both Australia and her other Aussie sister, Canberra, were constructed in the UK, but unlike the British members of the Kent class, failed to receive armor upgrades before the outbreak of war.
"The Aussie" (as the ship was affectionately known within the RAN) took part in the attack on the French in Dakar in 1940 (operation Menace) where she damaged the Vichy French destroyer L'Audacieux forcing it to beach. During 1941, Australia escorted convoys and patrolled the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Following the onset of the Pacific War, Australia was re-deployed to the South West Pacific Area as first part of the ANZAC Squadron then Task Force 44. In May 1942, during the Battle of the Coral Sea, the ship survived a brief but intense attack from Japanese torpedo bombers. From 26 August 1942 until mid-1944, Australia joined Task Force 61, providing supporting fire and surface protection for Allied land forces at land battles including the invasion of Guadalcanal and the New Guinea campaign, including the Allied landings in New Britain.
On 21 October, while supporting the invasion of Leyte, an Aichi D3A dive-bomber deliberately rammed the ship's foremast, which showered the bridge and forward superstructure with fuel. The attack killed 30 (including Captain Emile Dechaineux) and wounded 64. The crash is claimed to be the first kamikaze attack in the official war history of the RAN, and repeated in other sources, although the first organized kamikaze attacks did not begin until four days later: the crash was the pilot's decision, not an action he was ordered to commit.
Australia was involved in the invasion of Lingayen Gulf during early 1945 where she was struck by five kamikaze aircraft forcing her to withdraw to Australia for repairs. This was Australia's last action, as she was still undergoing repairs when the war ended.
Following the end of the war, Australia served as a training ship and was scrapped in 1956.
Source: wikipedia
Reviews:
babs:
For the Australians, HMAS Australia is a massive improvement over the HMAS Canberra, but do note that the Canberra has torpedoes and the Australia hasn't. Other than that the HMAS Australia does not seem particularly powerful. When we compare her to other cruisers she falls well within the existing point ranges.
Her SA's are this unit strongest point. Both their SA's are there really to deter an opponent from attacking her by aircraft. Given that she has flag rating at an excellent point cost, you can be quite sure that you won't loose the flag in the game unless you intentionally bring the unit in harm's way.
DaJudge:
It's a decent unit, the Australia, a decent cruiser and now a flagship for our mates down under.
Supermini
it gets the flag 1 and the "Uniquely Tough" SA like my custom card on the forum. Look at its 1939 year also. Its much improved over Canberra but I'd recommend a HMS Belfast instead.
Plastic Figure Notes:
Supermini
The sculpt is quite good with rotating turrets, but the paintjob is really awful. Canberra has a much better paintjob.
