Set sail before war’s official start, the German pocket battleship faced off against British cruisers in the Battle of the River Plate. Spoiler: Neutral port, scuttled ship, and dramatic surrender ensued.
Meet Belfast, the Royal Navy’s tea-brewing maestro and Head Maid extraordinaire. Juggling the quirks of the Royal Maid Corps is no cakewalk, especially with personalities that could rival a sitcom cast. She’s the real MVP, and her legacy sails smoothly, unlike some wartime refits. Cheers to Belfast, the unsinkable maid!
Behold the ghost of HMS Neptune! An unrealized dream of Britain’s WWII efforts, she now sails the virtual seas in Azur Lane as a bossy, trident-wielding maid. Her blueprint suggests a monstrous artillery, but alas, post-war austerity sank her.
Let’s raise a glass for HMS Exeter, the final and overlooked York-class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy. Sporting seaplanes and a battery of guns, this grand dame battled German raiders in WWII, survived monumental damage, and made waves in Azur Lane as a nobly behaved second-born.
Why yes, I would enjoy watching Phantoms and Buccaneers of Her Majesty’s Royal Navy shooting traps on the HMS Ark Royal sometime in the ’70s. I would like that very much.