MN Algérie - The Best Treaty Cruiser?

A quick way to start an argument is to ask 'what was the best *insert ship type here*?'
The French cruiser, Algerie, is commonly used here. Specifically, in regard to what the best treaty cruiser was. Algerie is the usual answer, past the obvious American options. A well-balanced ship, with no glaring flaws. Although also no particularly amazing strengths.
Unfortunately, for all Algerie's apparent strength...this is another ship that never had the chance to show off. She was part of the Vichy fleet after France surrendered. And, as a result, scuttled early in the conflict.
Still, a beautiful ship with a lot of potential.
Further Reading:
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[@Michael974100]

Thank you Skynea for not pretending that you knew everything that there was to know about this ships history and asking for further references. The honesty is appreciated.

[@markymark3572]

This is such an excellent channel. As a long term fan of the subject matter, i look forward to every video

[@JGCR59]

What is most striking is the absolutely massive conning tower. I suppose it contains the main gunnery director on top and the two directors protruding from the sides and rear in some sort of "balcony" are the directors for the 100mm AA guns.

[@ARGONUAT]

Very solid material as always. I thoroughly enjoy your creative, interesting channel.

[@metaknight115]

Could we see a video on USS Monssen. She possibly torpedoed Akatsuki, and sources really can’t seem to agree which ships sank her (though she was verifiably hit by type 3 14-inch shells from Hiei)

[@metaknight115]

The French navy had some pretty good ships. Shame most of them did nothing of note and were then scuttled

[@bkjeong4302]

Maybe if they’d focused their attention more on improving land warfare doctrine….

[@metaknight115]

@@bkjeong4302 At least Richelieu valiantly defended Dakar from HMS Barham and HMS Resolution.

[@Hardcase_Kara]

​@@bkjeong4302 Same could have been said about the Brits since both them and thr French suffered due to their outdated form of warfare since both prepared for a war like WW1.

[@Ah01]

And many terrible ones, Duquesne - class cruisers and carrier Bearn just to name a few. They did more things wrong than right, Algerie being a notable exception to the good side.

[@Ah01]

​​@@bkjeong4302That would have helped to some extent, but it wouldn't have fixed the basic problem: France had not enough population, technology or industrial capability to match the germans at any level. Be it upon themselves, there would still be a swastika hanging from the Eiffel tower.

[@spudhut2246]

Excellent history lesson. She is a beautiful ship!

[@RayyMusik]

Your output is amazing, particularly because quality doesn’t suffer from quantity. 👏

[@josephhungerford8348]

Very interesting topic plus a lot great history beyond the French navy.

[@mikearmstrong8483]

How to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Everybody "complied" with the treaties, but the bad guys were lousy at math.

[@gmatgmat]

There is a French language book on the Cruiser Algerie. Le Croiseur Algérie Relié - 15 septembre 1999 Moulin. It is not the Profile Morskie 52 monograph.

[@terencewong-lane4309]

There is a lot written about this ship, there's a whole book on Algérie by Jean Moulin & Patrick Maurand!

[@skyneahistory2306]

Near as I can find, that’s only in French. Or, at least, I can’t find an English translation. Which would explain why it didn’t come up in the research pass. And also falls under both ‘not much in *English*’ and ‘there might be more in French, if there is, let me know’.

[@terencewong-lane4309]

@@skyneahistory2306 Yes, sorry, it was never translated into English. It was published in 1999 by Marines Éditions, my copy is in storage; I'm lucky enough to be to read in French (after a fashion). There may be an abridged translation of some of the chapters in an old edition of Warship International. There was also a feature (in English) in Warship 2000-2001 by John Jordan.

[@stephenfarthing3819]

Drachfinel might be able to assist there! He covers many warships of all countries and ages! Have a word with him!

[@murielcunningham8703]

A video on Franklin?

[@Leptospirosi]

What is often ignored is how France, had probably the best naval engines of the pre war era (also the worst guns, but that's for another time) Having engines both powerful and compact allowed them to exploit ship tonnage on other section of the ship. To give contest, the engine of the Richelieu class was more powerful (slightly) and twice as compact as those on the Littorio class. This allowed Algerie to be built in the constrains of the Washington treaty.

[@HighlanderNorth1]

That explains the Algerie's slow reload speed of 11 secs, despite only having eight 203mm guns. That's pretty slow for a tier 7 ship. Compare that to the tier 6 Pensacola, which has ten 203mm main guns with a 10 sec reload, and is more maneuverable. Yep, I certainly hope ^she was a better ship in real life in the mid 20th century than she is in World of Warships Blitz in the 2020's...... 😁

[@otten5666]

@@HighlanderNorth1 Isn't there some gay world of warships forum where you can post this crap?

[@Michael974100]

​@HighlanderNorth1 I'm afraid I have to agree in principal ( if not his wording) with otten5666 on this one. The person who wrote the original interesting and insightful comment deserves a little bit more than an immature comment referencing a game. Please, as otten5666 suggests, find a WoW forum to post these types of comments. Thank yoy.

[@HighlanderNorth1]

@@otten5666 It was a joke. No reason to be upset.

[@KillBones]

@@HighlanderNorth1 jokes have to be funny.

[@Jiveslug]

I have always been curious as to why the French never built any more of this class of cruiser. The Italians had four of the Zaras, so why just one Algerie? Was it because of funds or maybe treaty restrictions? I am guessing it had to do with the restrictions on total tonnage, but I was wondering if you came across anything specific.

[@skyneahistory2306]

Treaty restrictions. The French used up most of their cruiser allotment on the first six, so Algerie was a one off. They *were* developing a follow up, in the form of Saint Louis. But, well, *waves in general direction of panzers*.

[@ErichVonKraut]

I can see the brochure now: MN Algéri. Scrap, not crap.

[@anonymusum]

The first 6 French heavy cruisers were kinda swimming coffins.

[@alexzenz760]

No armor 👍🏻

[@gohibniugoh1668]

@@alexzenz760 no armor.

[@Hardcase_Kara]

Which is ironic since none were lost in combat well other than getting scuttled, heck one even made it all the way to the 1970s (Sufren) and the other 2 surviving until 1956 (Duquesne) and 1963 (Tourville)

[@anonymusum]

@@Hardcase_Kara No wonder, the cruisers were held back during WW2 due to their vulnerability. And after WW2 the French Navy kept a lot of old ships afloat cause they had lost so many ships during the war and in Toulon, so it was hard for them to operate a whole fleet that was needed in colonial service and in the war in Indochina. Moreover the cruisers you mentioned were used as training ships only, as were their battleships.

[@tomlindsay4629]

Being a good design isn't enough.

[@christianhillier]

First

[@Burninhellscrootoob]

The italians fighting the french.... There should be a law against that, its like midget wrestling.......

[@garydixon-ug6dk]

Careful your nationalistic ignorance is showing. I'll let you actually spend the time to find out for yourself why that is so, you might learn something in the process.