Fairmile B

History

Fairmile B
Specifications
Type	Coastal Patrol Boat
Armament	1 x 47-mm ROQF 3pdr deck gun, 1 x twin 20-mm Oerlikon cannon, 1 x single 20-mm Oerlikon cannon, 2 x single .303-in Vickers GO machine guns
Crew	8 total (Position: Role) 1: Helmsman 2: Port Lookout 3: Forward Deck Gun 4: Forward AA Gun 5: Starboard Lookout 6: Rear AA Guns 7: Port Machine Gunner 8: Starboard Machine Gunner
Weight	35.3 tons kg
Top Speed	20 knots

Able to be configured to many different roles and loadouts, these boats were very popular in service.

Game Play

The Fairmile B was designed to be a submarine chaser but its design allowed for rapid reconfiguration so that it could fill different roles. Its slow speed compared to other armed water craft limited it to primarily defensive operations, but it is well armed to provide AA cover for coastal operations and functions as a gunboat and stealthy commando drop vehicle in coastal and channel island territories.

In German Service

In Battleground Europe the Fairmile is operating under a captured status in German maritime service. Until the faster and more capable E boats (S Bootes) make their appearance in the game, there was no real gunboat in German maritime service outside of the numerous slow Minelayers and converted fishing type boats that were used frequently by the Kriegsmarine at the time. Its slow speed compared to other armed water craft limited it to primarily defensive operations, but it is well armed to provide AA cover for coastal operations and functioned frequently as a gunboat and stealthy commando drop vehicle in coastal and channel island territories.