Fairmile B User's Guide
The Ship
The Fairmile B is a British motor launch before the second world war by Noel Macklin who was so convinced that Great Britain would need his design, he financed the prototype's construction with his own money. The Fairmile B came in "kits" that could be assembled at the shipyards, and they could take a variety of armament. All one needed to do was unbolt the armament and swap it with the desired piece. Because of this versatility there is no one standard configuration. The primary job of the Fairmile B was coastal patrol hunting down enemy submarines, and most were equipped with ASDIC and depth charges.
In World War II Online, the Fairmile B has a top speed of 25 knots and can carry infantry across the water. It has a variety of weapons for anti-aircraft and anti-ship operations, although it is outclassed by the Destroyer in most respects. The Fairmile B is the only ship found at every dock and naval base on the map, and requires no special naval rank to spawn.
Crew Positions
Position one is the Captain. He is responsible for working the Fairmile's engine and steering the ship.
Position two is the Port Side Lookout.
Position three is the 40mm QF 2lb Gunner.
Position four is the Forward 20mm Gunner.
Position five is the Starboard Side Lookout.
Position six is the Dual 20mm Gunner.
Position seven is the Port Side .303 Gunner.
Position eight is the Starboard Side .303 Gunner.
Position 1 - The Captain
The Captain starts the ship's engines by hitting the e key on your keyboard. After they've been started the transmission is set in the forward gear position by default, but can be changed by hitting the r key. To change gears the player must use the [ and ] keys. To increase or decrease your engine's horsepower use your joystick's y-axis (forwards and backwards). To steer the Fairmile to port (left) or starboard (right), use your joystick's x-axis (side-to-side). Use your number pad on your keyboard to look around in a 300 degree arc. Hitting the del key on your number pad will give you a view to your rear. The Ins key on your keyboard's number pad will show you your instruments. To take infantry aboard your ship the Captain must lower the cargo net by pressing the o key and then raise them again once they are on. It's important to note that the Fairmile B only has one cargo net and it's on the starboard side of the ship.
Captain's View
Captain's Instrument View
Gear Levers Toggle
Captain's Rear View
Cargo Net (Starboard Side Only)
Position 2 and 5 - The Lookouts
The lookout is stationed on the near the front of the vessel on the bridge. The Fairmile B has both port and starboard side lookouts. You turn the lookout's focus using the joystick and access the lookout's binoculars by pressing the del key on your keyboard's number pad. The binoculars have a 2x zoom and can see farther than any other position on the ship.
Port Side Lookout's View
Starboard Side Lookout's View
Position 3 - 40mm QF 2lb Gunner
The 40mm QF 2lb gun is at the front of the ship and can fired by hitting your joystick's primary fire button or the f key on your keyboard. This gun can be traversed 310° with it's blind-spot being the ships bridge behind the gun. The player can switch to the gun-sight view by hitting the del key on your keyboard's number pad, and there are 2 level of magnification. The ship carries 30 armor-piercing and 70 high-explosive rounds for this weapon.
Gun Technical Information
| Name : | 40mm Q.F. 2 Pounder |
| Crew Position : | 3 |
| Number Aboard : | 1 |
| Elevation : | +15° / -13° |
| Traverse : | 360° |
| Barrel Length : | 2.082 meters |
| Muzzle Velocity : | 808 meters per second |
| Feed : | Single Shot Manual Reload |
| Ammunition Per Gun : | 100 rounds |
| Ammunition Type : | High Explosive / Armor Piercing |
| Practical Rate of Fire : | 18 rounds per minute |
| Cyclic Rate of Fire : | 22 rounds per minute |
| WWII Online Rate of Fire : | 15 rounds per minute |
Penetration of Armor Piercing Shot Mk.I vs. RHA Steel Plate
| 100 meters : | 66mm @ 30° |
| 500 meters : | 50mm @ 30° |
| 1500 meters : | 35mm @ 30° |
| 1500 meters : | 25mm @ 30° |
QF 2lb Gun- sight View
Positions 4 and 6 - 20mm Cannon(s)
The Oerlikon 20mm cannons are in the middle and rear of the Fairmile and can fired by hitting your joystick's primary fire button or the f key on your keyboard. The number 4 gun single-barrel cannon can be traversed 360°, while the number 6 double-barrel cannon can only be traversed 300° with it's blind-spot being the ships bridge and smokestack. The player can switch to the gunsight view by hitting the del key on your keyboard's number pad, and there is 1 level of magnification. For each barrel there are 720 rounds (eighteen 40 round drums) and the ammunition is belted with alternating armor-piercing and high-explosive rounds.
Gun Technical Information (Single Mount)
| Name : | 20mm Oerlikon L / 70 |
| Crew Position : | 4 |
| Number Aboard : | 1 |
| Elevation : | +85° / -12° |
| Traverse : | 360° |
| Barrel Length : | 1.4 meters |
| Muzzle Velocity : | 835 meters per second |
| Feed : | 40 round drums |
| Ammunition Per Gun : | 720 rounds |
| Ammunition Type : | High Explosive / Armor Piercing |
| Practical Rate of Fire : | 250 rounds per minute |
| Cyclic Rate of Fire : | 450 rounds per minute |
| WWII Online Rate of Fire : | 140 rounds per minute |
Gun Technical Information (Double Mount)
| Name : | Twin 20mm Oerlikon L / 70 |
| Crew Position : | 6 |
| Number Aboard : | 1 |
| Elevation : | +65° / -12° |
| Traverse : | 300° |
| Barrel Length : | 1.4 meters |
| Muzzle Velocity : | 835 meters per second |
| Feed : | 40 round drums |
| Ammunition Per Gun : | 720 rounds |
| Ammunition Type : | High Explosive / Armor Piercing |
| Practical Rate of Fire : | 500 rounds per minute |
| Cyclic Rate of Fire : | 900 rounds per minute |
| WWII Online Rate of Fire : | 280 rounds per minute |
Position 4 Gun- sight View
Position 6 Gun-sight View
Position 7 and 8 - Vickers .303 Gunners
The Vickers .303 machine-guns are on the port and starboard sides of the Fairmile's bridge, and can fired by hitting your joystick's primary fire button or the f key on your keyboard. Both guns can only be traversed 75° along the sides of the ship. The player can switch to the gun- sight view by hitting the del key on your keyboard's number pad, and there is 1 level of magnification. For each gun there are 800 rounds broken up into sixteen 50 round drums.
Vickers .303 Gunner's View
Conclusion
The Fairmile B is the most widely used watercraft in WWII Online right now, and can be found everywhere on the map that the rivers touch. It's not particularly tough and succumbs easily to sniper fire, but it's also got a formidable cache of light weapons that can deal with most soft targets. It's 2-Pounder gun is also quite good, and can knock out most tanks from 500 meters or more. The Fairmile B is the workhorse of the navies, although the survivability (or lack thereof) means that most riverboat missions wind up being a one-way affair.
If you're an experienced Fairmile B captain and have found any mistakes please contact me at: tarrif@hotmail.com
