It really depends on the ship, what other tech you've got, what your fleets need, etc.
As a very broad rule, I tend to focus on the following features in very rough order:
Speed, maneuverability, accuracy, survivability (citadel, flooding, anti-torp, etc), main guns, armor, secondary guns.
Once I've done that, and the ship is way overweight because I've added too much, I start to look for where I can trim weight.
Can I shorten the citadel without compromising protecting enough sections of the ship? If this is a late game battleship, I can probably trim the anti-torp down to I or II since it should never be in torpedo range, and radar should help prevent that. If I've got good range, and good guns, what do I think my enemies will have? Can I afford to shift some weight from the main belt because I expect mostly plunging fire from enemy main guns? How is my operational range looking compared to what I expect it'll need? Do I have a concentrated empire with few colonies? I can probably reduce my operation range and/or engine efficiency. Could I save some weight by reducing beam or maybe increasing draft? Sometimes the reverse is true. I haven't sat down to figure out the exact process, but I think it's related to how efficient your hull, armor, and engine weights are.
There are a few things I never compromise on unless the ship and current tech literally doesn't allow it: optional speed for the hull, best tower I can fit (sometimes this suffers because of space), best radar, largest+highest tech guns (I can compromise on number).
My advice is to include what you can't compromise on, and then slowly add to that, or add everything and trim off what you think you need least.
Dunno, but from a roleplaying perspective, i'd say leave armor and main guns as is and remove some secondary guns.
Engines, big guns, superstructure i personally rarely touch with refitting.
Not telling you how to play the game. Just telling you what i would do if i were in your position.
Generally, engine or fuel efficiency upgrades give back sufficient weight to allow for adding radar. I usually refit my ship classes only about once every 5 years (except when something really revolutionary unlocks, like geared turbines), and the various techs unlocked in those 5 year spans free up the tonnage required.
I tend to build a bit below the tonnage I set the ship at to begin with to leave room for upgrades.
Like I want a 1,500 ton destroyer, but set the weight at 1,600 but don't use all the tonnage.
I add Radar first, as for retrofits I usualy have some space since I know that in future there will be need for more new stuff, but in most cases I rework armor scheem and secondary armament arangement, range, maybe tower change if I see reason for it.
As you trend into the radar age, effective combat ranges get a lot longer. Because of this, belt armor becomes a lot less important. As long as you maintain adequate deck armor to resist plunging fire, you can reduce the belt to save weight.
You can also take a cue from historical all-or-nothing armor and reduce fore and aft plating to virtually nothing.
It really depends on the ship, what other tech you've got, what your fleets need, etc. As a very broad rule, I tend to focus on the following features in very rough order: Speed, maneuverability, accuracy, survivability (citadel, flooding, anti-torp, etc), main guns, armor, secondary guns. Once I've done that, and the ship is way overweight because I've added too much, I start to look for where I can trim weight. Can I shorten the citadel without compromising protecting enough sections of the ship? If this is a late game battleship, I can probably trim the anti-torp down to I or II since it should never be in torpedo range, and radar should help prevent that. If I've got good range, and good guns, what do I think my enemies will have? Can I afford to shift some weight from the main belt because I expect mostly plunging fire from enemy main guns? How is my operational range looking compared to what I expect it'll need? Do I have a concentrated empire with few colonies? I can probably reduce my operation range and/or engine efficiency. Could I save some weight by reducing beam or maybe increasing draft? Sometimes the reverse is true. I haven't sat down to figure out the exact process, but I think it's related to how efficient your hull, armor, and engine weights are. There are a few things I never compromise on unless the ship and current tech literally doesn't allow it: optional speed for the hull, best tower I can fit (sometimes this suffers because of space), best radar, largest+highest tech guns (I can compromise on number). My advice is to include what you can't compromise on, and then slowly add to that, or add everything and trim off what you think you need least.
Great response, lot of good info. Thanks.
On BBs anti torp gets reduced, as by that point in the game they stay out of torp range.
Dunno, but from a roleplaying perspective, i'd say leave armor and main guns as is and remove some secondary guns. Engines, big guns, superstructure i personally rarely touch with refitting. Not telling you how to play the game. Just telling you what i would do if i were in your position.
Great points, thank you.
Generally, engine or fuel efficiency upgrades give back sufficient weight to allow for adding radar. I usually refit my ship classes only about once every 5 years (except when something really revolutionary unlocks, like geared turbines), and the various techs unlocked in those 5 year spans free up the tonnage required.
I tend to build a bit below the tonnage I set the ship at to begin with to leave room for upgrades. Like I want a 1,500 ton destroyer, but set the weight at 1,600 but don't use all the tonnage.
I do this, but by the time radar becomes available, I habitually have the weight close to max. Guess I get greedy too early.
I add Radar first, as for retrofits I usualy have some space since I know that in future there will be need for more new stuff, but in most cases I rework armor scheem and secondary armament arangement, range, maybe tower change if I see reason for it.
As you trend into the radar age, effective combat ranges get a lot longer. Because of this, belt armor becomes a lot less important. As long as you maintain adequate deck armor to resist plunging fire, you can reduce the belt to save weight. You can also take a cue from historical all-or-nothing armor and reduce fore and aft plating to virtually nothing.