Ship:Fall of Rome Collection

Fall of Rome On September 9, 1943, Italy's battleship Roma was sunk by German aircraft while en route to Malta to surrender to the Allies. Struck twice by Fritz X guided bombs, Roma suffered catastrophic flooding, capsized, and broke in two. She sank within minutes, taking Admiral Carlo Bergamini and nearly 1,400 crewmen with her. The attack marked the first successful use of a precision-guided bomb in combat and the beginning of a new era of naval warfare.

Final Sortie

Fritz X Strike on Roma, September 9, 1943

The Fritz X was the world's first operational, radio-guided, anti-ship glide bomb. Developed in Germany during World War II to destroy heavily armored warships, it weighed about 1.6 tons. Designed by Max Kramer and built by Ruhrstahl, it was essentially a 1,600-kilogram armor-piercing bomb fitted with small wings and radio-controlled tail spoilers.

An operator in the launching bomber released the Fritz X and guided it visually, making minor corrections to its range and bearing. Requiring a clear line of sight to the target, the pilot had to keep the aircraft steady and within view of the impact point, leaving the aircraft vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighters.

The first successful combat use of the Fritz X took place on September 9, 1943, when two bombs sank the Italian battleship Roma. Soon afterward, Fritz X attacks struck and damaged several Allied ships, including U.S. light cruiser Savannah, Royal Navy cruiser Uganda, and battleship Warspite.

381/50 Ansaldo Mod. 1934 Naval Gun

The 381/50 Ansaldo Mod. 1934 naval gun was designed for the Regia Marina in the 1930s and mounted on Italy's newest Littorio-class battleships. It was manufactured by Ansaldo and OTO and mounted in three triple-gun turrets with a maximum elevation of 35°. Three types of shells were developed for this gun: armor-piercing, semi-armor-piercing, and high-explosive. The latter was never used, however, as its nose fuse was considered too sensitive.

Interestingly, battleship Roma was armed with guns manufactured by both Ansaldo and OTO. One turret housed Ansaldo guns and the other two—OTO-made ones. In total, the two companies produced 40 guns for the four Littorio-class battleships. The fourth ship of the class, Impero, was never completed and therefore never received her guns.

Italian 90/50 Mod. 1939 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Gun

Shortly before the Second World War, Italian manufacturer Ansaldo developed a 90 mm/50-caliber anti-aircraft gun for the Regia Marina. After trials aboard armored cruiser San Giorgio, it was installed in shielded single mounts on the newest Littorio-class battleships and modernized Andrea Doria-class battleships. The guns were produced by Ansaldo from 1938 and under license by OTO starting in 1939.

The mountings were quadriaxially stabilized and considered highly sophisticated for their time, offering good ballistic performance; however, they proved delicate at sea and were vulnerable to water damage. Although the gun was accurate, early high-explosive rounds tended to fragment into very fine splinters that were not always able to inflict decisive damage to aircraft.

In addition to the naval gun, Ansaldo also developed the 90/53 Mod. 1939 version for the Italian Army.

Luftwaffe Kampfgeschwader 100 Emblem

Throughout its service, the Kampfgeschwader 100 air unit took part in anti-shipping and minelaying operations across multiple theaters: the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, the Volga River, and the Caspian Sea, as well as the Mediterranean, North Africa, and, later in the war, Southern France and the Western Front.

During World War II, three subunits, or "Gruppe" in German, were formed within KG 100, each designated with Roman numerals: I., II., and III.

In 1943, KG 100 became the first military aviation unit to use a precision-guided bomb in combat. The first attack with the Fritz X was carried out on July 21, 1943, at Augusta harbor. However, the unit's first major success came on September 9, when 11 Dornier Do 217 K-2 bombers from III./KG 100 attacked and sank Italian battleship Roma and damaged her sister ship Italia (formerly Littorio).

Reward

Completing this sub-collection provides the following reward:
Roma Aeterna Commemorative Flag

• On September 9, 1943, Roma, leading the Italian fleet en route to Malta, was struck twice within 10 minutes by German Fritz X radio-guided bombs. Her ammunition detonated, and the ship sank with most of her crew.

Final Reward

Seasoned Commander

Nation	Name	Unique Traits
	Carlo Bergamini Eritrea with 10 skill points
			Gun Feeder (enhanced skill for battleships/cruisers/destroyers) reduces reload time when switching shell types −60% (normally −40%).