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Background : The Alfa-class, Project 705 Lira "Lyre" was a class of attack submarines in service in the Soviet Union from 1971 to the early 90s, with one unit serving until 1996 in the Russian Navy. These boats were the fastest submarines ever built with their submerged speed being only exceeded by the prototype K-222 .
The Alfa-class design possessed several revolutionary features, notably with the use of titanium and a lead-bismuth cooled fast reactor as a power plant, thus saving plenty of space on the boat and making it capable of high speed – the record being 44.7 knots. However, this came at the cost of a reactor with a short lifespan and had to be kept warm at all times. This required special shore facilities during the boats’ career. The Alfas’ armament consisted of six torpedo tubes capable of launching several types of munitions, notably the Type 53 torpedo, the VA-111 Shkval, cruise missiles and could lay up to 24 mines. Seven units were built, with the eighth being canceled, even though the Soviet authorities exaggerated the number of boats in service.
They had a relatively peaceful career, only shadowing NATO battle groups and were never used in combat. In 1974, the lead ship, K-64 , suffered a reactor problem and was declared a total loss after further examination. Her sisters were decommissioned in 1990 and sold for scrap, though K-123 outlived them until 1996. Designed as the first generation of light and fast submarines, the Alfa-class paved the way for several other submarine projects, notably the Akula-class (Soviet designation Shchuka-B).
As The Hunt for Red October was written and takes place in 1984, the two featured Alfa-class are fictional and thus sport a name, instead of their hull number. They are respectively named V. K. Konovalov and E. S. Politovski.
Originally deployed to conduct exercises with the freshly commissioned Typhoon-class Krazniy Oktyabr , Konovalov was redirected along with a number of other submarines to hunt down and sink the rogue vessel when Ramius’ defection became known. The hunt became a personal affair for her Captain Viktor Tupolev, as he was one of Ramius’ former students.
Each submarine in pursuit headed for a US port and blockaded it, whilst the Northern Fleet patrolled the Atlantic. The Konovalov was deployed near Norfolk. As the news of Krazniy Oktyabr ’s sinking became known, the order to return to base was given. However, sensing that something was off, Tupolev decided to stay behind. He would be right as he came across two attack submarines and a larger one later. Believing at first that it was just an Ohio with two escorts, Tupolev dismissed the contacts… until he listened to their acoustic signatures. The larger submarine was the Krazniy Oktyabr which was using the Caterpillar Drive. Following his initial orders, Tupolev engaged, using the rules of engagement to his advantage – the Americans were forbidden to fire unless fired upon. After a tense battle, Ramius gained the upper hand by ramming Tupolev. Konovalov would be lost with all hands.
Namesake : Rear Admiral Vladimir Konstantin Konovalov (1911-1967) was a Soviet Navy distinguished submarine Commander during the Second World War.
Born in the village of Nadiyne, his family moved to Donetsk where he studied at the Donetsk National Technical University. Joining the Soviet Navy in 1932, he graduated from the M. V. Frunze Higher Naval School in 1936 and began his service in the submarines of the Black Sea Fleet. He transferred in 1940 to the Baltic Fleet and was appointed as second-in-command of the minelaying submarine L-3 . Said submarine’s conning tower is on display at Moscow as a monument in Park Pobedy "Victory". He would serve on this boat until the end of the war and become her CO when the former Captain transferred to the Fleet’s Diving Department in February 1942.
Under his command, L-3 sank several ships and laid plenty of minefields, disturbing German shipping during the war, with 11 torpedo attacks recorded. On April 16 1945, the submarine sank the freighter Goya which was carrying civilians and soldiers fleeing the Russian advance. The death toll is estimated at 6000 dead – if not superior to 7000, with only 165 survivors. It was one of the worst maritime disasters ever.
Konovalov received the honorary title Hero of the Soviet Union the 8 July 1945. He would be made Rear Admiral in 1966 and died the following year.
Stats : Konovalov sports an HP pool below average (C) with a decent firepower (B), thanks to her multipurpose torpedo tubes. Her torpedo stat however is top-of-the-line (A). She sports an excellent speed (A) and a good evasion due to her titanium hull, giving her a stealth bonus (B).
Personality : Konovalov is a quintessential huntress and could be considered to a certain degree as the Northern Parliament’s response to the likes of Maryland, Ise, La Galissonnière and Derfflinger, though she takes more from Minneapolis. For her, ideologies and reasons don’t really matter, as long as she can be on the hunt. Interestingly enough, she doesn’t seem to hold a grudge against Red October for her defection to the West or for being responsible for her demise. Her hopes for a rematch against her, Pogy or Dallas and the fact that she’s constantly following them have made some people in the Parliament wondering where her true allegiance really lies.
Acquisition : Are you my new prey ? [Chuckles] Just kidding. I am Konovalov, Alfa-class nuclear submarine of the Soviet Navy, though I’m now under the Northern Parliament’s orders – not that I really care.
Secretary (Idle 1) : Submarine warfare is like hunting. Being impulsive is a guaranteed death warrant. You must be patient and wait for the opportunity to strike your prey in one swift strike. Does my wording sound familiar ? I’ve had a good teacher. For a fisherman, he was a hunter-born.
Secretary (Idle 2) : Always check the safeties of your torpedoes. Once they’re fired, they are no longer your friends.
Secretary (Idle 3) : That Minneapolis girl is one a kind, I wonder who between the two of us would get the largest score if we sortied together.
Return from mission : That went well.
MVP : The fruits of the hunt are ripe for the picking !
Low HP : Let’s get up close and personal !
Defeated : Tch. Better luck next time.
Touch : You’ve got a prey for me ?
Special touch : [Grins] The hunt is on !
Affinity (Disappointed) : Your arrogant ass is gonna get us killed !
Affinity (Stranger) : Surface units can boast about their firepower all they want, we submarines are the real hunters.
Affinity (Friendly) : For a surface officer, you are doing great. Good intuition ? That Dallas girl always has some good tips to give.
Affinity (Like 1) : I used to be really pissed at Oktyabr. And frankly, my first thought when I saw her again was to punch her in the face. But I swallowed my anger and did what our diplomats did during the Cold War : talking. I discovered that day someone I could rely on and later, a friend. Can I trust you, too, to have my back, Kommandir ?
Affinity (Like 2) : Oktyabr… No, Red’s Captain defected to the West because he couldn’t stand what the Soviet Union had become and she shares the same opinion as him. Me ? The thrill of the hunt drives me. The game of cat and mouse with my prey, the moment I get a firing solution, the moment I fire the torpedo… This is what I live for.
Affinity (Love) : All this talking made me a bit sloppy in my moves lately. Kommandir. Could you go out with me next time ? Just the two of us.
Oath : Of all the things that could happen, I never thought I’d become your prey. But this isn’t so bad.
Sortie with Red October : I know who and what I must hunt, Red.
Sortie with Dallas or Pogy : Round 2 ! There won’t be any stupid rules of engagement to hamper us this time ! (The reactions vary following the shipgirl : Dallas will roll her eyes in annoyance whist Pogy will grin in anticipation)
Sortie with Minneapolis : A fellow huntress, I see. Mind if I tag along ?
Sortie with Dzerzhinsky or SN Ametist (Red Storm Rising) : Mind your own business, chekista bitch.
Design : Konovalov is a woman who appears in her late twenties. She sports short black hair with green eyes. Her attire is also similar to Red October’s : a black diving suit and a white double breasted longcoat, the only difference being that she wears it normally.
Konovalov’s rigging takes the form of a mechanical two-headed killer whale (orca). Each head carries three torpedo tubes and can bite the enemy during melee combat.