Fields, Carrier Groups and Fire Control Towers

[Volron]

I wish, with the upcoming update, that we had fields and task groups armed according to the era that were in.  If I recall correctly, MOST ships in the early stages of the war, including the CV's, were outfitted more for ship to ship combat than anti-air.  Airfields were initially defended with mostly light anti-air as well, with only a very few 20/37mm guns.  As the war progressed, they started making changes accordingly to better defend against air attacks.  I remember someone posting a report about the anti-air defenses of Germany's bases a ways back, and one thing I recalled being mentioned is how Allied fields in England were woefully under defended from air attacks vs their German counterparts.  This could be used for certain scenarios and what-not.

A crude example:

Small Field:

EWA:

10 .30 cal
4 .50 cal
2 20mm singles
1 37mm

MWA:
8 .50 cal singles
4 .50 cal quads
4 20mm singles
2 20mm quads
2 37mm

LWA:

What we have currently.

Maybe have a check box for the map makers so they can choose what type of base they wish to put down?  Defaulted to have Late War selected, they could click on Mid War or Early War to change the gun types.  The same could be done for ships as well.  Additionally for ships, maybe give them the ability to select each individual ship?  IE: The 2 aft destroyers would run a MW setup with the 2 flank destroyers running LW with the Cruiser and CV using an EW setup.  This could represent a slow upgrading process?  I am not sure if all ships within a fleet were all upgraded in one go or if they brought them in as needed.  I would guess a ship was added as it became available.


I would also like to see the Fire Control Towers of the ships implemented as well.  Using our current Fletcher Class DD; Someone could jump into the fire control tower and take control of all 5 5" guns on the ship.  They would only be able to use HE rounds as a result.  This would also mean that the Auto 5" guns wouldn't fire at enemies as they are now under player control.  This WILL NOT stop people from jumping into one of the 2 manned guns to shoot something else are to run AA.  Example: Guy 1 goes into the FCT and starts shelling a field.  Guy 2 jumps into the front 5" gun to defend the CV and Guy 3 jumps into the rear 5" and shoot PT's.  Guy 1 would still be in control of the 3 remaining guns and can continue to shell the base.

For the CA, the guy in the FCT for the 8" guns will always be in control of at least one gun.  So at first, he would be in control of all 3 until 2 guys showed up and picked a gun.  The last gun will remain under his control and it will register the last gun as occupied.  The 5" guns will work as they do in the DD's.  Both 5" man turrets could be taken by a player, but guy in FCT would still have control of the numerous 5" guns that are auto.



Welp, hope this fire block works.

[Tinkles]

I wish, with the upcoming update, that we had fields and task groups armed according to the era that were in.  If I recall correctly, MOST ships in the early stages of the war, including the CV's, were outfitted more for ship to ship combat than anti-air.  Airfields were initially defended with mostly light anti-air as well, with only a very few 20/37mm guns.  As the war progressed, they started making changes accordingly to better defend against air attacks.  I remember someone posting a report about the anti-air defenses of Germany's bases a ways back, and one thing I recalled being mentioned is how Allied fields in England were woefully under defended from air attacks vs their German counterparts.  This could be used for certain scenarios and what-not.

A crude example:

Small Field:

EWA:

10 .30 cal
4 .50 cal
2 20mm singles
1 37mm

MWA:
8 .50 cal singles
4 .50 cal quads
4 20mm singles
2 20mm quads
2 37mm

LWA:

What we have currently.

Maybe have a check box for the map makers so they can choose what type of base they wish to put down?  Defaulted to have Late War selected, they could click on Mid War or Early War to change the gun types.  The same could be done for ships as well.  Additionally for ships, maybe give them the ability to select each individual ship?  IE: The 2 aft destroyers would run a MW setup with the 2 flank destroyers running LW with the Cruiser and CV using an EW setup.  This could represent a slow upgrading process?  I am not sure if all ships within a fleet were all upgraded in one go or if they brought them in as needed.  I would guess a ship was added as it became available.


I would also like to see the Fire Control Towers of the ships implemented as well.  Using our current Fletcher Class DD; Someone could jump into the fire control tower and take control of all 5 5" guns on the ship.  They would only be able to use HE rounds as a result.  This would also mean that the Auto 5" guns wouldn't fire at enemies as they are now under player control.  This WILL NOT stop people from jumping into one of the 2 manned guns to shoot something else are to run AA.  Example: Guy 1 goes into the FCT and starts shelling a field.  Guy 2 jumps into the front 5" gun to defend the CV and Guy 3 jumps into the rear 5" and shoot PT's.  Guy 1 would still be in control of the 3 remaining guns and can continue to shell the base.

For the CA, the guy in the FCT for the 8" guns will always be in control of at least one gun.  So at first, he would be in control of all 3 until 2 guys showed up and picked a gun.  The last gun will remain under his control and it will register the last gun as occupied.  The 5" guns will work as they do in the DD's.  Both 5" man turrets could be taken by a player, but guy in FCT would still have control of the numerous 5" guns that are auto.



Welp, hope this fire block works.

Interesting concept.

[lunatic1]

the only problem's i see with this is that someone might have to stay in the ship guns all the time to keep other countries from captureing the fleet.in the early hours of the morning,not many players on-if the fleets have no auto ack,they could be captured easily..i would not want to stay to man the guns all day--plus people already fight with each other for control of the fleets....plus your saying 3 people to man the guns-what if 3 people don't want to.plus your splitting fire between ground and air--as you know right now all guns except the 8" guns fire at the air threat when not manned.

But at least this is a new idea.

[Blinder]

  +1

It will add to the historical realism so I am for it. But there still needs to be auto gunners whenever the stations are unoccupied by players.

[Volron]

I understand what you were saying lunatic.  But there wouldn't be a rank thing involved with the fire control towers.  Just like all other manned guns, first come, first served.  Only one part of the fire control tower wish applies to the 5" guns on the DD's and CA.  The auto 5" guns on the CV wouldn't be affected as, as far as I'm aware, CV's don't have a fire control tower.  You won't have to man the guns all day or anything of the sort.  If no one is there, auto puffy will do it's thing.  And unless 6 (guessing the CA has 2 fire control towers for the 5" guns) people want to take control of all 5" control towers on the DD's and CA to prevent auto puff from those ships, well, poo.  It will be no different than if someone of high rank hiding the cv in that regard.  Only to find out who they are, you'd have to up a plane or PT and get a few screenies of it happening often and report them.  Not sure if anything would come of it, I would guess it would warrant action.  Hiding the CV is one thing.  It's a valid tactic, but a crappy one.  Jumping in guns for the sole purpose of allowing the enemy to sink the fleet is another.


Blinder, if I'm in the fire control tower of a DD, I would have all 5" guns under my control.  They would, as mentioned earlier, be locked in HE mode.  This wouldn't stop someone from jumping into one of the 2 manned turrets and shoot at air targets.  If both manned turrets are occupied by players, I could take/would still have control of the 3 remaining turrets from the fire control tower, and can continue to shell with them.


As mentioned before in regards to the 8" fire control tower on the CA, I can use all 3 at the same time from there.  However, I will ALWAYS have 1 gun under my control.  So if two other players jump into the 8" guns, the gun not chosen by those 2 will remain under my control and I would still be in the fire control tower and able to use it from there, or switch to the gun itself.