BLUB__BLUB

Actually... I never use the rocket planes... Only when I need 'ribbons' for naval battles. They work OK, but damage is rather "meh" (HVARS and TitS same, both meh). Might be different with a TX, but I only have Lexi (T8) and the RN/US T6/T4. Back to the subject though - no complaints about Texas AA here. Good as ever. I have BFT (no AFT) on the captain and that's it. Plenty powaaaaa With the T6CV I avoid Texas... and with the T8 it is bottom on the menu...

That's true, but you do not HAVE TO go longer. I mainly use it to line them up, and then swoop over an island. AA-DPS-bubble works THROUGH the island - but FLAK does not. the most important: when you aren't spotted... no AA... sneak attack!

Will I meet ATlanta in Ark Royal? Oh yes indeed... crap...

Yup! The only thing it is good for IMO is when you attack from behind an island... Still a bit of a gamble to line them up perfectly...

First planes as in: I launch nine, 3 of them dive on the ship and THOSE three die first. Well, I do try, but AFAIK the flak clouds are just a visual effect and bear no relation to the actual FLAK position. Whether or not you fly through sometimes has effect, sometimes no effect at all. Also they diminished the effect of flak and increased the effect of the DPS-AA bubble. But... anyway I try to avoid them, plus use boost/brake to throw them off aim. Still the attack planes die first.

Nah I already know... THIS: ...apparently I am unable "... to avoid the shell explosions of AA defences". Or something. So, my first planes WILL RECEIVE DAMAGE.

That's insane. Ah well. The thing is I play CV regularly and still always my attack planes die first.

Well, the message that THE RESERVE PLANES now take damage first is news to ME. I'll have to find out how that works, makes no sense at all. So if I take dive-bombers I get 30% les damage on the attackers, while the "spares"get 100% shot...? And similar, wit torpedo bombers you have "heal" plus last wave gets 50% dmg reduction... while the "spares"get 100% shot.. LOL I had the impression that what got changed was: - planes do not take damage "spread out ranomly over the whole flight" but "single plane concentrated". Makes my wonder why the attackers seem to die first, though. They should die LAST.

Hmm... ?? But usually the attack planes are the ones to die first, how come? BEFORE 8.5 you could use them as a damage sponge, yes. All planes would take ~equal damage, no matter if they were 99% dead you'd still fly them home. If I attacked a Mino I'd drop 3 (slingshot), take 6 - because those 6 would soak up enough damage to make the attack. Now even if i take 9, the attackers die first and the rest usually cannot even replace them fast enough.

Are the rest indeed target practise? If the AA-damage now gets directed to 'specific single plane' instead of 'divided over whole number'? BTW you are correct, it is not HP-boost, it is damage reduction.

Nope. Most of the damage (since the last AA-buff) is done by the (invisible) AA-DPS-bubble. When you are in it, you take damage. And since last AA buff that also concentrates on ONE plane, then the other, etc. I do not know if the "reserve planes" stay out of the damage zone, but it would make sense if the attacking planes "get hammered" first. Since AA is directed to ONE plane and not divided over the whole squad anymore. this means your attack planes die. The rest of the squad might take no noticable damage. After the drop, those damaged (or dead) attack planes go w away. So the damage now gets directed to the rest of the squad. Also - I dunno how long it takes for AA to react when you fly in. But when you fly away, it is already active.

1. When ON the attack run, your planes get a HP-boost. 2. When leaving, the plans that have attacked are already on their way home (or dead). 3. If I'm correct, the "reserve squad" takes no damage while they wait. So yes, seems like most of the damage is done when load is dropped.

I bet you will do the same next time...

How about Operations? Any more coming? You have soooooo much options to do them... Take Port Arthur, it would given the lower tiers something to do. I'd get Dreadnought for it if it is any interesting. Mikasa, maybe.

My div-mate has it and it's a blast to play T6CV+T7Sims+another T6/T7 clanmate that knows WTF he is doing. Too bad Exeter isn't T6... That said, holiday discount is sorta crappo so waiting for either Warspite to go on sale or Ark Royal to pop up. Also Jingles will command one of those... Yeah and then I'll really need to git gud, I know...

Does he go "oh crap" when you lose a plane? Meeting Texas/Sims: "Oh crap oh crap oh crap oh crap oh crap oh crap oh crap oh crap...."

He will be my captain on the ARk Royal, will be Mighty Crap for sure.

@MrConway and all of you - here's an idea. We all know about the fiasco with the naval Training Center, but this is not about that. But it is, a bit. We also know about the CV-balance problem, well thi is not about that. But it is, a bit. The main thing is, we have players that are sitting on zillions of XP and/or FXP and everything. WG has been lookig for a way to give them something to 'research' again, and it should be worthwhile, too. Now here's an idea. Since they are changing CVs anyway for balance, and messing with AA, how about this: Nobody likes the current "sectors" anyway, so how about changing them? Make them have a PATTERN, so the AA on a ship would concentrate on the middle/left/right. The attack flight would be bigger, but NO REPLACEMENT. This would leave a HOLE in the attack where the ship might escape. PATTERNS could be available as a GRIND or FXP or COAL or WHATEVER. You can then switch same as you can now switch sector, and grind/buy patterns in-game. But... it would only work if WG decides to change the current 'spare planes' (which ghet dumped anyway). The surface ships can then decide if they want to 'create a gap' in the middle of the squadron, or shoot one of the sides. Obviously they will react accordingly... taking the gap in the middle, or braking/accelerating if they shoot one of the sides.

Yeah. I'd even suppose you can árrange squadron', have them fly V-formation or whatever. In order to make them wider or smaller. Cover more ground - or be less vulnerable to AA. Balance would be MUCH easier. AA would take a PERCENTAGE of plane-health. Then it would be a matter of +/- as you do not have to deal with 'what happens to the reserve planes'. Also, a ship would have the option to seek help/cover etc before the next wave comes in. Say, a "TX terrible huge fat AA cruiser" would do (time spent in AA bubble) 75% of total health amount, when plane is at top speed. So, X-seconds "in the bubble" would kill 75% of the planes. From 10 planes sent in, 2-3 would survive. It is a matter of simple calculation - or making the AA bubble bigger/smaller. Remember, it would work the same with lower- or higher tier planes. This TX ship would also kill 75% of a T8 CV planes. But that T8 CV would have less, or slower, planes - so, balance by percentage of health taken x time spent in bubble. WG could still make 'tougher planes' by giving them a 'curve'. Say it's "straight"for normal planes. Just 1 sec = 100 damage, 2 secs = 200 damage, 3 secs= 300 damage... But 'stronger' planes would have 1 sec=100 damage, 2 sec = 150 damage, 3 sec = 180 damage... Endlessly tunable, leading to balance. Now add in the 'sector' change --> ship can choose middle, left, right to shoot. If the middle ones are ALL DEAD then he should switch. ACTIVE AA distribution. If he screws it up, then some of the planes do not get "touched" at all. If there's THREE ships sailing together, one should set 'left', one 'middle', one 'right'. But a LONE RANGER should watch his AA, and still have a good chance.

Agreed. It is too hard to balance, as you are NOT balancing the squad that you get, but also 'the option behind it'. And it's not fair to ships either, they shot down one plane, well yeah, and then they get another one so NO EFFECT. Well, the main thing was to: - make it more attractive to the general playerbase (n more RTS) - which I think they achieved; - make sure one CV could not BLOCK/DELETE/DEFUNCT the other. Which they also achieved; - make sure of some way to prevent deplaning (unless you're a total numbskull). Achieved that, too. The way squadrons work now is just BS really. What should be done is indeed make it one squad. Then let the CV-player control how many he wants in that squad. Just one, fine. Can be used to spot. Then send in THA MOTHERLOAD when he finds something.

Yes it is. "reserve planes" that fill in is mad. It means that the first strike in always gets in completely, no escape for ships. I'm much more thinking, get the whole load in there at once, and leave HOLES where planes get shot down. That way ships could also aim for either the CENTER, left, or right and have some kind of counterplay. They could set this PATTERN beforehand - like the 'sectors' now (hell, WG could even charge for it or make a grind). Better reduce the AA a bit, this buff-counterbuff it getting a bit nuts. It is better to reduce the AA because when you get uptiered in T8, you'd still have your T8 "damage reduction" but would be up against TX, which have unreduced AA. What would REALLY be 'balance' is when WG would have the AA do "this much percent" damage per plane. So, if you have lower health/tier plane it does the same PERCENTAGE. A T8 CV would still be weaker than a TX CV in a T9 game (has less planes). But would not be just cannonfodder.

I'd like to see Fred Flintstone as a captain... When we're talking nonsense anyway. And he'd have the power to yell and make islands collapse on hiding Minotaurs.

Well, maybe BEFORE they boosted the DPS bubble, and most was done by FLAK. But now, they are in the same DPS bubble - BTW they also get attacked by the fighters.

Yeah too bad we lost, better next time (I'd have hit you had I been in Hood) I started off in the Lolorado for a change, at least here it doesn't get uptiered. Back to Hood now, much better really. At least I can hit something with it. See:

I've seen it work, too. That is the most amazing thing of all. We had one DD, he got shot by the 3BBs and everyone else got shot up too. They should have spammed those BBs to death from far away, but nooooo....