Request: Commonwealth and RN Skippers

[BeauNidl3]

At the moment we have a very few "Commonwealth" (in inverted commas as in reality it was mostly the then British Empire) ships, RAN and RCN.

It was common practice for Royal Navy, RCN, RAN, RNZN officers to interchange or fill in to help with shared experience and training, it would be VERY nice if this could be reflected in the game and allow the Skippers to be used on both of the ship nations.

A bit like ARP and HSF Skippers can. HSF Graf Spee and Harekaze can share Skippers and ARP Captains can be used on IJN ships.

 

Any chance of this happening? It would be a simple improvement and make the Commonwealth ships more attractive to some of the player base.

[eliastion]

10 minutes ago, BeauNidl3 said:

At the moment we have a very few "Commonwealth" (in inverted commas as in reality it was mostly the then British Empire) ships, RAN and RCN.

It was common practice for Royal Navy, RCN, RAN, RNZN officers to interchange or fill in to help with shared experience and training, it would be VERY nice if this could be reflected in the game and allow the Skippers to be used on both of the ship nations.

A bit like ARP and HSF Skippers can. HSF Graf Spee and Harekaze can share Skippers and ARP Captains can be used on IJN ships.

 

Any chance of this happening? It would be a simple improvement and make the Commonwealth ships more attractive to some of the player base.

You're basically asking for Commonwealth "nation" to be excluded. HSF captains are just special IJN captains like Yamamoto. ARP captains became the same when ARP ships (that originally formed their own "nation") got re-assigned as Japanese.

The main problem is - there seem to be some future plans for the Commonwealth. It's easy to combine the trees but much harder to later split them again (imagine the outcry when suddenly some of your carefully groomed RN+Commonwealth captains were to be re-assigned to only be able to sail the new tiny commonwealth tree).

[Capra76]

Good idea.

 

Maybe Pan-American ships could be compatible with the USN, Poland perhaps the RN also, the Italians perhaps the French, or the Germans, or the French and the Germans.

[HaachamaShipping]

3 minutes ago, eliastion said:

You're basically asking for Commonwealth "nation" to be excluded. HSF captains are just special IJN captains like Yamamoto. ARP captains became the same when ARP ships (that originally formed their own "nation") got re-assigned as Japanese.

The main problem is - there seem to be some future plans for the Commonwealth. It's easy to combine the trees but much harder to later split them again (imagine the outcry when suddenly some of your carefully groomed RN+Commonwealth captains were to be re-assigned to only be able to sail the new tiny commonwealth tree).

With one exception: HSF captains can go on any HSF ship. Yes, You can have any other Japanese HSF captain on the German HSF Graf Spee, not just Thea.

[BeauNidl3]

18 minutes ago, eliastion said:

You're basically asking for Commonwealth "nation" to be excluded. HSF captains are just special IJN captains like Yamamoto. ARP captains became the same when ARP ships (that originally formed their own "nation") got re-assigned as Japanese.

The main problem is - there seem to be some future plans for the Commonwealth. It's easy to combine the trees but much harder to later split them again (imagine the outcry when suddenly some of your carefully groomed RN+Commonwealth captains were to be re-assigned to only be able to sail the new tiny commonwealth tree).

 

I am emphatically not requesting that the trees be combined, or that Commonwealth be removed and folded into the RN, the Commonwealth Navies not only fought with distinction they were self sufficient and have a proud history, I've worked with enough RAN, RNZN staff that I know how they feel. They did often train at Dartmouth and the interchange of officers and crew was far from rare. Still isn't unknown these days in fact.

What I am asking is that the Captains are interchangeable. HSF has 1 German and 1 Japanese ship, their Captain can command other German ships (Thea I believe) PLUS Harekaze and the Japanese Captain can command all IJN ships plus HSF Graf.

 

At the moment the Commonwealth is sort-of in limbo and allowing interchange of Captains RN <-> Commonwealth would help reduce that effect, plus make the Commonwealth ships more attractive for players to buy and enjoy. 

[cracktrackflak]

53 minutes ago, eliastion said:

You're basically asking for Commonwealth "nation" to be excluded. HSF captains are just special IJN captains like Yamamoto. ARP captains became the same when ARP ships (that originally formed their own "nation") got re-assigned as Japanese.

The main problem is - there seem to be some future plans for the Commonwealth. It's easy to combine the trees but much harder to later split them again (imagine the outcry when suddenly some of your carefully groomed RN+Commonwealth captains were to be re-assigned to only be able to sail the new tiny commonwealth tree).

 

 

Come on, it's going to take literally years before WG get around to filling out a "Commonwealth" line (or the other "orphan" lines); there is not even a whisper or a mention of this anywhere. If/when they do finally get around to it, the game will probably have gone down the same road as WoT has - wild power creep and diminishing player numbers. Given the current numbers on NA and Asia, much of the natural fanbase for the Commonwealth line may no longer even be online by that stage.

 

Making the captains fully transferable now would greatly enhance both the RN and Commonwealth lines; RN gets three or four mid/low tier premiums, Commonwealth fans don't have to spend dreary months grinding out the 19 points needed to make Perth/Haida reach their full potential. As "Commonwealth" lacks continuity in most of the game lines (BBs, CVs, even CAs), key famous ships (eg perhaps HMAS Vengeance or Melbourne) would be better of being added in as RN/Commonwealth premiums.

 

IMHO it was a daft and completely unhistorical decision to even create a separate line. The Dominion navies were explicitly formed to act as divisions of the RN in time of war, and remained tightly integrated with the RN right through the time period of this game.

[eliastion]

2 hours ago, Riselotte said:

With one exception: HSF captains can go on any HSF ship. Yes, You can have any other Japanese HSF captain on the German HSF Graf Spee, not just Thea.

Oh, this is interesting and I didn't know it.

It doesn't change the fundamental problem here but it certainly proves that the system has a bit more flexibility in this aspect than I thought.

[pzkpfwv1d]

Can we have some unique Royal Naval Commanders then to offset the missing commonwealth commanders, such as: - 

 

Sir John Jellico

Sir David Beatty

Horatio Nelson

Collingwood

Sommerville

Mountbatten

 

to name but a few 

[Verblonde]

It strikes me that it would be in WG's interests to make the change the OP is suggesting: they would simply sell more premiums if RN and Commonwealth captains were interchangeable!

 

I don't know how representative we forum folk are, but I've seen several people in the past express the view that they won't buy one or other of the 'oddball' premiums because they aren't of use for training captains (anything Commonwealth, 9dJ, Blysk, even the Italians to a degree etc.)

[lafeel]

1 hour ago, pzkpfwv1d said:

Can we have some unique Royal Naval Commanders then to offset the missing commonwealth commanders, such as: - 

 

Sir John Jellico

Sir David Beatty

Horatio Nelson

Collingwood

Sommerville

Mountbatten

 

to name but a few 

There would be a legal issue with quite a few of them as they may or may not have living family around, which may or may not like the idea of their likeness being used..

[BLUB__BLUB]

I'd like to request Mr Bean and the Black Knight (he'd fight on with half a ship).

Captain Austin Powers would also be good, he'd shag that BB real fine I presume. 

 

[HaachamaShipping]

46 minutes ago, BLUB__BLUB said:

I'd like to request Mr Bean and the Black Knight (he'd fight on with half a ship).

Captain Austin Powers would also be good, he'd shag that BB real fine I presume. 

 

Black Knight needs at least one skill that activates upon earning "It's just a flesh wound."

[BeauNidl3]

3 hours ago, lafeel said:

There would be a legal issue with quite a few of them as they may or may not have living family around, which may or may not like the idea of their likeness being used..

 

Same could be said for Bill Halsey and Yamamoto.

These are historical figures, Mountbatten being Auntie Betty's (Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II) uncle most certainly does have living relatives, lots of them 

Her dad His Majesty King George VI was a serving Naval officer come to that, they have a long history in all 3 services.

[lafeel]

1 minute ago, BeauNidl3 said:

 

Same could be said for Bill Halsey and Yamamoto.

These are historical figures, Mountbatten being Auntie Betty's (Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II) uncle most certainly does have living relatives, lots of them 

Exactly. Which, putting it mildly, can be a bit of a issue.

 

Although I though they were first cousins, actually..

[BeauNidl3]

21 minutes ago, lafeel said:

Exactly. Which, putting it mildly, can be a bit of a issue.

 

Although I though they were first cousins, actually..

 

Just checked, 2nd Cousin once removed to be exact, but Prince Philip's Uncle, I believe she used to refer to Louis Mountbatten as Uncle.

[lafeel]

4 minutes ago, BeauNidl3 said:

 

Just checked, 2nd Cousin once removed to be exact, but Prince Philip's Uncle, I believe she used to refer to Louis Mountbatten as Uncle.

Related to Elizabeth as well, as I seem to recall Louis Battenberg (Mountbatten's dad) marrying one of Victoria's grand daughters.

[BeauNidl3]

18 minutes ago, lafeel said:

Related to Elizabeth as well, as I seem to recall Louis Battenberg (Mountbatten's dad) marrying one of Victoria's grand daughters.

 

As I said 2nd cousin once removed to Her Majesty and Prince Philip (Prince Consort to her Majesty)'s Uncle.

[lafeel]

1 minute ago, BeauNidl3 said:

 

As I said 2nd cousin once removed to Her Majesty and Prince Philip (Prince Consort to her Majesty)'s Uncle.

Funny how these royals all seem to be related isn't it (and it all seems to go back to Vicky)

[BeauNidl3]

41 minutes ago, lafeel said:

Funny how these royals all seem to be related isn't it (and it all seems to go back to Vicky)

 

Hardly, the royal families of Europe have been intermarrying since the 1500's. I doubt there would be any issues over using historical figures in the game.

 

Anyway, back on topic, I feel strongly that allowing interchange of Skippers between RN and Commonwealth would be good for the game and not bad for WG's sales. Any chance it's under consideration @MrConway?

[Hedgehog1963]

It is completely arbitrary and artificial to have The Commonwealth as a "nation."  The various Royal Navies represented often swapped Captains and crews with the British RN.   I now have a 19 pointer I got with Perth some time ago who can Captain Haida, but not Gallant. 

 

Thing is that I can't see the advantage WG think they're going to get from this.  Surely casual players are less likely to want the Commonwealth ships because of this [edited] move.

[Hedgehog1963]

1 hour ago, lafeel said:

Funny how these royals all seem to be related isn't it (and it all seems to go back to Vicky)

Historically one way of trying to maintain peace between countries was to marry your children to the children of other monarchs.  Goes back a thousand years or more.  Shame it often didn't work.

 

Significantly in an era where war is very much less likely between these countries, and of course the monarchs wield no actual power,  the children of royalty seem to marry whom they want, not being prodded my their parents.

[pzkpfwv1d]

8 hours ago, lafeel said:

Funny how these royals all seem to be related isn't it (and it all seems to go back to Vicky)

If you look you will find that most of the Royal Families of Europe can trace their Ancestry back to two monarchs, Queen Victoria and King Christian IX of Denmark, Mountbatten was originally Battenberg, Edward VII married the Daughter of Christain IX, Prince Phillip is Descended from George the First of Greece, son of King Christian IX

[MrConway]

On 8/18/2018 at 4:10 AM, BeauNidl3 said:

 

Hardly, the royal families of Europe have been intermarrying since the 1500's. I doubt there would be any issues over using historical figures in the game.

 

Anyway, back on topic, I feel strongly that allowing interchange of Skippers between RN and Commonwealth would be good for the game and not bad for WG's sales. Any chance it's under consideration @MrConway?

 

We'll see - but there might very well be more commonwealth ships in the future that would make these captains and ships more attractive.

[Fat_Maniac]

9 minutes ago, MrConway said:

 

We'll see - but there might very well be more commonwealth ships in the future that would make these captains and ships more attractive.

Is that a carrot you are dangling there @MrConway, or are you telling us something is already planned and being prepared? 

[BeauNidl3]

51 minutes ago, MrConway said:

 

We'll see - but there might very well be more commonwealth ships in the future that would make these captains and ships more attractive.

 

Unless there's a fairly substantial line coming it will always be a bit of an orphan which is a great shame. 

Not forgetting that the Commonwealth countries represented in the game either used RN ships (not a few of which were built by the Canadian yards) or built them to common designs to allow inter-operability with the RN so in game they're going to be copy/pastes with a few gimmicks.