Cv balance suggestion

[Seinta]

CVs at the moment are in a hole and it doesn't look like they are getting out of it anytime sooner.

 

Currently, all CVs have fighter upgrades on all tiers and some bomber upgrades, they should be removed, while leaving the top versions as standard.

The main problem is that CVs can make or break a game for its team, something no doubts, everyone has felt while playing. There is also the lack of team play and focus on damage dealing, rather than support.

 

My suggestion involves a variation of the planes that can support the team or deal damage in a less frustrating way.

My idea is to have squadron options that you can select while keeping a balanced setup.

For a start: 

 

Scout squadron:  The scout squadron would be able to support its team by providing basic air cover and the ability to deploy a smoke screen at the cost of not having the strafing ability. These planes would have low survivability, low ammo count and have the highest speed. The smoke cover would be a short duration that would allow the CV to save ships under heavy fire or cover and advance.

 

Attack squadron:  The attack squadron would be fitted for combat with good survivability, decent ammo count and speed rivaling the scout squadron. these planes would have the strafe ability allowing them to engage multiple enemies and an ability to strafe ships as an auto attack, 3000/5000 max damage and 0% fire chance.

 

Torpedo bombers: They would remain unchanged however, tier 4 CVs need a big reduction to damage. Tier 4 give the new preferential MM has very few ships that can pose a threat to planes and they can easily one shot a Cruiser. Lower damage will make mistakes punishable, but not as harsh as they are now for new players and less easy to sealclub in them.

 

Dive bombers: They will have the option to chose between bombs, the smaller bombs would offer a bit faster rearm time at the cost of fire chance and damage, while the heavier bombs will offer the opposite and AP bombs if they happen.

 

The selection of the planes will be under a rule:  You can only swap 1 squadron of a class with squadrons of another class(torpedo bombers being excluded) . The selection can happen from the Ammunition and consumables tab before battle.

 

 

An issue that has been present in the game from the start is the ability to permanently spot Destroyers as a CV. This is especially bad for Japanese DDs that depend on stealth to be useful. Smoke is temporary and you cannot always depend on ships or air cover.

My suggestion is to introduce a skill in the Concealment and Aquisition tab of the captain skills  ....let's say "Zeroing target" that would after 30 seconds boost the DDs AA damage by x5. That would give DDs a chance to force the CV to stop spotting or lose its planes. The skill could also be passively boosted by BFT and ATF by reducing the activation time.

 

 

Share your thoughts.

 

[lup3s]

I like the idea of the scout plane. But I think it's squad size should only be 1 and it shouldn't have a smoke screen.

 

I like the idea of fighters to be able to do something against ships. But I'm thinking of something like destroying a low amount of AA guns, or suppressing the AA guns (e.g. after a strafe the AA efficiency is reduced by a small amount for a short period; let's say -15% for 10 seconds, non-cumulative).

 

I like the idea of dive bombers with AP bombs.

[BL00DHOUND187]

I like the idea of a scout plane addition to a carriers line-up and agree it should be 1 plane squad only. The idea of it being able to drop a smoke screen as well would be rather cool and would give carrier players more options to assist there team as well as hide themselves if they were under siege from the enemy carrier or a sneaky DD.

 

I think it would also be an interesting idea would be if they incorporated Mixed squadrons, So some torpedo and dive bomber squads consisting of 1 or 2 fighter craft as well. 

 

I like the idea of the scout plane. But I think it's squad size should only be 1 and it shouldn't have a smoke screen.

 

I like the idea of fighters to be able to do something against ships. But I'm thinking of something like destroying a low amount of AA guns, or suppressing the AA guns (e.g. after a strafe the AA efficiency is reduced by a small amount for a short period; let's say -15% for 10 seconds, non-cumulative).

 

I like the idea of dive bombers with AP bombs.

 

i think this would be a much better way of fighters dealing damage to ships and i agree with the AP bombs on the dive bombers as well.

 

[lup3s]

There should also be done something about the MM of CVs.

Almost all the games I played tonight with my Independence, I ended up in T8 battles. Tbh I think about half the battles I've played with my Independence were T8 battles.

And T8 AA vs T6 planes? Utter carnage.

I don't really mind getting a T8 battle now and then, but if the majority of the enemy team is T8, there's not much you can do apart from keeping DDs spotted and trying to hit them. Because you only have 1 spare squadron of each in the Independence, you can only do 2-3 runs before you're out of bombers (if you're not attacking the DDs).

 

e.g. The Tirpitz has the worst AA of the T8 BBs, and yet it's nearly untouchable as you'll lose 3/4 of your bombers; the same applies to T7 USN BBs and CAs, and T8 IJN BBs. T8 USN BBs and CAs are just untouchable.

 

So I suggest that, if you're bottom tier CV in a battle (i.e. difference in tiers is 2), there should be a limited amount of top tier ships. At least you'll have some impact in the game then.

[Ast3lan]

Well people wanted CVs nerfed and nerfed they were. I took my Saipan out for a tour the other day and lost all my planes that were in the air in less then 2 heartbeats.

 

The hiryu I'm not even taking out.. Until the AA gets rebalanced those two poor ships crews are going to enjoy an extended shore leave.

[xsmilingbanditx]

The smokescreen idea actually is good. You can help your Team in other ways than sinking ships.

 

What is greatly needed imho are scaling attack Squadrons. One of the issues with CV in my opinion is the Torpedo damage basically being the same from Tier 4 to 10. The DBs get at least one upgrade, but that is not enough. 

The reason why CV overperform in lower Tiers is the crap AA and defense. Nonetheless, torps from a Hosho hit like those of a Haku. This is devastating and frustrating on lower Tiers. The ships there have less HP and protection against torps. On the other hand, the relative damage done to a yamato or montana is negligable in comparison (usually, not those lucky punches or sleeping BBs taken into account).

Yes you do have more Squadrons later on but you need them. I'd suggest to tone down the "basic" damage at T4 and let it scale up to T10, with the current damage being applied at T8 ( because they can meet T10) and giving T9 and T10 a little more damage (maybe 5-10%).

 

Survivability of planes is another matter. I can fully understand that some people will be frustrated if targeted by a CV and not being able to retaliate directly. But as it stands now, planes are just free XP, especially if sailing in groups of 2 or 3 with at least one decent AA.

I am honest, I don't have a masterplan for that. But the absence of CV in higher Tiers and the very strong AA lead to ridiculous situations currently.

 

Edit: I am fully aware that most people don't like being annihilated and that it is currently more common to blame the game instead of reflecting about the mistakes one made:-) Example: Yesterday, my Mogami was oneshotted from 15km by a Yamato. While I was angry at first I realized it was totally my fault because I was greedy and didn't use WASD hacks the way I should have. Everybody wants to have some impact on the outcome, but it's not an intrinsic right for everybody and his dog. You gotta do something to achieve it. Currently, it's too easy to defend against CVs.

[IVemo]

I have also been thinking for a while now how to lessen the CV frustration on players and at the same time keep CVs playable. Perhaps you could turn the frustration into a CV excitement with merely (almost) changing existing numbers used in a few calculations.

 

Consider the effect of these changes.

 

1. Objectives/Incentives. From now on, a CV's exp and cash reward depend partially on the damage enemy CVs caused on your allies. If you as a CV ignore protecting allies, or cannot due to a heavy strike focus, your reward should reflect this. The reward should of course be balanced according to this new change (new max reward is higher than current). 

 

2. Targets and allies. A really big change here. Remove CV defensive fire activatable. Increase the amount of planes in air by either increasing the number of squads, planes in squads or let the CV player choose. If your CV gets destroyed by the opponent CV in the beginning of the game you get a reduced repair cost. If your team's CV(s) get destroyed in the beginning of the game, allied CAs and CVs get an "Allied CV sunk" penalty for every lost CV which lowers your cash and exp reward. On the other hand, if CVs survive CAs and CVs should get a corresponding positive reward for that.

 

A bit of explaining about the thought process behind this:

- The idea is to make CVs focus each other, which is historically accurate but most often frustrating in the game. To remove that frustration, I have tried to make the protecting of CVs a team job instead of a solo effort which it used to be. Also, the repair cost is reduced so the max frustration will be less.

- Increasing the amount of planes in air will exhaust a CV's capability to strike at other targets after their initial strike and also make DDs relatively worse targets as they should be. This also achieves that a few CAs can protect the CVs and after that go on their way as plane reserves are diminished, so not locking them to one duty for a whole game. Also, seeing a lot of planes approaching your allied CVs as a CA should feel pretty immersive now.

- As a CV, sinking 2 ships while the enemy CV also sinks 2 ships is a kind of a no positive effect on the game outcome. It would be better if you sank 1 and the opponent did not manage to sink any as his/her planes were downed. Hence, your reward as a CV should depend on the damage of the enemy CV.

 

What do you think? I have also more ideas, regarding the CV mechanics and MM.