Alternative to smoke - smoke curtain

[Kazomir]

Right now, a smoke cloud is a fairly personal thing, often hiding only the person inside it.

 

What I propose is the vice versa. Hide everyone else, but the one laying the curtain.

 

Let me explain. The smoke curtain is a thin line of smoke laid directly behind the DD or CL in question. Ships behind the curtain are not visible to observers which have a line of sight that crosses the curtain.  That way a team can advance relatively hidden. 

 

The difference to smoke? Since this curtain is thin, ships that fire from behind it are revealed as normal.

 

Also, air superiority CV setups can lay smaller versions of that with their fighters as alternative ability.

 

What do you think of this idea?

 

Edit: Added a picture to illustrate my point, a team of ships emerging from behind a smoke curtain.

 

Langley practicing smoke screen maneuvers (probably to shield itself from surface fire)

[Seinta]

Perhaps a Cruser consumable, small duration and decently small reload.

I would help Cruisers push and dictate the flow of the battle, all the while being easily countered by planes. 

 

It would benefit CVs a lot in making them more support oriented.

[Kazomir]

Thank you for the support. Yes it is intended more of a CL consumable, as I thought about the RN cruisers and what their role could be. Which IMO should be more of a support rather than damage oriented.

 

 

Also historically they often launched such curtains to shield friendly ships from fire during the war.

[Ferry_25]

Frankly I like the idea. In game practice this is my main reason to pop smoke in a DD. Leave it behind me and keep scouting so the heavy hitters can hide in it and invisi fire the reds. Too bad in the same practice they sail full speed ahead through them and get shot to s*it in no time. Calling me the noob for not scouting....

[procrastinatingStudent]

Like seinta said it could help stealthy cruisers pust forward a bit more and support in better the dds a head and ships behind, but will people in random use it well? I don't know and with no incentives to smoke others or spot why would people want to. But it sounds like something to think on.

[Kazomir]

Like seinta said it could help stealthy cruisers pust forward a bit more and support in better the dds a head and ships behind, but will people in random use it well? I don't know and with no incentives to smoke others or spot why would people want to. But it sounds like something to think on.

 

The goal is to ultimately incentivise teamplay, as players that use it well will often have a big advantage over players that do not, thus gently forcing a teamplay oriented game style.

 

The good thing is that effectiveness of such curtains is not reliant on RNG or some lame strategy, but pure timing and placement of the curtain itself, making it almost pure skill based.

[krazypenguin]

The idea definitely has merit.

 

As another possible effect, note the smokescreen in the first image - in places it is patchy, not very high and even broken.  So perhaps an alternate effect of this smoke screen would be that it does not effect visibility, instead it affects accuracy - to represent the difficulty of accurately firing through the smoke.  This could be represented in game by a massive dispersion penalty when firing theough this smoke screen (in either direction).  Just a thought.

[Kazomir]

The idea definitely has merit.

 

As another possible effect, note the smokescreen in the first image - in places it is patchy, not very high and even broken.  So perhaps an alternate effect of this smoke screen would be that it does not effect visibility, instead it affects accuracy - to represent the difficulty of accurately firing through the smoke.  This could be represented in game by a massive dispersion penalty when firing theough this smoke screen (in either direction).  Just a thought.

 

 

 Well gun dispersion is not affected by visibility but by gun characteristics, but interesting.

[procrastinatingStudent]

 

The goal is to ultimately incentivise teamplay, as players that use it well will often have a big advantage over players that do not, thus gently forcing a teamplay oriented game style.

 

The good thing is that effectiveness of such curtains is not reliant on RNG or some lame strategy, but pure timing and placement of the curtain itself, making it almost pure skill based.

 

exactly but this is the Internet and i am for the idea, i was just thinking about people that don't care or know about it, for example smoking a BB up in randoms (maybe i just don't see it) or any ships can be very in important in ranked.

 

I'm just playing devils advocate, would people be more risk full to help the team with no incentive other than "i helped"?

[S4h3L]

 

 

 Well gun dispersion is not affected by visibility but by gun characteristics, but interesting.

 

Dont forget camouflage

[Kazomir]

 

exactly but this is the Internet and i am for the idea, i was just thinking about people that don't care or know about it, for example smoking a BB up in randoms (maybe i just don't see it) or any ships can be very in important in ranked.

 

I'm just playing devils advocate, would people be more risk full to help the team with no incentive other than "i helped"?

 

Some would, even if to prod an overly passive bb to advance a bit.

[SkybuckFlying]

What is somebody does not want to be smoked ? Could be miss used to grieve ?! Hmmm...

[procrastinatingStudent]

What is somebody does not want to be smoked ? Could be miss used to grieve ?! Hmmm...

 

so can a DD smoke if you really wanted

[Elenortirion]

I even like the idea - especially the fighter smoke curtain deployment part

 

[Kazomir]

What is somebody does not want to be smoked ? Could be miss used to grieve ?! Hmmm...

 

Simply shoot.

[T0byJug]

But smoke curtain is already in the game!! Its called keeping your DD moving..

 

Smoke laid by Plans seems a little silly to be honist

[Seinta]

But smoke curtain is already in the game!! Its called keeping your DD moving..

 

Smoke laid by Plans seems a little silly to be honist

 

​

 

Is it really, I see this curtain giving a ship enough time to make a turn and not get deleted by a battleship, if there is no one spotting ofc.

I see it used at choke points to cover DD torp attacks without having the DD waste smoke for it.

 

 

[Kazomir]

But smoke curtain is already in the game!! Its called keeping your DD moving..

 

Smoke laid by Plans seems a little silly to be honist

 

No singleDD will use his smoke for that when its on such cooldown and it can use it for either surviving or an ambush. As said in OP current smoke is too personal and selfish. 

[T0byJug]

 

​

 

Is it really, I see this curtain giving a ship enough time to make a turn and not get deleted by a battleship, if there is no one spotting ofc.

I see it used at choke points to cover DD torp attacks without having the DD waste smoke for it.

 

 

would only work if there was absolutely no wind!! Remember if there is wind at seal leval its normally Much much faster just a short distance above sea level. There is a reason this was never used.

 

No singleDD will use his smoke for that when its on such cooldown and it can use it for either surviving or an ambush. As said in OP current smoke is too personal and selfish. 

Seen DDs laying smoke to cover team quite a few times. How would a DD lay a curtain of smoke if it was not moving down the path of the smoke any way. If players are to selfish to use the current smoke to screen friendlies what makes you think they would mount and use the alternative? are you proposing this new method would have a shorter cool down? 

[Seinta]

would only work if there was absolutely no wind!! Remember if there is wind at sea level it's normally Much much faster just a short distance above sea level. There is a reason this was never used.

 

This is where game vs real life comes into play, but it can be balanced to fit the game.

[Admiral_noodle]

More variety, more tactical options, more choice... what's not to like

 

[Blue_Bug]

More variety, more tactical options, more choice... what's not to like

 

Being the one that lays the smoke. Cause in fact he can't do anything. you become just an spotter. If you fire your guns, you will be detected. I think no one plays this game to be a spotter. And with the average current playstyle in mind, If you do that, and you get in trouble, you don't have to expect your team members to defend you.

[Elenortirion]

would only work if there was absolutely no wind!! Remember if there is wind at seal leval its normally Much much faster just a short distance above sea level. There is a reason this was never used.

 

If I were to take a blind guess this feature was never used because it was never really needed in the first place......

[Kazomir]

 

Being the one that lays the smoke. Cause in fact he can't do anything. you become just an spotter. If you fire your guns, you will be detected. I think no one plays this game to be a spotter. And with the average current playstyle in mind, If you do that, and you get in trouble, you don't have to expect your team members to defend you.

 

So what you mean is that the meta is so oriented for single play that we might as well not bother totry to add something to channge that?

[Blue_Bug]

 

So what you mean is that the meta is so oriented for single play that we might as well not bother totry to add something to channge that?

​

If you can only support the team and litle else, tell me where the fun is sailing such a vessel. For example a CV can support a team very well. However after a serie of nerfsf on the damage of the CV , the CV almost disapeared on high tier. Wich resulted in a big increase in the number of DD's.

 

If a CA can lay smoke for the team and he must act as a spotter, he can't fire his guns in fear of being detected , and make the whole smokescreen worthless. Tell me where is the fun for the player of that vessel. Besides that I can already tell you that if that CA is detected after laying the smokescreen , the team will not defend her. (Look at the CA's who promised to defend a DD capping and sail away when they see the first ennemie). In this case they will still be shooting at the easiest targets instead of the bigest risk of the spotter.

 

Would you play such a vessel in random ?