observation balloons onboard low-tier capital ships

[Cpt_Andre]

Ahoi!
Are we going to see in the future onboard low-tier capital ships observation balloons which replace the spotter aircrafts?

 

Possible on some of the future British battleships?

 

Playstyle-wise they could behave the same way like the known spotter aircrafts and increased the firing range and spot torpedos.

 

But instead of a plane circling the ship there will be a ballon hovering above.

 

This would be a nice opportunity to teach the players a bit of history and explain, that naval aviation didn't start with fixed wing planes but with lighter-then-air ballons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings

 

Cpt. André

[Niibler]

The second ship doesn't look much capital to me.

[Nethraniel]

The second ship doesn't look much capital to me.

 

DDs with spotter balloon... lolz

[deadly_if_swallowed]

The second ship doesn't look much capital to me.

 

Fubuki, flagship of the 5th Mobile Fleet

[Cpt_Andre]

First ship is the HMS Erin

 

Second ship is the destroyer HMAS Parramatta and its observation balloon anno 1917

[Exocet6951]

The second ship doesn't look much capital to me.

 

It's obviously a picture taken from very far away, and that balloon is the size of a zeppelin.

 

 

No but seriously that is a neat idea, but does it have its role?

It would just be a permanent " **** you torpedoes" spotting mechanism that just sticks over the ship at all times.

[Ferry_25]

Oh yeah! Filled with Hydrogen please! Let the HE spam begin!!!

[SV_Kompresor]

How did these things even work?

 

Oh yeah! Filled with Hydrogen please! Let the HE spam begin!!!

 

Lol

[Nethraniel]

How did these things even work?

 

You put some poor sod in a cage below the balloon, who has to observe the surroundings at 1000-1500 feet height.

 

The guy(s) sitting up there had parachutes (at least in WW2) in case of emergency exit. In WW1, I guess the parachutes were not available or hardly reliable.

[Egoleter]

I saw a documentary about those once. Can't remember when and where. I do remember that those things were considered deathtraps for the observers who 'piloted' them, even when no enemy was around to shoot at them.

[Niibler]

 

Playstyle-wise they could behave the same way like the known spotter aircrafts and increased the firing range and spot torpedos.

 

A DD nerf and a BB buff all in one go

Edit: I'm ok with this but please increase the fire chance on the ships with the balloon by 25% too 

 

Fubuki, flagship of the 5th Mobile Fleet

 

Flagship is not interchangeable with Capital Ship, both definitions have different meanings even though they do coincide a lot in a given ship being Capital and a Flagship at the same time.

[deadly_if_swallowed]

Flagship is not interchangeable with Capital Ship, both definitions have different meanings even though they do coincide a lot in a given ship being Capital and a Flagship at the same time.

 

Although only intended as a joke, I cannot recall any binding definition for a capital ship but only the importance of the ship.

From Wikipedia: 

William S. Lind, in the book America Can Win (p. 90), defines a capital ship as follows: "These characteristics define a capital ship: if the capital ships are beaten, the navy is beaten. But if the rest of the navy is beaten, the capital ships can still operate. Another characteristic that defines capital ships is that their main opponent is each other."

Given the DD importance in this game, I think this is perfectly applicable 

[Skyllon]

Although only intended as a joke, I cannot recall any binding definition for a capital ship but only the importance of the ship.

From Wikipedia: 

William S. Lind, in the book America Can Win (p. 90), defines a capital ship as follows: "These characteristics define a capital ship: if the capital ships are beaten, the navy is beaten. But if the rest of the navy is beaten, the capital ships can still operate. Another characteristic that defines capital ships is that their main opponent is each other."

Given the DD importance in this game, I think this is perfectly applicable 

 

This one might serve as a definition as well. ;)

 

Washington Naval Treaty:

PART 4 - Definitions:

'A capital ship, in the case of ships hereafter built, is defined as a vessel of war, not an aircraft carrier, whose displacement exceeds 10,000 tons (10,160 metric tons) standard displacement, or which carries a gun with a calibre exceeding 8 inches (203 millimetres)'

 

 

As for balloons (barrage balloons/ blimps), they also served the anti aircraft role as the unfortunate obstacles that had to be taken into account during low level engagements... ;)

[T0byJug]

 

You put some poor sod in a cage below the balloon, who has to observe the surroundings at 1000-1500 feet height.

 

The guy(s) sitting up there had parachutes (at least in WW2) in case of emergency exit. In WW1, I guess the parachutes were not available or hardly reliable.

 

Parachutes existed in WW1. Plane pilots were not allowed them. But it was normal for Observation balloon crew to use them. They worked and were quite reliable in WW1

[Procrastes]

 

Parachutes existed in WW1. Plane pilots were not allowed them. But it was normal for Observation balloon crew to use them. They worked and were quite reliable in WW1

 

There was some thought of equipping aeroplane pilots as well with parachutes during World War 1, at least in Britain. But the powers that be - General Command or the guys in Whitehall, I'm not entirely sure which ones - decided that the option to bail out, such as it was, could "promote and encourage cowardice in the face of the enemy". The thinking was, that pilots might be tempted to jump as soon as an enemy attacked, rather than try to fight it out for the glory of King and Country.

 

I think this says a lot about the lack of contact with the realities of war, among the decision-makers of the time.

 

Some guy among the top brass actually suggested that parachutes should be introduced at an experimental aerodrome of choice, to try it out. But others felt that if this was implemented as a success, and actually saved lives, and the parachutes were then removed, it might provoke feelings of discontent among the rank and file. So I guess there was at least that much contact with reality. Anyway, no parachutes for our magnificent men in their flying machines!

 

Later on, after the war, someone did the math, and realized just how much more expensive it was to educate new pilots than to build new planes...

[Tubit101]

How did these things even work?

 

 

Lol

 

I'm going to have to ask for some background information of what's going on in this picture.

[SV_Kompresor]

 

I'm going to have to ask for some background information of what's going on in this picture.

 

I have no idea....it's just a random picture from google

[Panocek]

 

I'm going to have to ask for some background information of what's going on in this picture.

 

Vodka supply went boom.

[Nethraniel]

 

Vodka supply went boom.

 

I guess they tried to distill vodka from the ship's gasoline under high pressure.

[deadly_if_swallowed]

Vodka supply went boom.

 

[Ferry_25]

 

You put some poor sod in a cage below the balloon, who has to observe the surroundings at 1000-1500 feet height.

 

The guy(s) sitting up there had parachutes (at least in WW2) in case of emergency exit. In WW1, I guess the parachutes were not available or hardly reliable.

 

AFAIK the Germans have invented the parachute in order to save pilots.

[txtspeak]

 

 

I've been asking this for 10 years... I still don't know why the rum is gone...

[Nethraniel]

 

AFAIK the Germans have invented the parachute in order to save pilots.

 

Wiki says otherwise. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parachute

 

However, the Germans in WW1 used it first for their observation balloon crews.

[Spuggy]

 

 

 

I've been asking this for 10 years... I still don't know why the rum is gone...

 

Stand up. Try to walk across the room...... Did you walk in a straight line?

 

 

 

 

.............................I think we know where the rum has gone.

 

 

 

 

[txtspeak]

 

 

Stand up. Try to walk across the room...... Did you walk in a straight line?

 

 

 

 

.............................I think we know where the rum has gone.

 

 

 

 

 

but... but...

 

BUT WHY IS THE RUM GONE!?!??!!