Aircraft Carriers

Overview[]

MAS Defiant (CV-1) — MAS Defiant, a good design by any standard.

Aircraft carriers are one of the most powerful vessels in the game. Not constricted by the range of guns, its warplanes could strike over islands. High in damage, they require substantial deck space to operate. Due to the high deck space requirements, they are hard to protect when warships get within range. Many players have created unique solutions to the problems of close-in defense while holding a respectable air command. While not notoriously tough, it is possible to retrofit a small carrier air arm onto a battleship such as the real world IJN Ise or even convert the said warship into a carrier as in the real-world USS Saratoga and the HMS Furious. Aircraft carriers still prove to be one of the most lethal threats up for grabs,aswell as taking up the role of dreadnoughts - to sink or severely damage opponents without taking too much damage.

John — The "Light Assault Carrier" at testing for durability. (I tried to copy the light carrier below this image).

This is my Light Aircraft Carrier NZN Auckland, armed with 12cm and 76mm guns along with 8 AA guns.

Armament[]

Aircraft Carrier gun armament is usually lighter than battleships because the damage is offset by the use of aircraft. These, when emplaced en masse, are a lethal force to be reckoned with. Defensive guns range from basic antiair batteries and light guns to 46cm Guns. Many will be armed with the 30.5cm Gun, given its high firepower per deck space, something scarce on a carrier. Overall, the main punch of the carrier rests in its aircraft. Guns are used to dispatch ships or in emergency situations. Like frigates, they greatly benefit from low-space, low-weight, high-damage and long-range weapons such as the Mk 45 5 inch Gun and the Rocket Launcher. ASW weapons are often carried to defend against deep-diving submarines.

Roles and Usage[]

These are the long-range overlords of the battle fleets. With aircraft comes an unlimited strike range. They can serve easily as a deterrent for submarines, by using its planes to find the sub quickly and then if permitting, sink it. Dive bombers can target shallow-running submarines with a little luck. However, most dealings with a submarine requires the use of depth charges and hedgehogs. Overall, these ships should keep their distance, for their big guns are no match to an equivalent battleship.

Tactics[]

See Battle Tactics

Keep your distance. Your planes rely on distance to maximize their potentially unlimited strike range. Due to design compromises, your vessel is most likely to lose in a gun duel with an equal level battleship. Beware of submarines- though rare, they are by far more powerful. Since your planes reliably cannot destroy submarines yet, use battleship tactics regarding them, though aircraft can be used to find them in murky waters and dive bombers can destroy shallow-running submarines.

F655CAAC-8501-4465-803C-53CF071091B5 — Harmonmj13's USS *Destiny* (CVN-1), a good example of a fast carrier.

The Future[]

The USS All Under Heaven, based off of the Gerald R. Ford class, it is a good example of a modern carrier

Thanks in part to hackers armed with jailbroken iPhones, iPod Touches and iPads, we have discovered new, lethal weaponry. Long-range missiles may threaten the range dominance of the carrier as a long-range devastator. However, new warplanes appear on the horizon, such as the modern-day F/A-18E Super Hornet and the F-35 Lightning II. Carrying a strike distance exceeding the range of the Type-96 25mm AA gun, they would complement any fleet. However, the Phalanx CIWS, opposing aircraft and the Mk 45 5 inch Gun could still bring down such planes. No matter what, the carrier will still be a relevant warship in the future. With the addition of new planes, they will be a more prominent vessel than it is already.