Aircraft carrier

Aircraft carriers (CV) play a key role in World of Warships Blitz, they are different compared to the other ship classes that are in the game. They are available starting from tier 4 and currently only three nations have researchable aircraft carriers in the tech tree, The United States Navy (USN), Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and the British navy, they are both different and have special abilities that help support your team and change the atmosphere of the Battlefield. These ships have 3 different types of planes with a unique role, these are:

## Aircraft Types

### Torpedo bombers (TB)

They unleash their torpedo flying over targets and make a quick escape, though these torpedoes are slower and weaker than those found on DDs but unleash a heavy blow if you get a good hit and can cause flooding to a warship which causes damage over time.

**NOTE**: Flooding damage does not stack and a ship can only be flooded once at a time.

### Dive bombers (DB)

These planes carry bombs and drop right onto the target, these are much more RNG based compared to TBs and could directly aim at a ship. Bombs have a chance to cause fires which also cause damage over time. AP Bombs found on German CV Graf Zeppelin can citadel ships but cannot start fires.

**NOTE**: A ship can have 3 fires burning max and a ship can flood and be on fire at the same time.

### Fighters (F)

These are different to DB/TB but are just as important for aircraft carriers, they can used to scout the area or attack other planes. These are key to defending yourself and allies from enemy attack aircraft (DB/TB). To make fighters more effective attack enemy planes nearby to friendly ships (especially cruisers/battleships) so that the enemy has to defend from multiple AA guns.

Aircraft carriers have a top down view and can view the entire map, this allows them to send their squadrons to different targets at the same time anywhere. Overall aircraft carriers are really important for all aspects of the game expect for capping objectives. Fighters scout and protect and TB/DB attack enemies to bring victory ever closer.

## United States Navy (USN)

Early in the war, the overall state and quantity of USN naval aviation lagged behind their Japanese rivals. Thus, their early carriers can be painful to use. Their large sizes up-and-down the line mean that they can be seen from miles away (Tier X carrier *Midway* has one of the worst concealment values in the game, even worse than *Yamato*), and even though they are quite durable with surprisingly strong anti-aircraft defenses and has good secondary at higher tiers, remaining un-spotted or sticking with teammates for protection is still recommended. American carriers' HE bombs are a devastating threat to destroyers and a nuisance to other ship types. Planes have high health pool compared to their IJN counterparts, allowing them to survive longer and keep full squadrons toward the end of the game. However, torpedo bombers carry very slow torpedoes with short range and a medioacre dispersion even when fully aimed. Players are encouraged to drop their payload at close distances.

Langley: 2 DB of 4

Bogue: 1 DB of 4, 1 TB of 4

Independence: 1 F of 3, 1 DB of 4, 1 TB of 4

Ranger: 1 F of 4, 1 DB of 4, 1 TB of 5

Lexington: 1 F of 4, 1 DB of 5, 1 TB of 5

Essex: 1 F of 4, 2 DB of 5, 1 TB of 5

Midway: 1 F of 5, 2 DB of 5, 1 TB of 5

Premium US Carriers:

Saipan @ Tier VII

Hornet @ Tier VIII

## Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN)

The Japanese Navy has carriers ranging from light escort CVs to massive fleet CVs. The tier IV Hosho begins the IJN Aircraft Carrier line. All carriers in this line are relatively fast and stealthy compared to their USN counterparts. IJN carriers tend to have extremely strong torpedo bombers, with Hakuryu being able to send 10 at one time, However, Japanese carriers lag in fighter and dive bomber strength, so it is important to prioritize the torpedo bombers. If done right, a torpedo strike from a carrier csn do devastating damage.

Hosho has use of 1 TB squadron of 3 and 1 DB squadron of 3. She is the first carrier that get TBs. Hosho is great introduction into Aircraft Carrier gameplay because it has TBs.

Zuiho at tier V is where the IJN starts to show its true colors. **Zuiho** has access to 3 squadrons; 1 TB squadron of 3 and 2 DB squadrons of 3. **Zuiho** was converted from a submarine tender to an Aircraft Carrier in 1941 from a Submarine Tender.

Ryujo at tier VI is where players first get to use Fighters! Ryujo has the same squadrons as Zuiho but has the addition of a fighter squadron (F) with 3 planes.

Hiryu at tier VII, is where the player starts getting tested in reaction time. Players have the challenge of controlling 5 squadrons at once. You get 2 TB squadrons with 3 planes, 2 DB squadrons with 3 planes, and 1 Fighter Squadron with 3 planes. You can group up the TBs together to get hefty damage or if you are feeling cheeky, send both to different ships and have the possibility of getting double floods. This is also the tier where you have the capability of taking out a Destroyer with with all TBs lined up in one drop. This only works if ALL torpedoes hit.

Shokaku at tier VIII, is an upsized Hiryu with an extra TB in each squadron. You also get a fourth fighter in your fighter squadron.

With Taiho, at tier IX you start seeing double. Taiho has two fighter squadrons with 3 planes in each. You will have 6 squadrons at your command. 2 DB squadrons with 3 planes and 2 TB squadrons with 4 planes and your 2 Fighter Squadrons. This carrier is a lot bigger than any Aircraft Carrier you've played till this point. Hakuryu has the same aircraft load out but with even more planes (and is EVEN BIGGER).

Hakuryu is the tier X carrier you've been grinding for. It's MASSIVE! She has the same aircraft load out and Taiho but with even more planes. Hakuryu vs Midway losses in a fighter battle so you have to be able to bait the enemy fighters and bring them over your allies' ships.

## Kreigsmarine (KM)

The Graf Zeppelin (Tier VII) and Erich Lowenhardt (Tier VI) were the only German CVs in WOWSB for some time, they featured long range and powerful main gun calibers, as well as accurate bomb dispersion that contains AP Bombs which has a chance to citadel enemy ships. However, they are limited with the amount of planes in deck. In more recent times however, the Kriegsmarine seems to have gotten a carrier line including:

Tier IV: Rhein

Tier VI: Weser

Tier VI Erich Lowenhardt (Premium)

Tier VII Graf Zeppelin (Premium(Tech tree)

Tier VIII: August Von Parseval

Tier X: Manfred Von Richthofen

## British Royal Navy

The British Navy are among the first in the world to create an aircraft carrier after World War I. They are known for accurate torpedo bombers and most notably, the “carpet bombing” trait, which allows for each bomber drop more than 1 bomb. The bombs produce low damage but high alpha when more bombs hit the ship.

## U. S. S. R. Navy

Russian carriers are basically the German opposite as they are more TB oriented than anything else, so it’s best to play them if you have the time and patience to play a fast-paced and hyper-focused match. Their carriers also have a skill that allows for them to get flight deck optimizations where if a squadron is taken out, the next one receives less punishment for it.

Russian CV Line follows the German model of having a CV at the even tiers (starting at IV):

Tier IV Komsomolets

Tier VI Serov

Tier VIII Pobeda

Tier VIII Chaklov (Premium)

Tier X Admiral Nahkimov

## Pan-Asia/France

These two are pretty interesting, Pan-Asia and France both have a premium CV, Pan-Asia’s being a clone of USS Saipan, and France’s being one of their own design:

Pan-Asia:

Tier VIII Sanzang (Premium)

France:

Tier VI Béarn (Premium)

## Hybrid Ships

Hybrid Ships are a unique sub-class that takes a role of a powerful support ship. In game, there are currently five battlecarriers and one cruisercarrier, those being:

IJN Ise @ Tier VII (BBCV)

IJN Tone @ Tier VIII (CACV)

USS Nebraska @ Tier VIII (BBCV)

USS Delaware @ Tier IX (BBCV)

USS Kearsarge @ Tier IX (BBCV)

USS Louisiana @ Tier X (BBCV)