Aircraft Carriers

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    • Aircraft Carriers

      Who uses them and what situations are they best for?

      The way I play the game, I almost never have the resources to expend on an aircraft carrier so, up to this point, I have never used one. And honestly, other than being good against helicopters, I don't know what use they have that a couple of *much* cheaper units can't fulfill. So, for those of you who do employ them, what advice do you have for the AC-curious? ;)
    • I've seen people streamline them but for the most part i see them mid-late game.

      As for uses. Airfields can be hit by Ballistic, icbms, cruise missiles and Spy attacks (gold ones too)< Airbasses can get hit by all but spy attacks. Carriers can only be hit by Cruise missiles. and their high hp combined with a few frigates makes it so Naval focused players will basically have a portable airfield to attack inland and dumb missiles/bombs support wherever needed.

      I would not recommend making a Carrier you can't protect, keep it behind your fleets and out of sight.

      But they are a support role. They allow your airunits to attack near the theatre of war of your choosing, without having to construct and protect an airfield in range of wherever you are focusing. And You can move them, pull it back when things get bad and move to support other fights wherever you needed.

      In other words they are mobile base, i've had them filled with nothing by Superiority fighters and basically wrecked enemy airfields and purposely leave one where they intercept all incoming reinforcements there.

      Frigates can protect your ships and coastline (and rivers) but sometimes you want killing power to those air units or need to push deeper outside their protection range. Carriers will help you get a foothold in a territory and then you can push out or secure from there.

      I will say i have never researched past tier 2 carriers typically only 1 or two are enough.

      Also unless they trace back the returning fighters/bombers/helis they will not see where the carrier is. So you move it you can play whack a mole with enemy air units hunting you down.
    • In general, I only mobilize them while playing sim city for long enough and after I have mobilized the important stuff (AA, both forms of radar, etc.). It is a very big sinkhole all the same. For starters, I need to build at least 3 cruisers / 4 Destroyers / 2 Destroyers + 2 Frigates for adequate protection, and something to place onto the aircraft carrier. Like Second Cannae, I never research it past Tier 2 because it is a waste of resources and I mostly just let it stay Tier 1. In addition, it isn’t exactly the best expensive toy you can use, Nukes are more fun and profitable

      Of course, it’s primary use is, of course, for force projection for intercontinental assaults and such. However, with the vast range of troop transportation, even a single air base would reduce the effectiveness of the aircraft carrier. Do not forget that aircraft carriers have a limited capacity. So they are only at maximum effectiveness during the securing of a beachhead far from friendly territory.
      Not to say that they are useless otherwise, but I always will consider them to be expensive toys.
    • I have used aircraft carrier 3 or 4 times mostly when we were already the best coalition in game. While You need other ships for protection ,you also need ballistic sub. So I used to clear port cities first then then destroy the airbases by missiles.After this I stack two level 1 carrier and put 3 attack helicopter and 5 naval strike fighter,helicopter to take out sam and fighters to kill troops.
      However a much cheaper alternative is to just take a port city with ship,protect it with frigates and other long range ships and build an airfield there.This is why I don't build carriers anymore unless we get a seasonal super carrier.
      I am the best player of this game that was and ever will be
    • They provide immediate support to your your LZ and the area surrounding it without revealing to the enemy where your Air Support is based at, what angle it will be attacking next and they will have no idea where/if you intend on landing ground forces. All of this can happen without having to wait approx. 12 hours for an airbase to be built.

      Think about it: If the enemy sees you have seized a coastal city and are building an airbase they will have time to prepare defeces beyond the range of your Navy + They know where your ships are defending. Air-Craft Carriers can eliminate this.

      I only use them to spearhead invasions late-game, carrying Stealth Choppers and ASW for support.

      The only reason I built these units is because I purposely prologue/stall games all for 1 huge fun battle in the end.

      It would have been in my strategic best interest to attack well before I had mobilized Air-Craft carriers but I wanted to have some fun. So with that I would say that if you are in a position where you can afford to mobilize Carriers as opposed to fighting units - Then you were already in a position where you don't need them anyway if that makes sense?

      Carriers are fun and they do have huge advantages but I do think you would be better of building 5 extra Cruisers as opposed to 3 Carriers if you get me.

      One tip if you do build some Carriers: Always name the first carrier #3, then #4 and so on.. That way when the enemy sees your Carriers they will anxiously wonder where Carrier 1 and 2 are..
    • I like making carriers - mostly because of the 'toy' effect.
      But playing WWIII, with coalitions of 5, games are over before you can get your return on investment - at least that's been my experience.

      When playing games like Overkill though, with coalitions of 3, you have a LOT more work to do, and a lot more world to capture yourself. So they might be more worth the initial investment?
    • Wade97Wade wrote:

      They provide immediate support to your your LZ and the area surrounding it without revealing to the enemy where your Air Support is based at, what angle it will be attacking next and they will have no idea where/if you intend on landing ground forces. All of this can happen without having to wait approx. 12 hours for an airbase to be built.

      Think about it: If the enemy sees you have seized a coastal city and are building an airbase they will have time to prepare defeces beyond the range of your Navy + They know where your ships are defending. Air-Craft Carriers can eliminate this...
      This is all true but one problem with this game is there is usually no come-back for the player who lost 2-3 core cities. They made it that way creating core cities the most important and core provinces almost without importance.
      I had one game, the first and only 4x played I belive, where I lost 4 of 6 of my core cities incl capital, because I was attacked from 5 player coalition. Luckily I defended and defeated all of them and liberated my cities. Mostly alone defended and 2 players that were in unofficial coalition with me honored their word and joined with me helping me to liberate cities.
      So I know you can come back but it is not usual to see.
      That been said you just need first 2-3 enemy cities and he is dead. Or only capital.
      Meaning it is not important to cover your air bases and angle of attack because if he lost his cities he is probably dead in day or two at most.
      Especially in Flashpoint map.

      Your strategy with carriers is ok for bigger maps that last very long and against very big countries with a lot of core cities and with allied troops defending as well.
    • Zemunelo wrote:

      This is all true but one problem with this game is there is usually no come-back for the player who lost 2-3 core cities. They made it that way creating core cities the most important and core provinces almost without importance.
      I had one game, the first and only 4x played I belive, where I lost 4 of 6 of my core cities incl capital, because I was attacked from 5 player coalition. Luckily I defended and defeated all of them and liberated my cities. Mostly alone defended and 2 players that were in unofficial coalition with me honored their word and joined with me helping me to liberate cities.
      So I know you can come back but it is not usual to see.
      That been said you just need first 2-3 enemy cities and he is dead. Or only capital.
      Meaning it is not important to cover your air bases and angle of attack because if he lost his cities he is probably dead in day or two at most.
      Especially in Flashpoint map.

      Your strategy with carriers is ok for bigger maps that last very long and against very big countries with a lot of core cities and with allied troops defending as well.
      units > cities
      and he wasnt talking about core cities, but cities in general... ofc taking a homeland city has a bigger impact than another one
      but that's not the point, point was: carriers eliminate the vulnerability and predictability that building airfields for invasions across continents - not that you'd ever experience that cuz you only play flashpoint :D
      I am The Baseline for opinions
    • Teburu wrote:

      Zemunelo wrote:

      This is all true but one problem with this game is there is usually no come-back for the player who lost 2-3 core cities. They made it that way creating core cities the most important and core provinces almost without importance.
      I had one game, the first and only 4x played I belive, where I lost 4 of 6 of my core cities incl capital, because I was attacked from 5 player coalition. Luckily I defended and defeated all of them and liberated my cities. Mostly alone defended and 2 players that were in unofficial coalition with me honored their word and joined with me helping me to liberate cities.
      So I know you can come back but it is not usual to see.
      That been said you just need first 2-3 enemy cities and he is dead. Or only capital.
      Meaning it is not important to cover your air bases and angle of attack because if he lost his cities he is probably dead in day or two at most.
      Especially in Flashpoint map.

      Your strategy with carriers is ok for bigger maps that last very long and against very big countries with a lot of core cities and with allied troops defending as well.
      units > citiesand he wasnt talking about core cities, but cities in general... ofc taking a homeland city has a bigger impact than another one
      but that's not the point, point was: carriers eliminate the vulnerability and predictability that building airfields for invasions across continents - not that you'd ever experience that cuz you only play flashpoint :D
      Flashpoint rocks :D . I did play one ww3 though, it's ok.
      But why would you attack your enemy other than in his core cities?
      You can clear everything latter when you take core cities.
      Maybe if there are 2 coalitions both strong holding territories that you have to pass to reach core cities...
    • Zemunelo wrote:

      Flashpoint rocks :D . I did play one ww3 though, it's ok.But why would you attack your enemy other than in his core cities?
      You can clear everything latter when you take core cities.
      Maybe if there are 2 coalitions both strong holding territories that you have to pass to reach core cities...
      Shhhhh, the stupid will catch on!
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    • Dealer of Death wrote:

      Zemunelo wrote:

      Flashpoint rocks :D . I did play one ww3 though, it's ok.But why would you attack your enemy other than in his core cities?You can clear everything latter when you take core cities.
      Maybe if there are 2 coalitions both strong holding territories that you have to pass to reach core cities...
      Shhhhh, the stupid will catch on!
      8o I need to admit, that one ww3 4x game I mentioned was my first (if not counting first Flashpoint tutorial map) so when I attacked my enemy from Africa (don't remember the country), I firstly attacked him with couple of units in his non core teritories in Arabia and was surprised there are no troops to defend. I was Serbia and soon all of his troops were heading through canal to my cores. What saved me is he didn't have any navy to defend transports. Not a single of his units managed to reach my cities (well Podgorica actually was main target).
      That was a lesson for me not to hold troops in occupied cities after 2-3 days.
      I thought it is like a Civilizations where you have to hold defensive troops in every city you own especially conquered 8)
      I had so many troops scattered everywhere in Europe that I almost lost the game because of that.