No light carriers

[MightyPleb]

I'm confused at the lack of light carriers. Light carriers were very prominent and the U.S independence class light carrier was the most widely produced carrier of the whole war. I suppose you could simulate a light carrier by modifying an existing carrier by lowering its stats and therefore lowering its production cost but still, feels like a missing aspect.

 

[bcoop1701]

The CVE's were the most widely produced carriers of the war. Some classes had 49 or 50 ships built. There were 24 Essex CV's completed, I believe 17 during the time frame of the war.

I agree that the CVL's should be in the game to give the option of building cheaper, less capable carriers. The designers have basically made the decision that the older models in the tech tree accomplish the same thing and though it is not historical, that is the way they went.

 

[Archangel85]

Light carriers were very prominent and the U.S independence class light carrier was the most widely produced carrier of the whole war.

9 Independence-class were built plus 2 Saipan-class, vs. 24 Essex-class and 45 Bogues/50 Casblanca. I can see why paradox would decide not to include them.

 

[Mirage2k]

I have two questions:
1: What is the main difference between a light carrier and a full-sized carrier, other than number of planes it can effectively deploy?
2: Do we know how many planes some carriers will be able to carry in the game or any other stats about them?

I was thinking that if different types/variants of carriers can be as different in the same way as the difference between CVE and CV in real life, then we can choose to use them in that role if we so choose... Maybe.

 

[kviiri]

Escort carriers are typically not only smaller but slower and less armoured than capital carriers. So cheaper, worse versions. Carriers that were only smaller but fast enough were light carriers.

 

[Mannstien]

I've been planning on building the Carrier I's as light carriers for escorting older fleet ships that are near their speed, definitely will not upgrade the CV1's but they will make good use of older plane models and as escorts for older fleet ships since we cannot upgrade Capital ships with AA etc.

 

[bcoop1701]

1. That was the difference. A light carrier was smaller and carried fewer aircraft, stores, fuel and AAA for self defense than a fleet carrier but unlike a CVE, a CVL was fast enough to serve along the CV's in the main battlefleet. They were also cheaper to build and faster to put in service than fleet CV's.

In most cases CVL's were an emergency response to either war time losses such as the Japanese at Midway or in the case of the Independence class, the prewar concern that the Essex carriers would not be available untill 1944.

2. I would have to look at the Wiki. [Edit- The Wiki does not appear to include aircraft capacity but it does have the rest of the stats. You would think aircraft capacity would be something that should be included on that list.]

 

[chaostk]

I think bcoop1701 is right that's the reason they didn't include CVL.

If it's just a cheaper and weaker CV in the end, then building an older model seems to suffice. Maybe we will see them in a future expansion if the devs find a role in which CVL would fit better than an actual CV.

 

[WeissRaben]

In optimal conditions, fleet carriers were the best choice. Light carriers were the budget version - smaller, cheaper, weaker (but not slower, which is what I fear would instead happen with using old CV models), while escort carriers were the leak-plug version - to be built in industrial quantities to provide small amount of airpower in certain theaters. The carrier version of the Liberty Ships, almost.

 

[bcoop1701]

If it's just a cheaper and weaker CV in the end, then building an older model seems to suffice. Maybe we will see them in a future expansion if the devs find a role in which CVL would fit better than an actual CV.

I don't really like the idea but it might work out. One concern I would have is if older model carriers can't operate newer models of aircraft. If that's so then that is a problem since the Independence class operated both Hellcats and Avengers from their decks. Slower speeds like WeissRaben pointed out would be another problem for me.

 

[Denkt]

The artillery ships have different levels of armor and piercing, like a heavy cruiser can not effectivly pierce a battleship's armor.

Would there really be a big difference between carrier sizes in HOI4?

 

[WeissRaben]

The artillery ships have different levels of armor and piercing, like a heavy cruiser can not effectivly pierce a battleship's armor.

Would there really be a big difference between carrier sizes in HOI4?

Without trying the game it's all moot discussion, but I think the point is mostly about construction times relative to their usefulness. We'll have to see.

 

[bcoop1701]

The artillery ships have different levels of armor and piercing, like a heavy cruiser can not effectivly pierce a battleship's armor.

Would there really be a big difference between carrier sizes in HOI4?

Having more aircraft in a VB or VT squadron is like having more or larger guns. And for defense, CV's carry more and heavier AAA than CVL's not to mention more fighters. You could as well ask why have heavy cruisers and battleships if you are going to use your logic.

 

[Himliano]

Make a variant of first model of carrier increasing engine. Boom, there is you light carrier.

 

[Mirage2k]

With the variant system it should be possible to upgrade speed and range of an otherwise weak carrier to work as a CVL. Hopefully this will be the case and the difference in production cost will be great enough for this to be a viable option for bringing some air power to remote areas. We can only hope.

 

[SchwarzKatze]

Make a variant of first model of carrier increasing engine. Boom, there is you light carrier.

Does that cut the construction time? They're only built during the war because they can be pressed into service fast.

 

[bcoop1701]

Make a variant of first model of carrier increasing engine. Boom, there is you light carrier.

..

With the variant system it should be possible to upgrade speed and range of an otherwise weak carrier to work as a CVL. Hopefully this will be the case and the difference in production cost will be great enough for this to be a viable option for bringing some air power to remote areas. We can only hope.

You could do this but personally I don't want to spend valuable XP on less valuable units like CVL'S or older model CV's to make them CVL's.

 

[Mannstien]

Without trying the game it's all moot discussion, but I think the point is mostly about construction times relative to their usefulness. We'll have to see.

My thought was without being able to upgrade your starting fleets the CV1's or lowest level CV's would make good escorts for various reasons even invasion fleets where I might want my fleet carriers to patrol outer perimeter sea zones.

 

[WeissRaben]

My thought was without being able to upgrade your starting fleets the CV1's or lowest level CV's would make good escorts for various reasons even invasion fleets where I might want my fleet carriers to patrol outer perimeter sea zones.

The problem is, fleet carriers were usually updated to fleet carriers. Akagi and Kaga were not CVL at Midway, and yet they had received extensive modification to fix some of the most... creative attempts early carrier designing had produced, and they were fifteen years old.

 

[SchwarzKatze]

In most cases CVL's were an emergency response to either war time losses such as the Japanese at Midway

Actually, I don't recall Japan constructing any light carriers during the war, only converting existing ships. I'm not really positive, but I think Japan had the idea that purpose-built carriers below a certain size is not worthwhile, so the emergency programs aimed for "medium" carriers and no light carriers were ever laid down.