Ahskance

The Test introduces an alternate fire option for the ASW Airstrike. It can place a Fighter which does little damage, but removes plane-spotting from the planes it latches to for the duration of the latch. It also increases the likelihood of planes that the direct planes which are attacking to receive AA damage and reduce damage output from the attacking.

You are referencing a previous DevBlog. Currently players can "pre-drop" to send home the attacking flight of planes. Holding down the F key would provide a similar function.

The prior Devblog mentioned shooting down planes that were not at the "end" of the squadron. Those holes would remain unfilled and could affect attacks by making an attack which is less-then-whole. If a player had multiple attacks worth of planes, but wanted to send back a section that was not whole, they could hold the F key to do so (rather than attacking the water as is currently normal when "pre-dropping").

If the attacking planes are latched and lose vision, the target could go dark if there is no other ship providing team-spotting.

This is just a function test and final values are not set. Part of the testing process is seeing if the concept is viable before looking to address balancing/tweaking.

Priority Sector changed in 0.8.7. It was either in that update or in the one prior. LWM and Lert tested it and found the 2/7th of a second values and reported on it which is where I got my information from. (I was a normal player until joining WarGaming in November 2021)

Just go into a training room and watch your AA shoot at a plane. You deal damage every 2/7ths of a second.

This is only a Closed Test. Testing is required to see if more development time is warranted.

This is the norm even in non-CV games. Focus-fire is correct for removing threats from the board.

We are testing the mechanic. If the mechanic moves forward, we can evaluate cruisers which do not have access to the function.

It's not a "multiplier" in an "increased overall damage" sense. It increases the likelihood that one of the planes in the front of the squadron will be targeted for AA which would reduce incoming damage from the first attack.

AA is always loaded. There was a time after Update 0.8.0 where literal reload times were factored, but that was removed in place of a straight DPS system. AA damage is delivered every 2/7ths of a sec regardless of AA mount used.

I am super excited!

Players have requested more of a back-and-forth feel vs planes, and this could provide that. It might also address plane-spotting in a good-placement=reward style which could be cool, as well.

The ASW Depth Charges have a working system in place for ranged placement. The Test looks to use the existing system as use of existing systems reducing coding requirements for a function test.

As with anything in Testing, it is not a final product.

There are matches that do not have CVs or Hybrids in them which have ships that are and stay spotted. Our concealment system can be hard to learn, but it is fairly natural for experienced players.

This is good feedback (ie: Can Midway Bombers that get blinded just use a Fighter to see an isolated DD?). Part of running a test is to see what works and what doesn't. This point would certainly be something to review.

If the Test yields productive results, ships that don't have access to ASW strikes can be reviewed. This is just a Concept Test, so that's further down the road if things progress.

The Test is about game mechanics which affect Air Defense. They would be changes to the game if enacted. It's a very literal title.

The is a Concept Test, so specifics aren't fully in. The intent is to be able to place a Fighter in a similar manner to how a player can pick a spot on the water to place a Depth Charge airstrike. The planes will go there and patrol for a time.

The "CV Rework" was a comprehensive change from one entire way of playing to a different entire way of playing. Altering AA functionality or introducing additional Fighter mechanics is still working with the current system.

The mechanic referenced in the DevBlog isn't one of multiplication. It increases the chance that "latched enemy planes" will have planes in the attack flight targeted first by AA. This could help reduce incoming damage on a strike if those planes have tripped a placed Fighter.

After the first few minutes of a match, there is a significant amount of surface spotting that happens. If the CV is attacking a target which is already surface-spotted, like a Battleship or Cruiser that is actively firing, loss of the "plane-spotting" wouldn't prevent the CV player from still seeing their target. The CV player continues to receive "team spotting" like other players.

This is not a rework, no. Fighters which hover your ship latch after the enemy planes are close enough/strike once. Placing Fighters at a distance can allow for protection of other allies or to block attack lines.

Loss of Plane Vision could allow a distant Cruiser to cover a friendly DD with extra damage and removal of plane spotting, for instance.

A new DevBlog just dropped. You can read it here: https://blog.worldofwarships.com/blog/424

Because a lot of folks are interested in AA/Plane Interactions, I'm guessing there will be a fair amount of questions on this one.

I'll be here to answer questions for about an hour a half, but please remember that this is only a Closed Test which is to trial a concept/idea.