Um, I'm sorry. I think I got lost in the middle area of your post when I saw numbers that I didn't know where you were pulling them from.
I'm going to try and read it again, but maybe this will be something I just have to look at tomorrow after I've slept?
As for the Priority Sector stuff, I did a video about that Commander Skill:
Direct Video Link: https://youtu.be/sjolb0x1GFc
I'll try breaking it down and going slow:
CV Main/Teacher, yes. Not sure what you mean by reaping benefits?
Correct. The "AA on one side of the ship prioritizes the other size for a time." So one side weakens while the other gains in strength while the Priority Sector is set.
It used to be a "fire-and-forget" version which you'd set and then have to toggle if you wanted to change it. Currently, it's on an Activation system where it boosts the one side for a time.
Yes, it may very well be unknown to players. I've made videos about the skill personally, but my videos are not standard and I don't believe we have a "How It Works" video that formally describes the Priority Sector mechanic.
Worth knowing that when Priorit Sector was altered in Patch 8.7 to the current version, it gained "Instantaneous Damage". This is damage which is applied instantly to all squadrons that are in AA range on the activated side. This damage is not insignificant and is a great reason to use Priority Sector even if you are concerned about your AA being strong/weak.
While this juke is possible, most players tend to pull their ship over at least a bit to keep the Sector'd side relevant while being attacked. Also, the continuous damage can yield more damage than you'd lose to the crossover effect on ships with middling or poor AA, so it's better to learn to use the skill then avoid it.For someone actually putting 2 points into the commander talent, hopefully they'd known what Priority Sector is/does.
...huh?
I don't know where this number comes from. Are you talking about Instant Damage?
DDs do 5% Current HP, CA/BBs/CVs do 3.5% Current HP.
On a 9 plane squad that is full health, the Instant Damage would do:
45% of the 9th's Plane's HP if a DD used Priority Sector
32.5% of the 9th Plane's HP if another class type used Priority Sector
If the squadron is damaged or missing planes, the Current HP will be lower so the Instant Damage will be less.
You're wondering if it's "worth it" to use Priority Sector on the initial strike run? The answer is going to be yes.
Use it at Max AA Range, because as the Sector heats up it'll help out your Mid-Range AA. Long-Range AA is usually small, so having the Instant Damage applied and then making the Mid-Range be more effective is the most impactful way to use the skill.
Flying is from 5.8km AA to strike is usually about 5-8 seconds, so the majority of the Sector is used in that. There's a few seconds of "slingshot" which will stop the rest of the damage. After that, the CV driver will assess if they have the plane resources to turn around and strike again.
If you've used Priority Sector and killed 45% of a plane, then your AA should finish the wounded plane and damage (or kill) another. The CV driver will feel out your AA off the initial strike, so waiting for a post-strike Priority Sector will actually encourage a follow-up strike. While you might do this as a form of AA trap, the best defense against the CV is to bloody the nose of the planes and encourage them to bail post-strike and take the time to fly back.
You don't have to take your guns off target. If your guns are sighted on your enemy, you can hold Right Mouse Button to Freelook. While in this mode, you can keep shooting and your guns with retain the same "lead" on the target. Obviously, if the target adjusts their course/speed you'd need to update the firing solution, but for something as quick as looking over your shoulder to pop Priority Sector you should be fine.
Priority Sector in Patch 8.7 was a way of giving players "Manual AA". Obviously, it's not the engaging mini-game of manning a gun and shooting down planes... but you can see how hard it is for most players to stop what they are doing mid-fight just to look in the direction of some planes and click a button once every 20-30 seconds. It's minimalistic, but that because combat can be so taxing.
You're hoping for like... an explainer of what Priority Sector does in the skill description on the Commander Screen? Just putting +25%/-25% would be confusing if people don't have reference. For those that know they skill, they should already understand what that means.
@IfYouSeeKhaos
I have a Priority Sector section in my Compendium:
As for the videos in it relating to this topic, it should be...
Explaining AA - Priority Sector
Direct Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-fSiCoHe2Q
Explaining AA - When to Use Priority Sector?
Direct Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf399FLlWZw
Please Use Priorty Sector
Direct Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KTUeICoMxA
PSA: Expert AA Marksmen Causes 175 AA on Cruisers
Direct Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjolb0x1GFc
Testing Priority Sector Popshots
Direct Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvwQ-F_TMYA
Continuous is buffed by 50%. There is one caveat in that US Tech Tree Destroyers are special and get a +100% buff to Continuous.
I recorded a video just now to show you about the "Free Look" / Lock On stuff that means you don't have to stop shooting while you turn your camera to shoot the planes.
Lessons: "Free Look" and Aiming Lock On - View Independance
Direct Video Link: https://youtu.be/E4xmBWtv7SU
Yes, if you use Priorty Sector on the wrong side of your ship then that is a misplay and you will do less damage because of it. Just like missing with guns or torps does no damage, missing with Sector will actively hurt your efforts to kill planes.
Also, if you want to see some pre-done math on AA Multiplication, I do have a video on that too:
Explaining AA - Multiplication (Upgrades/Skills/Consumables)
Direct Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5nxfJBwduc
Lessons: Multiplicative AA (in-Port Test)
Direct Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCDkWDiUctg
I've taught this stuff for the last year and a half, so I have a lot of videos already made.
Further, I've been through the process of teaching/describing so many times that it's quite burned into my memory.
"O" and "~" (tilde) are the default.
I personally use "Priority Sector is O.P." as my moniker to DD players. Use it for the instant damage and turn the AA off (unless you know what you're doing).
I don't know how old the previous iteration of "Priority Sector" was. It may have been implemented in Patch 8.0, but I started around patch 8.2 or 8.3.
The old version showed a window and you set a side. Once that side was set, there was a few second countdown and then that side was "Boosted" while the other was not. You could alter it to the other side or neutral using the window. It was user input/timing intensive, and most people seemed to just set a side and use that side to kill planes with hard buffed AA.
Because "game". There are times where the realistic situation impedes the concept the game mechanic is going for, so there's a give-and-take.
The most often derided non-realism things I hear are about Radar seeing through islands. If the consumable was re-labeled "Detection", then it'd avoid the real-world comparisons by virtue of non-realistic name.
Not a combo, just hold the Alt key.
Ok, I simply made you another video that shows things clearly.
With a Lexington against a Baltimore (5.8km AA Range):
Torpedo Bombers - it takes 13 seconds of AA damage taken to get to drop range and attack
Dive Bombers - it takes 16 seconds of AA damage taken to get to drop range and attack
Rocket Planes - It takes 6 seconds of AA damage taken to get to drop range and attack (but 3.5 seconds for the attack animation, and an additional 2 seconds before the camera reaches the remaining planes and AA damage starts over again)
The concern about your Priority Sector leaving the other side vulnerable is not applicable. This might be something to math out on ships with aggressively low AA ranges, though lower tier planes also fly slower as well.
The video will be available shortly.
Why does that matter for use of Priority Sector? Because it shortens the window of engagement by 1 second?
The Instant Damage doing 600+ damage is going to be more valuable then the loss of 75 damage on the back-end half-second of AA vulnerability post drop-slingshot phase. The camera takes a few seconds to catch up to the planes before AA damage is applied again, so I assure you the timing is small enough to be ignorable.
You can generally assume 1km takes 1.5seconds to traverse when using boost.
Moving 5.8km would be around 9 seconds under that base assumption set, though it's going to vary by specific planes and time spent altering your course to navigate/off-align flak gunners.
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