Damage control changes are a bad addtion as they're implemented currently

Dev Server "Spearhead" General Discussion - Dev Server
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So in the new update naval battles will recieve a change in damage control mechanics. As they are implemented now, the only thing the change will accomplish is making naval game modes even worse and less popular than they are now.

There are a couple main reasons for that:

  1. You can’t turn on and off different types of damage control at your will.

If you have one “action group” selected when the damage is taken, you will not be able to switch the order mid-repair. Even if you do switch the active “action group”, it will only affect how the next repairs are done, not current ones.

For example, if you have (fire extinguishing → unwatering → repairs) turned on by default and you are damaged with a minor fire and a substantial hull breach, you will not be able to quickly do breach repair and unwatering, because fire extinguishing starts automatically AND YOU CAN NOT CHANGE IT ON THE SPOT. Even if you do switch to another “action group”, it will not change the order in which the current damage control is being done.

  1. EVERY damage control type is forced to be done whether you want it or not.

It’s quite a common tactic on a lot of ships to not repair anything until something significant for ship’s battle effectiveness is damaged. It helps to save the crew from being knocked out in exposed positions on the superstructure such as AA mounts or lightly armored secondary turrets. Same logic sometimes applies to engine rooms, fire director stations and even main turrets which you cannot bring on target fast enough.

Even unwatering is sometimes not done to hide your vital modules such as magazines deeper under water.

With the new mechanics, it is not possible anymore. You are ALWAYS forced to go through full damage control cycle regardless of your own intentions. It is incredibly sad and it takes away A LOT from surprisingly deep and interesting damage control mechanics we have in the current update.

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So, the only thing that new damage control mechanics do is remove any depth and interest from one of the few things which can have that depth in naval battles.

They make things more cumbersome, make a lot of ships just plain worse and they make ALL ships less survivable overall. If developers really want to add something like this to help new players, it’s ok, but then make this setting OPTIONAL, not mandatory.

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Gaijin, please, revert this change, or at least make it optional. Damage control was one thing that was NEVER something most long term naval community actually disliked. Why are you doing this? For what? There are significantly bigger issues with naval game modes which aren’t being addressed for years, please do not spend time on unnecessary, unwanted and objectively bad changes which will make naval even more sad and desolated than it is now.

10 Likes
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With current approach weak ships will be affected way stronger than strong ships, that will create even more disbalance to the naval fights - DDs melting like a torpedo boats from just a random salvo or two in the same spot of the ship and small boats will melt even faster. When DD should be a little bit survivable then we have them now, not less what comes with this mechanic with current implementation.

I propose to keep selection of priorities and modifications and use them in battles, but also keep manual enabling of separate “Damage Control” mechanics. With that we get - fastest fire extinguishing or folding repairs or gun repairs priorities, but in the same time we still have option to not enable some of them if situation requests - for example i need to repair mu guns or motors, but i don’t care that there is a fire in the tubes or in compartments. That will be way better that forced “Damage Control” that you can’t switch off, what will lead to faster death from crew loss.

Cooldown on preset switch is also a problem that will lead to all experienced players will switch it to fire fist preset and never change back to not risk it being on cooldown when ammo or barbet is on fire. With this approach unexperienced players will die even faster, which will disappoint them more, cause default setting is repairs first and and switches to that preset every time you respawn - which also add more managing routine, compare to previous system where you could auto damage control for different type if needed and it’s remembers on spawn which was last used. I prefer no cooldown on switch and cycling it on a single button with memory of last selected on respawn.

So in the end we get single button to cycle presets and old 3 buttons for manual enabling needed damage control mechanic(with auto options) as it was before. With this approach new mechanic will be enjoyable and useful.

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Problem of some too survivable ships should be addressed with different approach - hull damage from ammo stowage explosions, hydraulic shock from bombs and shells, exploding near hull in water, underwater penetrations or decreasing thickness of crew compartments, which in current implementation just eats up all shrapnel from shells when stacking it thickness with decks thickness.

3 Likes
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I do agree with that. Making one general preset and specific buttons for each is a pretty nice option. If only gaijin actually listened to naval community…

By the way, is it possible to get on ru forum with gaijin account (not pixelstorm)? I wanted to make a post there but sraniye ulitki trebuyut pixelstorm.

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Yep you can use your account there. Just with the right link to login https://forum-ru.warthunder.com/

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At the bare minimum, Gaijin needs to allow manual control of repair processes. Making this change without asking is crazy.

3 Likes
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My feedback on RU forum, navy admirers there also disappointed with the changes.