I would like to propose a significant improvement for the historical realism of Naval Battles. Currently, heavy primary armaments of identical or very similar calibers share generic sound assets. In reality, the acoustic profile of a naval gun is deeply tied to its physical dimensions and ballistics, specifically its barrel length and the mass of the propellant charge used. I would like to present two major historical examples that demonstrate why the current generic audio pool is inaccurate.
- US Navy 406mm Guns: Mark 6 versus Mark 7
In the game, the 406mm Mark 6 gun used on the North Carolina and South Dakota classes sounds identical to the 406mm Mark 7 gun used on the Iowa class. Historically, these weapons were drastically different. The Mark 6 had a barrel length of 45 calibers (18.28 meters) and fired its shell using a standard powder charge of approximately 140 kilograms. In contrast, the Mark 7 featured a much longer barrel of 50 calibers (20.32 meters) and utilized a significantly larger propellant charge of roughly 297 kilograms to achieve higher muzzle velocity. This massive increase in powder mass and the two-meter difference in gas expansion travel created entirely distinct acoustic signatures, pressure waves, and echo profiles. - European 380mm and 38cm Guns: German SK C/34 versus French Model 1935
The German 380mm SK C/34 gun on the Bismarck class and the French 380mm Model 1935 gun on the Richelieu class currently share the same large-caliber sound effect. From a historical realism standpoint, this is incorrect. The German weapon had a barrel length of 52 calibers (19.63 meters) and used a total propellant charge of around 212 kilograms, optimized for high initial velocity. The French weapon had a shorter barrel length of 45 calibers (17.25 meters) and fired its heavier shells using a different powder composition split into four bags totaling about 288 kilograms. The difference in chamber pressure, barrel physics, and explosive energy meant these two European designs sounded completely different in open water.
Why this change is necessary for historical realism:
War Thunder prides itself on mechanical and historical accuracy. The sound of a weapon is a direct product of its physics. Firing a gun with double the propellant charge and a longer barrel should naturally produce a sharper, louder, and more resonant acoustic report. Simulating these differences would properly reflect the industrial and ballistic achievements of each nation during the dreadnought era.
I suggest that Gaijin adjusts the naval audio engine to calculate or assign sound profiles based on these historical parameters rather than relying on generalized caliber pools.