The submarine mode just past was encouraging. The Naval Warfare mode can experiment more approaches to replace the original game modes that aimed to occupy or annihilate. Here I present some of my ideas.
The Battle of Samar, where Taffy III heroically fought off the Kurita fleet, is a historical example of asymmetric warfare. It may be possible to be recreated in War Thunder. Specifically, Team A players play as battlecruisers or heavy cruisers, while Team B players can use torpedo boats, destroyers, and can use airplanes at a low respawn point. Team A’s mission is to chase and sink AI-played carriers, while team B needs to protect their AI carriers before they reach a specific location. However, Team B can also win if they manage to sink a certain number of battleships.
Obviously, at the beginning of a play, battleships and heavy cruisers need to be far away from the AI carriers (maybe 20-30km?). So, predictably, speed of battleships or heavy cruisers will play a crucial role. This will greatly improve the problem of battleships in crouching in one place in current naval games. At the same time, ships that lack strong armor but have great maneuverability will get more chances to appear.
For Team B, players need to cooperate with each other more than often. For example, players may need to use specific formations to release smoke to obscure the enemy’s view (perhaps using cheap torpedo boats is better) in order to prevent the enemy from attacking the carrier at a long distance. This behavior would also cover teammates who have torpedo. All in all, this would greatly improve the current situation where players are fighting on their own, and increase the chances of torpedoes coming into play.
Balance may be achieved in the game. Since Team A needs to chase the carriers, they can only use 1~2 main guns. Their secondary guns can’t be fully utilized as well, partly due to the angle, and partly due to the fact that the A-Team players have to deal with more enemy planes. This may be able to provide an opportunity for destroyers to get closer.
This mode, iif come true, would bring a sense of historical immersion. Of course, there are more details to consider. For example, what should be the speed of the AI carriers, how far should the respawn point of Team B players be from Team A, and will Team A be able to respawn multiple times?