Flight Deck Armor and Deck: Use both or no? Do they stack?

[dizzy]

I've decided to use Armored Flight Deck Carriers and I was wondering how the dynamics work if I choose no Deck armor and instead use Flight Deck Armor only. But if I also use Deck, will that stack with the Flight Deck Armor and give me more protection? Not sure the best way to go here... Also didn't find this using my mad Search-fu.

[southkraut]

I've been wondering about the same. My carriers end up pretty heavy because I just use both to be safe, but actually knowing what the deal is would be better.

[dizzy]

Yes, actually knowing what the deal is would be awesome. The PDF I read on the Demo RTW2 did not reveal this in the carrier section of Flight Deck Armor, I have the full game, but dont have the newer PDF.


Well, I just built a Fleet Carrier with zero Deck armor and 3.5" of Flight Deck Armor. How much Flight Deck Armor is needed to stop a 500lbs armor penetrating bomb? How much to stop a general purpose 1000lbs bomb?

[Antediluvian Monster]

Historically they used both, which would probably be the safe bet to follow in the game. One armoured deck was at flight deck, second was at hangar deck. They should at least partially stack.

[dizzy]

Think I found a bug. When choosing Flight Deck Armor of 3", and Hanger Side Armor of 1", after my design is completed, if I rework the Design, it shows my Hangar Side Armor has increased to 3", for no added weight, mind you. But if I were to lower the Hangar side armor by one click, it drops to 0.5" of armor. So something is screwy here.

[Blothorn]

I don't know if this is fully implemented, but realistically:
- Deck armor only stops bombs after they have entered the hangar.
- Flight deck armor stops bombs from entering the hangar, but its higher position requires a heavier supporting structure and adds more topweight for the thickness. This heavier structure is also generally incompatible with open hangars, which in game terms might decrease spot value.

I thus expect both should prevent flotation/machinery damage, but unarmored flight decks to be more vulnerable to fire and disruption of air ops. While most ships had multiple splinter decks, you usually only want one primary armored deck--a single armor plate is more effective than multiple thinner plates of the same weight. (Although there is some value in putting enough armor in the weather deck to trigger fuses, so that bombs that defeat all armor explode as high in the ship as possible.)

[Fredrik W]

Flight deck armor will protect the hangar. If something explodes in the hangar, the regular armor deck will protect engine rooms from splinters etc. Also there is a sight chance of shells or bombs hitting the armor deck without hitting the flight deck armor first (the flight deck armor is assumed to be somewhat shorter). So having both is a good idea. 2 in of deck armor will stop splinters.

[dizzy]

TY

[abclark]

May 22, 2019 12:47:12 GMT -6 Fredrik W said:

Flight deck armor will protect the hangar. If something explodes in the hangar, the regular armor deck will protect engine rooms from splinters etc. Also there is a sight chance of shells or bombs hitting the armor deck without hitting the flight deck armor first (the flight deck armor is assumed to be somewhat shorter). So having both is a good idea. 2 in of deck armor will stop splinters.

Is there any chance we could get some literature on the penetration of different bombs? I haven't found any to this point.

[Spaghet Shipwright]

RIP my 3" flight deck CVs when a lucky hit goes through their nonexistent deck armor

[brygun]

Im not sure what RTW2 uses

IIRC I once saw a study that rated something like 2" stops 500 lb bombs, 2.5" vs 1000 lb bombs but 2.88" wouldnt stop 1000 lb AP

But...

and some planes get 1,500, 1,600 and 2,000 lb bombs.

So at least 2" deck/flight deck armor for light bombs and 3" or more for heavy bombs.

[rodentnavy]

Jun 5, 2019 14:09:24 GMT -6 brygun said:

Im not sure what RTW2 uses

IIRC I once saw a study that rated something like 2" stops 500 lb bombs, 2.5" vs 1000 lb bombs but 2.88" wouldnt stop 1000 lb AP

But...

and some planes get 1,500, 1,600 and 2,000 lb bombs.

So at least 2" deck/flight deck armor for light bombs and 3" or more for heavy bombs.

Not sure if the game models it but at least forcing the enemy to use AP does less damage on hits and far and away less damage in the case of near misses than HE

[noshurviverse]

Jun 5, 2019 14:09:24 GMT -6 brygun said:

Im not sure what RTW2 uses

IIRC I once saw a study that rated something like 2" stops 500 lb bombs, 2.5" vs 1000 lb bombs but 2.88" wouldnt stop 1000 lb AP

But...

and some planes get 1,500, 1,600 and 2,000 lb bombs.

So at least 2" deck/flight deck armor for light bombs and 3" or more for heavy bombs.

Bomb penetration seems a bit excessive in RtW2, although this may be supposed to simulate "lucky" hits that somehow hit a weak point. Not sure, might be worth looking into. Year was either very late 50's or 60's.

[chaosblade]

May 22, 2019 12:47:12 GMT -6 Fredrik W said:

Flight deck armor will protect the hangar. If something explodes in the hangar, the regular armor deck will protect engine rooms from splinters etc. Also there is a sight chance of shells or bombs hitting the armor deck without hitting the flight deck armor first (the flight deck armor is assumed to be somewhat shorter). So having both is a good idea. 2 in of deck armor will stop splinters.

What about the elevators, are they factored in some manner? (assuming no deck edge elevators)

[brygun]

Jun 5, 2019 15:29:29 GMT -6 noshurviverse said:

Jun 5, 2019 14:09:24 GMT -6 brygun said:

Not showing is the top of the turret armor. Likely if it is 3" armor front face probably was set to 1". Actualy armor value is not seen by the player as it combines the thickness with the math based on the technology available at the time the armor was installed. (i.e. not your current armor tech if the ship is 5 years old)