I have played most platforms again in the last days, and while I think they are all cool, not each one provides the same amount of good gameplay. Here is my take on what platforms offer the most fun for me (from a pure SP point of view):
SSNs
The nuke subs are still the best for me. The core gameplay of the series, building situation awareness with limited input, still works best with the subs. They offer many different missions and a wealth of different tactics to achiev your goals. Also they offer some pretty challenging threats. The only thing I wished was improved for them was fire control. DW is great with for everything about sensors, but the shooting part looks a little bit lacking sometimes.
The Kilo
The Kilo comes next to me. In many ways it is simmilar as the SSNs, perhaps in too many. The defining part of being an SS, having a diesel-electrical propulsions, doesn't really play a large role in DW. Most scenarios in DW are too small in scale to make a difference, while the larger ones often don't work perfectly because of small time compression. Because of this the Kilo sometimes feels like it is just a crappy SSN. Still I think that a western diesel, combining the characteristics of a non-nuke boat with more competitive sensors and weapons might add some good gameplay to DW.
The Perry
I like the OHP because it has many detailed stations and is quite complex. Unfortunately it is less compelex on a second look, at least to me. The AAW and ASuW aspects of DW are a bit underdeveloped, so the main task of the OHP is ASW. In the end I think the gameplay in that regard is a little limited. It all boils down to controling your helicopter like in a strategy game, with managing the buoys being the most fun part. Developing a firing solution is easy with cross-bearings of two buoys and killing the target is a simple matter of telling your helo "drop torp here". The ASW equipment of the ship itselfe are a bit underwhelming. The torpedos, the only ASW weapons of the ship itselfe, are so inneffective against subs that they are rarely used. The towed array looks very complex for a start, but in the end is only used to get an initial bearing of a possible contact, which is the starting point of using your helo. I never do TMA in the OHP, using your helo and multiple buoys is always more effective. The active sonar doesn't offer that many possibilities and requires few finesses to use. I think a surface ASW unit was a great idea to add to the mix, but the OHP might have been a bit an unfortunate choice, because it relies so much on the helo (which can be used as seperate platform). I think there would still be a lot of potential for a plattform with more specific ASW equimpent, like wire guided heavy weight torpedos, ASROCs, ASW mortars, VDS or more fleshed out active sonar.
The Orion
Being a flight sim enthusiast I realy like the Orion. It is a great unit to play every now and then, but in itselfe it provides few gameplay and gets repetive quite quick. Every sub kill is basicaly the same. I think the pinpoint navigation of the nav map takes out a lot of the challange of that platform. Perhaps this is even the way it is today, but I think previously the navigation in the open water was a real problem. You would use radio-navigation to find your sono buoys and drop smoke buoys to mark positions. Navigation would be done from the cockpit using instruments and our eyes rather than a top down view on the nav map. From a pilots point of view this sounds like a lot of fun, but might be out of the scope of DW...
Another gameplay dampener for the Orion is that you are virtualy unoposed (not taking into account SAMs form subs in MP). You hunt your prey from a total safe position.
The Seahawk
This is the platform I play least. While I like the helo as a unit, I think it offers little good gameplay. Like the Orion it quickly gets repetive, also you can basicaly play it from the OHP anyway. Also it has the same problem as the Orion, you are never in real danger with it.
As you can see, I regard DW still as primary a subsim. I like the other units very much and they are great fun in between. But for themselfe they offer not enough to fill out a game. The subs on the other hand do, as we saw in 688(I) H/K and Sub Command. I think a addon (or successor) to DW should improve the subs even more, bascically redo the ones we have and add a modern diesel. More subs are not realy needed from a gameplay point of view. There also would be room for a ship that has a more direct approach to ASW than the OHP. Not necessary a better ship at ASW (absolutely speaking), but one that offers more interaction to the player. For the MPAs and helos, I don't think that much gameplay could be gained by adding more of those.
What is your view on that?
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