DG 1.5 Question for Bullethead: How does smoke affect gunnery (if at all)?

[MoToM]

BH, are there any small ships that make effective smoke layers, ones that maybe belch thicker smoke than some of the others?
I would love to try running them close to the enemy battle line to try and disrupt their gunnery

[Bullethead]

Originally Posted by MoToM

BH, are there any small ships that make effective smoke layers, ones that maybe belch thicker smoke than some of the others?
I would love to try running them close to the enemy battle line to try and disrupt their gunnery

This tactic actually works. The intervening funnel smoke does make a smokescreen effect of sorts.

BTW, we know they used true smokescreens in WW1, but not only would adding them choke everybody's computer, but the AI would have to be taught to use them and react to them effectively, which would require major work. Hence, no true smokescreens in the game, but maybe someday.

Anyway, to answer your question, you want to use coal-burners for this job because they make way more smoke than oil-burners (which you can see in the game). In the RJW, no problem because everything burns coal. But in 1916, most of the destroyers on both sides and most RN CLs burn oil.

[MoToM]

Thanks, I may use the defense squadrons for this, probably going to lose a few

[alexsmith]

Originally Posted by Bullethead

This tactic actually works. The intervening funnel smoke does make a smokescreen effect of sorts.

Wouldn't one instead loose every "smokemaker" close to line of tough ships long before they make enough smoke to affect the battle at all?

[MoToM]

The way I have implemented this was to engage the battleline first, drawing the vast majority of their fire and then running the smokemakers close, but not too close, to the enemy line.
With most of their fire directed at my own heavies the smokers don't recieve too much fire.
I lost a couple but most got through with minimal damage plus a few torp launches just to slow the foe down, keeping him within the smoked region.

The reduction in hits on my line was (I think) noticable.

I have only had one opportunity to try this so far so no accurate data yet but it seems to work.

[alexsmith]

There is a constant confusion about which game we discuss at the moment If as in theme's title - DG - there are no torp launchers could help you to "slow foe down". If it's Jutland - maybe it requires another theme? As for me I never write in Jutland's themes cause I don't play Jutland and have no opinion about it...

As for "smoke war" I doubt these factors affect situation so much we could even notice - again - in DG From my experience - neither sun, smoke nor wind can't help you much to overrun computer It's advantage is quite more sensible...