Saipan Stats released on EU - 2 / 3 / 0 Plane load out?

[Unkle_Grimace]

Hmmm, that's a mighty interesting plane load out for a US CV considering what WG has done to the regular CV lines. 2 / 3 / 0. I thought it going to be 2 / 0 / 3 ?? Is this correct?

 

Discuss...

 

http://wows-numbers.com/ship/3763320816,Saipan/

[DeutschyDesu]

3 Aircraft per squadron means the Saipan only has 15 aircraft in the sky at once while the Ranger has 18 in 3 squadrons of 6 aircraft. What worries me is that the Saipan aircraft look exceptionally durable for the tier.

[MajorRenegade]

I believe you can look up the Saipan ship stats in game now with Seeker tech tree mod

[Submarine_Wahoo]

Per above. My main intrigue is that these are very high tier aircraft for the CV tier, meaning the Saipan's TB squadrons are exceptionally fast compared to the other T7 contemporaries.

[CyborgChris]

Hmmm, that's a mighty interesting plane load out for a US CV considering what WG has done to the regular CV lines. 2 / 3 / 0. I thought it going to be 2 / 0 / 3 ?? Is this correct?

 

Discuss...

 

http://wows-numbers.com/ship/3763320816,Saipan/

 

IMO, I think that a 2/0/3 formation might be challenging, considering that the Saipan's aircraft are Tier 9 and are US planes, which means that in order for this to be in the game, it has to have a different set of bombs, rather than the 1000 pound bombs, which do 10800, too powerful and overpowered at T7. Plus, if the planes are T9 and have NO nerfs, then the fighters will kinda dominate, but this can be beneficial to the Dogfighting skill, which costs 3 points. This can be a good skill for the Ranger and Hiryu for going against the faster and more durable Saipan fighters

[HBZK100]

Yep, those aircraft are tier 9 for sure.  Same aircraft and same durability, but with only 3 planes per squad, it will be perfectly fine at tier VII.  I am a bit jealous at those speeds though.

 

The Saipan is also on the US wiki site aswell: http://wiki.wargaming.net/en/Ship_types_aircarrier

 

Lets hope that maybe WG will give USN the ability to use 3 plane squads or 6 plane squads for all carriers? I really do hope so.

 

Now I wish I was able to get her.

[CyborgChris]

3 Aircraft per squadron means the Saipan only has 15 aircraft in the sky at once while the Ranger has 18 in 3 squadrons of 6 aircraft. What worries me is that the Saipan aircraft look exceptionally durable for the tier.

 

In real life, the Saipan's hull was out of the Baltimore heavy cruiser, which in the game is pretty durable. Plus, she is bristling with Bofors and Orkelions, which can be a pain for enemy planes to attack.

[PelicanHazard]

Those plane speeds are interesting. The other Tier 7 carriers have to work a bit harder to chase down the bombers, and the Saipan's fighters are fast enough to chase down any other plane at tier. Hm...

[TenguBlade]

Wait...so first they bumped her to T7 and now this.

 

Well, I have to say, it certainly makes her unique.  Although I'm curious to see how the 3-plane torpedo bomber squads will be handled.  If the spread isn't any narrower than the 6-plane one then it might be too wide, but if it's narrowed so you have the same gap between torpedoes I think that would be a bit too overpowered since you would be able to anvil-and-hammer on the scale of a T9 IJN carrier.

[DEWEY_96_]

What about the captain skill that boosts planes combat effectiveness v/s higher tier fighters?   While a tier 7 ship, that balance is supposed to be between different tier fighters (not the tier of the ship as I understand)... so that means a tier 7 Saipan has better planes, it is counter balanced by making enemy planes more effective...  and with only 3 planes per squadron I'm thinking a fight between 2 tier 9 3 plane squadrons and 1 tier 7 6 plane squadron will really play to the tier 7 planes.  Maybe I'm wrong.  Still, Any Saipan driver that runs into a fighter loadout enemy won't matter that the tier is 2 grades higher (especially if they are running the combat perk).  

[PelicanHazard]

Although I'm curious to see how the 3-plane torpedo bomber squads will be handled.  If the spread isn't any narrower than the 6-plane one then it might be too wide, but if it's narrowed so you have the same gap between torpedoes I think that would be a bit too overpowered since you would be able to anvil-and-hammer on the scale of a T9 IJN carrier.

 

I heard rumors the manual torpedo drop converges like the IJN.

[Argh_My_Liver]

 

I heard rumors the manual torpedo drop converges like the IJN.

 

They do, ran into one yesterday.

[HBZK100]

 

In real life, the Saipan's hull was out of the Baltimore heavy cruiser, which in the game is pretty durable. Plus, she is bristling with Bofors and Orkelions, which can be a pain for enemy planes to attack.

 

After looking at her AA, it's reasonably worse than the Ranger.  So a strike ranger should be able to CV snipe a Saipan with some clever thinking.

[PelicanHazard]

 

After looking at her AA, it's reasonably worse than the Ranger.  So a strike ranger should be able to CV snipe a Saipan with some clever thinking.

 

Time for theorycraft!

 

Strike Ranger and Hiryu are capable of sniping each other and themselves if the CV captain knows what they're doing. Looks like they can also both snipe Saipan. So what's a Saipan captain to do? Well, Saipan has the fastest fighters of Tier 7 by a comfortable margin, so perhaps the best defense is to launch both fighters ASAP and send them scouting for the strike. If they encounter fighters, they can simply outrun them. If the other CV wants their snipe to succeed, they have to commit their fighters to harry the Saipan's, else the Saipan fighters will catch up to and destroy the snipe. Meanwhile the Saipan's TBs are free to roam where the fighters aren't and torpedo the enemy.

 

However, suppose the enemy CV scatters their strikers across the map so the Saipan's fighters can at best busy one squadron each. If the search pattern is good, the Saipan will still find the strike some distance away, so perhaps the Saipan's fighters can simply outrun the strikers back to the Saipan and strafe them when they set up their runs.

[HBZK100]

 

Time for theorycraft!

 

Strike Ranger and Hiryu are capable of sniping each other and themselves if the CV captain knows what they're doing. Looks like they can also both snipe Saipan. So what's a Saipan captain to do? Well, Saipan has the fastest fighters of Tier 7 by a comfortable margin, so perhaps the best defense is to launch both fighters ASAP and send them scouting for the strike. If they encounter fighters, they can simply outrun them. If the other CV wants their snipe to succeed, they have to commit their fighters to harry the Saipan's, else the Saipan fighters will catch up to and destroy the snipe. Meanwhile the Saipan's TBs are free to roam where the fighters aren't and torpedo the enemy.

 

However, suppose the enemy CV scatters their strikers across the map so the Saipan's fighters can at best busy one squadron each. If the search pattern is good, the Saipan will still find the strike some distance away, so perhaps the Saipan's fighters can simply outrun the strikers back to the Saipan and strafe them when they set up their runs.

 

Yeah, tier 9 fighters are going to be a pain for tier 7.  The Hiryu will have a better time sniping given it's actually got a good amount of fighter power, but a strike Ranger will have headaches trying to snipe since there are no fighters.

[PelicanHazard]

 

Yeah, tier 9 fighters are going to be a pain for tier 7.  The Hiryu will have a better time sniping given it's actually got a good amount of fighter power, but a strike Ranger will have headaches trying to snipe since there are no fighters.

 

About the one thing I can think of, and I simply don't know if it's viable because my highest CV is Lexi so I don't know Tier 9 plane stats, is for Hiryu to send both fighters with a bunched up strike, bait the Saipan's fighters, then break up the strike before they're strafed and tie up the Saipan fighters. Hurry the strike to Saipan and hope the Zeroes can deplete the Saipan fighters' ammo so that even if they can later catch up with the strike, they cannot shoot down too many planes and the Saipan is sniped.

[pyantoryng]

+20% attack for tier VII fighters (Upgraded T7), +30% attack for tier VI fighters (Upgraded T6, stock T7), +40% with tier V fighters (stock T6 carrier) with Dogfight (who picks that when there is torpedo acceleration?)...

 

The 20% bonus for both US and JPN tier VII fighters would bring their firepower level to almost on par with the F4U-4 and the additional 10% from first slot mod (aircraft guns) should slightly surpass an unmodded Saipan...A full fighter spec Tier VII Ranger will have its (upgraded) fighters' performance be nearly comparable to the F4U-4 in a straight fight, the Hiryu falls short in survivability. Alas, who plays full fighter spec?

 

Can quantity prevail over quality? A battle between fighters with comparable firepower will be decided by survivability...and the F4U-4 has plenty of it, but with only 3 planes a squad (4 with Air Superiority, consider that it has a real possibility to be so as a very experienced commander can be immediately assigned to the Saipan), how is it going to turn out? In a straight fight, that is. I think that the F4U-4 can kite the other fighters and chase down bombers with ease at that tier with 178 knots, and the bombers will have a hard time shaking them off with all the survivability the F4U-4 have.

 

...now one problem remain: Does the Saipan get the third upgrade slot for combat performance?

[JediMasterDraco]

I'm probably going to wait till I see a couple video reviews of this thing before buying it. On paper, it seems a little weak because of the decreased aerial presence and aircraft capacity. If it does well, then I'll probably get it the last day of the sale. Hopefully, I'll run into a couple in my Ranger and test them personally.

 

Also, don't forget tha just because they'll have the stats of tier XIs doesn't mean they'll be tier XIs. Wargaming would likely try to close the dogfighter loophole.

[Luphelia]

I just played against a saipan....

 

I can confirm 3 planes per squad.... my ranger fighters can easily take its fighters... its 3 fighters had a plane helping it and I still won with 2 planes left in my squadron. This was the first meet of the game, early so all planes should of been fresh of all health.

 

Saipans planes are FAST, but seems like planes are squishy since only 3 per squad.

 

I asked, he said there is only 1 type of loadout.

 

Not gonna lie, I was so excited to see a saipan I totally derped and died early. Sorry to let you all down haha.

[OscarMike_]

Really wish it was 2/0/3 myself, but I'll take it.

 

Still wondering what the sell or requirement will be to get one, as I play a lot of CV's.

[pyantoryng]

Really wish it was 2/0/3 myself, but I'll take it.

 

Still wondering what the sell or requirement will be to get one, as I play a lot of CV's.

 

1000lb at tier 7 is going to put way too much hurt, perhaps...

[Red_Raven_168]

 

Still wondering what the sell or requirement will be to get one, as I play a lot of CV's.

 

Willingness to buy the bundle

[PelicanHazard]

I can confirm 3 planes per squad.... my ranger fighters can easily take its fighters... its 3 fighters had a plane helping it and I still won with 2 planes left in my squadron. This was the first meet of the game, early so all planes should of been fresh of all health.

Hm, so if I'm remembering stats correctly, that means that even a 3-plane squad from Saipan would destroy a lone Hiryu fighter squadron. *theorycrafting intensifies*

[OscarMike_]

Dontforget the + 1 fighter +1 bomber perk. Theres no bombers but that will still add 1 fighter which total 4.  Sadly since there are no bombers, not sure ill take that skill.

Hm, so if I'm remembering stats correctly, that means that even a 3-plane squad from Saipan would destroy a lone Hiryu fighter squadron. *theorycrafting intensifies*

 

[Hurlbut]

+20% attack for tier VII fighters (Upgraded T7), +30% attack for tier VI fighters (Upgraded T6, stock T7), +40% with tier V fighters (stock T6 carrier) with Dogfight (who picks that when there is torpedo acceleration?)...

 

The 20% bonus for both US and JPN tier VII fighters would bring their firepower level to almost on par with the F4U-4 and the additional 10% from first slot mod (aircraft guns) should slightly surpass an unmodded Saipan...A full fighter spec Tier VII Ranger will have its (upgraded) fighters' performance be nearly comparable to the F4U-4 in a straight fight, the Hiryu falls short in survivability. Alas, who plays full fighter spec?

 

Can quantity prevail over quality? A battle between fighters with comparable firepower will be decided by survivability...and the F4U-4 has plenty of it, but with only 3 planes a squad (4 with Air Superiority, consider that it has a real possibility to be so as a very experienced commander can be immediately assigned to the Saipan), how is it going to turn out? In a straight fight, that is. I think that the F4U-4 can kite the other fighters and chase down bombers with ease at that tier with 178 knots, and the bombers will have a hard time shaking them off with all the survivability the F4U-4 have.

 

...now one problem remain: Does the Saipan get the third upgrade slot for combat performance?

And Carriers with tier 8 planes can get the +10% bonus too.