Why are all torpedoes launched from above the waterline? Also, why do they only travel in a straight line?

[David Davidson]

Unless below the waterline tubes come later, why are all torpedoes launched from torpedo launchers that track like turrets? I was sure WWI and WWII ships had below deck torpedo tubes, while destroyers mainly relied on launchers.

The other question is, why only a straight line? Torpedoes could be set to travel in a curve by setting the gyrocompass on the torpedo before launch, it would be nice to be able to launch torpedoes so they all curved into a ship's broadside, or torpedoes fired from side launchers able to turn forward.

[Ryuu]

Originally posted by Schlomo Shekelshoastein:

Unless below the waterline tubes come later, why are all torpedoes launched from torpedo launchers that track like turrets? I was sure WWI and WWII ships had below deck torpedo tubes, while destroyers mainly relied on launchers.

Yeap(even Mikasa had them), but those launchers had few tubes(or is it always just one?) and fixed angle, so aiming them would be awkward, especially on heavy ships, and actually hitting target apart from point blank distance - a miracle. So it was decided against adding them, don't expect them to be added. I remember that question in old FAQ on wiki, but hard to find it now. So only torpedo launchers which have some aiming angles are in the game, some have really horrible angles though - try looking an Yubari's.
Actually if you find videos of 1st of April vessels (don't remember year) - they had front underwater single-tube torpedo launcher, with extremely narrow angle, but 99 knot speed torpedo, lol :) Ships had low maneuverability, it was awkward to aim them, sooo it's a good demonstration how it could be.

The other question is, why only a straight line? Torpedoes could be set to travel in a curve by setting the gyrocompass on the torpedo before launch, it would be nice to be able to launch torpedoes so they all curved into a ship's broadside, or torpedoes fired from side launchers able to turn forward.

I guess it's for the sake of game balance and simplification, i think it would be very difficult to aim and predict such torpedoes. They also need to also be predictable for your allies, they wouldn't like seeing them running in circles blocking an area - and again it would be bad for balance.

Also you're already using gyrocompass i guess, how do you think you can switch from narrow to wide torpedo fan?

USN still has flashbacks of circular runs of their torpedoes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_14_torpedo#Circular_runs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Tang_(SS-306)

And i don't see here info that WW2-era torpedoes were often launched not in a straight line: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torpedo#Unguided

Also see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torpedo_Data_Computer

[David Davidson]

I suppose those are all great reasons and I figured it may be a reason like this that we'll (probably) never see more realistic torpedoes.
The game is very arcade-ey despite the realistic ships.

I suppose playing Naval Action from invite only alpha had me expecting much deeper gameplay, not that I'm disappointed, WOWS is a great time killer but not what I had expected when I downloaded it.

[imrahil2]

Also at the beginning of WW2 almost all submerged torp tubes were removed from warships as they weakened the integrity. Those early submerged tubes also had incredibly short range to where if they were scaled in game they would have a distance of .4 km or less before stopping.

[kingjames488]

gogo submarines!

[Ruka Erika ♥️🐿]

Originally posted by king(strange)james488:

gogo submarines!

no.

In real life and the time period they were submseisbles and their gameplay would be a much slower destroyer 15knots max speed slow that can only fire torps on the surface with tiny dectactablity. it would be more boring than the current battleship gameplay.

[Jackson]

Torpedoes generally fired in straight lines. Torpedoes that could curve were generally not successful until well after the war. They were also very slow.

The ships in the game are modelled correctly. Almost all torpedoes were mounted above the waterline.

[David Davidson]

Originally posted by king(strange)james488:

gogo submarines!

I would love to see submarines, but submarines (as mentioned above) were slow, it would also mean having to make large changes to destroyers to allow them to fulfil their role (originally named torpedo boat destroyers, then their role changed to submarine destroyers) but on the subject of torpedoes, the above mention of dull battleship gameplay torpedo boats might be an interesting addition as small and very fast boats that can be launched from battleships and able to fire a salvo of torpedoes before returning to rearm. Naturally the boats would be made out of paper so one solid hit with all but the lightest guns would sink them and HE shells exploding on contact with water a around them would cause shrapnel damage to them.
Their introduction would likely mean the need to introduce a few .50 cal guns to ships to whittle them down.

Naturally a battleship's stock of torpedo boats would be very limited and they would take about 20-40s to launch from the battleship, their torpedoes would be designed to cripple other ships more than sink them outright.

[kingjames488]

Originally posted by Ruka Erika:

Originally posted by king(strange)james488:

gogo submarines!

no.

In real life and the time period they were submseisbles and their gameplay would be a much slower destroyer 15knots max speed slow that can only fire torps on the surface with tiny dectactablity. it would be more boring than the current battleship gameplay.

they're heavy support...

[juanxlink]

Originally posted by Schlomo Shekelshoastein:

Originally posted by king(strange)james488:

gogo submarines!

I would love to see submarines, but submarines (as mentioned above) were slow, it would also mean having to make large changes to destroyers to allow them to fulfil their role (originally named torpedo boat destroyers, then their role changed to submarine destroyers) but on the subject of torpedoes, the above mention of dull battleship gameplay torpedo boats might be an interesting addition as small and very fast boats that can be launched from battleships and able to fire a salvo of torpedoes before returning to rearm. Naturally the boats would be made out of paper so one solid hit with all but the lightest guns would sink them and HE shells exploding on contact with water a around them would cause shrapnel damage to them.
Their introduction would likely mean the need to introduce a few .50 cal guns to ships to whittle them down.

Naturally a battleship's stock of torpedo boats would be very limited and they would take about 20-40s to launch from the battleship, their torpedoes would be designed to cripple other ships more than sink them outright.

Please learn the game basics before posting uninformed BS like this.

[David Davidson]

Originally posted by juanxlink:

Originally posted by Schlomo Shekelshoastein:

I would love to see submarines, but submarines (as mentioned above) were slow, it would also mean having to make large changes to destroyers to allow them to fulfil their role (originally named torpedo boat destroyers, then their role changed to submarine destroyers) but on the subject of torpedoes, the above mention of dull battleship gameplay torpedo boats might be an interesting addition as small and very fast boats that can be launched from battleships and able to fire a salvo of torpedoes before returning to rearm. Naturally the boats would be made out of paper so one solid hit with all but the lightest guns would sink them and HE shells exploding on contact with water a around them would cause shrapnel damage to them.
Their introduction would likely mean the need to introduce a few .50 cal guns to ships to whittle them down.

Naturally a battleship's stock of torpedo boats would be very limited and they would take about 20-40s to launch from the battleship, their torpedoes would be designed to cripple other ships more than sink them outright.

Please learn the game basics before posting uninformed BS like this.

Please explain the game basics (in your opinion) rather than moaning like your sister when she's in heat.

Edit:
Rather than posting a one line reply I will elaborate.
Battleship gameplay can get pretty boring. Long turret traverse speeds mean that it's hard to switch targets at will and the fact that if you try to rush the enemy in a BB you will be sunk. Torpedo boats would make battleship warfare more interesting.
When I say you have a low amount of torpedo boats I mean about four, maybe five or six for some nations. You can launch two at once, the "reload time" is fairly long, as is the launch time and their torpedoes act more as crippling torpedoes than ones that would sink a ship, they would lock the rudder, damage propellers and (attempt) to wreak havoc on other ships.
However if a single battery hit (maybe two hits from light secondary batteries) is capable of sinking them and HE bursts around them cause damage then I don't see how this "affects the gameplay basics", however I am ever so sorry for hurting your feelings by making a suggestion. Though I have to ask, have you never heard the phrase adapt or die?