Carrier Command 2/Carrier: Offensive Weapons

The carrier also has a number of weapons to be used offensively. Offensive weapons can generally be used in one of two ways - using the viewing scope on the bridge, or by using gimballed cameras (aircraft) or observation cameras (surface vehicles) to mark targets for the carrier's weapons systems.

Flares
Flares are illumination devices used to turn night into day. They serve no actual offensive purpose, but can make spotting targets much easier.

Located just beneath the Flare Launcher arming switch is a Launch Flare button. This button automatically fires a flare at the nearest enemy island without the need to spot targets.

The ship flare gun has a magazine that loads the same flares used by vehicles to evade missiles.

Deck Gun
The deck gun is the only consumer of 160mm shells. Its use requires the gimballed camera, observation camera, or using the viewing scope on the bridge. The bridge viewing scope method is used as part of the game's tutorial at the start of every campaign.

To use the deck gun, ensure that power is supplied to the carrier's weapons systems, and then arm the deck gun using the switch to the right of the viewing scope. Once powered and armed, use the viewing scope. Press the Z key (or Dpad Up) to switch to the deck gun. Acquire the target and then fire the weapon.

Once a target has been acquired, the system requires some time to compute a firing solution. Once the countdown is over, the deck gun fires a five round burst that annihilates everything in the target area - provided a clear line of sight has been established.

Firing the deck gun using a gimballed camera or observation camera is a similar method to using the viewing scope. Instead of going to the viewing scope, use the vehicle from the vehicle control consoles. Choose a vehicle to order the fire mission, and then switch to its camera. Press the Z key (or Dpad Up) to switch to the deck gun. Acquire the target and then fire the weapon.

Unlike the cruise missile, the deck gun does not require terminal guidance. However, the deck gun has far more trouble firing at extreme angles.

Cruise Missiles
Cruise missiles are launched from the launcher next to the deck gun, and operate on a similar principle: cruise missiles provide indirect fire support to destroy key targets. Cruise missiles are only fired singly, travel to the target much slower than the deck gun's shells, and also require terminal guidance. To use cruise missiles, ensure that power is supplied to the carrier's weapons systems, and then arm the cruise missile launcher by flipping the cruise missile arming switch to the right of the viewing scope. Once powered and armed, use the viewing scope. Press the Z key to switch to the cruise missile launcher. Acquire the target and fire the weapon.

Once a target has been acquired, the system takes some time to compute a firing solution. Once the missile is launched, the missile will fly to your crosshair - so you must stay and keep the target in sight as long as the missile is in flight. The distance between the target and the missile is displayed on the HUD.

Firing cruise missiles using a gimballed camera or observation camera is a similar method to using the viewing scope. Instead of going to the viewing scope, use the vehicle from the vehicle control consoles. Choose a vehicle to order the fire mission, and then switch to its camera. Press the Z key (or Dpad Up) to switch to the cruise missile. Acquire the target and then fire the weapon.

After the missile is launched, you can press the fire button again to cancel the fire support and have the missile impact the location of your crosshair. No further guidance will be necessary.

Cruise missiles can be intercepted by anti-aircraft vehicles and turrets. If the missile is intercepted, a notification will appear indicating the missile failed to reach its mark.

Torpedoes
Torpedoes are self-propelled underwater missiles used to sink enemy ships. Torpedoes cannot engage amphibious vehicles like the Seal, the Walrus, and the Bear. Torpedoes may track barges, but can not hit them. The only valid targets for torpedoes are Needlefish, Swordfish, and Carriers. Given the threat of Needlefish and Swordfish to surface and air vehicles, torpedoes are an extremely important part of your arsenal, and can provide some assistance in a carrier-vs-carrier fight.

The carrier has two dual-mount torpedo launchers - one port, and one starboard. Torpedoes will travel on a set bearing, and then activate after some time has passed (activation delay). Both the bearing and the activation delay can be set to the right of the air/sea radar and the viewing scope. Torpedo targets are best acquired using the air/sea radar. Provided the radar is powered and the bridge is not damaged, the carrier's radar will spot all enemy ships and aircraft within 10 km. A red line on the radar display indicates the direction launched torpedoes will travel. The radar display's zoom can be altered from 2 km at maximum zoom to 10 km at minimum zoom. Increasing the bearing turns the red line clockwise, and decreasing the bearing turns it counter-clockwise. Line the red line up to the target on the air/sea radar to acquire a proper bearing.

Load a torpedo by pressing the Load Torpedo buttons to the right of the bearing and activation timer indicators. You cannot unload a torpedo, so choose carefully what to load each of the four torpedoes with.

Alter the activation delay as necessary just beneath the bearing. The activation delay determines the number of seconds required for a torpedo to travel before it becomes active and searches for a target. Increasing the activation delay can be helpful to have a torpedo travel past an obstacle before its seeker activates and curves around it. The activation delay can also be helpful to engage a torpedo's tracking once it has passed another target.

Torpedo Strategy
Enemy ships armed with torpedo launchers will launch noisemakers whenever they detect a torpedo near them. Swordfish and Carriers will always be able to launch noisemakers, and Needlefish have a chance of being able to launch noisemakers. For best results, time the activation delay of your torpedo to arm shortly before arriving at the target, about 1000m ahead. This should bypass at least the first noisemaker. Torpedoes move at about 50m/s, so use the following formula to estimate arming distance from your carrier:

(activation delay in seconds) = (desired arming distance from your carrier in meters) / 50

For example, if an enemy Swordfish is 9000m away from your ship, use a delay of 160s to arm your torpedo 1000m in front of the target (8000m away from your ship).

Torpedoes are affected by ocean current. Aiming torpedoes directly broadside to your hull is recommended to reduce error from your torpedo's initial turn. Otherwise, if you fire directly along the bow or stern line of your carrier hull, it will take the torpedo about 20s to finish its initial turn and add about 750m of lateral error.