Supertest: Tier IV German Aircraft Carrier Rhein
7 min readNow that I have the confirmation regarding the background of the Rhein, I can finally start the reviews of the German aircraft carriers. These will prove to be pretty long to do since I have to do a fair bit of datamining on my side. When it comes to carriers, gamemodels3d is lacking quite a few information like the plane hit points, the plane consumables, etc.
It also turns out that the torpedo arming distances listed on the devblog are potentially all wrong for the German aircraft carriers. When I was doing the maths on my side, the result I got for Rhein was much shorter than the one initially announced (and boy, I will not spit on it). One more thing, before the secondaries maniacs get all round-up, the German aircraft carriers have a standard dispersion formula on their secondaries! No full secondary memes for you.
When it comes to the AP bombs and rockets, it is, for now, impossible to determine their penetration power. The only thing we are sure about is that they aren’t following the same formula as AP shells.
The Rhein is based on the “Kleiner Flugzeugträger” design. Studies on this design started while the Graf Zeppelin was under construction. The design was calling for a 12 000 tons small aircraft carrier but due to its limited speed, it wouldn’t be able to serve within a fleet.
In the end, the design was abandoned with no real plan being made to ever build such ship.
As of now, the German Aircraft carriers concept offers the following peculiarities:
Airplanes have comparatively high cruise speed, but their HP pool is below average;
Attack aircraft use armor-piercing rockets. These rockets can deal high damage by hitting an enemy ship’s citadel, but they allow a familiar counterplay: when they hit at an acute angle, they can ricochet or simply not penetrate the armor. Rockets fired at broadsided destroyers –with their thin armor– will result in overpenetrations that deal 10% of the maximum damage. Armor-piercing rockets can also ricochet against destroyers’ end armor when the ship is bow-in to the planes. Therefore, a player’s reaction against such rockets should be similar to the actions one would take against armor-piercing shells.
Bombers use armor-piercing bombs. Unlike the Japanese bombers, German ones dive immediately, without the prior altitude gain. Their drop zone is shaped like an elongated ellipse, and aiming it during an attack may be difficult. These bombs will be most effective against slower opponents.
The final shape of torpedo bomber’s launching cone is similar to that of Japanese and American torpedo bombers. The torpedoes have a range of 6 km.
As usual, I will cover both the stock and the fully upgraded versions of the ship. Remember, everything that you will see here is, of course, a work in progress.
Hull | Engine | Torpedo bomber | Dive Bomber | Attack Aircraft |
Rhein (A) |
Propulsion: 35 000 HP |  Ar 95b |  He 50 |  Ar 68 |
Rhein (B) |
A Hull
| Tier | IV |
| Health | 31 500 HP |
| Displacement | 9 000 tons |
| Aircraft on deck | |
| Attack Aircrafts | 9 |
| Torpedo Bombers | 9 |
| Dive Bombers | 9 |
| Secondary Armament | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 4.50 km |
| 88 mm L/76 Dop. L. C/32 | 2 x 2 88 mm |
| Anti Air Defense | |
| 88 mm L/76 Dop. L. C/32 | 2 x 2 88 mm |
| 37 mm Flak LM/42 | 4 x 1 37 mm |
| Maximum speed | 26 knots |
| Turning Circle Radius | 760 m |
| Rudder Shift Time | 12.1 s |
| Surface Detectability | 9.54 km |
| Air Detectability | 7.49 km |
Attack aircraft – Ar 68 | |
| Tier | IV |
| Hit points per plane | 1 050 |
| Cruise speed | 114 kt |
| Maximum speed | 154 kt |
| Engine boost time | 5 s |
| Engine boost reload time | 10 s |
| Size of attacking flight | 3 |
| Aircraft per squadron | 6 |
| Rocket type | RZ-73 |
| Rocket caliber | 73 mm |
| Rockets per plane | 1 |
| Maximum rocket damage | 1 600 |
| Projectile speed | 500 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.35 |
| Projectile mass | 10 kg |
| Projectile Krupp | 2 400 |
| Projectile detonator | 0.022 s |
| Detonator threshold | 25 mm |
| Detectability range | 10.0 km |
| Aircraft restoration time | 44 s |
| Aircraft on deck | 9 |
Slot 1 |
Engine Cooling  Number of Charges: 3 Work time: 10 s Cooldown: 80 s |
Torpedo bomber – Ar 95b | |
| Tier | IV |
| Hit points per plane | 1 300 |
| Cruise speed | 111 kt |
| Maximum speed | 151 kt |
| Engine boost time | 20 s |
| Engine boost reload time | 40 s |
| Size of attacking flight | 2 |
| Aircraft per squadron | 8 |
| Torpedo type | F5 |
| Torpedoes per plane | 1 |
| Maximum torpedo damage | 5 800 |
| Maximum torpedo range | 6.0 km |
| Torpedo speed | 25 knots |
| Torpedo arming distance | 504 m listed in the devblog 402 m with the data from the client |
| Flooding chance | 50% |
| Detectability range | 10.0 km |
| Aircraft restoration time | 59 s |
| Aircraft on deck | 9 |
Slot 1 |
Engine Cooling Number of Charges: 2 Work time: 5 s Cooldown: 80 s |
Dive bomber – He 50 | |
| Tier | IV |
| Hit points per plane | 1 060 |
| Cruise speed | 96 kt |
| Maximum speed | 136 kt |
| Engine boost time | 20 s |
| Engine boost reload time | 40 s |
| Size of attacking flight | 2 |
| Aircraft per squadron | 6 |
| Bomb type | SC 250 |
| Bomb caliber | 406 mm |
| Bomb per plane | 1 |
| Maximum bomb damage | 3 000 |
| Projectile speed | 450 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.35 |
| Projectile mass | 300 kg |
| Projectile Krupp | 2 750 |
| Projectile detonator | 0.025 s |
| Detonator Threshold | 25 |
| Aircraft restoration time | 55 s |
| Aircraft on deck | 9 |
Slot 1 |
Engine Cooling Number of Charges: 2 Work time: 5 s Cooldown: 80 s |
| 2 x 2 88 mm L/76 Dop. L. C/32 | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 4.500 km |
| Reloading Time | 4.0 s |
| Sigma | 1.00 sigma |
| Shells | |
| Type of Projectile | HE – 88 mm Spr.Gr. |
| Alpha Damage | 1 000 HP |
| Damage | 240 HP |
| HE penetration | 15 mm |
| Explosion Size | 0.24 |
| Chance to Cause Fire | 4 % |
| Projectile Speed | 950 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.307 |
| Projectile Mass | 9 kg |
| 2 x 2 88 mm L/76 Dop. L. C/32 | |
| Sector range | 0.1 km – 4.6 km |
| Hit chance | 100 % |
| Sector’s damage | 9 |
| Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
| Sector’s damage per second | 32 |
| Flak clouds number | 1 |
| Flak cloud damage | 910 |
| 4 x 1 37 mm Flak LM/42 | |
| Sector range | 0.1 km – 3.5 km |
| Hit chance | 100 % |
| Sector’s damage | 25 |
| Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
| Sector’s damage per second | 88 |
Slot 1 | Slot 2 |
Damage Control Party  Work time: 60 s Cooldown: 90 s | Fighter  Number of charges: 4 Work time: 600 s Cooldown: 40 s Patrol Radius: 3.0 km Planes in a squadron: 4 |
B Hull
| Tier | IV |
| Health | 32 300 HP |
| Displacement | 11 100 tons |
| Aircraft on deck | |
| Attack Aircrafts | 9 |
| Torpedo Bombers | 9 |
| Dive Bombers | 9 |
| Secondary Armament | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 4.50 km |
| 105 mm L/65 Dop. L. C/37 | 2 x 2 105 mm |
| Anti Air Defense | |
| 105 mm L/65 Dop. L. C/37 | 2 x 2 105 mm |
| 37 mm Flak LM/42 | 4 x 2 37 mm |
| Maximum speed | 26 knots |
| Turning Circle Radius | 760 m |
| Rudder Shift Time | 8.6 s |
| Surface Detectability | 9.54 km |
| Air Detectability | 7.49 km |
| Attack aircraft – Ar 68 | |
| Tier | IV |
| Hit points per plane | 1 050 |
| Cruise speed | 114 kt |
| Maximum speed | 154 kt |
| Engine boost time | 5 s |
| Engine boost reload time | 10 s |
| Size of attacking flight | 3 |
| Aircraft per squadron | 6 |
| Rocket type | RZ-73 |
| Rocket caliber | 73 mm |
| Rockets per plane | 1 |
| Maximum rocket damage | 1 600 |
| Projectile speed | 500 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.35 |
| Projectile mass | 10 kg |
| Projectile Krupp | 2 400 |
| Projectile detonator | 0.022 s |
| Detonator threshold | 25 mm |
| Detectability range | 10.0 km |
| Aircraft restoration time | 44 s |
| Aircraft on deck | 9 |
Slot 1 |
Engine Cooling Number of Charges: 3 Work time: 10 s Cooldown: 80 s |
| Torpedo bomber – Ar 95b | |
| Tier | IV |
| Hit points per plane | 1 300 |
| Cruise speed | 111 kt |
| Maximum speed | 151 kt |
| Engine boost time | 20 s |
| Engine boost reload time | 40 s |
| Size of attacking flight | 2 |
| Aircraft per squadron | 8 |
| Torpedo type | F5 |
| Torpedoes per plane | 1 |
| Maximum torpedo damage | 5 800 |
| Maximum torpedo range | 6.0 km |
| Torpedo speed | 25 knots |
| Torpedo arming distance | 504 m listed in the devblog 402 m with the data from the client |
| Flooding chance | 50% |
| Detectability range | 10.0 km |
| Aircraft restoration time | 59 s |
| Aircraft on deck | 9 |
Slot 1 |
Engine Cooling Number of Charges: 2 Work time: 5 s Cooldown: 80 s |
| Dive bomber – He 50 | |
| Tier | IV |
| Hit points per plane | 1 060 |
| Cruise speed | 96 kt |
| Maximum speed | 136 kt |
| Engine boost time | 20 s |
| Engine boost reload time | 40 s |
| Size of attacking flight | 2 |
| Aircraft per squadron | 6 |
| Bomb type | SC 250 |
| Bomb caliber | 406 mm |
| Bomb per plane | 1 |
| Maximum bomb damage | 3 000 |
| Projectile speed | 450 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.35 |
| Projectile mass | 300 kg |
| Projectile Krupp | 2 750 |
| Projectile detonator | 0.025 s |
| Detonator Threshold | 25 |
| Aircraft restoration time | 55 s |
| Aircraft on deck | 9 |
Slot 1 |
Engine Cooling Number of Charges: 2 Work time: 5 s Cooldown: 80 s |
| 2 x 2 105 mm L/65 Dop. L. C/37 | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 4.500 km |
| Reloading Time | 3.35 s |
| Sigma | 1.00 sigma |
| Shells | |
| Type of Projectile | HE – 105 mm Spr.Gr. Kz. |
| Alpha Damage | 1 200 HP |
| Damage | 330 HP |
| HE penetration | 26 mm |
| Explosion Size | 0.31 |
| Chance to Cause Fire | 5 % |
| Projectile Speed | 900 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.33 |
| Projectile Mass | 15.1 kg |
| 2 x 2 105 mm L/65 Dop. L. C/37 | |
| Sector range | 0.1 km – 5.2 km |
| Hit chance | 100 % |
| Sector’s damage | 17 |
| Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
| Sector’s damage per second | 60 |
| Flak clouds number | 1 |
| Flak cloud damage | 1 120 |
| 4 x 1 37 mm Flak LM/42 | |
| Sector range | 0.1 km – 3.5 km |
| Hit chance | 100 % |
| Sector’s damage | 30 |
| Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
| Sector’s damage per second | 105 |
Slot 1 | Slot 2 |
Damage Control Party Work time: 60 s Cooldown: 90 s | Fighter Number of charges: 4 Work time: 600 s Cooldown: 40 s Patrol Radius: 3.0 km Planes in a squadron: 4 |
The armor
The Rhein is, just like the other tier IV carriers, thinly armored and definitely not made to take hits.
Just as a reminder, the armor view on gamemodels3d is mirrored on carriers for whatever reason so it’s normal that you see the superstructure on the port side.
The bow section
Except for the 20 mm flight deck, the bow is entirely covered with 16 mm of armor. The same goes for the internal protection of the middle section.
The middle section
For the middle section, the flight deck is 20 mm thick and the sides are 16 mm thick except for the 25 mm “armored belt”.
Behind the lower part of the main belt, there is the 20 mm citadel side armor in a spaced armor configuration. This internal 20 mm plating goes all the way to the flight deck.
The stern section
The stern is protected by 16 mm of armor except for the 20 mm flight deck and the 25 mm protection around the steering gears.
The superstructure
The superstructure is 10 mm thick except for the conning tower with a mix of 30 mm and 60 mm armor.
Personal opinion
At tier IV, the Rhein could actually be a pretty good carrier. The low torpedo speed will not be a big issue since, at this tier, all ships are terribly slow. You also need to consider the fact that even though they are slower, these torpedoes hit harder than those of the Hōshō and are carried by faster planes.
Depending on their drop pattern, the AP bombs will, of course, also be lethal weapons.
What I am still not convinced about is the whole concept of AP rockets. They will just make it terribly hard to fight destroyers alongside the terrible torpedo speed and for the other classes, well we will need to see them in action.
Easter-eggs
For those interested in it, the Rhein contains 2 easter-eggs, both located inside the superstructure.
The first easter-egg is the front and back covers of an enigma codebook:
For the second one, it is simply a compass:
About Author
Unfortunately, WG’s statement on the Rhein is incorrect. The “Kleiner Flugzeugträger” project saw only a 6.000 ton ship. Although the ships following the Graf Zeppelin cl*** were supposed to be 12.000 tons, no plans were made for this.
Hm. Enclosed bow on a Tier IV carrier. Looks like it’s really advanced for its tier…
WE DEMAND GZ SECONDARY ACCURACY!
You could technically count Hermes as well, she have enclosed bow.