If noise is being cited as the reason large ships can't / shouldn't be able to use sonar, the fix is easy: Tie the sonar to the engine. Let any ship using a FF, SS, DD, or CL engine be able to use a sonarman. If CA's, BB's, and CV's are willing to sacrifice overall and overheat speed, why not let them have sonar?

In all seriousness though, I like having Sonar on my CV. In a game mode where subs on opposite teams avoid each other (not illegal btw), and DD's, CL's and FF's that aren't taskforcez find a SS through use of natural sonar, then OH (causing the natural sonar to dissipate) it's good to have a ship that can scout and sink a sub. This is my opinion as a player of Battleships, Carriers, and Submarines.

You make a few valid points PictWarrior1, but I do not agree with you. And as for teamwork savy players, most people only use teamwork in HA's unless they are in the same fleet.

It is not completely impossible for an ss to kill a cv with hh and sonar. Use some skill and knowledge of the game and you will be fine.

It is completly impossible for a bb with no hh to see and/or kill an ss. Note the completly impossible part, that means it can't be done.

You can run but don't know where they are, you can hide but smoke lasts a few seconds and remember ss don't need to hit you to kill you (bbs need to hit to kill ss) and you can hope you have ASW with you, not likely until high level ASW ships are introduced.

Also CVs have been able to see ss with sonar since I started playing which wasn't long after ss were introduced.

SS/ASW balance needs work, this is one aspect that doesn't need to change.

They should just remove subs from the game, then consider removeing sonar from CV's but not till then.

funny thing I was just talking about this to someone and came across this post...I generally agree with Pict but note...

1.a lot of the time BBs can use sonar in this game  they just need to load an escort...

2.The real issue to me is the lack of ASW dedicated ship which earns decent xp...tweak this up and take away sonar from cvs..they can use an escort as well for sonar

Lots of crepe about over powered subs but in RL in WW2 ..it took 1 torp to sink the Ark Royal and 3 to sink Barham  takes 3-4 salvoes to sink bb6 in km ss5..

 

funny thing I was just talking about this to someone and came across this post...I generally agree with Pict but note...

1.a lot of the time BBs can use sonar in this game  they just need to load an escort...

2.The real issue to me is the lack of ASW dedicated ship which earns decent xp...tweak this up and take away sonar from cvs..they can use an escort as well for sonar

Lots of crepe about over powered subs but in RL in WW2 ..it took 1 torp to sink the Ark Royal and 3 to sink Barham  takes 3-4 salvoes to sink bb6 in km ss5..

 

Any semi competent bb or cv can sink a sub without sonar. Add a escort  either npc or player and their chances get even higher.  Even a bb with no hhs can sink a ss with a little luck and sense. Also everyone forgets that mines do make a incredible asw weapon is used right.

Be bother and bifusticate all those sonar CV's. 

The trouble with threads like this is displayed by the obvious knee-jerk reaction to players using what the game gives them.

If I find a game tool I can use that others don't use, the justification of calling what I choose to use "an exploit" is quickly addressed by those with administrative access to deprive me of that tool.

Then comes those poorly educated & uninspired in-charge that try to supplant their assertion(s) ... such as, "well it was not meant to be used that way" or some other related gibberish. 

I have seen this myself. I have posted a real bug and still no fixing as the bug still happens. So I won't bother sharing findings of bugs or "exploits" anymore. Now if a CV has sonar ability, I just work around it.

When a player uses an aim-bot, I cannot so easily work around that. It still happens on occasion.

Just because I know that when the announcement "an enemy ship in sight" comes over the com alerts me to being seen or targeted, this is a tool I can use. As ability to employ this tactic grows in success, I can expect it to be called an "exploit" soon enough.

A carrier with sonar IS feasible because the teamwork aspect (Alpha team/Bravo team) cannot be fundamentally counted upon.

I played before CV's had sonar; they died mostly from BB's and not SS's because most SS's were caught before they could get into range by ASW FF's, DD's, and CL's.  What purpose does a ASW platform have when everybody can equip HH's and just look for the rough area that the sub launced from?

Balance, my rearend.  It actually comes down to the community in general.  If somebody makes a mistake or are truly learning the game, immediately they are called noobs.  Rarely have I seen anybody give advice on how to play or on what somebody might be able to do better.  It is this community that allowed somebody to QQ to add sonar to CV's because they couldn't be bothered to encourage or teach a lower level player how to play a support role.

How often do you even see AAW ships anymore?  The few GB's I've played while waiting on my archived stuff to get restored, I went as AAW and I was the only one.  I remember when around 75% of DD's and CL's ran as pure AAW (before subs).  What encouragement or advice are higher level players passing on to lower levels who want to play in GB's?  We all know how that turns out since some have pointed out how they DD charge and die horrible deaths.  Anybody advise them to load AA shells instead and linger back to provide AAW support or inform them to level a sonarman and run as ASW?  I would wager money that nobody has bothered because this community would rather berate others instead of helping others.

Crap community covered by balance rant over.