Illumination round

[thewood1]

Do any ships have illumination rounds or are they even considered in CMO?

Just saw someone ask the same question in Sea Power and never saw them in CMO.

[Dimitris]

Not at the moment. It's one of the things we would likely need to add to the engine as part of seriously expanding to the WW2 era.

[HalfLifeExpert]

Indeed.

Star-shells were FAR more important before surface search radar was more-or-less matured by the end of WW2.

That said, in the period Command covers, I think illumination flares were used for a couple of purposes:

1) Intimidation of unfriendly ships/aircraft in Gunboat diplomacy

2) Some early Cold War One-era photo-recon aircraft used such flares to illuminate targets in certain conditions to take clear pictures.

[tylerblakebrandon]

Indeed.

Star-shells were FAR more important before surface search radar was more-or-less matured by the end of WW2.

That said, in the period Command covers, I think illumination flares were used for a couple of purposes:

1) Intimidation of unfriendly ships/aircraft in Gunboat diplomacy

2) Some early Cold War One-era photo-recon aircraft used such flares to illuminate targets in certain conditions to take clear pictures.

I'm reminded of the scene in 13 Days when McNamara freaks after hearing a DD fired near a Soviet freighter and the CNO goes "They're Star shells Mr. Secretary!"