Thoughts on lighter than Air
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2026 8:24 am
I'm fascinated by lighter than air airships in the time period depicted in RTW. However, if this game gets developed further, I recommend that the lighter than air side get a second look.
Right now, it seems that you can build and entire airship base with all infrastructure and 8 (!) airships in 3 months for about the cost of a KE. I would argue that that is only reasonable for non-rigid blimps. As I understand it, individual WWI era Zeppelin-type rigid airships and their post-war US analogs had build times and expenses comparable to destroyers. (Albeit the Germans built them "quickly" during wartime, they were expensive). Also, the flying aircraft carriers USS Akron and Macon were not some kind of retrofits when the technology 'became available' but purpose-built behemoths with costs and build times comparable to destroyer flotilla leaders.
I would propose that lighter than air get the same kind of treatment that submarines currently do. That is, built individually based on types that become available as unlocked by research, and new airships getting progressively higher "Reliability" ratings over time. Then, similar to submarines, individuals could be moved between Areas, but perhaps limited to those where the airship base has been built. Blimps would be analogous to coastal submarines, they would be short range but offer ASW value, etc. Then rigid airships, aircraft carrying airships, etc.
Right now, it seems that you can build and entire airship base with all infrastructure and 8 (!) airships in 3 months for about the cost of a KE. I would argue that that is only reasonable for non-rigid blimps. As I understand it, individual WWI era Zeppelin-type rigid airships and their post-war US analogs had build times and expenses comparable to destroyers. (Albeit the Germans built them "quickly" during wartime, they were expensive). Also, the flying aircraft carriers USS Akron and Macon were not some kind of retrofits when the technology 'became available' but purpose-built behemoths with costs and build times comparable to destroyer flotilla leaders.
I would propose that lighter than air get the same kind of treatment that submarines currently do. That is, built individually based on types that become available as unlocked by research, and new airships getting progressively higher "Reliability" ratings over time. Then, similar to submarines, individuals could be moved between Areas, but perhaps limited to those where the airship base has been built. Blimps would be analogous to coastal submarines, they would be short range but offer ASW value, etc. Then rigid airships, aircraft carrying airships, etc.
