The Ratings

Above is the general syllabus and how the balance of naval combat in Navy Field 2 should work. The Superiority Principle shows the cyclical nature of how the ships best one another in a "rock-paper-scissors" fashion. There are variations and exceptions that differ from the list based on nation, ship tier, and loadout options.

BB

The battleship is the backbone of many fleets; the mighty slugger of the seas. Greatest cannon power and hull strength of any ship, yet slow, big, and clumsy. Their oafish nature causes them to be particularly vulnerable against torpedoes and bombers.

CA

Cruisers tend to be a very balanced vessel with incredible accuracy, good defense, good speed, and middle of the line maneuverability. The CA is the hunter of smaller vessels. Larger ships like the BB are most problematic ship for a CA to deal with, and the CA's profile is still big enough to be an easy mark for bombers.

CL

Light cruisers are fast, nippy ships that still pack a punch. Second best speed and agility paired with fast reloading guns or high torpedo counts make this class very aggressive. These nimble bruisers are weak to long range combat, and tend to fall to BBs and Cas. However they certainly rip apart DDs and can cause problems for any SS.

DD

The destroyer, the fastest and most agile ships. A strong sonar paired with depth charges makes submarines easy prey. Though frail and with weak guns, the DD has potent torpedo kits making it a decent assassin. The small profile and dexterity of the ship give enemy bombers and torpedoes a hellish time finding their target. The primary threats to a DD are CLs and CAs.

SS

The submarine, or U-boat. Its stealth and focused torpedo barrages allow it to play the role of assassin like none other. Very well outfitted for taking down big slow ships like the CV and BB. Any boat with a sonar causes the ss to have incredible difficulty disengaging and surviving, beware of the DDs, and to a lesser degree CLs.

CV

The aircraft carrier, the biggest behemoth on the ocean there is, whose utility and power lies in its many planes. A CV is capable of spreading your teams' vision across the map while hampering the enemy's. This does not stop the CV from being able to dish out massive damage either. Dive bombers and torpedo bombers excel more and more as combat ranges increase, you can pick off your opponents before they ever get close. Any ship getting within firing range spells your doom, and the hardest ships for you to stop are those fast and small. Your worst enemies are the SS and DD.

APA

While not a useless craft, the amphibious attack transport has limited use in naval battles. Only shines as an objective control asset, has near-zero combat impact as it is rather uneqquiped for it. Its dexterity is on par with the CA, with its guns and hull slightly stronger than those of the SS. The APA cannot take down any ship save for a heavily damaged and/or disabled one. Should avoid direct combat at all costs.