Battleships, Destroyers, and Aircraft Carriers

Learn how to take down Battleships, Destroyers, and Aircraft Carriers in Battlefield 1942. Discover the best tactics for planes, tanks, ships, and infantry.

Alright, let's talk about taking down the big ships in Battlefield 1942: Battleships, Destroyers, and Aircraft Carriers. The cool thing is, they all go down the same way. Infantry? You're pretty much useless against these giants. But if you're in another ship, a tank, a stationary gun (defgun), or flying a plane, you've got a shot. The golden rule for damaging any of these big boys, no matter what you're using, is to aim for the middle. Seriously, hitting the ends often does next to nothing, so always go for the center mass.

Now, if you're up in the air in a plane, you've got to be a bit careful. Battleships and Aircraft Carriers pack some serious anti-aircraft (AA) punch, and they can shred your plane in no time. While the AA guns on carriers are often left unmanned, don't count on it. Destroyers are a bit different; they can either use their machine guns (which are pretty weak against planes and hard to switch to) or, believe it or not, their missiles can actually take you down. I've seen it work, so don't underestimate them. That said, destroyers are usually the easiest to bomb and often won't even shoot back.

When you're bombing or strafing any of these ships with your plane, always fly along their long side. Don't try to attack head-on or directly from the side. If they have AA guns, flying along the length makes it way harder for them to track and hit you. It's all about making yourself a tougher target.

If you're in a tank trying to sink one of these behemoths, try to find a good, hidden spot. Honestly, if a tank manages to sink a big ship, the enemy ship's captain probably wasn't the best sailor to begin with.

When it's ship-to-ship combat, it's pretty straightforward. But here's a pro-tip if you're in a destroyer: try to sneak up on a battleship. Get right alongside it before you open fire. Battleships have a limited vertical firing range, so they often won't be able to hit you if you're that close.

And a quick heads-up: forget about using grenades or TNT on these ships. They do absolutely nothing, so don't waste your time.

Here's a neat trick if you're a sniper and the enemy captain is trying to repair their ship: you can actually snipe him as he runs out to do the repairs. It's a good way to discourage them, assuming you can take him out.

How to Sink Them: A Quick Rundown

• Tanks: Yes, tanks can sink these ships, even with missiles.
• Submarines: Subs are great for taking down any of these three. Destroyers are the toughest, but battleships and carriers are pretty much sitting ducks for a sub.
• Planes: Use torpedoes or regular bombs to sink ships from the air.
• Ships: Obviously, fire from other ships will destroy them.
• Defensive Guns (Defguns): These can chip away at a ship's health, but usually, the ship will destroy the defgun before you can do significant damage.
• Kamikaze: If you're really desperate, crashing a plane into a ship can sometimes take off a few notches of health. It's a last resort, but it can work!