Aircraft Carrier - France Tier VI Béarn
Captain & Ship Build and Strategy Guide
- Build focus: Specialized carrier build
- Tier: VI
- Nation: France
- Aircraft: AP dive bombers and HE skip bombers
- Key feature: Specialized Patrol Fighters
- Main weakness: Low carrier ship speed
- Playstyle: Strike-focused carrier that relies on careful squadron selection and target choice
- Applies to: Béarn
Béarn is a Tier VI French premium aircraft carrier with a very unusual aircraft lineup. She operates AP dive bombers and HE skip bombers, while also carrying Patrol Fighters with characteristics that differ from those of conventional carriers. Her low ship speed is the main drawback to the carrier itself.
Béarn's AP dive bombers are particularly useful against cruisers and other targets where the bombs can achieve reliable penetration. Her skip bombers provide a complementary HE option, giving the carrier two distinctly different strike profiles depending on the target.
The Patrol Fighters are another important part of the ship's identity. Béarn carries an unusual eight-fighter Patrol Fighter consumable with six charges, giving her strong tools for controlling the airspace around important targets.
Because Béarn's carrier hull is slow, positioning the ship itself matters more than on faster carriers. Avoid placing her too far from the action, but also preserve enough distance that an enemy push cannot quickly reach the carrier. Her aircraft can do the traveling; the carrier hull should be positioned with the next stage of the battle in mind.
Target selection is particularly important. Use AP bombers where their penetration can generate meaningful damage and switch to HE skip bombers when fires or more reliable direct damage are preferable. Choosing the correct squadron for the target is more valuable than simply launching whichever aircraft are immediately available.
Béarn is ultimately a specialized Tier VI carrier that rewards thoughtful aircraft selection and positioning. Her unusual AP and HE strike combination, together with her distinctive Patrol Fighters, gives her a playstyle that differs significantly from a conventional French carrier.