Oswald Boelcke has already been announced as a German supercarrier. An extensive analysis by Yuzo’s Yapping from 19 October now adds specific figures for its five aircraft types, tactical jet squadron and unusually powerful secondary guns.
There are also two practical pointers for our next gaming evenings: Wargaming has published combat missions for the Trafalgar anniversary, and the new bonus code CAPCLUBFLG has appeared on WoWS Gamer Blog. We have since confirmed a successful redemption; the technical figures for Oswald Boelcke remain preliminary test data.
Historical background: Our view of the fictional carrier
The idea behind Oswald Boelcke is to convert a battleship hull along the lines of Preussen ⚓ into an aircraft carrier. The ship is conceived as a hypothetical German carrier in an imagined 1945 configuration. We understand the connection to H-41 mentioned in the game description as a reference point for the design. We do not infer a design error from differing hull dimensions alone; what matters to us here is how plausibly the elements come together as a game concept.
The heavy secondary armament is reminiscent of Graf Zeppelin ⚓.
Our take
In the game, it supplements the versatile air group with stronger defences against nearby opponents and gives the carrier a distinct identity. We would not, however, infer a historical need for a commerce raider operating alone. A large gun battery first and foremost explains its role in the game; whether it would make sense in an actual carrier task force is a different question.
The Arado Ar 234 provides a concrete link to aviation history: the first jet bomber entered service in late 1944 and was used primarily for reconnaissance flights. Its possible payloads included three bombs weighing 500 kg each. The game reflects the rocket-assisted take-off described in the background article through a special launch boost. The aircraft's historical existence does not, however, turn its use aboard this fictional carrier into a documented naval aviation concept.
The ship's namesake, Oswald Boelcke, was a First World War fighter pilot credited with 40 aerial victories, who helped shape early fighter aviation and aerial combat tactics. The name thus creates a link to German aviation history. Overall, we see the ship as a game design with historical reference points, whose appeal comes from combining familiar elements.
Oswald Boelcke: A German supership with five aircraft types
We covered the basic idea in our Closed Test 15.10 preview. The new community analysis now describes the aircraft package and its uses in considerably more detail.
Oswald Boelcke is planned as a German Tier XI supercarrier. The following test figures are given for the ship itself:
| Characteristic | Preliminary value |
|---|---|
| Hit points | 69,700 |
| Maximum speed | 30.5 knots |
| Base detectability range | 13.94 km |
| Flight deck armour | 50 mm |
The armour follows the pattern of a heavy German battleship hull. The distinctive flight deck is therefore part of the concept, but its defining feature remains the versatile air group.
An important note on the sources: Yuzo's general data table gives “Tier VIII”, which contradicts the supercarrier classification. We use the Tier XI classification from WoWS Gamer Blog's supplementary Supertest profile dated 7 October. Both publications describe Work in Progress, and neither confirms a final regular release date.
The air group: AP rockets, torpedoes, AP and HE bombs
The analysis distinguishes five aircraft types or armament variants:
| Aircraft and role | Feature in the test version |
|---|---|
| Me 155G – attack aircraft | AP rockets with up to 3,100 damage |
| Ta 152C – torpedo bombers | Fast aircraft with 55-knot torpedoes |
| Ta 152C – dive bombers | AP bombs with up to 8,800 damage |
| Ta 152C – skip bombers | HE skip bombs with 68 mm penetration |
| Arado Ar 234B – tactical jet bombers | Three aircraft carrying three HE bombs each |
The AP rockets and AP bombs follow the familiar attack options of Manfred von Richthofen ⚓. The HE skip bombs, by contrast, resemble those of Max Immelmann ⚓. Oswald Boelcke thus combines several German carrier concepts and adds the tactical jet squadron.
For target selection, this mix primarily means more options. Which squadron makes sense depends on the situation; the number of aircraft types alone does not establish superiority in battle.
Arado Ar 234B: Up to nine HE bombs per attack
The tactical squadron consists of three jets, each carrying three HE bombs. In theory, that allows nine bombs to be dropped in one attack.
| Characteristic | Preliminary test value |
|---|---|
| Aircraft per squadron | 3 |
| HE bombs per aircraft | 3 |
| Maximum damage per bomb | 12,200 |
| HE penetration | 68 mm |
| Fire chance | 69 % |
| Squadron restoration time | 230 seconds |
| Maximum aircraft speed | 260 knots |
The jets also have a special launch boost. The concentrated drop and high stated fire chance could put individual targets under pressure, particularly when they have just used their Damage Control Party.
These figures do not guarantee damage. Carrying nine bombs means neither nine hits nor automatically the maximum damage in battle. The 69 percent figure is also a stated bomb characteristic, not a promise that every attack will start a fire.
The 230-second restoration time also limits how often the tactical squadron can be used. Choosing the wrong target therefore costs more than just a short approach run.
Secondary guns and firefighting for allies
Even outside its flight operations, Oswald Boelcke is unusually heavily armed. Its secondary battery comprises:
- eight twin turrets with 150 mm guns,
- eight twin turrets with 128 mm guns.
The analysis gives a maximum range of 10 km in manual mode and around 6.85 km in automatic mode. That could help the carrier defend itself at close range, but it is still not an invitation to take on the enemy fleet single-handedly with secondary guns.
Firefighting Assistance provides an additional team function. The consumable is available to the attack aircraft and torpedo bombers: it can instantly extinguish fires on allied ships and give them brief protection against new fires. No specific protection duration is given in the available information.
The aircraft package thus goes beyond attacks alone. Alongside choosing an opponent, supporting an ally that is on fire can also be part of the decision.
Versatility with clear limits
According to the analysis, the aircraft have comparatively few hit points for their tier. Concentrated anti-aircraft fire therefore remains dangerous, and the jet squadron's long restoration time makes wasted sorties especially costly.
Our take
Oswald Boelcke could depend particularly on careful target selection and switching appropriately between squadron types. Anyone wanting to use its different options must also keep an eye on aircraft losses.
Whether it ultimately becomes a strong overall package will be determined by further testing. All technical values mentioned remain preliminary.
Trafalgar: Two mission chains divided by nation
On 21 October, Wargaming published Battle of Trafalgar: 221st Anniversary. New combat missions with themed rewards mark the 221st anniversary of the naval battle of 21 October 1805.
The official Steam news channel confirms two chains of three combat missions each:
| Mission chain | Eligible ships |
|---|---|
| Nelson’s Legacy | French, Spanish or British ships |
| Break the Line | Ships of all other nations |
This lets players use different parts of their fleet. The individual battle objectives and additional participation conditions have not yet been fully verified in the available research.
Guns of Trafalgar: Union Jack for selected British battleships
The additional Guns of Trafalgar mission awards the Union Jack permanent camouflage. Players must use one of these British Premium battleships:
| Ship | Tier |
|---|---|
| Warspite ⚓ | VI |
| Nelson ⚓ | VII |
| Collingwood ⚓ | VII |
This ship requirement applies to the additional camouflage mission and must not be applied across the board to the two general mission chains.
The complete individual missions, all further rewards and the exact EU end date have not yet been verified. Before making plans, it is therefore worth checking the conditions shown in the client or the official event.
Bonus code CAPCLUBFLG: A Captain’s Club flag
WoWS Gamer Blog has listed CAPCLUBFLG since 21 October. The community source names a Captain’s Club flag as the reward and marks the code as applicable to all three regular PC regions.
The entry concerns World of Warships on PC, not Legends or Blitz. No specific expiry time is given.
We successfully redeemed CAPCLUBFLG on 22 October 2026. Wargaming confirmed activation of the code.
The button takes you straight to the official EU redemption page. An expiry date is still not known.
Conclusion
In its current Supertest form, Oswald Boelcke combines five aircraft types, tactical jet bombers, strong secondary guns and support for allies. The interaction between these options is the particularly interesting part; low aircraft hit points and the jet restoration time place limits on the concept.
For the next login, the Trafalgar missions and CAPCLUBFLG are the more practical places to start. Trafalgar depends on the conditions of each mission; we were able to successfully redeem the bonus code on 22 October.