Talk:Recent Updates/@comment-216.125.243.230-20140409165915/@comment-126.61.31.245-20140409204319

Actually, even tiny Ryuujou was classified 航空母艦 or "standard" carrier. You have to remember that ship classifications used in the game are USN classifications. The IJN did not use such classifications, nor did they formally distinguish usage between fleet (or standard) carriers and light carriers.

In the USN, fleet carriers anchor the fleets even today and are considered the core of their own battlegroups. Light carriers in WW2 supported the fleet from the flanks and rear while escort carriers escorted vital fleet elements.

In the IJN, especially after Midway, all carriers anchored their fleets, or were supposed to in any case. Hiyou and Junyou were particularly bad at this job because they were slow and couldn't keep up with proper warships. They ended up being relegated to support duty much like USN light carriers. This is the real reason they're classified as light carriers nowadays despite being actually heavier than Soryuu and Hiryuu and the entire Unryuu class (all of which were fleet carriers).