Bismarck to F. Der Grossa question

[Tembin]

So I normally play DDs or CVs, but I'm trying to learn how to play BBs.  I thought I was doing fine, and my stats in the Bismarck seemed good.  Then I tried the FDG, and suddenly I'm tomato red.

 

Now I know the FDG is a good ship, so the issue is with the way I'm playing it, but what happened?  What changes if any should I make going from t8 to t9 BBs?  Is there just a massive gap in skill between t8 and t9?

[Taichunger]

No, I have had exactly the same experience: my Bismarck play is solid, the Frustration der Grosse is pure torment for me. FDG underperforms relative to Bismarck. It must have a worse sigma, because I can't make its guns do anything I want, whereas with Bismarck, Tirpitz, and Gneis they usually put the shells where I tell them to. I also think FDG's shell performance is inferior to the 15 inch AP on the three earlier BBs (never mind the Iowa's brilliant guns). FDG's AP gets lots more overpens and no-damage hits and seems to shatter rather than pen. I have had a 39 hit, 31K damage game, and the other day I put down 59 hits for 71K damage, plus 13K for a cit for 84K total (and some secondaries). In Iowa 59 hits would have been twice that damage level.

 

Since the dispersion is so awful, I respec'd for 10 km secondaries rather than improved dispersion, which seemed to help my damage output w/o affecting my hit ratio. I also am firing a lot more HE now, especially at longer ranges.

 

The other thing is that in Bismarck I can lead pushes. For some reason, which i can't quite figure out, FDG doesn't seem good at that. In FDG I never feel like "follow me folks! we're gonna roll!" whereas in Bismarck and Iowa and Tirpitz I can easily and confidently lead pushes.

 

The problem is twofold -- (1) we have these problems with what on paper seems a superb ship and (2) we don't know why. (2) bothers me a lot...

[Peregrinas]

Though my only grievance about the stock FDG came from the poor MM I got put into for my first 10 games or so, she becomes much better with all of her upgrades. The hull upgrade gives you a noticeable survivability boost (plus better rudder shift and AA). And the 420mm guns are just simply amazing.

 

The only change I'd say that you should adapt to going from T8 to T9 is that there's slightly more passive play in T9 than at T8. Need to know just a little bit more about when you should be aggressive (which is how the German BBs should be played) and when you should be passive, otherwise you might end up getting burned down within a minute if you push into half the enemy team while half of your team is sitting back.

[goldeagle1123]

FDG is viewed as inferior because it's a much larger target, low number of "meh" performing guns, secondary armament is identical to Bismarck, but at t9, and you don't get much of an armor improvement, but again you're at tier 9. So the power curve of German BBs lessens significantly.

[Tembin]

Peregrinas, I  think that part about pushing might be it.  I do try to play aggressively, and the Bismarck seems very survivable in t6 to t8 matches.  The FDG on the other hand just seems to get focused down.

 

Maybe it would be good to division up with someone who has experience in high tier BBs to try and learn.  Don't want to drag anyone's win rate down though.

[Carrier_Graf_Zeppelin]

Yeah for some reason the jump from Bismarck to Freddy doesn't seem that good. Now GK is amazing when it comes to taking damage and dishing it out (provided it doesn't take torpedo's) But for some reason FDG seems less tankt than Bismarck or Tirpitz even if said ships are in a tier 10 game. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Raigir]

Can't really say I share the majority's sentiments with the FDG. She might have grown a lot of size over the Bismarck but your gaining a few significant advantages. Your finally firing large caliber guns (16-16.5in) which are more useful for lulpenning cruisers, a much beefier hitpoint pool, and at least what feels like to me more reliable accuracy on the guns at range. Plus you still have the same excellent secondaries as the Bismarck before as well as the hydro. Honestly the most satisfying part of upgrading to the FDG are those 16.5in guns. They hit really hard and have excellent penetration.

[Tembin]

Ya, I watched a few videos on youtube that made it seem great.  I think Aerroon said something like it's very well rounded and the guns punch up to t10 really well.

 

I'm sure the problem is in how I play it, not the ship.  It's just that I don't know why this ship is so difficult to adjust to.

[MrDeaf]

I think FDG is still better than Iowa and Izumo and Missouri.

[Squeesher]

Can't really say I share the majority's sentiments with the FDG. She might have grown a lot of size over the Bismarck but your gaining a few significant advantages. Your finally firing large caliber guns (16-16.5in) which are more useful for lulpenning cruisers, a much beefier hitpoint pool, and at least what feels like to me more reliable accuracy on the guns at range. Plus you still have the same excellent secondaries as the Bismarck before as well as the hydro. Honestly the most satisfying part of upgrading to the FDG are those 16.5in guns. They hit really hard and have excellent penetration.

 

This^. If the major opinion is that the FDG is a meh upgrade, then I really can't relate. The Bismarck main guns seemed to go everywhere except where I aimed them for the most part, while the 406mm guns on the FDG so far have great accuracy, and the punch that comes with the higher caliber is felt even as early into the grind as I am. It is quite a bit larger, and less maneuverable, so you have to factor that into how you play it more than you did at tier 8. I'm looking forward to the upgrades, but even stock it does very well.