Top tier recommendation? Hindy/Xao or Moskva

[Parliament_Funkadelic]

Through over spending on Santa boxes I have the resources to run a top tier cruiser. I am leaning towards the Xao, then Moskva, then Hindy. I am mainly a dd player and like the mobility and use of torps. I would also like to hit hard for a change. The smoke/spam technique does not interest me, and for some reason the American line just seems kinda boring. I keep reading that the German and Russian's hit hard which sounds wonderful but seem to be softer on the side than the Xao. As I probably tunnel vision more than I should, I lean towards the ship protecting me some to compensate my eagerness for little red badges. It's a lot of resources to spend....so just needing advice or a push to pull the trigger. Any thoughts? Thank you in advance.

[The_first_harbinger]

If you are purely looking for the strongest, most performant cruiser, then most of us would agree Zao (not Xao) is the best choice. The inclined armor belt toward the forward and rear turret protects the ship from even the largest guns providing you are angled, the 12 8 inch guns puts out terrifying firepower mostly with HE, but can still do considerable AP at boardsides. Low firing range and poor turret traverse is compensated for by high maneuverability and stealth, allows you to always put yourself in a comfortable position before you engage.

 

However, if you are playing for hilarity, ppl would recommend Hindenburg. The sheer AP damage is what you are looking for, slightly low pen and average normalization value won't allow you to lol pen everything, but you can demolish the boardsides of anything, from destroyers to battleships. It's very funny how you shoot at a cruiser at 14km away and shave off almost all of its health, charge a tier 10 bb at close range and watch the them overpen helplessly before you shove them 8 torps in the face, and swat down the entire strike group of a Midway for one AA consumable.

[pmgaudio]

it is pronounced ZAO (and spelled that way) and everyone seems t think the ZAO is the best of the three... I prefer the Moskva....

 

 

but I have all three, and they are ALL FUN and ALL have their NICHE` in the game....
Zao breaths fire, MOSKVA Citadels everything... from range... HIndy is a good hitter, GOOD HE too... torps are good in a clinch...

[Parliament_Funkadelic]

Thank for the quick replies. As I typed Xao, I had a weird feeling about it's spelling but went with it.. Got it, Zao!

[ValkyrWarframe]

Moskva, definitely.  She favors the NA meta.

 

Read more in my guide.

[saagri]

No love for Minotaur? Having 3 second gun reloads is fun!

 

I like Moskva the best out of the choices though. Best Range, good HE and AP, 8.2km troll AA range, good armor, best HP pool, etc. Overall a solid ship, wish it had torpedoes though. 

[Parliament_Funkadelic]

As for the Minotaur, I guess I have a sour taste concerning that ship due to how irritating that ship is...although if I was the one firing it probably would be giggles the whole time.  I get enough smoke firing from some of  my lower tier ships.

I am not sure what you mean by the Moskva favors the NA Meta. Is that with the new captains changes? Or the evolving playstyle? I've only been playing a few months now and starting to catch up on the lingo.

[saagri]

I am not sure what you mean by the Moskva favors the NA Meta. Is that with the new captains changes? Or the evolving playstyle? I've only been playing a few months now and starting to catch up on the lingo.

 

NA Meta: Snipe from the Rear

Moskva: Literally has Battleship range main battery guns (22km max with upgrade) and good shell velocity to max range. 

[Parliament_Funkadelic]

 

NA Meta: Snipe from the Rear

Moskva: Literally has Battleship range main battery guns (22km max with upgrade) and good shell velocity to max range. 

 

Ah, thank you. While most (other sources like popular youtube'rs) all seem to indicate Zao as the best, but most recommend getting Moskva. Is it just more fun? This will be my second tier X with my first being the Shima and I'm very disappointed with it based on the resources I spent vs playing the Fletcher which is so much more fun, at least to me. Again thanks to all that have responded, very helpful. Also, those "how to Moskva" videos are funny as hell. 

 

[King_Gooby]

I don't know about the zao or Moskva since I don't have those but ill throw my two cents in for the hidenburg. It's a good ship, HE is weak but if you add the reload module you can spam HE and start massive fires. It was the first ship I got arsonist and witherer in. AP is strong, but only on broadsides even slight angling will negate it. IMO you're best/worst match up is against RN cruisers. With the hindy you can go full AA spec with AFT and DF or go De and hydro

[HazeGrayUnderway]

No love for Minotaur? Having 3 second gun reloads is fun!

 

I like Moskva the best out of the choices though. Best Range, good HE and AP, 8.2km troll AA range, good armor, best HP pool, etc. Overall a solid ship, wish it had torpedoes though. 

 

Minotaur's great but like other RN CLs, she's totally unforgiving.  I remember making a mistake in mine and a charging bow-on NOLA almost one-shot me.  Another mistake I made in a different match had a Zao rip 6 citadels into me.  I was done.  RN CLs are flimsy and it only gets worse the higher in tier you go.  Fun ship but you screw up once, you're likely getting ended right then and there.

 

As for the Minotaur, I guess I have a sour taste concerning that ship due to how irritating that ship is...although if I was the one firing it probably would be giggles the whole time.  I get enough smoke firing from some of  my lower tier ships.

I am not sure what you mean by the Moskva favors the NA Meta. Is that with the new captains changes? Or the evolving playstyle? I've only been playing a few months now and starting to catch up on the lingo.

 

 

Minotaur is one of those ships that when sailing with a group and cannot get picked out easily for focus, is a huge PITA.  You're trying to deal with some other target to attack, or participate in a push, then all the sudden, you are getting Atlanta-ROF AP slamming continuously into you.  You know the general idea where they're coming from.  Either the ship is in smoke or behind an island, and there's nothing you can do.  You either push on and let the Minotaur keep raeping your superstructure or your hull, or you go bow on and retreat, or you turn around and sail back.  Either way, Minotaur is going to rip into you.

 

- Push on?  Minotaur keeps firing into you.  You may be bow on, but those rapid fire AP RN CL shells still take their toll.

 

- Bow on and retreat?  Minotaur just keeps pumping shells into you.  There's nothing you can do except pray some DD gives you smoke.  Again, you may be bow on, reversing only makes you slow and very easy to hit.  Minotaur keeps pumping AP.

 

- Turn around?  LOL, Minotaur just keeps pumping shells into you, but now showing a side profile, she will REALLY tear the sides of your ship apart, even a Battleship.

 

And just to add insult to injury, Minotaur still has 2 sets of 10km range torps per side that can either be fired singly or traditional salvos.

 

If Minotaur is sailing with friends she can't be so easily picked out to get focused and it's easy for her to get lost in the mix.  RN CLs are best played like that, as solo-sailing means you can isolate them far more easily for destruction, esp with torps and/or radar.

[WhiteRecon]

Zao is best and we'll rounded, but has crap torp angles (very situational) and the stealth fire is supposedly about to nerfed across the board.  Good armor and great detection range, better AP pen than Hindenburg even if damage numbers are lower.

 

Moskva is a tank with good positioning, BB range and serious punch, great reload with 2/3 guns on the front - but, no torps and not as easy to conceal to drop off of detection.

 

Hindenburg is the weakest T10 CA, I'm sure I would like it (if I had it, not going for it tho), but the AP is unreliable.

 

I like my Zao and Moskva in different ways, it really comes down to individual skill level and what makes you tick.  

[saagri]

 

Ah, thank you. While most (other sources like popular youtube'rs) all seem to indicate Zao as the best, but most recommend getting Moskva. Is it just more fun? This will be my second tier X with my first being the Shima and I'm very disappointed with it based on the resources I spent vs playing the Fletcher which is so much more fun, at least to me. Again thanks to all that have responded, very helpful. Also, those "how to Moskva" videos are funny as hell. 

 

 

I can't stand the turret traverse on the Zao. 

 

Also Moskva has the ability to get 8.2km range DP guns. Couple with Defensive AA and Manual AA Moskva is a very good Battleship escort ship since it can cover a wide range with AA and has the range to shoot the things the BB's are shooting at. 

[HillRock1]

I have both Zao and Moskva, both of them are fun to play and cannot be wrong to pick either of them.

[SweetRollThief]

Moskva is by far the more versatile cruiser over the Zao. If you like winning and solid teamwork go for the Moskva, if you want to farm damage while your team dies fighting for map control go with the Zao.

[Ju87s]

charge a tier 10 bb at close range and watch the them overpen helplessly before you shove them 8 torps in the face

 

wish I could say I have the same experiences.  Those BBs usually pen me pretty bad...

[FratStar4Life]

If the three options, the Moskva is probably the best.