10 [DONKY] Breaking__Wind Members 24 posts Report post #1 Posted January 13, 2017 I have a choice between the two, would love to see opinions. I know its always style of play, but which do you think is truly the better tier X? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
58 Destroyer8172 Members 291 posts 3,952 battles Report post #2 Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) Both plays different. Edited January 13, 2017 by Destroyer8172 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
532 [5D5] StrykerNC Members 1,664 posts 10,933 battles Report post #3 Posted January 13, 2017 Minotaur is a fire breathing dragon, but the gun arc is difficult to deal with. Zao is a better choice IMO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
520 [-FBS-] saagri Members 2,646 posts 4,290 battles Report post #4 Posted January 13, 2017 They are two very different ships. One is fairly tanky, the other squishy as hell. One deals better at range, the other is for short range. One has access to radar/smoke, the other defensive AA. One sets all the fires, the other forgot their HE shells at port. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
58 Destroyer8172 Members 291 posts 3,952 battles Report post #5 Posted January 13, 2017 Minotaur is a fire breathing dragon, but the gun arc is difficult to deal with. Zao is a better choice IMO. Its not really that hard to use those slow and high arc guns when you get used to it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
71 [-WD-] Rub_My_Cit_BB Members 307 posts 16,919 battles Report post #6 Posted January 13, 2017 Minotaur. It can deal massive damage to DDs, CAs, and even BBs. Single fire torpsa are very useful. The lack of armor is counter by repair party and good stealth and smoke. Its on my top 3 of favorite ships to play. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
58 Destroyer8172 Members 291 posts 3,952 battles Report post #7 Posted January 13, 2017 Minotaur will eat any T10 cruiser at close range Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3,407 Compassghost Supertest Coordinator 7,223 posts 14,450 battles Report post #8 Posted January 13, 2017 The Zao will eat most things seeing as it has HE, and I cannot advocate the Minotaur when Forts don't take damage from it simply because it makes one of the game modes dangerously inaccessible compared to others. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1,092 [TOG] Bill_Halsey Members 4,758 posts 34,564 battles Report post #9 Posted January 13, 2017 I haven't tried the Zao yet, but I have noted the tendency of Zao drivers to snipe from 10-15 km. The Minotaur is one of my favorite ships right now. There are 2 builds you can go for. Stealth/rof vs Rudder shift/range. Both require 15 point CO's min. You don't have HE but with 2.8-3.2 rof, 160 hits in a game is not that unusual. The bad news is that you will be focused fired on if spotted. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1,812 [-KIA-] ValkyrWarframe Members 5,244 posts 16,381 battles Report post #10 Posted January 13, 2017 Neither, Russian bias all the way Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
272 Hurlbut ∞ Members 3,067 posts 2,554 battles Report post #11 Posted January 13, 2017 If you ever want CVs to hate you....take Minotaur with her base range of 6km for her 6". Imagine the module and skill adding on top of that range. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1,122 Battleship_DukeofYork Members 1,650 posts 1,608 battles Report post #12 Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) Honestly? Minotaur. Zaos are fragile, too - moreso than people really give them credit for being. That smoke is delightful, the passive AA is very good, and the ability to eviscerate DDs is always a pleasure. Edited January 13, 2017 by Battleship_DukeofYork Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
100 [JKSDF] Cruiser_YahagiKai Beta Testers 545 posts 2,691 battles Report post #13 Posted January 13, 2017 Ever played Akizuki? Minotaur is her demonic British cousin with a citadel the size of a small neighborhood but a blistering firing rate that turns anything and everything into scrap metal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
656 [GUYS] TabbyHopkins Alpha Tester 2,768 posts 4,462 battles Report post #14 Posted January 13, 2017 I haven't tried the Zao yet, but I have noted the tendency of Zao drivers to snipe from 10-15 km. The Minotaur is one of my favorite ships right now. There are 2 builds you can go for. Stealth/rof vs Rudder shift/range. Both require 15 point CO's min. You don't have HE but with 2.8-3.2 rof, 160 hits in a game is not that unusual. The bad news is that you will be focused fired on if spotted. I have many games where I get 150+ hits in my Zao. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
770 [WG] Gaishu_Isshoku [WG] Administrator, In AlfaTesters 1,119 posts 24,125 battles Report post #15 Posted January 13, 2017 Both have extremely different playstyles, but I would advocate for Minotaur as being able to carry harder than Zao can, as well as being much more fun to play. Nothing like seeing an enemy BB's HP pool evaporate in under a minute from your insane RPM, or getting a Devastating Strike on a DD with 2 salvos. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
225 [-GPS-] _BloodHawk_ Beta Testers 696 posts 5,366 battles Report post #16 Posted January 13, 2017 The Zao is rather boring to play tbh. The mino is high stress, high fun, high risk, high reward ship. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1,092 [TOG] Bill_Halsey Members 4,758 posts 34,564 battles Report post #17 Posted January 13, 2017 The Zao is rather boring to play tbh. The mino is high stress, high fun, high risk, high reward ship. Yup. Nothing like going CQB with a Yamato and winning. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1,324 [NERO] TTK_Aegis Members 3,630 posts Report post #18 Posted January 13, 2017 I'd go Zao. I don't really worry much about Minos. Zao concerns me greatly when there's one on the enemy team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
582 CybrSlydr Beta Testers 2,094 posts 2,152 battles Report post #19 Posted January 13, 2017 Minotaur. Absolutely ridiculous RoF with Ap that does insane damage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3,640 [WOLF1] pmgaudio Members 9,915 posts 18,231 battles Report post #20 Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) I just watched an interesting Hindenburg video from Flamu....ANd it deals with the very PASSIVE game-play meta... and he mentions the new patch coming out that buffs BBS, Nerfs HE ability to startmultiple fires and such.. ANd he goes on the mention how the passive game-play will only get worse, instead of making it so BB push in more... they will stay back even more....With that being said, ZAO is the answer... GREAT range, GREAT HE, GREAT stealth ability, that is your choice... THE game is going to get more stale and stagnant with BBs staying at range more, instead of being aggressive with the changes that make AGGRESSIVE play more worth it for them....Minotaur is a great up close fire breathing smoking dragon... BUT the game is going to be more boring than it currently is with camp/snipe meta...GET THE ZAO... it has fantastic tanky armor for a cruiser.... unfair some might say..... GET THE ZAO Edited January 13, 2017 by pmgaudio Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
770 [WG] Gaishu_Isshoku [WG] Administrator, In AlfaTesters 1,119 posts 24,125 battles Report post #21 Posted January 13, 2017 I just watched an interesting Hindenburg video from Flamu.... ANd it deals with the very PASSIVE game-play meta... and he mentions the new patch coming out that buffs BBS, Nerfs HE ability to startmultiple fires and such.. ANd he goes on the mention how the passive game-play will only get worse, instead of making it so BB push in more... they will stay back even more.... With that being said, ZAO is the answer... GREAT range, GREAT HE, GREAT stealth ability, that is your choice... THE game is going to get more stale and stagnant with BBs staying at range more, instead of being aggressive with the changes that make AGGRESSIVE play more worth it for them.... Minotaur is a great up close fire breathing smoking dragon... BUT the game is going to be more boring than it currently is with camp/snipe meta... GET THE ZAO... it has fantastic tanky armor for a cruiser.... unfair some might say..... GET THE ZAO Play Zao if you want to be one with the passive players. Play Minotaur and be aggressive anyways. You don't need BBs pushing up with you. You don't need friendly cruisers to wolfpack with. You just need a single ship to provide spotting for you and Minotaur can do whatever Minotaur wants to. The smoke, heal, torpedoes, AA, and ridiculous DPM make it a ship that doesn't really care how your team plays. Your BBs aren't pushing? Doesn't matter, smoke up next to cap and make sure that the enemy team won't be pushing on it either. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
520 [-FBS-] saagri Members 2,646 posts 4,290 battles Report post #22 Posted January 13, 2017 Play Zao if you want to be one with the passive players. Play Minotaur and be aggressive anyways. You don't need BBs pushing up with you. You don't need friendly cruisers to wolfpack with. You just need a single ship to provide spotting for you and Minotaur can do whatever Minotaur wants to. The smoke, heal, torpedoes, AA, and ridiculous DPM make it a ship that doesn't really care how your team plays. Your BBs aren't pushing? Doesn't matter, smoke up next to cap and make sure that the enemy team won't be pushing on it either. Agreed. Minotaur may be short ranged, but it has lots of tools to operate in that kind of environment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3,640 [WOLF1] pmgaudio Members 9,915 posts 18,231 battles Report post #23 Posted January 13, 2017 Play Zao if you want to be one with the passive players. Play Minotaur and be aggressive anyways. You don't need BBs pushing up with you. You don't need friendly cruisers to wolfpack with. You just need a single ship to provide spotting for you and Minotaur can do whatever Minotaur wants to. The smoke, heal, torpedoes, AA, and ridiculous DPM make it a ship that doesn't really care how your team plays. Your BBs aren't pushing? Doesn't matter, smoke up next to cap and make sure that the enemy team won't be pushing on it either. that is true... however if that Minotaur is facing my Mosvkva (also learned aggressive play in her from Flamu) she will last all of 40 seconds.... so, sub section B: answer C:GET THE MOSKVA.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
45 [U_N_F] Geek_Girl Beta Testers 214 posts 11,096 battles Report post #24 Posted January 13, 2017 As primarily a BB driver, there only 2 ships I fear ..Zao and Kutuzov..I see them on a map-I steer clear and keep my distance as to not draw their attention until I know I'll have an advantage. Which seems rare. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3,640 [WOLF1] pmgaudio Members 9,915 posts 18,231 battles Report post #25 Posted January 13, 2017 As primarily a BB driver, there only 2 ships I fear ..Zao and Kutuzov..I see them on a map-I steer clear and keep my distance as to not draw their attention until I know I'll have an advantage. Which seems rare. and make sure that steering clear does not put you in the Moskva's sights... Yeah, I really really love this ship and cannot stop mentioning her, JS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
