How to play the Scharnhorst in a battle where neither side wants to close in

[Grand_Commander_LuXun]

I will be getting the Scharnhorst soon, once it is released again. I know that it is a very versatile ship, especially a superb brawler, but how should I play it in battles where both sides just trade shots at mid and long range while angling and kiting away?

[Grand_Commander_LuXun]

P.S. These battles are no fun at all and bring my salt levels up.

[centarina]

use HE and burn em down   scharn has excellent HE

[Grand_Commander_LuXun]

 

Got it.

[scruffycavetroll]

use HE and burn em down   scharn has excellent HE

 

This...it plays more like a CA anyway. 

 

 

[CAPTMUDDXX]

just go for it dish it out take your lumps and don't worry about what the others do

[gurudennis]

use HE and burn em down   scharn has excellent HE

 

The HE isn't actually all that great, in fact it's rather underwhelming compared to well-placed AP. I would recommend HE only against angled NC/Iowa/Izumo and against Amagi at pretty much any angle or distance, or at some non-german BBs at extreme range (17+ km). That leaves cruisers, German BB and most BBs at or below your tier - use AP against them.

 

If neither team wishes to close in, you're not going to have a great game, but at least you can try to find an opening where fewer enemies can focus you and try to tank through it. I find that if you can bait enemies into chasing you, a fighting retreat is a good way to farm damage provided you kite so that your unarmored stern and superstructure isn't as easy to lolpen.

[Mahrs]

You know, the patience aspect is the hardest part.  Pushing alone = dead.  If the map is close quarters, you can use terrain as a worthwhile ally in lieu of a team that knows what it's doing to force a close range engagement with one or two ships.  I have the same problem in both Gneisenau and Scharn - I WANT to be up close, punching people in the face.  Unfortunately, no one really wants this to happen to them...'cause torps and secondaries and what not.  Sometimes, you just have to suck it up and wait for a chance to push...or just run down stragglers as the match unfolds mid-late game.  My low survivability reflects my patience issues.  On the bright side, a pushing Scharn/Gneis force the enemy team to make all sorts of reactive decisions.  Getting on a flank and forcing them to choose who they give broadside to can be a good tactic.  Mid-tier matches are much different than high tier camp fests, to be sure.  With Scharn, the guns can be a fun surprise for unwary DD.  

 

If you do everything right and moons align, you get to do my most favorite thing in ALL of WoWS (well, one of them, anyway) - torpedo a bow camping battleship!  It makes me cackle with glee every time.  You speed by, fish in the water, giggling because your turrets can track and theirs cannot while you keep pumping rounds into them.  Patience...so hard...but so well rewarded.

[seasick_tiny_bubbles]

My favorite part of sailing the Sharn is with all barrels loaded, and all turrets tracking some unsuspecting mid tier cruiser just emerging behind an island. Most of the time they have know idea what hit them.

[Octavious_Lockawett]

I will be getting the Scharnhorst soon, once it is released again. I know that it is a very versatile ship, especially a superb brawler, but how should I play it in battles where both sides just trade shots at mid and long range while angling and kiting away?

 

It's HE battleships unless you get real close the torp your way out of it. You can nail cruisers with AP when they show nice broadside. Since the Scharnhorst only has 238mm rifles they will not over pen unless extremely close. It's fast enough to give just about all BB around its tier headaches. It can be a very brawling ship just remember when the big guys show up look for away to kite out of it. Scharnhorst had good armor and good speed use it to your advantage.