As a USN BB, How would you go about mitigating IFHE?

[MrDeaf]

Okay, I will posit a question for you all to figure out.

If you are in a USN BB (or any equally squishy BB)... How would you go about countering IFHE cruisers?

 

The ships' armor

NM, CO: <25mm on approximately 90% of the ship

NC, Iowa, Monty: <38mm on approximately 90% of the ship.

 

The penetration on cruiser guns with IFHE

127mm: 28mm

(Atlanta)

150mm: 33mm

(Konigsberg, Nurnberg)

152mm: 33mm

(Cleveland, Belfast, Leander, Buddy, Schors, Chappy, Kutuzov)

155mm: 34mm

(Mogami)

180mm: 39mm

(Molotov, Kirov, Donskoi)

203mm: 44mm

(Aoba, Myoko, Mogami, Atago, Ibuki, Zao, Hipper, Roon, Hindenburg, Pensacola, Indianapolis, NO, Baltimore, DM)

210mm: 46mm

(Yorck)

220mm: 48mm

(Moskva)

 

Would you take certain captain skills?

Would you play peek-a-boo using islands?

Would you snipe from max range?

etc.

[saagri]

Play the far superior BB classes. 

[Big_Spud]

Play a German battleship because lol 50mm weather deck.

[Viscount]

Or option 4...blow up the silly cruiser that thought it was a good idea to pick a fight with a bb.

[_Ezekiel_]

Peek-a-boo is never the answer, I like option 4.

[Exciton8964]

Abuse concealment. Only effective way to play USN BB these days.

You will have access to concealment expert at 10 skill point now.

[Admiral_Ice]

1. Stock up on premium repair

 

2. Use it ONLY when you have two fires or more

 

3. Kill most annoying HE spammer first

 

4. Repeat. 

[MrDeaf]

Play a German battleship because lol 50mm weather deck.

 

yeah, that's what I thought too.

 

I can't figure out a build, other than maximum stealth, for NC and Iowa.

Preventative Maintenance? Mediocre, because having live modules means nothing when your ship is sunk

Fire prevention? nullified by being penetrated all over

Basics of Survivability? nullified by being penetrated all over

High Alert? nullified by being penetrated all over, rather than being set on fire

Superintendent? Excellent, because extra repair party

Jack of All Trades? Decent for getting the next repair party up

Concealment Expert? Good, but only for trying to get that devastating strike in, after which you will die from the sheer DPM of IFHE.

 

1. Stock up on premium repair

 

2. Use it ONLY when you have two fires or more

 

3. Kill most annoying HE spammer first

 

4. Repeat. 

 

You would think that, right?

But the cruisers are going to be doing 4k~8k (even 10k~12k from certain ships) salvos against your ship, which means you can get sunk inside of 90 seconds.

[AkXb70]

Remind WG that Monty should have a 57mm weather deck, not the 29mm they tried to stuff it with, or the 38mm compromise they came up with when they didn't want to admit they were wrong. That will probably be as effective as letting them know about the other missing armor or the poor citadel placement as well though, so...yeah...

[SeaKnight_1990]

If you're going for Option 4, remember: Aim for the waterline. You'll do maximum damage that way. 

[TTK_Aegis]

Probably the same way I deal with cruisers now...  sink them if they're in the open or move somewhere safer if they're spam firing me over an island or otherwise from safety. I'll have to encounter cruisers with that captain skill to see if it requires special treatment I guess. 

 

Edit: 8K salvos? Really? Wow...  even angled?  

[OVBruce]

You play your BB like a gigantic cruiser? I dunno. I'm just waiting to know if this skill will be the return of the triple Des Moines divs of Doom, all with DE and flags to counter the effect of IFHE in fire chance.

[Hangoverhomey]

You play your BB like a gigantic cruiser? I dunno. I'm just waiting to know if this skill will be the return of the triple Des Moines divs of Doom, all with DE and flags to counter the effect of IFHE in fire chance.

 

Looking at the numbers, most likely yes.  Along with many others.  It's going to be annoying as hell.

[Reymu]

Probably the same way I deal with cruisers now...  sink them if they're in the open or move somewhere safer if they're spam firing me over an island or otherwise from safety. I'll have to encounter cruisers with that captain skill to see if it requires special treatment I guess. 

 

Edit: 8K salvos? Really? Wow...  even angled?  

 

Superstructure, rear, and bow of the ship (hit head-on) are very vulnerable to HE fire from any cruiser, from what I've seen. Always does splash damage.

[MrDeaf]

Probably the same way I deal with cruisers now...  sink them if they're in the open or move somewhere safer if they're spam firing me over an island or otherwise from safety. I'll have to encounter cruisers with that captain skill to see if it requires special treatment I guess. 

 

Edit: 8K salvos? Really? Wow...  even angled?  

 

Theoretical highest is 13.6k

Yes, even when angled, assuming it all hits and it doesn't hit thicker portions (like your turrets or belts) or AA modules.

This can even destroy all of your DP 127mm secondary mounts on ships like Missouri, as it uses weaker variants with thinner armor.

 

Zao: theoretical 13.6k with 12/12 hits, every <13.63s

Mogami 155mm: theoretical 13k with 15/15 hits, every 10.0s

Hindenburg: theoretical 10k with 12/12 hits, every <10.0s

Donskoi: theoretical 10k with 12/12 hits, every <12.5s

Kutuzov, Chappy, Schors: theoretical 8.8k, every 8s

Belfast: theoretical 8.4k with 12/12 hits, every 7.5s

Des Moines: theoretical 6.3k with 9/9 hits, every <6s

[VTAdmiral]

You would think that, right?

But the cruisers are going to be doing 4k~8k (even 10k~12k from certain ships) salvos against your ship, which means you can get sunk inside of 90 seconds.

 

You can sink the offending cruiser inside of 5 seconds, so I fail to see the problem.

[SCygnus]

 

You can sink the offending cruiser inside of 5 seconds, so I fail to see the problem.

 

That's a bit hyperbolic, don't you think?  Especially at high tiers where you're facing off with invisifiring CA's with railguns and the ability to bounce 16" shells.

[MrDeaf]

 

You can sink the offending cruiser inside of 5 seconds, so I fail to see the problem.

 

I would honestly like to see you try that against an angled Zao or Hindenburg that is 15~17km away.

[SCygnus]

I can't figure out a build, other than maximum stealth, for NC and Iowa.

 

 

I have no idea how to spec my Iowa commander, honestly.  You're giving up Fire Prevention, AFT, or CE unless you have a 19 point captain and only want 1 Tier 3 and Tier 2 skill.

[VTAdmiral]

 

I would honestly like to see you try that against an angled Zao or Hindenburg that is 15~17km away.

 

You're assuming all shots are hitting for htose 8-9k salvos so I presumed it was within a range where that was actually possible.

[Hangoverhomey]

So those thin skinned USN BB's are going to suck even more now, got it.

[OVBruce]

 

You're assuming all shots are hitting for htose 8-9k salvos so I presumed it was within a range where that was actually possible.

 

8-9k salvoes can be consistent for Zao even at 14-15km on a Battleship that has an unscathed superstructure.  Dunno about Hindenburgh though I guess in both cases the damage will be even greater now that deck armor can be penned more easily with 203mm

[1nv4d3rZ1m]

Play a superior BB line, I just bought back the Nagato and pulled my Amagi out of the mothball fleet. I already have a Des Moines if I want to play a ship super vulnerable to HE.  

 

 

You can sink the offending cruiser inside of 5 seconds, so I fail to see the problem.

 

[MrDeaf]

 

I have no idea how to spec my Iowa commander, honestly.  You're giving up Fire Prevention, AFT, or CE unless you have a 19 point captain and only want 1 Tier 3 and Tier 2 skill.

 

Fire Prevention and AFT is of little value, when the HE shells are smashing into you at 4k~12k a pop.

It's not the fire that is doing the majority of damage, it's the HE shells themselves.

[Special_Kay]

You can sink the offending cruiser inside of 5 seconds, so I fail to see the problem.

 

That's a bit hyperbolic, don't you think?  Especially at high tiers where you're facing off with invisifiring CA's with railguns and the ability to bounce 16" shells.

 

It's on the exact same level of reality as the remark it was a reply to, so I think it's a fitting commentary on the latter's validity.

 

 

8-9k salvoes can be consistent for Zao even at 14-15km on a Battleship that has an unscathed superstructure.  Dunno about Hindenburgh though I guess in both cases the damage will be even greater now that deck armor can be penned more easily with 203mm

 

Yeah, and how long is damage saturation going to remain a non-issue? At what range must a cruiser remain broadside for up to 90 seconds to ensure thorough usage of non-saturated sections, and what makes you think a battleship cannot retaliate at that range?

 

Unless the battleship in these examples has no helm or engine telegraph, I fail to see how it's reasonable to expect maximum theoretical cruiser performance without allowing even 50% of same for the battleship.