Battles in the GK - for reading pleasure

[hornchurch]

Recently had a very exhilarating T10 match.

 

Match went on, we confirmed to win with a 300+ point difference (2/3 zones secured), and having 9 ships vs their 5/6 ships. Both green/red CVs were Taihos, still alive.

 

Spotted an FDG approaching from 15KM+, together with a Montana about 17KM+. My mini task force consisted 2 Missouris sailing-in/guarding cap B. We're doing a fine job. Appraised the entire disposition of the match and minimap, immediately pushed towards FDG (and Montana) to get him within 10.6KM. The missouris did not follow (perhaps they can do their accurate damages from their sweet spot range). I knew my GK has high probability to sink if enemy Taiho decides to pick off the lone GK. (so f*** it, gonna whittle them down at least if I die, or sink both outright). 

 

Off I go angled to both Montana and FDG, my ship sailing towards between them. I kept my guns on FDG. At 9.8KM my secondaries lit up. FDG hurt from my 420 main guns and now ablaze from manual secondaries, turned around. Whilst FDG-turning, Montana (at less than 10.6KM) intentionally exposes her broadside to me to bait my main guns. (great Montana captain I thought - hope to play with you again and on same team, if you are reading this). Montana had almost full health whilst firing at GK.

 

With manual secondaries still focused on FDG as he attempted to flee out of range (but our speeds are about the same so he will still be in secondaries range), I started to shoot at broadside Montana. He kept his broadside to me for quite a long time (intentional). I had fires and whatnot (controlling myself not to use the damage control as I had BoS skill/module/equivalent-flags). Needless to say, I cit him from broadside expose. At this point her health down to 40%+. With my health less than 60%, the beneficial use of AR started kicking in. I was shooting as fast as a full health 406mm ship. The 420 pens were good. 

 

Whilst battling both ships, I saw my mini task force's Missouris starting to approach the fight (good I thought).

 

Soon enough, I hear the planes. Taiho full-strike package incoming. Quickly glanced at HPs of both ships. OK, should I die, the approaching Missouris should be able to finish them off comfortably.

 

It was defeafening. The bomber strikes, the fires, the voice overs, the sirens, the floodings, the secondaries and main guns from all 3 ships Montana, FDG, GK. (I swear my neighbours were thinking I was watching a WAR movie in the quiet estate).

 

Hit damage control and heal during the successful bomb/torpedo strikes on GK. My HP now less than 15%. Kept my angle. Montana still showing broadside. FDG now turning back towards myself (he can see my HP). We 3 still kept at it.

 

Montana got the kill shot. GK sunk. Montana/FDG (with Taiho's invaluable assistance) won, yet damaged as compared to prior engagement. The Missouris mopped both up in less than a min - and match ended.

 

God I love the Beast.    

[hornchurch]

Another T10 match (Bait GK)

 

Map had 3 cap zones. Remembered that Red Team had (T10 BBs), amongst others, 2 Montanas, 1 GK. My side had 1 GK, 1 Montana. Each side had 3 DDs. No CVs <-- keypoint.

 

Cap B was closest to myself. Team was splitting (very unevenly) to 2 teams (aka lemming train) . Can see they going A/C.

 

Shouted I am going B , and needed just 1 DD who would go in with me and smoke. Call answered. Told him "ready to be bait ?".  "OK" was the reply. Was ridiculed by others I'd be dead soon (and I was expecting it to be so). Caustic remarks for sure (Can't expect anything else from lemming-train players).

 

Fired my guns into the open ocean to be intentionally detected as I was sailing into B (with my DD buddy way ahead of me) - let them see this stupid GK going straight for B.

 

Buddy-DD detected a mini task force of 1 BB + 2 CA + 2 DDs approaching B. My team's C and A task forces detected the rest. Enemy was spread thin as a result. Good I thought. Buddy-DD sent torp walls and trying to cap B , waiting for me to approach B to smoke up.

 

Was hit with HE shells and whatnot. They so badly wanted to sink this stupid GK, chalk up damage points - whathaveyou. I was looking for broadsides (A/B/C) and firing off. Ships at A and C broadside to me, meant they had to turn or hide (420s are painful), and that only meant either being broadside to my teams at A/C or giving more allowance to them to push in.

 

First to sink was the enemy DD at B. Buddy-DD's torp walls forced him (and another CA) to broadside.  My secondaries burnt him down, whilst my main guns focused on the CA (and any CAs for that matter, as I *MUST* protect DD). My focus was any enemy ship (CA) with Radar.

 

Meanwhile, Teams A and C were engaged in their battles and were winning (cuz enemy was spread out thin - 5 (and 2 of them being force-winning DDs) of their ships were just focusing on that stupid GK and DD - which meant essentially non-DD enemy ships to engaging A & C)

 

Both of us were damaged, with me being focused on (too tempting to them) from B (and A/C). It worked. A & C capped.  All the while, was HE spammed like it was Independence Day. My guns firing off at CAs and broadsided ships.

 

Buddy-DD chalked up torp kills (DD + CA) , as my guns (hydro on of course) forced them into a bad position (A burning GK was just too tempting for them).  Really great anticipation (hope to play with you again if you are reading this).  His kills helped turned the whole tide of the match at B.

 

Buddy-DD smokes helped somewhat, no matter. (I had to continue sailing - it takes a while for GK to move from standstill and from motion-to-standstill, so I can't stay exactly stay still in smoke in a cap/hot zone).

 

Now, our team in a pincer position.

 

My health down to 15%. Buddy-DD smoke consumable depleted. Said "thanks for the great partnership buddy, I going YOLO and be sunk". He still stuck with me. I went straight (and angled) right into the remaining enemy task force, or what remains thereof.

 

I was sunk, buddy-DD chalked up another kill (GK being the bait, it was slightly easier to lurk around and torp). 

 

The Stupid GK (and an equally "stupid" DD) helped carry the match strategically. Took advantage of enemy strong desire (and unwavering intent) to sinking a small island - thereby allowing easier capping by lemmings.

 

 

 

[BlackZR1]

Sigh...and this is why I want the GK....

[CaptainTeddybear]

You can win quite a few games for your team by exploiting the other teams irresistible desire to kill you regardless of what else is going on. I usually try and avoid those since they aren't a lot of fun but occasionally I will engage a 1-4 or greater and hold out for 15 minutes while my team triple caps and runs the score up to 900-100. I'm amazed people still fall for it but they can't resist farming damage even if it means losing.

[Panhandler62]

I love my GK. I put perm paint on her to get the economics to work.

I've played the bait game myself, but I mostly play her about the same as I play Bismark, if a bit less aggressively to compensate for the sluggish handling.

 

I once had three cruisers chase me all over the map while I wore them down and my team happily cleaned up all the caps.