My damage output sucks

[WickedRecluse]

So before I even started playing this game, I watched numerous videos on 'how to play', including driving boats, where/when to go where, how to aim, when to switch ammo type... so on. So I've been playing for a few days now and I am stumped, no clue how to improve. I'm in a tier V USN cruiser as my primary, which I don't like at all, not enough guns and lining up/using torps not only makes me extremely vulnerable to enemy fire, considering I have to show my broadside to get it lined up, but also it feels like a distraction when I could have fired 2-3 more volleys worth of shells, not to mention torps only hit like 10% of the time anyway. So here I am, every battle, get into a fight with anyone, especially other cruisers, they launch of volley of 3-5 shells, take away ~20% of my health, I launch a volley of 4-6 shells, maybe do a couple hundred to their health, even when every shell hits, it rarely takes more than ~5% of their health. I watch battleships completely delete a ship with a single volley, so I try it, can't even do 10%... I just don't know what I'm doing wrong. Clearly my aiming isn't quite right, but I'm tired of not being useful to my team and I'm getting frustrated, so please, give me some strategies.

[Blutbad]

Play more, you should play lower tiers a lot more rushing up the tech tree is not the best option. Things happen a lot faster higher up, you can't possibly get all the moves , positions,fire options or even recognize different ship attributes, come back in 5-8 hundred games.

[CapnCappy]

At a distance? Use HE and aim higher on the ship to hit superstructure and get fires.

In close and broadside? Switch to AP and aim low near waterline and center of ship.

Keep in mind that Omaha is -very- fragile so try and keep your distance from most ships 12km or so and keep turning and varying your speed.

If you're hitting a BB and doing little to no damage, you're probably firing HE too low or your firing AP versus strong armor.

Enable replays. Record a battle today (since we're post patch). And post it on Wows Replays. Then people can look at it and see what exactly is going wrong.

[Pirate_Badcat]

Your aim is a bit off don't worry mine is too. You need to hit there citadel and watch your grouping of shells. If they scatter you not aiming at the right place and if they are somewhat tighter you are aiming correct. IF you are not in a clan join one that has training for its members. I am not saying to join my clan but which clan you think is best. We hold weekly training just so you know. But it takes practice and patience. 

[Grevester]

I think you may be greatly underestimating your usefulness. To me, looking at you as a fresh player, you are doing quite well. It would seem those videos have done quite a lot of good. 

That being said, I urge you to keep on being self critical of your performance. I can also see why you are having this position, since your damage in the omaha is behind your usual outputs in earlier tier ships, despite being higher tier.

Omaha, and most tier 5 ships, sit in an awkward location, where you will be more often bottom tier and also in a 2 tier spread. This can make it difficult to maintain earlier performances in what can best be described as an advance in the meta. 

Without being able to see anything other than your stat performance, I can suggest no less than to take a minute after every death you experience and question yourself as to what could have been done differently. it can also help to look at omaha specific gameplay videos to get a better idea of what your ship is capable of and where its capabilities can be applied.

If you have not already, I suggest enabling replays so you can post them here to ask for advice. it will be much easier for us (the forum) to help you this way.

You can enable replays in many ways, the easiest probably being aslains modpack which you can find here:

http://aslain.com/index.php?/topic/2020-06611-aslains-wows-modpack-installer-wpicture-preview/

There may also be other things useful or interesting to you in there.

[nina_blain_73]

cruiser torpedoes are an opportunity weapon for the most part  if your close enough in the omaha to use them your too close might as well just ram

[_Big_Lou_]

10 minutes ago, Blutbad said:

Play more, you should play lower tiers a lot more rushing up the tech tree is not the best option. Things happen a lot faster higher up, you can't possibly get all the moves , positions,fire options or even recognize different ship attributes, come back in 5-8 hundred games.

This is great advice. I might also add that you should play a variety of ships below tier 4. By Playing early BBs, DDs, and other nations, you will better learn how to exploit ships' weaknesses and punish the enemy with their strengths. Running straight up one ship line of one nation's fleet is a recipe for frustration. 

[Lert]

Omaha is a very fast ship, but use the speed to get out of trouble, not into trouble.

Omaha has torpedoes, but that doesn't mean that you have to use them - they're an opportunity weapon, not a primary damage dealer.

Keep varying your course, keep using the A and D keys. Don't sail in a straight line for more than, say, 10 seconds - even when you're not under fire.

When you are under fire, alternate your course even more often. Keep waggling that aft.

Stay angled to your enemies, don't just sail broadside to them. Either angle yourself towards them or away from them.

Target prioritization is key, as is ammunition choice. At distance, burn things with HE. Close by, use AP against broadside cruisers, center mass @ waterline.

The closer you are, the easier you are to hit. You want to get hit as least as possible in a soft ship like an Omaha, so stay at range.

[WickedRecluse]

16 minutes ago, nina_blain_73 said:

cruiser torpedoes are an opportunity weapon for the most part  if your close enough in the omaha to use them your too close might as well just ram

lol, I have indeed been doing then. About 20% of my deaths have come from ramming battleships.

 

8 minutes ago, _Big_Lou_ said:

This is great advice. I might also add that you should play a variety of ships below tier 4. By Playing early BBs, DDs, and other nations, you will better learn how to exploit ships' weaknesses and punish the enemy with their strengths. Running straight up one ship line of one nation's fleet is a recipe for frustration. 

I guess you could look at that in different ways. For example, using nothing but one ship line will allow faster mastery of said ships. However, I do see the point on learning potential opponents weaknesses.

 

20 minutes ago, ADM_Badcat said:

Your aim is a bit off don't worry mine is too. You need to hit there citadel and watch your grouping of shells. If they scatter you not aiming at the right place and if they are somewhat tighter you are aiming correct. IF you are not in a clan join one that has training for its members. I am not saying to join my clan but which clan you think is best. We hold weekly training just so you know. But it takes practice and patience. 

Okay, so watch shell groupings. Spread = bad, tight = good? Thanks. 

 

24 minutes ago, Blutbad said:

Play more, you should play lower tiers a lot more rushing up the tech tree is not the best option. Things happen a lot faster higher up, you can't possibly get all the moves , positions,fire options or even recognize different ship attributes, come back in 5-8 hundred games.

Efficiency is something I thrive on. Earning XP in lower tier ships is a massive waste of effort, considering the only way to make any use of it is spend lots  and LOTS of real cash. That said, I do have a T2 premium cruiser from RaF, so I do use that, but it makes things far too easy at that tier, and I don't feel as though I'm learning anything. I'm a very quick study, and it seems the only way to progress in knowledge is to keep moving forward, not standing still.

 

 

Thanks for all of your advice. I will utilize this.

[Iron_Patriot3]

recommend using islands as cover to shoot over also, very effective as a USN of RN Cruiser line,

[Geek_Girl]

And with most ships using Priority Target these days I try to get into a good firing position before I lock them up. Once you lock that target most good enemy drivers will immediately change their course. So if at all possible try to hold off hitting X 'till the last moment.

[KalishniKat]

You're moving up the tiers quickly. Slow down, master the ship at each tier, don't be in a rush to climb the tier ladder.

[anonym_OlK73e329bMY]

Yawn.

You're obviously doing well. Adjust your expectations. It'll take time to reach the level of play you want. It's not something that happens instantly. It requires failure - a lot of failure. Don't be afraid to experiment and fail.

[dust340man]

First temper your expectations and learn from the videos, advice and from your mistakes. Cruisers especially these days are tougher to play imho for inexperienced players. I had some great games in my Omaha or Murmansk years ago but not so much now and sold the Omaha. The matchmaking puts you at a disadvantage at times also. You'll have to learn your ships strengths and weaknesses, watch the minimap closely and know when to attack or retreat. There is so much to learn from this game and unless you are already a seasoned gamer it takes time. It took me a long time but I didn't start playing till my late 50's about 3 yrs ago I think. I play BBs, cruisers and DDs and my highest damage totals these days are always in my BBs. BUT i was top scorer in two tier 7 crusier random battle victories the other day with only 48-50K damage done in each match but also sunk some ships and capped or assisted too. Damage total isn't always the deciding factor or the best guage for a player to use. I was kind of shocked I was top scorer in each battle!

Be patient, try not to get frustrated and good luck as WOWS is lots of fun!

[Wicked_Recluse]

Well, I'm either getting better, or everyone else is getting worse :p