The "Showboat" is in port!

[Mahrs]

Many thanks to WG for a fine July 4th weekend event.  It made powering through the last part of my Colorado grind fast and easy.  The USS North Carolina is now in port and I am very, very happy.  My one game with her in stock trim wasn't especially impressive damage wise (only 80k or so), but it was a LOT of fun despite being a tough loss (4 kills does tend to cheer one up - a MK and I teamed up to sprinkle "cruiser be gone" all over the red team).  It's nice to finally have a "proper" USN battleship.  My sincere hope is that the consistency her guns displayed during her first outing was the "real deal" and not just WG being nice to me because she's new.  Having shells go where I aim them was absolutely crazy...and satisfying.  

 

I was so inspired, I bought back Wyoming just to grind the 9k exp for Langley - only two matches required, thanks to the events.  The shells go where ever, but aiming is OP at tier IV, so it worked out.  ;-)

[IronWolfV]

I finished strong with CO, but I too was damn happy to get to NC. Granted turn broadside and eat citadels, but proper planning and judicious use of the throttle(not going backwards but slowing down to let the match develop at times) allows those 16s to bring some pain.

[Capt_Binkley]

The North Carolina is like skipping a tier or two when moving up from the Colorado.  It is just such a vast improvement over the previous tier.

[Frederick_The_Great]

The NC to me was ehhh.  I never bothered to get the hull upgrade, as i was saving on credits.  With that aside, the ship did ok for me.   Had something like 55% win rate in it up until the last week or so i had the ship, where i seemingly had every team who thought J10 is how you win. 

 

The guns for me were love em and hate em.  You can angle, and do well with it while firing 6 guns.   The shells are floaty, but i didn't have a problem with that.  It just seemed like at times they lacked punching power.  Having shells bounce off broadside montys and yams just left a bad taste in my mouth.  Having moved on to the iowa, i dont have that issue.   perhaps it was back luck or something.  perhaps it was always being bottom tier that made the ship not feel as good as it was.  the few times it was top tier, you could really rack up the damage. 

 

anyways, hope you enjoy the ship. 

[Raptor_alcor]

1 hour ago, Frederick_The_Great said:

The NC to me was ehhh.  I never bothered to get the hull upgrade, as i was saving on credits.  With that aside, the ship did ok for me.   Had something like 55% win rate in it up until the last week or so i had the ship, where i seemingly had every team who thought J10 is how you win. 

 

The guns for me were love em and hate em.  You can angle, and do well with it while firing 6 guns.   The shells are floaty, but i didn't have a problem with that.  It just seemed like at times they lacked punching power.  Having shells bounce off broadside montys and yams just left a bad taste in my mouth.  Having moved on to the iowa, i dont have that issue.   perhaps it was back luck or something.  perhaps it was always being bottom tier that made the ship not feel as good as it was.  the few times it was top tier, you could really rack up the damage. 

 

anyways, hope you enjoy the ship. 

Considering the shells of the NC are effectively the same shells on the iowa just with a lower muzzle velocity, it's probably the floaty nature causing them to hit the deck armor and bounce off. 

[Frederick_The_Great]

1 hour ago, Raptor_alcor said:

Considering the shells of the NC are effectively the same shells on the iowa just with a lower muzzle velocity, it's probably the floaty nature causing them to hit the deck armor and bounce off. 

sometimes yes, sometimes perfect broadside target and it didn't penetrate the belt/below water.  probably just bad luck.. if find way to miss easy shots all the time.

[Mahrs]

The float hasn't really bothered me much yet in my all of 2 games played.  The 2nd game was a Tier X heavy match and my team was solid - they carried the water when I went afk at match start to answer nature's call unexpectedly.  I got back, hit "Ahead Full" and popped into B cap on Mountain Range.  Between the rocks and the great concealment on NC, I was able to mostly avoid the BB on A - which was cool, because then I got to nuke a Zao.  Overall, ended 3rd on a really solid team - the DD players did a phenomenal job, even if their exp rewards weren't showing it.  The Showboat seems like a really big cruiser to me...but, with armor that actually works ;-).

 

My thoughts on float: shortens the effective engagement range to around 14-15 km or so on maneuvering cruisers with slow rudders, 10-13 km or so on cruisers with fast rudders.  Any time the time of flight is below 8-9 seconds, generally, I get good results.  I can work up to 10 without too much trouble.  The USN 16 inchers seem to hold their velocity well, and their time of flight out to "mid range" is actually pretty good.  Beyond that distance, you're relying on the enemy to make a mistake like sail straight or go stationary.  It doesn't matter if it's 16 km or 21 km - if they're avoiding actively, it's gonna be a miss unless RNG favors you or they err in their evasion.  

 

Will see how my thoughts on that mature over time.  Two games in a row with shells going where I aimed them has my expectations and spirits pretty high.

[Mahrs]

Well, I took a break to finish the Benson grind, then came back and "power leveled" to the B-hull.  I liked A-hull North Carolina, I love B-hull North Carolina.  I just grabbed the engine upgrade as well - so she's Alabama spec at the moment.  However, the guns do feel/seem more consistent on the Showboat.  I cannot seem to buy a win, but I am having some monster games.  Generally still concur with the above - IF my aim is good, those distances are my optimal "your WASD keys aren't going to save you" engagement ranges.  I am still refining my aim a bit to maximize impact, but pretty pleased so far.