British Battleship Playstyle?

[TheLastSterling]

Its been a while since the introduction of the British BBs in the game. However I have not found much info for how to effectly play them. I keep hearing play them at mid range, HE BBs and AP Cruisers, but thats about it. The main problem I face is how to deal with the slow turret traverse and what situation should I wait for the turrets to turn or turn the ship entirely?

[TacticalOni]

On 9/25/2017 at 2:29 AM, TheLastSterling said:

Its been a while since the introduction of the British BBs in the game....etc

 

So the British BBs work more like support battleships than anything else. Hang back from the front lines and lob HE at people. Once you close the range and start working in close your AP will be more effective and functional. 

Even shells with poor AP fuse performance will overmatch whatever armor they can overmatch. QE can still bow-pen a Dunkerque or an Arizona, perhaps a little less likely to get citadels but it still does good damage. 

 

As for the slow turret traverse, it depends on the situation, I tend to pick a flank and try to stay there as lonc as possible, changing sides and direction should be well thought out in advance and carefully considered. I played the Warspite and planning ahead to change sides was my best tactic. 

[HazeGrayUnderway]

On 9/24/2017 at 11:29 PM, TheLastSterling said:

Its been a while since the introduction of the British BBs in the game. However I have not found much info for how to effectly play them. I keep hearing play them at mid range, HE BBs and AP Cruisers, but thats about it. The main problem I face is how to deal with the slow turret traverse and what situation should I wait for the turrets to turn or turn the ship entirely?

 

Tier III-VI, RN BBs have terrible turret traverse.  That mid range is ideal for them because at that range, the turret traverse deal is more bearable.  Expert Marksman trait helps you quite a bit.  But if you try to knife fight, that turret traverse becomes a very annoying issue.  You will be heavily tempted to swing the entire ship to fire off the guns, but be aware, doing so may present the threat with a beautiful broadside to molest.

 

From Tier VII onwards, the turret traverse issue goes away.

 

Another thing that RN BBs tend to emphasize is time, patience.  RN BB HE does not wreck people in the short term.  It wears them down with repeated, lower HE damage, combined with fires sticking and causing damage.  This requires time.  It may require repeated applications, because the target may put the fires out and repair most of the fire damage dealt, back.  The RN BB keeps attacking, landing fires, etc.  This puts pressure on the target with consumables on CD and damage racking up.  Again, this needs time.

 

The RN BB needs to be patient.  You are NOT a brawler, especially once at Tier VII onwards.  Keep at some range to be safe from torpedoes yet close enough where you can regularly hit (that can be said with any BB, really, unless you're something like a Secondary Spec German BB).  Keep the RN BB intact, because where the RN BB really, really shines is late game.  When people have their Damage Control Party on CD, have 1 or 0 charges of Repair Party left, their hull is at half or lower, then a few RN BB HE shells, fires really finishes them.  Example:

 

Someone in their BB played their butt off to survive late into the game, their DCP is ready, they have 1 Repair Party available, they have about 1/3 HP.  You engage it with your RN BB using HE shells, you land 1 fire.  They let that burn because it's only one.  Your next volley lands and causes a 2nd fire.  Okay, now they pop DCP, can't let 2 fires rage when HP is low.  Repair Party is used to keep the HP up.  Then you land 2 more fires and their DCP is still on CD.  They're gonna burn good.

 

TLDR:  RN BBs, at least from Tier VII on, are actually closer to oversized CAs in playstyle than being related to USN, German, IJN BBs in this game.