KM Friedrich der Große, how to play

[ShinaMashiro]

Hey guys,

I got the Bismarck seasons ago and loved playing her even without an initial secondary build and max captain, but now that I got the Grobe, I have zero clue how to play it.

If I use the 420's its overpens for dayz, and if I use the 406s I can barely get good shots into enemy BBs. Plus the thing is humongous  and takes a lot of AP and fire dmg. I can't push with her the way I used to, and am at a loss of how to play her.

What are your opinions on the optimal range of the Grobe? And should I go with one set of guns over the other?

 I have been running secondary build on this as my gun arcs and dispersion are too unreliable, do the unicums here favor one build over the other (gun build)?

 

Thanks,

[Stauffenberg44]

See the Flamu vid on this. It's a very strong well-rounded BB for it's tier:

 

 

[Captain_Benevolent_Fair]

As usual, I'll just say to stick to the 406mm guns. The 420mm are so not worth it. With the reload upgrade, the reload on the 406s beat that of the Bismarck. Neither option is accurate, but at least you can compensate the lack of accuracy with improved RoF. Now, as far as builds are concerned, when I played my FdG, I used a secondary build; however I'll recommend a tank build instead, as I now found FdG's and GK's secondaries to be somewhat underwhelming. Besides, with RN BBs running around, there's no safer bet than Fire Prevention and Basics of Survivability. I also recommend getting the best possible concealment and investing into Adrenaline Rush.

FdG is actually a downgrade from the Bismarck in the belt armor, but it compensates with some 60mm plates on the bow, as well as some 80mm deck armor below the turrets, which actually makes it pretty tanky against HE that isn't from a RN BB. The improved hydro also helps a lot against torpedoes, since the ship is pretty big. Showing broadside is quite dangerous, even more so than on the Bismarck, as your downgraded belt armor is sure to be an inviting target for everyone. It's very important to wait for the best oportunity to turn, even if it does mean keeping your back turrets out of the game for a while. Another advantege of the FdG is the high HP. While it doesn't look like that big of a deal at first, the fact that the Repair Party is percentage based makes so that, overtime, your HP advantage will grow even further, and allow you to stay in the fight longer.

Lack of accuracy is a big downside for the FdG, and there will always be times when it's going to make you go crazy, but don't give up, stick to it, keep firing, and eventually you'll make your way into the GK, and the GK is pretty damn worth it.

[sasquatch_research]

Hey

FDG sucks; not much of an improvement over Bismarck that I found even when she was fully upgraded and run with a 15pt captain.  Sold it and put money and capt. into Hindy, so much better!

 

Pete

[AdmiralThunder]

Just got mine so take this FWIW...

It is a bigger more lumbering Bismarck with guns that are worse accuracy wise (feels it anyway) if that is possible LOL. Stevie Wonder throwing rocks is more accurate! I think Flamu was drunk, stoned, or both when he said it was a good ship and his favorite German BB. WHAT??? He deadpanned the Musashi here recently when it came out and it is actually a very good ship but in the above video from 2 years ago when the German BB's were coming out he says the FDG is his favorite??? His standards must have changed since then to praise this dog pile and damn the Musashi? LOL. Oy!  

As was said above don't waste your money on the 420's (I did - should have listened to people here ). Just stay with the 406's (I went back to them on mine). The 420's really don't hit harder (I see no difference in damage between the two) and if you stay with the 406's and run MBM3 you can drop the reload to 24.6 seconds. You  can make up for the horrendous accuracy by having a fast reload that let's you shoot more.  

All I can say is this will be  long grind to the GK. 

[Landing_Skipper]

I really like the FDG. Tank build is the way to go with the 420s. They are more accurate than the 406s in my experience. The turning circle is enormous, but the armor is very strong. Very difficult to citadel except for Yamato/Musashi.