After 5500 games I learned something new

[Snargfargle]

I made me a training room about a half hour ago, and after sailing for almost all of the allotted time before I found the target ship, proceeded to test just what it took to citadel a ship. I found out that I've been aming wrong all this time. I usually would aim at or just above the waterline. However, I found that it works better to aim just below the waterline. Does this work in a real game. Well, you be the judge. This was in my Degrasse firing only AP.

 

[iDuckman]

Against what?

 

[SgtBeltfed]

Depends on the target and what ship your using

[Snargfargle]

5 minutes ago, iDuckman said:

Against what?

 

Everything that the enemy had. Mostly I got the citadels firing at other cruisers though. The torps hit a BB for a lot damage too. 

[surratus]

But, but...think of the poor fishes?

[Snargfargle]

Here is the first cruiser I shot at in a game just now with my Cleveland, using AP. The shown aiming point is above the waterline but that's just because I moved the mouse a bit when I reached up to press the print screen key. I was aiming just below the waterline.  Note that I have only gotten six shell hits but seven citadels (the last three citadels have not been added to the top of the screen yet in this picture). I'm not sure how I could get more citadels than hits but it did.

 

 

[dmckay]

Some ships I have are so scatter gun that at even medium distances it's can be difficult to hit a specific place on a ship. Get in closer and that changes. Often at long ranges I just fire at center mass and hope for the best.  Some shells will fly over the ship, some will hit middle of ship, front or back, and some may, may, hit at waterline. No one can tell me they can place shells precisely where they want them at say 15K. NO, wait, if you can do that tell me how?  I need to know.  Of course I know some ships are much more accurate at range than others. 

[Snargfargle]

I just ran the replay on slow to see if my assessment was correct. It was -- there are more cits than hits!

 

[MaxL_1023]

It probably depends on the shell's fall angle. Shallow trajectory shells are more likely to get underwater citadels - steeper trajectories will likely result in the shell passing under the ship or not having enough energy to penetrate the torpedo bulkhead. 

[Stauffenberg44]

1 hour ago, Snargfargle said:

I made me a training room about a half hour ago

I've heard rumours of this myself after about as many battles meself. Mayhaps I will discover it myself soon and do well there.

[Snargfargle]

2 minutes ago, MaxL_1023 said:

It probably depends on the shell's fall angle. Shallow trajectory shells are more likely to get underwater citadels - steeper trajectories will likely result in the shell passing under the ship or not having enough energy to penetrate the torpedo bulkhead. 

That overpen must have gone through opposite walls of the citadel and have been counted twice!

 

 

[Ensign_Cthulhu]

Interesting. This makes me wonder if clicking the LMB induces a slight mouse movement that shifts the aim point upwards and causes citadel misses some of the time, for which your low aim is compensating.

Suggestions for anyone else trying this:

1. Tie your shooting to a keyboard key.

2. Repeat with both a normal slide type and a stationary trackball mouse if you can.

3. Document target type and range at which engaged; the angle at which the shell penetrates is potentially important.

Will give it a try myself next time I am fighting.

[awiggin]

The french are cit machines, nothing unusual to see here.

[CylonRed]

As others have said it depends but for me aiming just below the water line = no hits at all the vast majority of the time.  Just had that happen in my Bismark aimed at a full broadside Tirp  (about 7 km out) - no hits at all.

[Amaruk]

54 minutes ago, Snargfargle said:

Note that I have only gotten six shell hits but seven citadels (the last three citadels have not been added to the top of the screen yet in this picture). I'm not sure how I could get more citadels than hits but it did.

FYI, Citadel ribbons are separate from all other hit ribbons.

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

[slokill_1]

It seems to depend on the ship you're using to get the citadel.  Some guns I aim right at waterline and do fine.  Others I do that and they impact the water so I have to aim 1/3 up the red hull.  This happens with a few km too.  If they were all the same it would be a lot easier.

 

[CLUCH_CARGO]

A Citadel hit is a hit all its own same as a fire or rudder,engine, module hits. Each of these is done with one shell of the salvo. 

[BullHalsey]

I've heard that the game aim assist curve or whatever it is increases your dispersion if you aim below the waterline.

[Vinidoanker]

You should aim below waterline around 500 games..that was like a year ago..but mostly player in mid tier still sailing broadside cause they like to fire all gun available in ships. the truth is, more bow camping bb and sneaky cruiser around. citadel is something rare in random, 24 player in 1 battle, i think only 4-5 manage to get citadel..others just so so play..

[enderland07]

Just look at the armor models of ships and calculate the ballistics of shells. 

 

[Murcc]

Most citadels are below the waterline.  Therefore, to get the most out of your hit, you need to aim so that the shots make impact into the water just before they hit the ship.  That will put the trajectory down into the citadel.  Some ships have a citadel that does stick up above the waterline a bit, which is why you can sometimes get a citadel hit by aiming at the waterline or above.  Sometimes, the aim at the waterline or above results in a citadel, not because of aiming there, but because shot dispersion placed a shell into the water.  If you aim into the water, the dispersion above and below actually results in more shells being in the vicinity of the citadel for more direct hits. 

When you are in port, look at the citadel area of the ships you are shooting at.  It will give you an idea of where to shoot.  Remember that your shots have a slightly downward trajectory as they impact, so any that you want to hit farther down from the waterline will need to be a distance out to the side of the ship.  You can get a feel for aiming.

[KaptainKaybe]

Depends how much your shells plunge at those ranges. If they are very floaty, at or slightly above the waterline works best. If they have very flat arcs, then slightly below the waterline can do wonders. This is especially notable on Roma where you pretty much cannot citadel cruisers at all unless you aim below the waterline.