Tier V - Kotovsky tips?

[Prkl8r]

Just started going down the line with Petro being the end goal. I just got Kotovsky and it isn't clicking at all. This thing is a CL with painfully slow guns compared to the RN CLs that I'm used to playing. Anybody have tips for this thing? Do you fire HE or AP or swap? I tried a little of both and the AP didn't seem to do much for me.

Alternately, should I FXP past this thing?

[Mizzerys_Fate]

Play at range and use the Russian shell speed to your advantage.

He on most things, ap on broadsides, allways with the Russians.

[Nevermore135]

3 hours ago, Prkl8r said:

Just started going down the line with Petro being the end goal. I just got Kotovsky and it isn't clicking at all. This thing is a CL with painfully slow guns compared to the RN CLs that I'm used to playing. Anybody have tips for this thing? Do you fire HE or AP or swap? I tried a little of both and the AP didn't seem to do much for me.

Like most Soviet CLs, she excels at long range engagements and open water kiting. Soviet 152mm guns have high muzzle velocity and flat arcs, meaning it is pretty easy to lead targets at long ranges. The HE is your bread and butter, but your AP will absolutely punish broadside cruisers and you can get good damage on BB extremities and upper belts at mid-to-close range. As a general rule I don’t take IFHE on Soviet 152mm and 130mm guns because of the solid AP performance. Once you get a feel for when to use each type of shell, the fire chance penalty from IFHE isn’t worth it. Kotovsky also has typical Soviet CL handling: she’s fast but turns like a bus.

3 hours ago, Prkl8r said:

Alternately, should I FXP past this thing?

I would advise against it. It’s generally not a good idea to skip entire ships on your first trip up the line because the experience you gain at lower tiers will apply to the ships at higher tiers. If you are struggling in this ship, you’re going to struggle in the tier VI as well.

[Prkl8r]

1 hour ago, Nevermore135 said:

Like most Soviet CLs, she excels at long range engagements and open water kiting. Soviet 152mm guns have high muzzle velocity and flat arcs, meaning it is pretty easy to lead targets at long ranges. The HE is your bread and butter, but your AP will absolutely punish broadside cruisers and you can get good damage on BB extremities and upper belts at mid-to-close range. As a general rule I don’t take IFHE on Soviet 152mm and 130mm guns because of the solid AP performance. Once you get a feel for when to use each type of shell, the fire chance penalty from IFHE isn’t worth it. Kotovsky also has typical Soviet CL handling: she’s fast but turns like a bus.

I would advise against it. It’s generally not a good idea to skip entire ships on your first trip up the line because the experience you gain at lower tiers will apply to the ships at higher tiers. If you are struggling in this ship, you’re going to struggle in the tier VI as well.

Well, normally I'd agree on the skipping, but I don't really have any intention of playing the RU CLs, I'm just going for the Petro.

[SeaGladius]

I don’t think too many people have a lot of experience with Kotovsky.  We ground the line when it was Kirov, and I can only speak for myself, but I have no desire to play Kotovsky.  Now Budyonny and Shchors are good boats once you get them figured out.  So I don’t think you’d have a problem FXPing past the Kotovsky.