46 [ARGNT] Arcolin06 Beta Testers 80 posts 7,359 battles Report post #1 Posted July 14, 2015 Since Suggestion is closed for new topics, thought I'd drop this here. If it's a mistake, my apologies. I'm interested in getting the 1944 version of the USS West Virginia (BB 48) represented in game. I think the ship has an interesting enough history and enough difference in performance from the USS Colorado (prewar) version currently in game to make it an interesting variant. Plus, with the clipper bow, single funnel, sleek twin 16" turrets and modernized secondary armament she was (in my opinion) one of the better looking US BBs. The Colorado Class US BB takes a lot of flak, much of it for good reason. She's generally considered an underperforming ship. Aside from typically poor US top speed, her 16" guns have worse than usual gun performance due to dispersion and slow rate of fire. Why on earth would you want another version of an underperforming ship? The West Virginia '44 was a very different ship from the one that sank at Pearl. Arguably she had the most extensive rebuild of any Pearl veteran, or indeed of any of any of her Colorado Class sisters. When she sailed to the Philippines she was equipped with modern Mark 8 fire control, her AA armament was radically improved, and her barrette guns were replaced by the 5" dual purpose turrets ubiquitous to the North Carolina, South Dakota and Iowa class BBs. She received all new propulsion and was modestly uparmored, including improved torpedo protection. The net result was a ship with similar main armament firepower compared to the Colorados, but the Mark 8 provided much better fire control. She was also the only Colorado which got the entire complement of 16x5" 38 caliber secondaries in turrets as planned. Overall her artillery rating in WoWS should be a modest increase over the Colorado, but no match for the 9x16" mains and 20x5" the North Carolina carries; her accuracy should be comparable to the NC, as she demonstrated with her initial salvo at Suriago Strait. WeeVee's AA complement was impressive, with her 16 dual purpose five inchers supplemented by 40 Bofors and 50 Oerlikon mounts. That's considerably better than NC's 20x5", 15x Bofors and 46x Oerlikon mounts. On the downside, the rebuilt WeeVee rode low in the water; while she was capable of design speeds with her new propulsion system she was known for being sluggish. In game terms what do we have? Well, she'd have to be a Premium ship. Aside from the fact that WeeVee is the only vessel who received a complete upgrade post-Pearl, making her unique, her performance falls somewhere between the Colorados and the North Carolina. With her improved gun performance and vastly improved AA West Virginia couldn't be a Tier VII like the parent Colorado Class. She'd have to be a Tier VIII alongside the NC. With weaker artillery and worse speed/agility than NC the WeeVee would have to have something to make people actually want to buy the thing. What then? I would propose that the WeeVee be a US Tier VIII long range gunner. Historically the WeeVee won the 'Meatball' Battle Efficiency Pennant in 1925, 1927, 1932 and 1937. She also won the America Defense Cup and the Spokane Cup for short range gunnery. She was one of the first recipients of the RCA CXAM-1 radar and was outfitted with the Mark 8 system after her post-Pearl rebuild. As Rear Admiral Oldendorf's flag at Suriago Strait, leading a Battleship Division of six BBs (including four veterans of Pearl Harbor) she acquired the Yamashiro at 42'000 yards, had a firing solution at 30,000 yards and opened fire at 22,800 yards, hitting Yamashiro with five of her first six salvos. She fired sixteen salvos over 22 minutes, a very respectable rate of fire for a rebuilt Standard BB. The Yamashiro, and all of Nishimura's TF, were wrecked in the world's last BB vs BB engagement. The WeeVee was not only the US flag, but was a star performer. (Not to diminish the role of the DDs and PT boats that opened the engagement!) Based on this and the need to make WeeVee a viable buy I'd propose that she have a slightly higher rate of fire than North Carolina, but lower artillery rating. Turret turn should match Colorado, but accuracy and gun range should be a better than NC to reflect her history of gunnery excellence. AA should be significantly better than NC, but agility should be noticeably worse, both to reflect history and to encourage players to use her as a long range gunnery platform instead of a brawler. Given my love for the ship I may well be biased, so comments and critiques are welcome. Would you buy such a ship if offered? I hope WG takes notice of this historic, pretty ship. 19 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
116 [Y0L0K] Felix_the_Fox Alpha Tester, Beta Testers 621 posts 13,205 battles Report post #2 Posted July 14, 2015 I like this a lot. Well thought out, and detailed. I support many of these claims, and retro-fit ships should still qualify, especially considering her age.... +1, nyaa~ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
46 [ARGNT] Arcolin06 Beta Testers 80 posts 7,359 battles Report post #3 Posted July 14, 2015 Glad you liked it, Fog. I hope others have suggestions and input. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
68 LazyBadger Beta Testers 225 posts 757 battles Report post #4 Posted July 14, 2015 Well thought out and articulate post. +1 I think it's a good idea Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
46 [ARGNT] Arcolin06 Beta Testers 80 posts 7,359 battles Report post #5 Posted July 14, 2015 Appreciate it, Kari. Any advice is welcome, especially on how to get it considered by WG. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
744 Admiral_Ice Beta Testers 2,319 posts 9,306 battles Report post #6 Posted July 14, 2015 WG doesn't like user input, in Soviet Russia, game inputs you! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8 Tayzer2 Members 42 posts 480 battles Report post #7 Posted July 14, 2015 +1'd ya. Great post and I agree. More ships can't be a bad thing. Expanding the game one ship at a time. o7. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 GTMrFreeze Beta Testers 2 posts 6,726 battles Report post #8 Posted July 16, 2015 Excellent post. I just noticed that the current in-game ship looks like a refit Maryland. I'd really like to see a 1944 refit WeeVee as a premium. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
770 [TXGUN] donaldEpott [TXGUN] Members 4,596 posts 13,562 battles Report post #9 Posted July 16, 2015 YES to this please WG I would buy it right away. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
164 [WALLY] QuicksilverJPR Beta Testers 1,413 posts 1,450 battles Report post #10 Posted July 16, 2015 I don't see anything that would/should be a problem. Your info is factually sound, your tier placement and role of the ship is also sound. I support this 110%! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2,651 [CVRME] CaliburxZero [CVRME] Alpha Tester, In AlfaTesters 2,942 posts 10,662 battles Report post #11 Posted July 16, 2015 +1, nice idea. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
114 [NDA] Wolff_Punisher Beta Testers 1,097 posts 11,256 battles Report post #12 Posted July 16, 2015 Great idea, I like it. Well written out and very informative. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
46 [WBLDG] AmurTiger Beta Testers 373 posts 4,121 battles Report post #13 Posted July 16, 2015 Interesting ship, definitely reminds me of the 1930s rebuilds of the Queen E class that left the WWI veterans pretty well prepared for WWII. I'm somewhat reluctant about seeing a 1920s era ship, rebuild or no, at tier 8 though. I think it might be worth considering swapping places and having this build represent the final upgrade for the Colorado class and have a pre-Pearl Colorado config as the premium at tier 7. This would also fit with what seems likely to happen with the Queen E class. The Warspite, grand old lady that she may be, didn't receive the penultimate refit for the class which was received by the Valiant and the Queen Elizabeth where the smattering of modern secondaries afforded the Warspite are replaced by 10x2 QF 4.5" which is likely to represent the final upgrade for the Queen E class once the tree is in. Obviously there's a lot of uncertainty on both ends but I'd consider the Warspite a good guide for how Wargaming wants to treat 'famous' ships vs classes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
528 [ERN] Redwing6 Alpha Tester, In AlfaTesters 1,322 posts Report post #14 Posted July 16, 2015 well thought out proposal...too bad WG doesn't give a phlyingphuk we the players actually think. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
170 Maus123 Alpha Tester, In AlfaTesters 703 posts 345 battles Report post #15 Posted July 17, 2015 I would prefer it if the W. Virginia's rebuild was a module upgrade to the Colorado. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
6,799 IronWolfV Alpha Tester, Beta Testers 30,523 posts 6,337 battles Report post #16 Posted July 17, 2015 I would prefer it if the W. Virginia's rebuild was a module upgrade to the Colorado. Damn it Ninja'd. But my thoughts exactly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 [SEA4] FangSSG [SEA4] Members 1 post 1,100 battles Report post #17 Posted October 11, 2015 I sincerely hope they do this. I'd buy WeeVee immediately and I'd never play anything else Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
282 Mavairo Beta Testers 1,465 posts 4,344 battles Report post #18 Posted October 11, 2015 I'd buy it.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1,242 [NDA] Wo_9 Beta Testers 5,251 posts 8,905 battles Report post #19 Posted October 11, 2015 dat bump and yes i'd buy it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3,513 atPrick__ Members 16,315 posts 12,285 battles Report post #20 Posted October 11, 2015 (edited) 10/10 I would buy, The US line needs a Premium BB and from your post the WV sounds quirky enough to excel in some things but struggle in others, which is what most Premiums do. Plus you could throw on this song when you are playing her Edited October 11, 2015 by slak96u Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
74 JackMarslow Beta Testers 271 posts 3,462 battles Report post #21 Posted October 11, 2015 WeeVee should be the final hull for the Colorado. Making the Current Colorado a premium however is not such a good idea. No one likes the ship and its free... who the hell is gonna buy it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
11 _Nyarlathotep_ Members 73 posts 16,333 battles Report post #22 Posted October 11, 2015 West Virginia or the Washington would be one of the two premium BB's I would like to see. I go back and forth between the two trying to decide which I would prefer. I suppose some might argue for the refit Tennessee twins, but I still lean towards West Virginia or Washington. Good post. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
