Baltimore even more meh then NO or i doing it wrong

[Biloxxi]

I have the range upgrade and hull upgrade, currently working toward the guns. I am pretty much focusing on the AA support role but finding it tough sledding when hanging back escorting a cv or trying to support a BB. Find myself often struggling to find my spot. Either one i choose seems the team losses, and i am struggling to really add to the team despite trying to be support. When i was in the NO i still felt i could flex better as needed and make a small profit and decent exp. Now in the Baltimore I seem to never make profit on the rare wins and well just feel like i am not as flexible. Maybe i am sticking with cv's to long or since my guns are not upgraded my support role is not great dps. Any Balt. owners have any suggestions to making this ship successful and the grind to the DM more enjoyable/tolerable?

 

thanks

[WinterIess]

Well, around T9 you hit the break even point in terms of credit earned per battle, so there really isn't much you can do to make a profit in the Baltimore. I suppose you need to keep a few T6s or T5s around to run the grind to the Des Moines.

 

Anyway, I think that it's because of your guns that you're just not feeling it. Stick with the BBs and shoot HE at enemy BBs while providing them with AA support, maybe?

[Biloxxi]

Thanks Winter, yeah i did not expect to make too much profit but seems i'm always about anywhere from 10 to 60 k in hole on losses. I know the game is geared toward dps, and kind of thought it put US cruisers who go for the supporting role at a disadvantage in this. Maybe giving cash or bit of exp for planes shot down would make doing this role more satisfying and fun.  

[BnaditCorps]

Well, around T9 you hit the break even point in terms of credit earned per battle, so there really isn't much you can do to make a profit in the Baltimore. I suppose you need to keep a few T6s or T5s around to run the grind to the Des Moines.

 

Anyway, I think that it's because of your guns that you're just not feeling it. Stick with the BBs and shoot HE at enemy BBs while providing them with AA support, maybe?

 

Cleveland

[Dah_Bears268]

Thanks Winter, yeah i did not expect to make too much profit but seems i'm always about anywhere from 10 to 60 k in hole on losses. I know the game is geared toward dps, and kind of thought it put US cruisers who go for the supporting role at a disadvantage in this. Maybe giving cash or bit of exp for planes shot down would make doing this role more satisfying and fun.  

 

To have enough cash to buy modules for Baltimore and eventually buy Des Moines you need 1 Premium ship and/or a T5/6 credit grinder(either Omaha or Cleveland depend on which one you prefer). To support myself dual grinding both cruiser line(at Baltimore and Ibuki right now) I had to play about 150 games in my Murmansk and Atago to make credits, this is with a Premium account.

 

Looks like you don't have premium account, so the grind for you will be even harder. Be prepared to play 2 Omaha/Cleveland games for every Baltimore game to provide enough credits.

[Biloxxi]

 

To have enough cash to buy modules for Baltimore and eventually buy Des Moines you need 1 Premium ship and/or a T5/6 credit grinder(either Omaha or Cleveland depend on which one you prefer). To support myself dual grinding both cruiser line(at Baltimore and Ibuki right now) I had to play about 150 games in my Murmansk and Atago to make credits, this is with a Premium account.

 

Looks like you don't have premium account, so the grind for you will be even harder. Be prepared to play 2 Omaha/Cleveland games for every Baltimore game to provide enough credits.

 

oh i do have premium account a cleveland as my money grinder as well as a kongo. I was just thinking so far the Baltimore is not much better than the NO. As for the money i make plenty, but wanting to improve thought there may be something i am missing when driving the Baltimore that makes it into a better ship then the NO and can help me least get closer to breaking even when i die in a game is all. Thanks for your input.

[SneakyBote]

The issue with the Baltimore is that you have to be super careful when enemy BBs are within firing range. Given that the range of the average high tier BBs is much longer than your 15.8 km range, this means that any time you can shoot at an enemy BB, said BB is well within reasonably accurate (for a BB anyways) firing range, and you must protect your broadside or get blown away.

 

That being said the Baltimore can maul enemy cruisers if you get a favorable angle. You have very good armor yourself, and the guns appear to get more citadels than the NO's supposedly identical 8"/55s. When there aren't any BBs present, don't be afraid to throw your weight around. However, sometimes in cruiser duels neither party presents a favorable angle, and thus HE is used instead of AP. Don't expect to beat an IJN cruiser in such an HE duel, they simply have a higher volume of fire. You live and die by the citadel.

 

The trick to playing the Baltimore is to be patient. Start by escorting a BB (preferably a friend you are communicating with). Destroy planes, lob HE at whatever comes into range, but don't go out of your way to get into firing range or you might find yourself getting focused fired by multiple enemies. If you stay alive, later in the battle you often get a chance to close to a more ideal range (9-11km) and engage enemy DDs and CAs. This is where the Baltimore really shines imo.

 

One final note regarding stats, if you check them. In my experience division results in a higher win rate and lower damage. Playing solo has exactly the opposite effect. Don't pay the stats any mind, and either keep grinding to the Des Moines, or play mid tiers for fun/silver if it does bother you.

 

 

[Dah_Bears268]

The issue with the Baltimore is that you have to be super careful when enemy BBs are within firing range. Given that the range of the average high tier BBs is much longer than your 15.8 km range, this means that any time you can shoot at an enemy BB, said BB is well within reasonably accurate (for a BB anyways) firing range, and you must protect your broadside or get blown away.

 

That being said the Baltimore can maul enemy cruisers if you get a favorable angle. You have very good armor yourself, and the guns appear to get more citadels than the NO's supposedly identical 8"/55s. When there aren't any BBs present, don't be afraid to throw your weight around. However, sometimes in cruiser duels neither party presents a favorable angle, and thus HE is used instead of AP. Don't expect to beat an IJN cruiser in such an HE duel, they simply have a higher volume of fire. You live and die by the citadel.

 

The trick to playing the Baltimore is to be patient. Start by escorting a BB (preferably a friend you are communicating with). Destroy planes, lob HE at whatever comes into range, but don't go out of your way to get into firing range or you might find yourself getting focused fired by multiple enemies. If you stay alive, later in the battle you often get a chance to close to a more ideal range (9-11km) and engage enemy DDs and CAs. This is where the Baltimore really shines imo.

 

One final note regarding stats, if you check them. In my experience division results in a higher win rate and lower damage. Playing solo has exactly the opposite effect. Don't pay the stats any mind, and either keep grinding to the Des Moines, or play mid tiers for fun/silver if it does bother you.

 

 

Once Baltimore gets its gun upgrade it fires a different shell than New Orleans(APC Mk21 instead of APC Mk19), that's where the extra penetration(and +400 in citadel damage) comes from.

 

IJN Cruiser fires a better 203mm HE shell(3200 damage, 16-17% of fire) compared to USN cruisers(2800 damage, 14% of fire). That have more to do with why you would be losing a HE duels than the volume of fire(nerfed myoko 43 rpm, Ibuki 40 rpm, upgraded Baltimore 41.3rpm).

 

I agree with you on the overall points regarding how to play Baltimore though.