Lert's very simple, very basic beginner's tips for WoWS

[Lert]

First a few basic points:

 

Point the first: Don't try to dodge torpedoes. If you start dodging when you spot torpedoes, it's too late. Instead, start dodging them before they're launched. Dodge the destroyers and torpedo bombers instead. (For destroyers, turn away from them. For torpedo bombers: turn towards them. Exceptions apply.) Get out of the mindset that you have to dodge the torpedoes themselves. If you start moving eratically (Steer unpredictably, vary speed) once a destroyer or torpedo squadron starts coming near, you'll make it a lot more difficult for them to line up and launch to begin with, and not getting hit by actual torpedoes becomes a lot easier. Be proactive, instead of reactive. On second thought, as long as there are unspotted destroyers on the enemy team, moving in a straight line is pretty dumb to begin with. The only times you should consider yourself safe from torpedoes is when either a) all the enemy team's torpedo-throwing ships are both spotted and far away, or b) dead / they don't have any to begin with.

 

Point the second: Did a friendly ship drive into your torpedoes? Are you now yelling at him, calling him an idiot for driving into your torpedoes and giving you a teamkill? Shouldn't have launched those torpedoes where friendlies could wander in to them, bucko. It's your fault. You launched when it wasn't clear. Yeah ideally people 'should' pay more attention, but they've got better things to do than watch for friendly torpedoes coming from behind. DON'T BLOODY LAUNCH WHEN THERE ARE FRIENDLIES AHEAD OF YOU, PERIOD. Refer to the four basic gun safety rules. Specifically the one that says 'be sure of your target and what lies beyond it'. Yeah I know this is a game and not a real life shooting range, but the principle is the same.

 

Point the third: Speaking of torpedoes, know your torpedo's maximum range. I've seen people at tier 7 throwing 5.5km torpedoes at targets 15km away. This makes them look incredibly, biblically, monumentally stupid. Do YOU want to look incredibly, biblically, monumentally stupid? No? Then don't launch torpedoes at things outside their range. Exceptions are to deny an area to the enemy team or force them to react to the threat of torpedoes, but those are rather advanced techniques and this is a beginner's guide. It all still depends on knowing your own torpedo's range, and having situational awareness of where the enemy ships are.

 

Point the fourth: Did you accidentally tunnelvision and nudge a friendly ship? Apologize. Doesn't have to be a heartfelt, three page apology letter signed in triplicate, but a simple 'soz' or 'sry' or 'my bad' will do.

 

Point the fifth: Did that blithering idiot drive his ship into yours? Did he cause you a few hitpoints of damage and a few credits of fine? Big freaking deal. Not worth getting worked up over. If he apologizes for it, even better. Just say 'no problem' (or 'np' if you're lazy) and be on your merry way. I've seen teams lose when someone decided they had to 'take revenge' on 'that guy what rammed them'. Don't be so shallow.

 

Point the sixth: Keep your angles in mind. Don't just sail broadside on to an enemy, that makes it easier for him to damage you. Instead serpentine, keep your hull angled either towards or away from him to increase he functional thickness of your side armor. Your citadel will thank you and you'll live longer.

 

Point the seventh: Don't just blindly spam your damage control party the moment you are lit on fire, especially when you're still being shot at. You'll just get lit on fire again. Oftentimes it's better to suffer a single fire and keep your DCP for when you receive flooding or another fire, rather than to put the original single fire out and then suffer flooding or additional fires. Ideally you should use your DCP when you're (relatively) safe from incoming fire.

 

Point the eighth: minimap, minimap, minimap! Use it! Look at it every 10 seconds or so! It's the most important tool in the game. The actual game mechanics are simpler than in world of tanks, but the requirement for situational awareness is higher. Use your minimap! Intelligence about your team's deployment as well as the enemy team's is vital in being a good WoWS captain.

 

Point the ninth: In tandem with point the eighth, situational awareness is key. Know what's around you. Which friendly ships might want to throw torpedoes at which enemy ships, which friendly ships look like their course might intercept yours, know where the islands are. Look around you during each reload cycle and adapt to what's happening around you.

 

Point the tenth: These are ships. Not tanks. Slowing down / stopping does not make your guns more accurate, it just makes you easier to hit and sink. Accelerating and decelerating takes a lot longer on a boat than on a tank, don't try the peek-a-boo from behind a mountain.

 

 

The most common newbie question: "Should I shoot AP or HE?"

 

- Depends on what you're driving and what you're shooting at, what range your target is at and what angle relative to your position he's on. Therefore, there is no simple set-in-stone ruleset that covers all occasions. However, I do have a few tips and rules-of-thumb that work in most situations that will help you decide what to shoot. In general:

 

- Battleships shoot AP at cruisers, battleships and carriers

- Battleships shoot HE at destroyers and carriers

 

Exceptions: When your target battleship is at very long range, or very sharply angled towards (or away from) you, you might choose to shoot HE instead since AP will likely bounce off in those situations. Also, shooting at battleships two tiers higher than you at range, you might just be better off shooting HE and switch back to AP as you get closer. As for shooting at carriers, there are two schools of thought: HE will cause them to burn during which they can't launch, and AP does more damage to citadels thus killing them quicker. Use whatever you think is best when shooting at carriers.

 

- Cruisers shoot AP at cruisers and carriers

- Cruisers shoot HE at battleships, destroyers and carriers

 

Exceptions: When a battleship is already burning, you're not at very far range and have 8" guns, AP becomes viable. Just don't expect citadel hits. Those are possible if the battleship is same or lower tier than you, you have 8" guns, you're at very close range and he's broadside on to you, unangled.  As for shooting at carriers, same exception applies to cruisers as to battleships, two schools of thought: burn or kill. Choose whichever you think is best.

 

- Destroyers shoot AP at carriers

- Destroyers shoot HE at battleships, cruisers, destroyers and carriers

 

Exceptions: At close-ish range against softly armored cruisers, destroyers can get away with AP into their citadels. I love killing Omaha's in my Gremyashchy this way. As for shooting at carriers, same exception applies to destroyers as to cruisers and battleships, two schools of thought: burn or kill. Choose whichever you think is best.

 

"But where do I shoot the enemy for most damage?"

 

- Again, depends on what you're driving and what you're shooting at. General rule of thumb is that if you're shooting at something with HE you go for the superstructure - that's thinly armored, and your HE shell has a better chance to do full damage and cause a fire. If you're shooting at something with AP you're going for the engine room / boiler room. These tend to be center mass, at the waterline. (exceptions apply) Another option is to go for the magazines, which tend to be below the turrets. (exceptions apply) Hitting the magazine has a chance of just outright blowing the target ship out of the water right there and giving him 10 shiny 'detonation' flags. However, magazines are relatively very small targets, difficult to hit, and not a guaranteed high-damage hit. Easier is to just go for the citadel. Yeah it's the most heavily armored part of the ship. But that's why you're carrying big guns shooting AP, right?

 

"Is it ever good to shoot AP at a destroyers?"

 

- In short, no. Destroyers don't have citadels that you can hit with AP for massive damage. As such AP shells will always just overpenetrate and do 1/10 or just penetrate and do 1/3 of their rated maximum damage. HE on the other hand won't overpenetrate but either splash for some damage or penetrate for their own full damage. Bonus: HE has a higher chance of killing his modules like guns, torpedo tubes, engine or rudder.

 

Exception: when you've got AP loaded anyways, then it's often just better to throw that AP at the destroyers and have the next load cycle be HE, especially in slow loading ships like heavy cruisers, battleships, etc.

[Legendary_Typo]

Also, no more wipes. 

 

[DoomStomper]

Excellent advice. 

 

Whenever WG finally decides to make a proper in-game tutorial, people like Lert should be hired as consultants.

[alexf24]

Good basic guide.

 

On the issue of teammates scratching your paint, not generally a big issue, so I do not fuss about it much, except for the two times I got killed because of it (having been stuck to another ship - not my fault in either case - and been citadelled because of it).

 

PS: Nice work Lert. Trivia: I have seen you in a few battles (I look for names I recognize from the forum or YT, just for fun), and in every case so far we were in the opposing team - I did hole you a few times, but so far neither one of us got a kill on the other. LOL).

[Mizzerys_Fate]

At range a destroyer can shoot AP at another destroyer. Close in, switch to he.

[StingRayOne]

Agree with you on many good points,

However I would point out a couple of thoughts on DDs and Torpedoes

 

Torpedoes fired at a friendly can happen as we are not mind readers and when we see you driving to our right we never assumed you would double back as we fired. So there will always be cases of friendly fire.

Torpedoes can and should be fired out of range. It causes ships,( sometimes multiple) to unfocus, turn, and change tactics. We as DD drivers know if we can force a broadside view , BBs and Cruisers behind us get a better target.

Torpedoes are fired to clear channels, so we fire them and turn in behind them to maintain a clear space that no enemy DD is hiding in.

 

[Bravo_Zulu_000]

Lert - you forgot to mention a couple of things:

 

1.  This game involves ships. Ships move slower than tanks, cars, trains, planes, etc. Going into battle with a ship takes some forethought and tactical awareness. The minimap is your friend. Look at it every 15 seconds or so and keep aware as to what is happening in the match.

2. You also have a chat window. The team that positively communicates stands a significantly higher chance of winning. Please use it so others can coordinate with you. 

3. The ships in this game are more closely matched and tier progression is not as dramatic ergo a tier 4 ship is tactically viable in a tier 6 match and you will potentially make more xp and credits.

4. Lone wolf game play will most likely result in a quick swimming lesson back to port. This is a team based game so stick with some team mates and don't become that single ship that get's focus fire from the enemy because you're the only target in sight.

 

Agree with you on many good points,

However I would point out a couple of thoughts on DDs and Torpedoes

 

Torpedoes fired at a friendly can happen as we are not mind readers and when we see you driving to our right we never assumed you would double back as we fired. So there will always be cases of friendly fire.

Torpedoes can and should be fired out of range. It causes ships,( sometimes multiple) to unfocus, turn, and change tactics. We as DD drivers know if we can force a broadside view , BBs and Cruisers behind us get a better target.

Torpedoes are fired to clear channels, so we fire them and turn in behind them to maintain a clear space that no enemy DD is hiding in.

 

 

Your first point is what Lert is alluding to as a beginner guide and implies that guy on your right is closer to the enemy than you. The fact that there is a friendly closer to the target than you implies the possibility of friendly fire as you are correct, you are not a mind reader. Unfortunately, you are the only one who can control when you fire your torps and the visual aspects of friendly torps are the same as enemy ones to your team mates.

 

Your second point is questionable because if you fire torpedoes well outside of range it's most likely the enemy won't even see them. In essence, if you're within spotting distance but out of torpedo range, maneuvering as if you fired torpedoes would more likely to cause those ships to change course and then you still have torpedoes loaded and ready for when you tactically position yourself to put something in range as those enemy ships do change course for your team mates to hit. 

 

Agreed on the 3rd point. 

  

[Lert]

 

Torpedoes fired at a friendly can happen as we are not mind readers and when we see you driving to our right we never assumed you would double back as we fired. So there will always be cases of friendly fire.

 

Then you fired them too close to friendlies. They are playing their own game, they have their own plans, they have their own targets, they are performing their own maneuvers. You can't expect them to constantly look behind them for friendly torpedoes, while they're trying to concentrate on shooting their own targets. Do you constantly look behind for friendly torpedoes? If you do, you're one of the rare people that do. Don't launch torpedoes when there's friendlies near the path. It's not that hard. Maybe it's time you started assuming he will double back. Maybe that's what he's been planning. You don't know. Don't just assume he's going to keep on driving in a straight line. He's playing his game and shouldn't have to deal with your torpedoes up his backside for doing so.

 

 

Torpedoes can and should be fired out of range. It causes ships,( sometimes multiple) to unfocus, turn, and change tactics. We as DD drivers know if we can force a broadside view , BBs and Cruisers behind us get a better target.

Torpedoes are fired to clear channels, so we fire them and turn in behind them to maintain a clear space that no enemy DD is hiding in.

 

Those are actually decent points. I will amend my OP.

[sTankyLeg07]

+1 Lert. I hope you plan more guides in the future.  Fortunately I actually AM a beginner, and have many questions.  In WoT I had 15k battles in before I discovered your guides.

[Fishrokk]

"Is it ever good to shoot AP at a destroyers?"

 

- In short, no. Destroyers don't have citadels that you can hit with AP for massive damage. As such AP shells will always just overpenetrate and do 1/10 or just penetrate and do 1/3 of their rated maximum damage. HE on the other hand won't overpenetrate but either splash for some damage or penetrate for their own full damage. Bonus: HE has a higher chance of killing his modules like guns, torpedo tubes, engine or rudder.

 

Agreed - but if that's what you have loaded, it is probably better to just fire it at the destroyer, get some early hits and maybe a kill rather than spamming the HE button and waiting for the reload.  Could be the difference between having to dodge torpedoes or not.  (See recommendation about dodging torpedoes.)

 

+1, Lert.  Not quite your beginner's guide for WoT, but plenty enough to be getting on with!

[traxxonraider]

Your guides were very helpful for me in WoT and this one is for me in warships as well.  +1  Good guide.

Two of the things I from your list that I found most helpful was dodging planes/DDs rather than torpedoes (being proactive instead of reactive) and also improving my situational awareness (still working on that one).

[Lert]

Agreed - but if that's what you have loaded, it is probably better to just fire it at the destroyer

 

Good comment, will add.

 

(being proactive instead of reactive)

 

I like that phrase and it describes the problem very well. Will add to my OP.

[Im_The_Seeker2]

Point the second: Did a friendly ship drive into your torpedoes? Are you now yelling at him, calling him an idiot for driving into your torpedoes and giving you a teamkill? Shouldn't have launched those torpedoes where friendlies could wander in to them, bucko. It's your fault. You launched when it wasn't clear. Yeah ideally people 'should' pay more attention, but they've got better things to do than watch for friendly torpedoes coming from behind. DON'T BLOODY LAUNCH WHEN THERE ARE FRIENDLIES AHEAD OF YOU, PERIOD. 

I can't agree with that, I've hit allies that are 15km away with torpedoes by accident, there's absolutely no way I would have been able to predict that:

A. that particular torpedo would miss its intended target

and

B. that particular torpedo would run a course that intercepts an ally's course, before said ally has even set himself on that course

[Lert]

You're still launching with friendlies ahead of you. I agree that at that range and time spend swimming you can be forgiven for hitting him, but I'm still going to hold to the basic rule-of-thumb that the person with the trigger is responsible for his munitions.

[Mlwestman]

One more exception to the torpedo range rule: Okay to fire torpedoes if the spot where target and torp intersect is within range, even if the target isn't yet. A ship on a closing course can bring itself into range of torps launched from just beyond their range.

[CadaverHvyMtl]

Excellent job, as usual, Lert.

[DannyS76]

Thanks Lert. Too many people really need to read this. I for one.

[Dgwphotos]

My opinion is that a ship that is dead in the water is generally a dead ship.

[WW2_Iron_Duke]

Good read, appreciate the tips yes many newer players should read this.

[DoublelHelix]

Great post! I haven't played the game yet... I'm just getting ready to go, but having been a tanker for a couple of years, I wanted to gain some insight into what to expect when I hit the water, so I don't go yolo into the enemy, or my teammates... Your advice is much appreciated. 

 

Thanks

[grammar_slammer]

I think it's fair to say that for an experienced Captain there are situations where firing your torps with an ally in front of you is fine. Such as, they are going the opposite direction in a slow ship that couldn't change course fast enough to get in the way, or they are in another DD doing the same channel denial run as you and it's 90% certain that they are not going to try and pull a 180 degree turn. When I first started with this game I was definitely one of those players that launched the odd torp into a teammate. After the 3 or so incident I stopped firing torps altogether if it was at all possible that an ally could get hit by them. Now that I've played a few more matches and can anticipate the line torps take leaving my ship, I allow myself to fire when it's safe.

 

For the purposes of a beginner's guide, not firing torps with allies in front of you is fantastic advice and a bit that I wish I had picked up on right away. Job well done, Lert!

[VonMayhem]

Thank You for the Tips Lert, i will be looking forward to reading more in the future. Ive only been playing for a couple months so i know my opinion is pretty much worthless....

 

Of course i understand the concept of sticking together, but ive noticed thats when most of the "accidents " happen...Not to mention the whole team sails up the to the right only to have the other team come down the left kill your cv and/ or then  cap and game over...maybe it doesnt work that way in the random battles but againt the bots ive seen it at least 50 times.. IMO i think its better to have( i.e.)2 groups one going up the right and a cple protecting the left flank....I know when your playing against live ppl there are alot more ships on each team so maybe thats what happens anyways

Of course im not disagreeing with you or anything like that, you know and understand far more than i hope to ever know in this game and i appreciate you and the other folks who take the time to post helpful tips and hints so us noobs dont live a life here being cannon fodder for the more experienced players

 

regards

[Lt_Cmdr_Queeg]

Of course early Russian DD on have torps that go 3km to it is almost always safe for both teams to fire them.   Just kidding.

 

I agree, don't fire the torps in the water if a teammate is near the front of you, but I also hold myself accountable as a non-torp splasher to be aware of my surroundings and listen to my warnings.   It is not always a clear cut decision as to which ship is at fault when it comes to friendly fire.

[Destroyer_Isokaze]

nice essential guide. thank you for remind.

[fedupdon]

only have 1 issue wit your advice . i have attacked ships from close range cv ac and have friendly ships run right up to the side of the target if you have 16 :guns or any guns above 5 : why do you have to run right along side, guns have range don't do anymore dmg up close so why