BB angling and armour penetration tool

[Saelon]

Sometimes on the forums, I see people making a reference to angling in battleships, and I don't quite understand what they mean. I have observed that when I am playing BB's, my survivability seems to improve if I present my bow to incoming fire while I am reloading, and turning 20-30 degrees once reloaded to fire, and then turning back. Is this "angling"? If not, could anyone describe what one should do to "angle" in a battleship, and how it compares with bow-on and broadside? (Broadside presumably having pretty poor survivability).

 

Also, I am wondering if there is a tool and/or resource that I can use to tell me which targets I can engage with AP shells, and which I can only engage with HE? Generally, I use AP on any ship that is smaller than, or the same size as me (or the same class), and HE on destroyers, or larger ships than me. But I would like to know if there are some cruisers I can use AP on as some destroyers, or some battleships I can use AP on with some cruisers. Is there such a resource/tool?

 

Lastly, I was looking at one of the skills, which says that it increases the chance of fire from shell hits by 3%. Is this an increase of 3 percentage points, as in, a DD's HE shell with 7% chance of fire increases to 10% chance of fire? Or is it an increase of 3%, bringing it to 7.21% chance of fire on a hit?

 

Thank you anyone that can offer me any help.

[Killer1941]

For angling I find most BBs that you should angle yourself to the point where all your guns can be aimed at a target.

Also this video will give you more details.

 

As for what type of ammo you should use the general rule is.

BBs use AP on anything that isn't a DD.
Cruisers use AP on other Cruisers and HE on DDs and BBs. If you are close enough you might be able to pull of a penetration with a CA on a BB. I use HE on CVs, light them on fire then switch to AP.
DDs use HE on everything except a few DDs (mostly the Russian DDs) can use AP on Cruisers and get some penetrations.

Another vid.

Spoiler

 

 

[BlazerSparta]

Yes, that's angling.

 

Fire chance presented to you in the client is not actual fire chance, it's a number that goes into the equation to calculate fire chance. IIRC, anything that reduces fire chance is basically useless, but the captain skill to boost fire chance is ok if you don't need the other T4 skills.

 

Whether or not you can pen something depends on the situation. In general, A BB can damage anything else in the game with AP. Even if the enemy ship is angled towards you, you can aim for the superstructure or turrets to deal damage and damage/destroy guns.

 

Light cruisers won't be able to penetrate anything other than another light cruiser unless they're broadside, although slamming AP into the bow/stern of BBs can reliably do serious damage.

 

Destroyers can pen broadside cruisers from close range, but in general, stick to HE if unsure.

 

As far as cruisers and DDs go, your reload is short enough you can always just ire an AP salvo and see if it does anything before you decide.

[Vader_Sama]

Also don't give in the temptation of trying to have all of your guns bear on one target to fire.

 

A lot of times the result ends terribly with you dead or crippled due to your angling becoming less effective and making penetration easier for the enemy.

 

Though some ships can get away with it such as destroyers and cruisers, but battleships not so much.

[Saelon]

For angling I find most BBs that you should angle yourself to the point where all your guns can be aimed at a target.

Also this video will give you more details.

 

As for what type of ammo you should use the general rule is.

BBs use AP on anything that isn't a DD.

Cruisers use AP on other Cruisers and HE on DDs and BBs. If you are close enough you might be able to pull of a penetration with a CA on a BB. I use HE on CVs, light them on fire then switch to AP.

DDs use HE on everything except a few DDs (mostly the Russian DDs) can use AP on Cruisers and get some penetrations.

Another vid.

Spoiler

 

 

Thank you, that video on angling was helpful. 

Yes, that's angling.

 

Fire chance presented to you in the client is not actual fire chance, it's a number that goes into the equation to calculate fire chance. IIRC, anything that reduces fire chance is basically useless, but the captain skill to boost fire chance is ok if you don't need the other T4 skills.

 

Whether or not you can pen something depends on the situation. In general, A BB can damage anything else in the game with AP. Even if the enemy ship is angled towards you, you can aim for the superstructure or turrets to deal damage and damage/destroy guns.

 

Light cruisers won't be able to penetrate anything other than another light cruiser unless they're broadside, although slamming AP into the bow/stern of BBs can reliably do serious damage.

 

Destroyers can pen broadside cruisers from close range, but in general, stick to HE if unsure.

 

As far as cruisers and DDs go, your reload is short enough you can always just ire an AP salvo and see if it does anything before you decide.

I see. I looked up on the wiki for the fire formula, and it looks like it increases the "base" fire chance by 3 percentage points, which then goes into the formula for setting fires. So significantly more useful on small caliber guns than on large caliber guns. 

 

Thank both of you for your help.

[Saelon]

Also don't give in the temptation of trying to have all of your guns bear on one target to fire.

 

A lot of times the result ends terribly with you dead or crippled due to your angling becoming less effective and making penetration easier for the enemy.

 

Though some ships can get away with it such as destroyers and cruisers, but battleships not so much.

Yeah, my problem is with the low tier BB's that have the majority of their guns concentrated in the rear, and without making a target of yourself, you have pretty pathetic firepower. But I will at least try not to make too much of a target of myself when the other guy is loaded. 

[Cruiser_Kumano]

The optimal position in my opinion is at the point where all guns can fire on the same target while keeping the bow of the ship pointed at your opponent. Please be aware of your surroundings as well. Last night, (as of this post), I was angled properly against a North Carolina only to be facing broadside towards two other battleships.

[Saelon]

I just wanted to follow up on this thread to say that by following the advice I was given, I was able to win a 1v1 with a full health Arkansas in my Myogi, and destroyed his ~40,000 hp, while only losing ~14,000 hp in return. 

 

[Vader_Sama]

Yeah, my problem is with the low tier BB's that have the majority of their guns concentrated in the rear, and without making a target of yourself, you have pretty pathetic firepower. But I will at least try not to make too much of a target of myself when the other guy is loaded. 

 

Usually if the enemy is not showing their broadside or is at an angle, it isn't worth the risk of exposing your sides to fire all your guns that would have lower chances of doing significant damage.

 

If they are showing the broadside, then the risk may be worth it especially if the enemy fired, but keeping your ship constantly angled despite them showing their broadside would further preserve your health from damage while they would be losing more especially if you close the distance.