My Tier 5 Cruiser Experience So Far

[Hunter_Steel]

So currently I have had the pleasure of sailing 3 Tier 5 cruisers, the Furutaka, Konigsberg and Marblehead. I still have my Marblehead. I am currently looking forward to sailing the Kirov, but I hear a lot of bad things about it. Anyways, here's my opinion on each ship:

 

I'll talk about my favorite of the 3, Furutaka:

 

I've loved the Furutaka since she was placed in the game, and I did considerably well in her during her pre-buff stage. She has a strong hull, can tank shots at the right angle and has the most powerful guns in Tier 5. I sadly, ground through her before she was buffed, and so I sold her for Aoba. But alas, I shall return to her eventually. Once I have most of my current grinds completed.

 

Next up is Konigsberg.

 

To be honest, I hate this ship. Is it because of her performance? Oh hell no, this beastie was able to keep up with Clevelands in damage when I used her, and her AP was lovely. But then, why do I hate it? Its her rear turret alignment in it's A-Symmetrical non centerline turret placement. Those rear turrets irritate me to no extent and I absolutely hated her. Looking at her gave me a headache and I couldn't wait to sell her for Nurnberg. I still don't regret my decision.

 

And finally, Marblehead.

 

This piece of crap has been sitting in my port since I got her. I played a few games in her here and there... but I never got the feel for her. That all-gun style of shooting with all those wing turrets never agreed with me in any of the ships in the lower tiers and is the same reason why I haven't touched the USN cruisers. I have no interest for them, and the only one that holds a slight bit of interest is Cleveland due to it, next to Des Moines, being down right the second best looking ship in the whole damn cruiser line. The rest are just ugly turds.

 

So that's my experience with Tier 5 cruisers, as you can see, I have actually had a fairly pleasant experience.

 

~Hunter

[Hack_McSlash]

I only have 2 T5 cruisers atm,the Furutaka and the Murmansk. The Furutaka is a good ship,although the traverse speed and reload times are kinda slow. The Murmansk WAS a great ship when I first got it, until the AFT nerf. You can still score alot of hits with it but it's just too squishy to hang with the other T5's, imo. I would have to say that my experience with the T5 cruisers has also been decent, for the most part. I'm gonna give the Konigsberg a shot soon also. Gotta try that awesome AP. 

 

[Harkonen_siegetank]

Konigsberg is a beast, most people expect HE shells from tier 5 cruisers and show their broadside. Then you just AP them to death. Heck even tier 6 CA do this.

 

 

[Originaljuice]

I envy you. I hated the Furutaka, 

 

Kirov is an absolute beast though, but, you'll either love it or hate it. It works for me.

 

 

 

[AVR_Project]

The Furutaka and Aoba are real fun ships, where they are in the tiers.  At tier 7, things get to be more like 'work' with less fun - so don't be in a hurry.  There is less -pew-pew- and more preparation, maneuver, and planning (except for the Atlanta...  just shoot everything).

The tier 5 Omaha is fun too.  It can dodge and return fire at any angle - and pretty quick changing between back and front targets.  What the AA can't shoot down is easily dodged.  Even in a tier 7 gun battle, the Omaha can be useful.  As for appearance, I'd say it closely resembles the 'Bottlesheep'.

Murmansk is an Omaha C with better torps and guns.  Also comes in handy training the changing Russian cruiser captains.

I bought the Konigsburg back after completing the Nurnberg.  The K-burg was fun, but the N-berg was no big improvement for the tiers it was seeing.  If you don't mind getting killed off like a DD, the K-burg is a good kicker.

 

[Hunter_Steel]

The Furutaka and Aoba are real fun ships, where they are in the tiers.  At tier 7, things get to be more like 'work' with less fun - so don't be in a hurry.  There is less -pew-pew- and more preparation, maneuver, and planning (except for the Atlanta...  just shoot everything).

The tier 5 Omaha is fun too.  It can dodge and return fire at any angle - and pretty quick changing between back and front targets.  What the AA can't shoot down is easily dodged.  Even in a tier 7 gun battle, the Omaha can be useful.  As for appearance, I'd say it closely resembles the 'Bottlesheep'.

Murmansk is an Omaha C with better torps and guns.  Also comes in handy training the changing Russian cruiser captains.

I bought the Konigsburg back after completing the Nurnberg.  The K-burg was fun, but the N-berg was no big improvement for the tiers it was seeing.  If you don't mind getting killed off like a DD, the K-burg is a good kicker.

 

 

 

Note: My signature states that I have Mogami. I already know what the higher tiers feel like haha

 

~Hunter

[HostileVector]

The Furutaka and Aoba are real fun ships, where they are in the tiers.  At tier 7, things get to be more like 'work' with less fun - so don't be in a hurry.  There is less -pew-pew- and more preparation, maneuver, and planning (except for the Atlanta...  just shoot everything).

The tier 5 Omaha is fun too.  It can dodge and return fire at any angle - and pretty quick changing between back and front targets.  What the AA can't shoot down is easily dodged.  Even in a tier 7 gun battle, the Omaha can be useful.  As for appearance, I'd say it closely resembles the 'Bottlesheep'.

Murmansk is an Omaha C with better torps and guns.  Also comes in handy training the changing Russian cruiser captains.

I bought the Konigsburg back after completing the Nurnberg.  The K-burg was fun, but the N-berg was no big improvement for the tiers it was seeing.  If you don't mind getting killed off like a DD, the K-burg is a good kicker.

 

 

 

Ugh tier 7 Russian, its a slog. The german ships ive liked, you can be a touch squishy, but you don't get cit as much, and german ap is very nice, the only real down side is the terrible he, but then ive managed to win a slugging match with my hipper against a BB with ap alone, well I say slugging but I was trying to dance out of most of his shells as gracefully as the hipper can dance that is.

[Hunter_Steel]

 

Ugh tier 7 Russian, its a slog. The german ships ive liked, you can be a touch squishy, but you don't get cit as much, and german ap is very nice, the only real down side is the terrible he, but then ive managed to win a slugging match with my hipper against a BB with ap alone, well I say slugging but I was trying to dance out of most of his shells as gracefully as the hipper can dance that is.

 

I once beat a hipper in my Mogami in a slug-fest. Sadly for him, he was 2 guns short of being able to beat my devastating AP/HE salvos. (He was when he was angled lol)

 

~Hunter

[Xero_Snake]

Kirov's case is understandable because it frankly express its design flaw. It's a blast to play competently, but painful at the same time if you don't play well.

 

Königsberg is pretty fun to play if you like CLs, so you would for Soviet CLs.

[11thACRColdsteel]

The Furutaka and Aoba are real fun ships, where they are in the tiers.  At tier 7, things get to be more like 'work' with less fun - so don't be in a hurry.  There is less -pew-pew- and more preparation, maneuver, and planning (except for the Atlanta...  just shoot everything).

The tier 5 Omaha is fun too.  It can dodge and return fire at any angle - and pretty quick changing between back and front targets.  What the AA can't shoot down is easily dodged.  Even in a tier 7 gun battle, the Omaha can be useful.  As for appearance, I'd say it closely resembles the 'Bottlesheep'.

Murmansk is an Omaha C with better torps and guns.  Also comes in handy training the changing Russian cruiser captains.

I bought the Konigsburg back after completing the Nurnberg.  The K-burg was fun, but the N-berg was no big improvement for the tiers it was seeing.  If you don't mind getting killed off like a DD, the K-burg is a good kicker.

 

 

Yep I'm currently rolling with the Murmansk (training my Tier VI Buddy captain) - which is kryptonite for DD's, and the Kirov - I'm loving those guns although you have to have your dancing shoes on cuz it's real squishy....  But I'm very happy with these two....

[D_I_P_Scout]

I struggle with the Furutaka personally.  Maybe the very slow turret rotation and reload time compared to other tier 5s but I never have enjoyed it.  I love the Konigsberg, Kirov, and Murmansk.  They are all solid performers with both the Konigsberg and Kirov having devastating guns on them.  I do solid damage on BBs with ap on both of them.  the Marblehead does not perform like the Murmansk and I bought it mainly to train my US captains so I run it but it is no where near as solid as the other three.  This is my personal opinion.

[jacktar2015]

I think tier V cruisers are the most fun no matter which tree. You get occasional games vs tier III and other games against VIII. currently my favourite is the Konigburg. Im busy working with the Svetlana towards the Kirov and i'l be glad when i get there. The Svets short range guns and torps and mediocre speed makes games "interesting"

[Eisennagel]

 

 

I tend to think the Murmansk is the best Tier 5 cruiser, and relative to tier, the best cruiser in the game, given that, Tier 5 is probably also where the peak of the cruiser concept is.  This is one cruiser that is truly flexible and so well rounded it has a counter to anything you can throw at it.  It differs from the Omaha three important aspects; first, its steering response makes it more agile; second, a quirked Krupp value on its AP makes its AP more effective than the Omaha's; thirdly, it has longer ranged torpedoes than any of the Omahas.  It is unique for having a US class cruiser with such longer ranged torpedoes, and its also unique for having the weapons systems of two countries rolled into a single ship.  

 

For a long time, the Murmansk is the veritable expression of Russian OPness and stronk, and I view it as the gold standard for what a cruiser should be.  Once the captain skill nerf happened, the ship went into decline, the more eccentric and specialized Koenigsburg took ascendancy to the top popularity of Tier 5 cruisers.  Once the Russian cruiser line came in, the Murmansk seems to have further disappeared into the sidelines.

[centarina]

I prefer murmansk over kirov.    kirov sucks bad.  XD

[Tzarevitch]

Konigsburg rocks. It is the overall best in my opinion. It is fragile but it's guns hit hard (and seem to have low dispersion), and everything else about it is at least decent.

 

I like Omaha as well. She has a lot of firepower and is tolerably sturdy. The only real problem I had with her is her citadel is big and people seem to be able to detect her from space. She has a lot of guns that fire quickly and most importantly she can bring decent firepower to bear on an enemy straight ahead or behind to keep your citadel as protected as possible. The placement of the guns gives her a lot of dispersion problems, but she has so many it doesn't seem to matter.

 

I have Furutaka and it is ... ok. Its turret layout makes it strange to operate and they don't fire that fast. They also seem to have a lot of dispersion. I think it is also the least agile of the T5 cruisers I have played (I don't know if the Russian is worse). It has a good bit of firepower (including excellent torpedoes) but it is nearly impossible to use it to any degree without exposing your broadside and citadel. If you are dueling with an enemy ship it is hard to use more than 2 guns. Competent enemies KNOW you have to turn to bring your firepower to bear and they'll hit you in the citadel (which is not small) when you do. I know because that is what I do when I see one. Aoba is basically the same ship but with a much better turret arrangement.

 

I've never played the Russian cruiser so I can't speak on them.

[hardtodie]

In my opinion the best the best tier 5  cruiser in the game of World

of  Warships is the Omaha. It has great main guns and tropedios.

[DirtyDiggler]

I hate the Murmansk so much, I don't know what it is about that ship but I just do awful in it, and hate it. I sold it twice already and got it long ago when i tried the game out in beta. I dislike tier 5 overall, but if i had a choice it would be the Konigsberg.

[aethervox]

As to what tier 5 Cruiser is the best?

Not sure since they all somewhat different.

I only have the Furutaka now (as I am further on w the Am & Ger lines).

Sure, the Furutaka has slow RoF but it is fast enough and those 10k torps are it's secret weapon (funny how no one mentions them but me).

[4wilds]

I am finding I dislike the Furry Taco, though to be honest I'm hating all the IJN Cruisers thus far. I just can't seem to get the feel of the play style, I don't rely on the torps except in very specific situations (dying, last ditch effort), I'm just too used to guns guns guns and the guns on the Taco are just so lackluster in my opinion.

 

It is entirely possible (and likely) I am not playing her to her potential but meh.

 

I agree with your Marblehead opinion though, it was a free ship but it is pretty much a turd.

[Landing_Skipper]

I got the Murmansk first.  The weird gun placement really is an asset, especially for destroyer hunting, because of the ability to have 5 (?) barrels on target going straight ahead.  There is an odd "blind spot" out the back though which is BAD when making a "tactical withdrawal".  The spotter plane makes this ship a bit silly in terms of being able to light up BBs at ridiculous distances over islands.  Demolition Expert is excellent and the AP isn't too shabby either unless you compare it to the Furry Taco or the Kirov.  And 8km torps with decent firing arcs are icing on the cake.  I still like this ship.  It is a great destroyer hunter.

 

The Furry Taco is just painful for me.  Slow turret rotation and really long reload times => unhappy Chip.  Her citadel is both large and high up out of the water.  Not a good combo unless you're shooting at her.

 

During the public test for 0.5.6, I decided to try the German cruiser line because a friend was bragging on his Nurnberg.  Turns out that the Konigsberg is the Tier 5 cruiser I've always needed.  Well, honestly I couldn't have played her well at all until I learned to play battlecruiser with the Budyonny.  Damage #s are excellent.  Range is great.  Dispersion is very manageable.  Reloads are FAST.  Turning is not fast.  The rear turrets are even more weird than the Murmansk up front BUT "kiting" (firing while running away) while dropping effective AP on a Cleveland from outside its effective range is SWEET.  The only downside is that you just want to hide from BBs.  Fire starting ability isn't as bad as the reputation - but it's still lame.  Can't wait to get Demo Expert!

[Eisennagel]

 

 

Furutaka is even sweeter now, with her proper dual mounted guns.  Note that compared to other IJN heavy cruisers, she has the tightest shot dispersion.

 

You can't get into a heavy cruiser mindset or style without driving a battleship first.  Its either that or you have to use ships like the Furutaka or the Kirov as introductions to the heavy cruiser style of fighting.  If you don't learn how to use any of these two, you're not going to get ready for other heavy cruisers.