21 knot USN BBs in Random. Advice Needed.

[KaptainKaybe]

Hi guys,

 

I'm running into a very frequent problem that makes me want to punch something. I'm hoping you can offer good advice.

 

So here's the thing ... I really like the New Mexico for being a really tough ship, able to withstand good punishment and dish it out. I heard the new and improved Colorado is beast too. But now I'm running into a huge source of frustration: In Random, I am *always* running into a situation where my cruiser and destroyer support turns tail and runs just as the fighting starts. I may be slowly pushing forward with a group of allies to cap a point, but the moment any sort of moderate opposition pops up, they turn around and flee at top speed, leaving me to get picked off with focus fire. And I'm not talking the kind of moments where we realize we are badly outnumbers, but those where we are around evenly matched. Easily half if not more of the games in my New Mex end this way, and I count the good games among them by those where I at least manage to dish out the pain before going under. At a 21 knot top speed, or closer to 15 while I try and turn around, it's absolutely impossible for me to run.

 

Now perhaps I just happen to have spectacularly bad luck when it comes to Random teammates, and perhaps I really should be expecting this from PUGs, but it's really disheartening as I'm okay with dying because of my own mistakes, but I lose my crapwhen I get stuck in the above no win situation.

 

So I ask you folks who have experience playing with the New Mex and Colorado in Random, without a division: HOW do you play? What's your standard modus operandi to be able to inflict max punishment at good ranges (circa the 10-12km sweet spot of mid-tier USN BBs) while being able to keep yourself safe due to lack of support? I love the look and feel of the USN BB line, but I really am at a loss on how to proceed and I'm hoping some of you might have the answer. I'd hate to abandon this line just because of bad Random groups all the bloody time.

 

Thanks.

[Skeem689]

Never liked the New Mexico, USN ships up until tier 8 are too slow for me. The dispersion and speed has always kept me away from them even though I love the brawler play style. 

 

 

[TenguBlade]

For New Mexico in particular the short range combined with low speed is crippling to her ability to help teammates: I bought the Artillery Plotting Room 1 upgrade to offset that.  The best you can do is reassure your teammates that you've got their back if you're up against an even number or fewer enemies than your own battle group, otherwise you have to run with them.  The good thing about USN BBs' slow speed is that you can see you teammates fleeing before you yourself are forced to follow suit.

[clowlock]

BBs in general reward prediction, always predict for your teammates being totally retarded and take steps to prevent you from dying because of that.

Stay with your cruisers as if you were the "support" until you're sure you can push and they wont retreat, this will also mean that if the entire enemy team lemming train that side then you would have a chance of retreating. Other than that you're golden if you get to brawling range and have support.

[LittleWhiteMouse]

 

So I ask you folks who have experience playing with the New Mex and Colorado in Random, without a division: HOW do you play? What's your standard modus operandi to be able to inflict max punishment at good ranges (circa the 10-12km sweet spot of mid-tier USN BBs) while being able to keep yourself safe due to lack of support? I love the look and feel of the USN BB line, but I really am at a loss on how to proceed and I'm hoping some of you might have the answer. I'd hate to abandon this line just because of bad Random groups all the bloody time.

 

Thanks.

 

I don't have the New Mexico or Colorado (yet) but I do have another slow tier 6 Battleship, the Warspite.  She's tankier than the New Mexico in some respects, more agile too with better secondaries.  But she can't hold a candle to the raw firepower that the New Mexico puts out.  Still, there's some overlap between the two, and I think I can help you a bit here.

 

1. When playing slow BBs solo, islands are your friend.

   I know what you're thinking.  But isn't that a sure fire way to get my face blown off by torpedoes from lurking destroyers.  It is, but only if the destroyers are present.  The main purpose for hugging these islands is to provide you with hard cover and to block line of sight to the enemy if you find yourself outnumbered.  You can reduce the amount of incoming fire this way and take steps to extract yourself.  Just keep an eye on the minimap and always be aware of what destroyers are dangerous and in which areas of the map they're lurking.  IJN DDs are the big one to watch out for.

    

2. Pick your targets very carefully.

   Accept that in any fight you put yourself, you're going to be outnumbered.  Now, in order to survive, you have to neutralize ships fast.  Don't shoot at Battleships.  Shoot at everything else first.  Going for big damage citadel hits on a BB is all well and fine, but if that damage could be better placed sinking a DD or mauling a cruiser and making it turn back?  All the better. 

    

3. You don't have to kill them, just make them not want to come at you first.

   Make your guns sing early -- as early as possible and make those hits count.  A BB isn't really going to notice a 3000 damage hit at the onset of a match but a cruiser will.  A citadel hit against a BB might make them flinch but a citadel hit on a cruiser will make them turn the other way and not want to fight on that flank anymore.  Make your guns shoot more often than the enemy by bullying them into cowering from you.  By doing this strategically, you can whittle down the number of opponents you'll face on your flank through the simple expediency of making them twist and squirm about who's going to lead the charge. 

    

4. It's not about what you can see, it's about what you can't.

   Watch the minimap.  Predict where the ships will go by looking at the roster.  You can decide right from the onset of the game where you can place your New Mexico to do the most harm to the enemy.  Are you headed to an area where a successful push will be dependent on your team mates being all tough and aggressive?  That's a wiener move.  You're hoping they'll win it for you.  Where can YOU go that YOUR presence will make the difference?  You're slow, so go there as quick as you can.

[amaROenuZ]

 

I don't have the New Mexico or Colorado (yet) but I do have another slow tier 6 Battleship, the Warspite.  She's tankier than the New Mexico in some respects, more agile too with better secondaries.  But she can't hold a candle to the raw firepower that the New Mexico puts out.  Still, there's some overlap between the two, and I think I can help you a bit here.

 

1. When playing slow BBs solo, islands are your friend.

   I know what you're thinking.  But isn't that a sure fire way to get my face blown off by torpedoes from lurking destroyers.  It is, but only if the destroyers are present.  The main purpose for hugging these islands is to provide you with hard cover and to block line of sight to the enemy if you find yourself outnumbered.  You can reduce the amount of incoming fire this way and take steps to extract yourself.  Just keep an eye on the minimap and always be aware of what destroyers are dangerous and in which areas of the map they're lurking.  IJN DDs are the big one to watch out for.

    

2. Pick your targets very carefully.

   Accept that in any fight you put yourself, you're going to be outnumbered.  Now, in order to survive, you have to neutralize ships fast.  Don't shoot at Battleships.  Shoot at everything else first.  Going for big damage citadel hits on a BB is all well and fine, but if that damage could be better placed sinking a DD or mauling a cruiser and making it turn back?  All the better. 

    

3. You don't have to kill them, just make them not want to come at you first.

   Make your guns sing early -- as early as possible and make those hits count.  A BB isn't really going to notice a 3000 damage hit at the onset of a match but a cruiser will.  A citadel hit against a BB might make them flinch but a citadel hit on a cruiser will make them turn the other way and not want to fight on that flank anymore.  Make your guns shoot more often than the enemy by bullying them into cowering from you.  By doing this strategically, you can whittle down the number of opponents you'll face on your flank through the simple expediency of making them twist and squirm about who's going to lead the charge. 

    

4. It's not about what you can see, it's about what you can't.

   Watch the minimap.  Predict where the ships will go by looking at the roster.  You can decide right from the onset of the game where you can place your New Mexico to do the most harm to the enemy.  Are you headed to an area where a successful push will be dependent on your team mates being all tough and aggressive?  That's a wiener move.  You're hoping they'll win it for you.  Where can YOU go that YOUR presence will make the difference?  You're slow, so go there as quick as you can.

 

5. Standards have a very particular ability among battleships to make a turn far faster than anything of their size should of. You can use this. A Standard can wiggle out their rear turrets between salvos against their IJN counterparts without exposing themselves, and can survive at noticeably closer ranges to their torpedo-slinging nephews. This is the benefit you gain for giving up speed and accuracy: the ability to survive at ranges as close as 6-8 kilometers against enemy ships, where citadels are easy and landing an entire 10 gun salvo is within the realm of probability.

[Ujenele]

 

Pretty much all I play is the NM and Colo.  I love the Brawling BBs.  Simply put, talk to your teamates, let them know that you are not going to turn and run at first contact.  Let them know you plan on jaming you NM down the throat of the enemy cause you secondary gunners are a blood thirsty lot! .  Since Ive been doing this simple act of team coordination I have found myself supported more often than abandoned.  The NM and the Colo DO NOT turn and run.  IF you are in a senario were to continue forward means death, then to try to turn and expose your broadside means death a whole lot sooner.  Those situations have to be averted 5 minutes ago and since the ship is so slow are not always avoidable without blatant spawn camping.

 

1. Coordinate with your team. Let them know your play style

2 Head the wise words of Little White Mouse

3. When you find yourself alone on the dark raggedy edge, push on, angle, wiggle, and show them why they NEVER want to face a NM.

This is how I play and my Colorado has the 63% WR and 25% survival rate to show for it.

 

Note: I have Its amazing how a few Citadels can make even an outnumbering enemy force turn and run.

 

[Pope_Shizzle]

In a New Mexico or Colorado, the only map that is really bad is 2 Brothers.  The trick to playing the 21knot BB's well is to understand that you have to be decisive when you choose where to go.  By the time you get to a NM or CO you know where most of the fighting takes place on any given map.  Go there and wreck stuff.  Don't dilly dally.  Point your ship towards where the bad guys are going and go there.  

[TenguBlade]

In a New Mexico or Colorado, the only map that is really bad is 2 Brothers.  The trick to playing the 21knot BB's well is to understand that you have to be decisive when you choose where to go.  By the time you get to a NM or CO you know where most of the fighting takes place on any given map.  Go there and wreck stuff.  Don't dilly dally.  Point your ship towards where the bad guys are going and go there.  

I would add that the Standard-types of the USN tech tree are good practice for being tactically decisive when it's required of you at high tiers irrespective of nation.  With both you have to win your flank else you'll either get seriously bodied or die.

[KaptainKaybe]

Hi guys ... thanks for the advice, I appreciate it. I'll admit I was pretty flustered that night when I posted it as the above happened quite frequently. But overall, I'm okay now.

 

LWM, I have the Warspite and LOVE the Warspite. She is my favorite ship to play currently and I've fully upgraded her secondaries so that they fire at 7.2km range. It's like this bubble of pain that surrounds me. Shreds destroyers right up. I haven't yet tried Ranked battles, but if I do, she'll be the one I'll use.

[Raf109]

Just try sticking with your team a little bit more. Make sure other ships like Cruisers are backing you up. Also, if you're not doing so well or the enemy team if focusing on you, just pull back for a little bit and let your team discract the enemy until you come around. Amercian BB's have tons of health, save the HP for later if you can.

[Xylo]

 

 

So I ask you folks who have experience playing with the New Mex and Colorado in Random, without a division: HOW do you play? What's your standard modus operandi to be able to inflict max punishment at good ranges (circa the 10-12km sweet spot of mid-tier USN BBs) while being able to keep yourself safe due to lack of support? I love the look and feel of the USN BB line, but I really am at a loss on how to proceed and I'm hoping some of you might have the answer. I'd hate to abandon this line just because of bad Random groups all the bloody time.

 

Thanks.

 

Really the first thing I try to do is call out targets.  Starting off with visible DDs, then cruisers and then ultimately enemy BBs.  CAs/CLs rarely leave the area after you've gotten a citadel or 4 on the enemy they are facing.  At that point they are all thinking...Easy kill.  And usually after you get a single citadel on one target, you can start looking at the next target as your CA/CLs will finish each wounded target off in succession.   Basically it's like leading a bunch of piranhas to a feeding frenzy, only you have to draw first blood.

 

Sometimes it doesn't work, but most of the time it gives the aggressive cruiser drivers something to aim for...But it's all dependent upon you, as the BB putting yourself into the right position to make that first shot.