Iowa hell

[KTcraft]

Picked it up recently.   Was looking forward to it after the mediocrity that was the North Carolina.  I don't hate the NC,  it's dispersion trajectory shell velocity TDS rear gun turret and massive citadel just disagreed with me a bit.

I digress.

Picked up the Iowa and free exped the top hull and FCS, mounted the bells and whistles for equipment and stuck a 14pt captain on it.  

I was not expecting an American Izumo.  Its just as sluggish, but it has even worse dispersion, worse armor, worse secondaries.  

Now I may have just gotten unlucky the few matches I've played so far and certainly there have been times where I did not play optimally-mistakes certainly were made.  But the ship just feels bad to play.  

I picked up the hipper recently too and immediately I fell in love with the thing even though my first match was a disaster.  Not so much with the Iowa.

 

So what do people like about this ship that sets it apart from the izumo?   Apart from personal bias because it is a handsome ship.  What special attributes does it have that make it a memorable and enjoyable ship to play because I want to find its strengths in order to craft a viable playstyle but it's proving to be problematic.

 

Assume I've already played the Izumo and NC and did so with fair competence-no basics required.

 

 

I know I'm not the most profficient of players but I feel even someone like myself should be able to utilize it better.

[devastator5000]

Iowa had great AA when upgraded with captain and all.

[Captain_Dorja]

Iowa, quite likely the penultimate battleship design ever. Gotta be made worse or else there isn't room for Nippon Stronk.

[Gabriel_LXIX]

Iowa, quite likely the penultimate battleship design ever.

 

wat

[4wilds]

I stopped at the Iowa as I had no interest in the Montana, have yet to hear anything positive about it.

 

I use the Iowa the same way I use (current tense because I play both) my NC, bow on and pushing forward, keep the broadside out of view as much as possible and pretend I only have two turrets.

[FratStar4Life]

Personally, I did not like the Iowa... I never played it though while it was OP and before its armor nerf

[TurboT]

I seriously hate it.  It's the worst BB in my fleet by far. I am so dissappointed because I thought it would be the grand ship it should be. It's AA is the only good thing about it,but it's so big and slow it can't turn to avoid torps from anything, then gets smashed in the side after you don't avoid the torps.

[Sakuzhi]

Iowa, quite likely the penultimate battleship design ever. Gotta be made worse or else there isn't room for Nippon Stronk.

 

...You really have no idea how sub-par the Iowa-Design was for Battleship combat do you. Only reason it ended up being the best 'BB" evar is because we kept developing things for it after WW2 when no one else did.

 

 

The Yamato-Class is the end all, be all Battleship v Battleship design that was ever completed. Not the Iowa-class.

[Mesrith]

So what do people like about this ship that sets it apart from the izumo?   Apart from personal bias because it is a handsome ship.  What special attributes does it have that make it a memorable and enjoyable ship to play

 

None really.  The Iowa is mired in mediocrity, but its reputation as a good ship still exists due to its old, bugged-vs-HE superstructure and its Real Life Legend™.  It has great AA but is a long hulled torpedo magnet without enough armor to protect its gigantic citadel against peer battleships.  The firepower is "fine".  It was my original tier 9 keeper ship but I enjoyed it less every time I played it after awhile, so it got sold and the commander was demoted to destroyer duty.

[mohawkdriver]

You have to be a bot to play the Iowa these days.

[Wo_9]

she is fun to play, just give it time and she will grow on you.  you cant use the normal battleship tactics and expect to win the game, you have to position yourself correctly at all times. when things come together perfectly though its very worth it in the end.  

 

this ship has given me many good memories and i wont ever forget them.  

 

 

if ur interested in how to play her i can give you a video example of one of the games i had in the past.

 

here it is 

 

 

 

now go out there and sail this freedom boat.  :>

[Big_Spud]

It has every weakness that the North Carolina has, but with an extra 200 feet added onto the citadel length.

 

Its speed has been nerfed, it maneuverability has been nerfed, its Anti-Aircraft firepower has been nerfed, its armor has been nerfed through the complete absence of its de-capping plate, the accuracy is absurdly bad, and the torpedo defense system is weak.

 

All it is is a big target for other things to shoot at. Even WG realized this, as its getting buffed in the next patch.

[GhostSwordsman]

So what do people like about this ship that sets it apart from the izumo?   Apart from personal bias because it is a handsome ship.  What special attributes does it have that make it a memorable and enjoyable ship to play because I want to find its strengths in order to craft a viable playstyle but it's proving to be problematic.

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

Yeah, I got nothing...

[Big_Spud]

 

...You really have no idea how sub-par the Iowa-Design was for Battleship combat do you. Only reason it ended up being the best 'BB" evar is because we kept developing things for it after WW2 when no one else did.

 

 

The Yamato-Class is the end all, be all Battleship v Battleship design that was ever completed. Not the Iowa-class.

 

The Iowa was by no means "sub-par" for battleship combat in the 1940's, just look at the other ships in that were being fielded at the time. KGV's, Littorios, Richelieu's, Bismarcks. It could have made mincemeat out of anything but the Yamato in a straight up fight, and there are multiple scenarios where it comes out on top in that as well. You don't need a 16" thick belt, or to weigh 75,000 tons to be a great battleship in 1940.

 

 

[FratStar4Life]

she is fun to play, just give it time and she will grow on you.  you cant use the normal battleship tactics and expect to win the game, you have to position yourself correctly at all times. when things come together perfectly though its very worth it in the end.  

 

this ship has given me many good memories and i wont ever forget them.  

 

 

if ur interested in how to play her i can give you a video example of one of the games i had in the past.

 

here it is 

 

 

 

now go out there and sail this freedom boat.  :>

 

I don't think KT's problem is doing well in the Iowa; I think it is more along the lines of being able to consistently do well

[Wo_9]

 

I don't think KT's problem is doing well in the Iowa; I think it is more along the lines of being able to consistently do well

 

im just giving advice.  

[KTcraft]

....

 

I appreciate that the ship is/was enjoyable for you and you seem to have found an apparently effective playstyle.   I understand positioning and tactics at least on a fundamental level, I don't find that an issue. 

You may have to elaborate on what "non normal BB tactics" are because the firing arcs and maneuverability are very similar to the Izumo, and the overall turret layout is like the NC, I feel that I should be able to play it in a similar fashion to the Izumo with some NC sensibilities.

 

 

I am however looking for more specific characteristics that can help define playstyle and set it apart.  IE, The Amagi has a dynamic playstyle that emphasizes bullying cruisers at close range with its large gun count and speed, and skirmishing with battleships, due to its thinner citadel armor but good firing arcs.

 

As you are an experienced Iowa Captain with 3000 battles in it alone, I am sure you have established a concrete style in order to make use of it's strengths.  What are those strengths?  That's what I'm trying to figure out because I am having difficulty finding any.

[jamminAX92]

 

...You really have no idea how sub-par the Iowa-Design was for Battleship combat do you. Only reason it ended up being the best 'BB" evar is because we kept developing things for it after WW2 when no one else did.

 

 

The Yamato-Class is the end all, be all Battleship v Battleship design that was ever completed. Not the Iowa-class.

 

ummm, penultimate means second best, which it was. Yamato was amazing for ship to ship combat, we get it. His point was that it shouldn't be a longer NC that is in some ways easier to kill and doesn't get the clear design advantages in game that are present in real life design.

[gurudennis]

Iowa isn't perfect for my taste but I find that it works for me to play her like an oversized and sluggish Amagi. In other words, avoid brawling and avoid going bow-in (this is in contrast to NC where the tactic is a lot more viable, at least when the NC is top tier). Mobility is key, the tricky part is to avoid showing the massive unprotected citadel...

 

I believe some folks spec her for concealment, not without success.

 

[Wo_9]

 

I appreciate that the ship is/was enjoyable for you and you seem to have found an apparently effective playstyle.   I understand positioning and tactics at least on a fundamental level, I don't find that an issue. 

You may have to elaborate on what "non normal BB tactics are" because the firing arcs and maneuverability are very similar to the Izumo, and the overall turret layout is like the NC, I feel that I should be able to play it in a similar fashion to the Izumo with some NC sensibilities.

 

 

I am however looking for more specific characteristics that can help define playstyle and set it apart.  IE, The Amagi has a dynamic playstyle that emphasizes bullying cruisers at close range with its large gun count and speed, and skirmishing with battleships, due to its thinner citadel armor but good firing arcs.

 

well i dont play Izumo, but if your used to the bow on playstyle thats pretty much how you play her.  except you keep a reasonable distance from enemy ships, not to close and not to far away where dispersion  can screw you over.  12 KM is pretty ideal in most situations.  

 

the problem is though.. when you need to turn away to avoid danger you pretty much have to take a risk and u may take 1-2 citadels but atleast its better than dying. you just have to time it right.  

 

Just play like a defensive minded NC.  it'll take time though to adjust if your new to her so dont worry about how u will perform to much.

 

im curious though, are you planning to keep Iowa or go straight into Montana?

 

 

[KTcraft]

........

I'll try to see if I can't quick summarize.

Stay at mid range no closer no farther.  Remain bow on as much as humanly possible.  Brawling and close combat even against BBs is not a productive use of the ship. Turning away is a necessary evil which can and will result in large damage.

I'll give it a shot.  From this synopsis though  It does sound like a cross between an NC and an Izumo.

 

 

As for if it's a keeper.  That depends entirely on if I can draw out unique characteristics from the ship-positive ones- to create a workable and enjoyable playstyle.

[Wo_9]

Just give it time.   she is one of those ships IMO.   im just tired of the stereotypes of her being bad :/

 

gets quite annoying.   so i try to help when i can.  

[Aetreus]

ummm, penultimate means second best, which it was. Yamato was amazing for ship to ship combat, we get it. His point was that it shouldn't be a longer NC that is in some ways easier to kill and doesn't get the clear design advantages in game that are present in real life design.

Iowa is almost exactly a NC that is easier to kill due to larger size and has somewhat better speed and firepower. At her tier, I'd compare her directly with Amagi and Kongo. She has relatively low armor, good AA, is fairly fast but has a very long protected length making any situation where you expose yourself to incoming firepower very dangerous. She's a good but not amazing ship.

[KTcraft]

Just give it time.   she is one of those ships IMO.   im just tired of the stereotypes of her being bad :/

 

gets quite annoying.   so i try to help when i can.  

 

Being a bad ship does not mean it can't be fun to play.   I absolutely LOVE my Atlanta, but there's no getting around the fact she is bad-her unique playstyle makes her enjoyable though. 

 

Vice versa applies though.  Being fun to play does not make a ship good or better then it's peers.  Another example is the Furutaka-which has also has a unique playstyle and attributes which make it a very enjoyable ship for me- but I am of the firm belief the Murmansk and Koenigsberg are just better ships. 

[Wo_9]

 

Being a bad ship does not mean it can't be fun to play.   I absolutely LOVE my Atlanta, but there's no getting around the fact she is bad-her unique playstyle makes her enjoyable though. 

 

Vice versa applies though.  Being fun to play does not make a ship good or better then it's peers.  Another example is the Furutaka-which has also has a unique playstyle and attributes which make it a very enjoyable ship for me- but I am of the firm belief the Murmansk and Koenigsberg are just better ships. 

 

well i want her to get buffed i am not against it.  even if i may be biased i just cant see her being a bad ship especially in a tier 9 game.  I just despise tier 10 games at times because of the Zao/Shima spam but thats something even tier 10 BB cant really help.  

 

there is a joy in making hipster ships work i cant get the same excitement when playing IJN ships.  tirpitz atm is the only non-USN ship i main