Discussion: best ship per *class* per *tier* in the game

[murder_0ne]

So, I'd like to start a discussion about what people feel are the best ships for each class for each tier. So for example, tier 4- BB, CA, DD, CV. Which ships do you consider the strongest/most effective for their tier and why. And please note, this isn't a whine thread/"this ship is OP" etc. I'm just curious to know what people like and why.

 

Aaaand... go.

[Heinrike_Prinz]

Cleveland, USN Cruiser tree @ T6. 

A dozen 152mm guns with a 15% fire chance w/Demolition Expert, 14.6km range a solid middle ground. Great turret arcs, extremely fast ruddershift with module makes it an excellent runner for kiting. Moderate shell arcs allow it to hide behind cover and fire without any fear, strong mobility characteristics overall. Extremely heavy secondary battery for a CA, especially for the tier. Best in class, untouched AA capability for the next 2-3 tiers (Yes, superior to the Pensacola and it's next brother the NO too). Middle ground AP is simply ok at best past 13km, 11km and under will totally penetrate and sheer force through all tier cruisers. Best in class armoring, and near impossible to citadel with cruiser level guns when angled, is capable of resisting battleship guns past 12km when well angled. Decent RoF at 8 seconds, potentially faster if moved up a tier, literally the only soft stat that needs to be moved. The Nurnberg is slightly adjusted Konig with better RoF, same would be for uptiered Cleveland. The real Cleveland had a faster fire rate, even sustained, than what we have. The Shell speed isn't as bad as people make it out to be, it's the arc that throws them off. 

Despite being 'nerfed' since earlier days, it's still an extremely powerful ship. I'd wager still overpowered.

[KingCakeBaby]

This doesn't work because each ship class in each tier fulfills a different role.

[Aduial]

Tier 1: No one cares, but i would say Orlan. 

Tier 2: CA: Chikuma   DD: Umikaze

Tier 3: BB: South Carolina     CA: St. Louis       DD: Wickes

Tier 4: CV: Hosho   BB: Wyoming   CA: Phoenix   DD: Clemson

Tier 5: CV: Bogue (dem fighter do)     BB: New York   CA: Furutaka   DD: Minekaze

Tier 6: CV: Ryujo    BB: New Mexico    CA: Molotov for prem, Budyonny non-prem     DD: All of them are pretty bad, but Farragut would be the best choice

Tier 7: CV: Hirryu    BB: Nagato      CA: Myoko    DD: Kiev

Tier 8: CV: Shokaku   BB: Amagi    CA: Hipper     DD: Benson or Fubuki, both are amazing, but the current meta favors Benson slightly.

Tier 9: CV: Taiho      BB: Iowa       CA: Roon         DD: Fletcher

Tier 10: CV: Hakyryu     BB: Yamato     CA: All are great in their own way, so no choice here.      DD: Khabarovsk 

 

Strongest overall ships: 

Tier 2: Umikaze: spam out those torps every 22 seconds, and has almost as much health as a cruiser.

Tier 3: St. Louis: Never gets citadeled, has HP left to spare, and spams out shells super fast.

Tier 4: Clemson: Charge BBs and kill them easily, beat cruisers with your DPM and your superior maneuverability, and rek any destroyer that is not another Clemson. 

Tier 5: Minekaze: Super fast torps, and nice stealth with useable guns. 

Tier 6: Ryujo: this ship has a very large number of reserve planes compared to the ships before it. 

Tier 7: Nagato: Guns deal heavy damage to cruisers and battleships, and secondaries shred destroyers. 

Tier 8: Benson: stealth torp, great guns and great stealth

Tier 9: Fletcher: same as Benson, except better.

Tier 10: Yamato: no explanation needed. 

Disclaimer: i have not played all of these ships, and my opinion on some of them comes from indirect experience. 

[Aduial]

This doesn't work because each ship class in each tier fulfills a different role.

 

That's why he said best ship for tier and class......

[Zim_Xero]

https://na.warships.today/vehicles  - check this link out

[Numbah18]

Well for tier 4 I would say that the Wyoming is the best BB. I've sunk many an enemy ship with my Wyoming just by getting 6 to 7 km from them and giving them a full AP broadside. I've only been down the IJN CA line but I have to say using the Furtaka while I had her angled just enough that all six guns could be used was nice even more so thanks to the fact that the way those guns are set up meant I could move half of my firepower to the other side really quickly. Bit different with the new C hull I will admit but still felt just as good. As for DD I would say either the IJN or the RU one. I've been rather successful with the tier 4 IJN DD but I've had very good games with the tier 3 RU DD by just charging people and unleashing wall of you can't possibly hope to dodge this and I've seen people take the tier 4 RU DD and do about the same. CV is really a toss up if I'm honest. If just for stats sake I would actually say the Langley is best. Langley has better AA and it's FT can really ruin a Hosho's day but I've seen it countless times where the Hosho manages to sneak there TB around and completely wreck a Langley.

[Cruiser_Chicago]

CVs: Japanese carriers all the way with the exception of the Langley at tier 4

 

DDs: Minekaze is the strongest DD at tier 5 if you don't count the Gremyaschy, American DDs dominate tiers 4 and 6-9, and the Khabarovsk is the strongest DD at tier 10

 

BBs: Japanese are superior at all tiers except tiers 4, 8, and 9, the NC and the Iowa are the strongest BBs the Americans have to offer tier for tier

 

Cruisers: The Japanese have the superior ships once again except for tiers 6 and 8 where the Russian Budyonny is king, and the Mikhail Kutuzov is another strong contender for best T8 cruiser against the Atago

[khaenn35]

CVs: Japanese carriers all the way with the exception of the Langley at tier 4

 

DDs: Minekaze is the strongest DD at tier 5 if you don't count the Gremyaschy, American DDs dominate tiers 4 and 6-9, and the Khabarovsk is the strongest DD at tier 10

 

BBs: Japanese are superior at all tiers except tiers 4, 8, and 9, the NC and the Iowa are the strongest BBs the Americans have to offer tier for tier

 

Cruisers: The Japanese have the superior ships once again except for tiers 6 and 8 where the Russian Budyonny is king, and the Mikhail Kutuzov is another strong contender for best T8 cruiser against the Atago

 

BBs I'd say US have better at T6 and 7 too, If you use them they way they should be used.

 

[1tsaGundam]

Let it be known that a Bogue is not better than a Zuiho when given a competent captain.

[HazardDrake]

Tier 1: Hermelin. German AP = Best AP

Tier 3 DD: Cambeltown

Tier 4 DD: Clemson. The best DD guns Tier for Tier and can stealth fire with only a 10 point captian.

Tier 5 DD: Gremyashchy (There is a reason they aren't selling it again.)

Tier 7 DD: Sims (Those slow torps work great in my hands and a 64 second reload plus fast turning turrets.)

Tier 8 DD: Lo Yang (Slightly better detection range and gets Hydro Search.)

Tier 9 DD: Fletcher

Tier 10 DD: Gearing (I've seen teams lose games because all they had were Russian DDs on a Domination map. Khabarovsk just can't contest caps like a Gearing.)

[Takamachi_Nanoha_sg]

To my own experience:

T1: Hermlin

T2: CL: None DD: Umikaze

T3: CL: Bogatyr DD: Campbelltown BB: South Carolina

T4: CL: Kuma DD: Isokaze BB: Imperator Nikolai I CV: Hosho

T5: CL: Murmansk DD: Minekaze BB: Texas CV: Zuiho

T6: CL:Cleveland DD: Anshan BB: Arizona CV: Ryujo

T7: CL: Atlanta DD: Mahan BB: Nagato CV: Hiryu

T8: CA: Hipper DD: Benson BB: Tirpitz CV: Shokaku

T9: CA: Ibuki DD: Fletcher BB: Iowa CV: Taiho

T10: CA: Zao DD: Khabarovsk BB: Yamato CV: Hakuryu

[atPrick__]

T1 Hermenator

T2 DD Umi// CL Albany!?!?//BB Mikasa

T3 DD Derpski// CL St Louis// BB Currently So Car inb4 Krauts

T4 DD Isoislove// CL PHX// BB Impermenator

T5 DD MinFujKami Type R V Spec-Tech Gremy// CL Murman// BB Kongououou

T6 DD Anshan// CA MOLOTOVerisch// BB SexyMexi

T7 DD HaruHatsu// CL Mylanta// BB ScharnistoOPtobereleased

T8 DD BensonBurner// CA Admiral Beardy Hipster Atago// BB North by North Carolina

T9 DD KAGERO HAHAHAJK Fletch// CA RoonieMara// BB Ms America

T10 DD Grinding// CA Desu Moar Zoa// BB Tomato

 

 

[WanderingGhost]

CV's depend on set up. If the IJN goes the typical set up vs USN mixed/AS, I give it to USN because while it may have limited damage to ships USN fighters out right stomp IJN planes. If USN brings full strike, IJN gets the edge. If IJN brings AS, hard to call cause the extra fighters can be an annoyance but lower it's ability to damage ships considerably.

[murder_0ne]

Loving the input so far!

 

[HazeGrayUnderway]

Well, I'll play for fun but I'll only start for Tier V+ and this is of course personal bias.  In addition, I'm excluding ships that are long out of circulation:

 

First, let me get the Admiral Obvious Choice Award out of the way:  For CVs, the only reigning queens are the IJN CVs.* IJN CVs dominate their USN counterparts in every meaningful way by multitudes that it stopped being funny last year.

 

TIER V

DD - Gnevny (Ohhh I know, I know)

CL - Furutaka (Patch 5.6.0 was very good to her;  Dethrones Murmansk, IMO)

BB - Texas

TIER VI

DD - Ognevoi

CL - Molotov (Seriously, guys)

BB - Arizona (Until they fully fix Warspite)

Tier VII

DD - Blyzkawica

CA - Myoko (I love Schors far more but she's a pure ranged specialist.  Myoko is more well balanced, all around)

BB - Nagato

CV - Saipan* (Oh!  I snuck that one in!)

Tier VIII

DD - Benson

CA - Admiral Hipper (Most all around CA at the tier with fabulous guns, range, shell arcs.  There's nothing she is mediocre in)

BB - Amagi (Traditional Queen of Tier VIII BBs and despite buffs to NC and Tirpitz, she still is the queen despite now closer competition)

Tier IX

DD - Fletcher (Tough, between her and Udaloi who is underrated in her reputation)

CA - Roon

BB - Iowa

Tier X

DD - Gearing (All the rage right now and I appreciate her cap contesting capability and dangerous torpedoes;  dethrones longtime Queen Shimakaze)

CA - Zao

BB - Yamato (Wins by default as the only Tier X BB)

[Vaidency]

My list includes only non-premium ships.  I don't buy premiums so I don't have first-hand experience with them.  I also won't bother to include CV's because everyone knows the IJN CV's are clearly superior right now at every tier except maybe 4 and 5.

 

Tier 1: 

Hermelin has the best guns.

 

Tier 2:

DD: Umikaze wins by default because the other tier 2 DD's are awful.

CL: Dresden but really all the tier 2 cruisers are bad and not fun to play.

 

Tier 3:

DD: Wickes is capable but none of the tier 3 DD's are great.

CL: St Louis has felt overpowered since day one.

BB: South Carolina is underrated because it's most people's first BB, but it's actually quite good.

 

Tier 4:

DD: Isokaze is a monster but all the tier 4 DD's are good.

CL:  Phoenix is very solid once upgraded but Kuma is a solid contender.

BB:  Wyoming is not bad.

 

Tier 5:

DD: Minekaze is probably still on top but all the tier 5 DD's are good.

CL: Omaha is still very solid and flexible, but I haven't played Furutaka since they buffed it and apparently it competes very well now.

BB:  Kongo is very capable once you have the hang of it.

 

Tier 6:

DD:  Faragut is probably the least bad but tier 6 is not very good for DD's in general.

CL:  Budyonny is probably on top now although Cleveland is still solid.

BB:  Fuso still just feels like cheating sometimes.

 

Tier 7:

DD:  Kiev is probably still the best overall but the Mahan is better if you prefer knife-fighting over caps.

CA:  Myoko still feels slightly undertiered.

BB:  Colorado is often underrated because it sucked back when the game launched.  It doesn't anymore.

 

Tier 8:

DD:  Benson is a monster.

CA:  I prefer the New Orleans.  Stealthy and maneuverable with 6 guns up front plus radar it's more solid than most people think.  (I think this is my most controversial pick, but I have played the Hipper and Mogami and prefer the NO.)

BB:  I think North Carolina may beat out Amagi now, but it's close and both are good.

 

Tier 9:

DD: Fletcher is very powerful but Udaloi is often underrated as a close competitor.

CA:  Ibuki's favored playstyle of stealth-firing HE from long range is kind of dull but it's undeniably effective.  Roon is strong but more situational as it relies so much on AP.

BB:  Iowa just stomps all over Izumo.

 

Tier 10:

DD:  Khabarovsk probably narrowly beats out Gearing but both are great.

CA:  Zao is still the queen of cruisers.

BB:  Yamato is still the queen of battleships.

[Aduial]

T1 Hermenator

T2 DD Umi// CL Albany!?!?//BB Mikasa

T3 DD Derpski// CL St Louis// BB Currently So Car inb4 Krauts

T4 DD Isoislove// CL PHX// BB Impermenator

T5 DD MinFujKami Type R V Spec-Tech Gremy// CL Murman// BB Kongououou

T6 DD Anshan// CA MOLOTOVerisch// BB SexyMexi

T7 DD HaruHatsu// CL Mylanta// BB ScharnistoOPtobereleased

T8 DD BensonBurner// CA Admiral Beardy Hipster Atago// BB North by North Carolina

T9 DD KAGERO HAHAHAJK Fletch// CA RoonieMara// BB Ms America

T10 DD Grinding// CA Desu Moar Zoa// BB Tomato

 

 

Holy that's really hard to read...

[Gavroche_]

 

	DDs	BBs	CAs/CLs	CVs
1	X	X	Herm	X
2	Umi	Mikasa	??	X
3	Derski	Kawachi	St. Louis	X
4	Isokaze	Imp. Nikolai	Kuma	Langley
5	Minekaze	Kongo	Murmansk	Zuiho
6	Farragut	New Mexico & Fuso	Molotov	Ryujo
7	Blyscakiwa	Colorado	Schors	Ranger
8	Benson	North Cal & Amagi	Atago	Shokaku
9	Fletcher	Iowa	Dim. Don.	Taiho
X	Khab	Yamato	Zao & Moskva	Hakuryu

Some of them I really just can't decide.