Battleship Captains: Your First Five Minutes

[KaptainKaybe]

Howdy battleships captains! I need your help

 

Here's my dilemma: I love playing battleships. Really love. Over 50% of my matches are in battleships. BUT ... I seem to be MUCH better at playing destroyers, and this by a large margin. I play aggressively in pushing caps, defending caps, hunting down other DDs, and generally pissing off the other team quite a bit. I generally just grok destroyers.

 

BUT ... I still prefer playing battleships. What can I say ... I like playing tank classes. But I have noticed that I tend to play aggressively in BBs also. I absolutely refuse to be one of those BBs that stays in the back and snipes. When I see other BB players do that, it infuriates me to no end, *especially* in Domination matches, which is really the focus of this thread. My problem is I tend be good at helping my team push into a cap and dishing out a good chunk of damage in a hurry, but I also die quickly in most of my matches, hence preventing me from carrying the team afterwards. And for some reason, every time I die early, my team tends to potato. This last match, we had all the caps, all the enemy destroyers were dead, we had an even number of ships ... and still lost. I'd call it a curse, but if I die early, I'm certainly not helping the team in the latter half of the match and deserve to lose like the rest, right? I by no means ever feel entitled to a victory if I'm not pulling my own weight and I care MUCH more about my team's success than my own damage numbers.

 

My question for you all is this: As a battleship captain intent on helping the team win in Domination matches *specifically*, please describe to me your first five minutes. The countdown hits 0, the match starts, you have decisions to make that will help your team get cap advantage early on. What do you do? What is your thought process? What risks do you take vs those you don't take? Who and HOW do you support your team in achieving the objectives early on? Please note ... I know how to angle and shoot and all that. That's not the issue. My concern is just that I tend to die quite early many times under focus fire as I obviously play too aggressively, yet I don't want to just hang back and watch my destroyers get stomped in the caps, or watch the enemy team capture majority caps at the start. It's that balance I'm looking for, and I call upon you, oh Internet, for advice. Please tell me about your first five minutes when playing Domination matches. Thank you.

 

Sincerely,

Kaybe

 

EDIT: Put up the replay file so you can see the game I'm referring to above. Not meant to name and shame. Just an example you can use.
 

http://wowreplays.com/Replay/14472

[mohawkdriver]

I'm not a seasoned BB Captain, but since I got the Scharnhorst I am loving them again.  I'm like you, I play aggressively and go forward until I get an enemy spotted, then open fire and turn slightly away, swimming in the process.  When I see DD's or CL's prosecuting an attack, I always try to pitch in and help the team, even though it comes with a risk of fire from enemy BB's that like to hang back to the map edge.  This sometimes results in my demise, but I will NOT hang back while my teammates are fighting.

[YukikazeFortunateBeaver]

it depends. if im in my japanese bbs i stay in the back and snipe until i see that the enemy forces are weak enough for me to brawl and not get torped. when im in my tirpitz i go to the front lines, point my bow at the enemies, and act like a shield 

[CAPTMUDDXX]

I doubt there is any easy answer to this. Stay back and hope for a few hits while advancing slowly or move up a bit too quickly and get pounded. It is not easy to find the middle ground to be where you need to be at just the right time to be most effective since each battle is going to differ

[Kitsunelegend]

I tend to choose one cap and head towards it, choosing to defend it with my life and never give it up, but I also make sure its a cap near or close by the majority of my team, so if I need back up, I can call for it and know someone will try to help (works better while in a division). I try to stay middle of the field, way in front of the snipers but just a tad behind the people who push way up, as more of a supporting role but in the right spot that if I NEED to push into the fray and tank and cover teammates who need to retreat, I can easily do that even in USN BBs which are slower. This helps me keep a decent amount of my health intact because I'm not being focused by all the enemies that show up. I also make sure my guns are turned towards the side I think the enemy will show up...saves a lot of time with BBs that have slow turning turrets.

 

Hasn't failed me yet. 

[MrDeaf]

If my BB is decently good at tanking.

I jam it near 2 caps.

 

 

If my BB is lower tier or not good at tanking.

I breath down the backs of friendly DDs trying to cap.

Using islands to block LoS, it's not uncommon to sneak up very close to caps.

Red cruisers usually end up getting spotted inside of 12km range and dead, or they are long gone in the back, unable to support their DDs.

[TenguBlade]

Depends on the line.  The Americans - situationally - and especially Gernans are great for charging into battle right behind your teammates, but the Japanese require good positioning so you can both provide cover and not get caught short by any nasty surprises.  Other than that, I'm afraid it comes down to specific tactical situations.

[VTAdmiral]

I actually prioritize the B cap but do not push it. Being near the middle of the map permits me to provide heavy artillery support to basically the entire map, in Yamato. Once enemy destroyers start disappearing or if I notice a flank has gone down, I relocate and push on the enemy's weaker side.

 

That's usually around the 10 minute mark, though.

 

Then I get ignored by my own team, lit on fire, torpedoed, and focused down because the 4 cruisers and other battleship around me turned around the second an enemy got into range, leaving me to twist under 3 half-health cruisers and a destroyer I can't find, or an endless stream of aircraft, all of which would've been perfectly conquerable if my allies had bothered to stick around rather than expecting me to turn a 72,000 ton monstrosity on a dime.

[Citrusss]

full steam ahead and ram as many destroyers as you can! works for me every time! 

[xXSpotted_HyenaXx]

It depends on the battleship you choose to play. Really, if you're captaining American battleships your options are limited. If you find yourself out of position, you're out of position for quite a while. 

I take stock of where I spawn. If I spawn far east or west, then far east or west is where I go. I sometimes go so far as to count the ships next to me.  Okay, 5 to my starboard, 6 to my port. Going starboard. 

Furthermore, relying on yourself to carry your team is a bad idea. Do your damage. If you're in a New Mexico and you get sunk, but you've done 90,000 damage or more? You've done your job, win or lose you can take comfort that you went in and did something. 

You also have to consider. "What kind of armor do I have? Can I go be a floating fortress? Or do I need to let the cruisers and other battlewagons up first and support them." There's a huge difference between camping and sniping, and staying off the front lines and supporting other ships. 

[KaptainKaybe]

Thanks for the advice so far, Captains, I appreciate it!

 

Since some of you were bringing up different nations, I myself tend to play brawling style ships more often, so mostly mid-tier USN, the Warspite, and German BBs. In case that should influence your decision making process.

[xXSpotted_HyenaXx]

Thanks for the advice so far, Captains, I appreciate it!

 

Since some of you were bringing up different nations, I myself tend to play brawling style ships more often, so mostly mid-tier USN, the Warspite, and German BBs. In case that should influence your decision making process.

 

That being the case, I am the first to the front lines, provided I have support. American battleships are slow enough to where you can take stock of the situation you're getting yourself into in time to turn around in case you have no support. Mind you, this takes you out of a potential fight, and makes it look like you're camping when you're still at your spawn. But you're still alive, and still have a chance to push the middle cap if you're so inclined. The approaching poop tsunami on the open flank won't just pack up and leave once they see no one is there of course, but at least when your team figures out they've screwed up, you will be among friends when you get the support to charge in and defend your cap. The key is, never, ever sail alone. No matter how many minutes you are in a battle. Tough to do sometime, lots of tater team mates out there. 

[VTAdmiral]

Thanks for the advice so far, Captains, I appreciate it!

 

Since some of you were bringing up different nations, I myself tend to play brawling style ships more often, so mostly mid-tier USN, the Warspite, and German BBs. In case that should influence your decision making process.

 

It definitely does. These are better at closer ranges than Japanese battleships and can afford to push sooner.

[IceSerpen7]

My question for you all is this: As a battleship captain intent on helping the team win in Domination matches *specifically*, please describe to me your first five minutes.

 

It goes kind of like this:

 

1. Determine which cap points are worth supporting, depending on the  map. Middle one is virtually always in play, but you may or may not have a choice between A and C.

2. If there is a choice (from #1), support the one DDs are going to. Otherwise simply go to the "correct" point.

3. Get close enough to the chosen cap point for reliably hitting the enemy CAs/BBs that go to the same cap, but not close enough for enemy DDs that contest that same cap to torp you. The exact range depends on the BB and build you're using. My personal preference is roughly 11-12 km from the opposite edge (enemy side) of the cap circle.

4. After that it all depends on how the battle unfolds - you may need to push closer or move further away, depending on the current situation.

 

[Crucis]

Kaybe, in your initial post you say "I absolutely refuse to be one of those BBs that stays in the back and snipes."  Define "says in back and snipes", because it is NOT an obvious statement.

 

Do you mean hiding way back at max range?  Or are you calling fighting at moderate range, say 11-15/16 km, as "hiding in the back and sniping"? 

[JCC45]

For a Mid tier US BB head for the middle of the map at 1/2 speed.  That way by the time you get there the Opfor will have shown up and you should have an idea of how things are going to play out.  As soon as they are within 10-12 KM use the islands for cover* and blast away.

 

 

 

*not valid on Ocean

[Swine_007]

I have horrible survivability overall but in general decent winrates damage done etc.  So with that caveat, what I do mostly for Domination mode games ( in BBs ) is ...  ( also this is regarding T8 and lower )

 

1. Get moving 

2. Pick a cap that has friendlys moving towards it and follow them.  Present myself as a target/threat to any red ships coming to that cap.  

 

This lowers my survivability but it is doing the biggest job on a Domination map which is supporting the ships that are trying to cap by threatening those opposing them and being in effect an easier bigger target.  Standard mode is different with the choice of attack or defence but in Domination offensive action is a strategic necessity.  This is especially true with US BBs as with their low speeds ( T7 and lower ) not comitting to a region of the map often means they never arrive in time to influence the game.  

[IsThatreallyTheplan]

 

This is an interesting question. There's no one answer fits all. However, my basic process is.

1) What’s the map I’m on? There's different BB play for each. Is it Standard or Domination? this will help me decide the CAP point to move towards

2) Battle order (target prioritization) how many CV, BB, CA, DD are there.

1. What can set me on fire – a lot! (CA)
2. what can torp me (DD)
3. who has the longer range guns (BB)

3) I try to use chat and see what the other BB's intentions are. The more big guns, the better.

4) I use the map and set my initial movements, waypoints

5) Set the throttle at full speed.   I usually drive USA BB, so I need all the headway I can get.

6) If CVs are in the match, I set the AA rings.

7) Set my turrets to side I expect first contact to be made.

8) Have fun

9) Don’t drink and game [trust me on this one]

 

[flyingvomit]

I go half or 3/4 wait to see where most of the enemy are going and check for the best position i could take to help the team win,then if i see i can push hard i go balls deep.

[goldeagle1123]

My favorite ship type is BB. And OP, I struggled (and sometimes still do) with the question of "As a very power, yet surprisingly vulnerable ship, where should I be positioned?" My best answer is first and foremost, with your team! A lone BB is a dead BB. You're big, and powerful, but to put it bluntly, you need meatshields. You need DDs and CAs out drawing enemy fire while laying the hurt on their most vulnerable targets. Early game though, you must stay back. Rushing forward to lead a charge in a BB early on will result in either being focused by every CA in range and being burned to death, or you being nuked by a DD. Stay back, provide long range fire support until some numbers have thinned out, then you can embark on ambitious pushes and more offensive maneuvers in general. Don't be afraid to turn back, BB are strong and have lots of HP, but they are far from impervious.

[KaptainKaybe]

9) Don’t drink and game [trust me on this one]

 

Hehe, I used to do that a lot ... either drinking of smoking greenage. I learned my lesson and now just play sober for the most part ;)

 

Crucis, to answer your question, I consider sniping to be firing from beyond *effective* range. So for IJN BBs, it would be beyond around 18km. For USN, it would be around 15km (or 17km on Iowa/Montana with the dispersion mod). For German BBs, that would probably be around 13km or so. Beyond those ranges, either dispersion or shell penetration make it so your salvos don't do very much on average.

[KaptainKaybe]

By the way, here's a question for you all:

 

Say you're playing a Domination match. Your DD is heavily contesting a cap in front of you, and they are taking a mad beating and close to dying. You have several cruisers or other battleships next to you, but all of them refuse to push into the cap. Do you A) push into the cap yourself if others won't, but also knowing that the enemy will focus you hard, or B) remain behind with your cruiser support and try your best to fire on enemy ships entering the cap themselves and potentially leave your DD ally to die under focus fire. For this hypothetical example, let's say your team and the enemy team have an even number of ships at that cap.

 

I run into this situation A LOT. A WHOLE LOT. Seriously, it's at least half my matches. In fact, it's what happened in the replay above. My instinct is to push into the cap if no one else will, but that's also when I tend to die early.

[LuckyStarFan]

Domination?  Which cap(s) are my team going towards.  I'd like to be on a flank with at least one DD and CA if said are on my team. 

 

Enemy carrier?  Does my BB have good AA?  If not, is there a ship nearby that does which I can follow?

 

What are my biggest threats?  Lots of DDs?  Carriers?  Enemy battleships?  Lots of HE spamming cruisers?  Get ready to determine if I have the upper hand when I meet the enemy on whichever flank I chose.  Can I head in or should I peel back?

 

Biggest things are not going alone and if possible, not spending the first 5 minutes traversing my spawn 'just because'.

[IceSerpen7]

 

Say you're playing a Domination match. Your DD is heavily contesting a cap in front of you, and they are taking a mad beating and close to dying. You have several cruisers or other battleships next to you, but all of them refuse to push into the cap. Do you A) push into the cap yourself if others won't, but also knowing that the enemy will focus you hard, or B) remain behind with your cruiser support and try your best to fire on enemy ships entering the cap themselves and potentially leave your DD ally to die under focus fire. For this hypothetical example, let's say your team and the enemy team have an even number of ships at that cap.

 

 

Nobody in their right mind would focus a BB when there's a spotted low-health DD nearby. Pushing into the cap has more to do with points than with enemy fire - i.e. do we need to cap or stop red team's point generation right this moment or can we wait a bit and clear the area of enemy ships first.

[Pope_Shizzle]

The trick is knowing where the action is and going that way.  Especially on maps with split spawns of with large geographic divides, like Twin brothers.