North Caro question

[Sandman1969]

I just recently bought her after selling the amagi. (Didn't like that ship).

I am only using her for ranked battles for now but am curious.

Is she a brawler style BB or kinda sit back a bit but not at max range?

Not sure which way to play her as of yet.

I do have the top hull but do not have the range or speed mods yet.

Consumables are all prem using credits.

[yamato6945]

Brawler all the way

[Sandman1969]

Bawler all the way

 

Gee.....that don't sound good at all....

[AspiringCodger]

She's nearly impenetrable by AP when bow on.  I tend to play her that way and at around 10km.

[AspiringCodger]

 

Gee.....that don't sound good at all....

 

She can do well at max range too.

 

EDIT:  Whoops... missed the misspelling/joke.

[Big_Spud]

Mid range fighter, but don't be afraid to push if torpedoes aren't a major threat in the immediate vicinity.

[Kapitan_Wuff]

Most people I see keep her bow on at mid range, often reversing. Most of those people also sink to my Bismark.

[IceSerpen7]

Bow-on, at 12-15km range. Either stealth or full AA build (stealth is more useful).

[yamato6945]

 

Gee.....that don't sound good at all....

 

yes just noticed i miss spelled corrected it 

[Sandman1969]

Bow-on, at 12-15km range. Either stealth or full AA build (stealth is more useful).

 

I have just over 80 dragon flags left for her to use. Can both be done? Both AA & stealth? Saw another NC get 45 plane kills this weekend.

[AspiringCodger]

 

Can both be done? Both AA & stealth? 

 

Yup.  I'm spec'd for AA at the moment.  For my fifth level skill, I'm going with stealth.

[IceSerpen7]

 

I have just over 80 dragon flags left for her to use. Can both be done? Both AA & stealth? Saw another NC get 45 plane kills this weekend.

 

Main difference between stealth and full AA is that stealth build takes Concealment expert skill at level 5, while AA build takes Manual AA at level 4 instead (in addition to AFT).

 

Stealth build:

Upgrades: MAM1, AA2, DCSM1, Steering, Concealment

Skills: BFT, EM, Vig or SI, AFT, CE, then Vig/ SI at 18 points (the one you didn't take initially)

 

Full AA build:

 

Upgrades: MAM1, AA2, DCSM1, Steering, Concealment / Target acquisition (choice is up to you)

Skills: BFT, EM, Vig or SI, AFT, Manual AA, then it's up to you really - you can take the other of Vig/ SI + BoS for example.

 

[Big_Spud]

A secondary build is also surprisingly fun at times. Helps keep the DDs off your back.

[PcolaTy_1]

She's not really that great of a brawler with only 305mm of citadel armor, so your best choice is to go bow in and forget you have a third turret. This is also further compounded by the fact that NC third turret has an aweful field of fire which requires you to nearly show all of your broadside to get it to fire; however, this flaw is corrected with the Iowa. As for a build; I personally went with an AA build and once I buy her back, I will go with a stealth/AA hybrid build. One thing you have to admit; having more concealment than a cruiser is virtually OP for a BB and will allow you to get within the NC's optimal firing range before being spotted; unless you happen to run across a DD that is.

[Roadrider7021]

I just recently bought her after selling the amagi. (Didn't like that ship).

I am only using her for ranked battles for now but am curious.

Is she a brawler style BB or kinda sit back a bit but not at max range?

Not sure which way to play her as of yet.

I do have the top hull but do not have the range or speed mods yet.

Consumables are all prem using credits.

 

    I had all three but sold the Bismarck when I saw that and Tirpitz add up to like 2/3 of NA Server T8 BB battles recently. I run Amagi and NC fully upgraded.

    NC can bow in to hold a position 10-15k from her primary targets, but like Dukerque, you're missing out on other capabilities if that's most of what you do. NC maneuvers the best of the 3, and with decent turret traverse you can wiggle that rear turret out to fire a lot. She's okay at brawling do to her citadel being below the waterline, short range flat trajectories either hit water or pass over it a lot of the time. Her shot groupings are actually decent, better generally than Bismarck's, and they really pen, at any range, especially when "looped" or dropped onto decks and superstructures. The main thing, the absolute main thing is you have to shoot her slow shells well. And they're deceptive as well; they start slow but preserve their energy really well with minimal drag loss, ie. 8k destroyer shots take a helluva lot of lead but broadside BB's at 16-20 not as much as you think. You should ABSOLUTELY have a shot timer/ aiming reticule formula worked out for your screen resolution and gun sight so you reliably hit 30 knot cruisers at range, etc.. When you get the hang of it, NC, played outside of 8-10k from a Bismarck or Tirpitz, will consistently land her fat shells onto those ships and defeat them more times than not. Bismarcks kill smaller ships pretty well but, in my opinion, NC can counter Bismarck/Tirpitz.

[PcolaTy_1]

 

    I had all three but sold the Bismarck when I saw that and Tirpitz add up to like 2/3 of NA Server T8 BB battles recently. I run Amagi and NC fully upgraded.

    NC can bow in to hold a position 10-15k from her primary targets, but like Dukerque, you're missing out on other capabilities if that's most of what you do. NC maneuvers the best of the 3, and with decent turret traverse you can wiggle that rear turret out to fire a lot. She's okay at brawling do to her citadel being below the waterline, short range flat trajectories either hit water or pass over it a lot of the time. Her shot groupings are actually decent, better generally than Bismarck's, and they really pen, at any range, especially when "looped" or dropped onto decks and superstructures. The main thing, the absolute main thing is you have to shoot her slow shells well. And they're deceptive as well; they start slow but preserve their energy really well with minimal drag loss, ie. 8k destroyer shots take a helluva lot of lead but broadside BB's at 16-20 not as much as you think. You should ABSOLUTELY have a shot timer/ aiming reticule formula worked out for your screen resolution and gun sight so you reliably hit 30 knot cruisers at range, etc.. When you get the hang of it, NC, played outside of 8-10k from a Bismarck or Tirpitz, will consistently land her fat shells onto those ships and defeat them more times than not. Bismarcks kill smaller ships pretty well but, in my opinion, NC can counter Bismarck/Tirpitz.

 

A NC has to stay outside of 10km to be the most effective against both the Bismark class BB's as the Bismark has the longest range secondaries around and will burn an NC to a crisp before going down and the Tirpitz will torpedo the NC if given the chance, and her secondaries while not being nearly as long range as Bismark's still does reasonably well against the NC.

[HazeGrayUnderway]

North Carolina is not a brawler in any way, shape, or form.  A brawler can expect someone to get a view of their sides.  NC has worthless armor for her sides and is actually a glaring weakness of her and even Iowa at Tier IX.  NC isn't a sniper either, because her dispersion is terri-bad.  She is ideal at intermediate ranges, roughly 15km or a bit less, but I don't suggest 11km or less.  If you want to brawl with a German BB under 11km with NC and Iowa, then Godspeed.

[Sandman1969]

I'm also only using her in ranked for now. But I just noticed I am bleeding credits. I have a mere 600k left. Lowest I have been in ages.

[HazeGrayUnderway]

I'm also only using her in ranked for now. But I just noticed I am bleeding credits. I have a mere 600k left. Lowest I have been in ages.

 

NC is a Tier VIII ship, and VIII-X are high tiers.  The costs of these ships start going up considerably.  For a Tier VIII BB, especially if you're using credit-costing camo and consumables, you need to have a good game to make a profit.  This isn't as bad as it was prior to 0.5.12, but you still need to be smart and aggressive enough with your BB if you want to come out ahead in credits.

[BGolightly]

I just recently bought her after selling the amagi. (Didn't like that ship).

I am only using her for ranked battles for now but am curious.

Is she a brawler style BB or kinda sit back a bit but not at max range?

Not sure which way to play her as of yet.

I do have the top hull but do not have the range or speed mods yet.

Consumables are all prem using credits.

 

North Carolina is Captain America. Use your shield (bow armor) to close to your effective range (I like to fight 11km-14km, personally), and keep that shield between you and the biggest threat. Some players seem to think that North Carolina has only three throttle settings - ahead full, all stop, and full reverse. They're mistaken! Use your speed to get into position, then maintain your advance at a slower pace so that you don't overextend. North Carolina is remarkably sneaky, too (11.8km surface detection range, with a full stealth build - 13.7km with camo and the concealment module but without Concealment Expert). Use your stealth in conjunction with terrain to break contact so that you can reposition and get back into the fight. Coordinate with your teammates, especially destroyers. A destroyer can force enemies to give you their sides, and North Carolina in optimum range can deliver massive punishment - even German BBs will eat 15k-20k salvos reliably if they give their sides to North Carolina. Don't forget that your high-arcing shell trajectories can let you abuse cover!

[R1CK]

Good tips here, thanks guys. How about some overall ranked strat and tactics though? I feel I could use some help in that area.