First Game with Colorado

[ArchMadman]

I played my first game in the Colorado and it turned out well despite being top tier and not facing the real challenges yet of Tier 9 ships.

I don't know if this a sign that i'll have fun with it? Or should i quit while I'm ahead? Then again i hated the New Mexico at first and then it became my favorite ship, but when I look at the forums i see nothing but people hating the Colorado but who knows maybe i will do well with it since i already played against Tier 8 ships with the New Mex so maybe I will get good practice with it when i face Tier 9 despite knowing I will struggle at first against those tiers.

All i can do is stay positive and push on and hope to do with it what i did with the New Mexico

I'll see where I'm at after 50 games with it and see if i can play what people call the worse battleship into one of my favorites, I know people will say just wait till you face tier 9's but i think i can do something.

I know i have alot of work to do with my shot timing since I could have had alot more damage since many shots missed ships that were full broadside.

BTW i already have Hull B since i had experience left over

 

[Zhoyzu]

Rado blows while stock but then becomes as epic as the NM. Its definitely not worth free xping past

[Hangoverhomey]

Nice first game.

 

It has slightly worse HP and armor layout than new mexico but with 8 fairly accurate 16 inch guns, coupled with decent turret traverse rate and 30 second reload.  

 

It's the top speed that really is it's downfall in a lot of ways.   I wish they would slightly buff it's rudder shift time to be honest, considering how low the HP pool is and the fact that it's pretty short and needs to turn a lot to utilize it's armor etc.

 

I will always keep the ship though, even though I have now unlocked and purchased the NC.

 

Oh an it's my avatar picture as well so there is that...

[Fletcher7_1944]

  I think a lot of the hate is leftover from earlier, before it got buffed.   I can't speak to the stock hull- I use free xp to upgrade my ships when I get them.  (It isn't like I don't have enough to spare...)

 

 Colorado is easily my favorite USN BB so far.   Great guns that do massive damage, and Texas levels of AA.  Is it slow?  Yup- but so is every other USN BB you've played so far.  While it could use some extra hp, it DOES get a great repair party consumable, too.   The change back to 2-gun turrets can be an adjustment, too, if you aren't still playing NY/TX/WY.   The armor is very good when angled, and once in brawling range this plus those guns make a deadly combination.  Makes cruisers go POP! quite effectively.   It has pretty good maneuverability, like most USN BB's so far, making dodging torps fairly easy.

 

  Is it ridiculously nasty in any one respect?  No, not really.  But it is a good combination of offense and defense, and a continuation of the USN BB style so far- just kicked up a notch or two with 16" guns!   Specced for AA, it will tend to make CV's look elsewhere for easy pickin's- and provide you with a nice fireworks show and plenty of plane kills when they don't.

[HazeGrayUnderway]

I had Colorado back in her "Trolorado" pre-buff days.  She was bad.  I gave her 52 battles before I called it quits and Free XP's to North Carolina.  If you snipe my stats, you can see my experience in Colorado in those days was horrible.  But now?  As an opponent, I have to respect her guns.  She's slow as hell, which is bad in the face of Gneisenau and Scharnhorst in the same tier.  But her guns are actually useful now.

[Sothron]

I started out hating the Colorado but once I got it upgraded and learned how to really play it I've come to love the ship. My stats will tell you that it is my best performing T7 BB. I will be keeping it even though I can already unlock the NC.

[HazeGrayUnderway]

So I dusted off Colorado recently, been playing a few games with her.  As I said in my previous post, the last time I played CO was back in her horrible, pre-buff days.  Her guns were utterly worthless back then with her dispersion.  The rest of the ship is still the same in those bad days but the guns are actually wonderful.  The salvos are fairly tight, a far cry from the old days last year when it was like throwing grass in the wind.

 

The issues of huge superstructure to eat every HE shell, the 15k less HP than Nagato, and very slow speed is still there.  Gneisenau now does AA better than CO.  But at least CO's guns are fantastic.  If only these guns were like that during my initial grind past CO.  The only thing CO needs from the player is good gunnery, because the 16"/45 Mk 5 guns will do the rest for you.

 

Also currently experimenting with Secondaries Build CO, she reaches out to 7.6km.  I decided to try that route instead of the typical AA Spec CO.  In the same upgrade slot, there is no option to improve Main Battery dispersion, only APRM1 which increases range, which I don't need.  The 16.7km range is more than enough for me.

[Kerrec]

I recently got my Colorado (my first T7) and I'm struggling.  I don't know how to play it when bottom tier, facing T9 with superior range or against the smoke and fire spewing cruisers.  When uptiered (facing T5's), I perform worse than my New Mexico.  

 

I just don't understand.  My Main Battery Accuracy is 27% for the Colorado versus 23% for the New Mexico, so it seems like I am taking advantage of the tighter groupings of the Colorado.  But damage is lower in the Colorado, win rate is way lower, survival is way lower.  Yet I play my Colorado much the same as the New Mexico.  The only difference is the sample size: I have 76 games in the New Mexico and only 24 in the Colorado.  But the trend is not looking good.

 

I have the impression that I play bottom tiered (against T8's and T9's) more often than not.  But that's an impression and I don't really know the stats.  I hated T5 in my New York.  I felt neutral about T6 with the New Mexico.  But now I'm hating T7, even though it's supposed to be the "sweet spot".

 

Please enlighten me.

[HazeGrayUnderway]

I recently got my Colorado (my first T7) and I'm struggling.  I don't know how to play it when bottom tier, facing T9 with superior range or against the smoke and fire spewing cruisers.  When uptiered (facing T5's), I perform worse than my New Mexico.  

 

I just don't understand.  My Main Battery Accuracy is 27% for the Colorado versus 23% for the New Mexico, so it seems like I am taking advantage of the tighter groupings of the Colorado.  But damage is lower in the Colorado, win rate is way lower, survival is way lower.  Yet I play my Colorado much the same as the New Mexico.  The only difference is the sample size: I have 76 games in the New Mexico and only 24 in the Colorado.  But the trend is not looking good.

 

I have the impression that I play bottom tiered (against T8's and T9's) more often than not.  But that's an impression and I don't really know the stats.  I hated T5 in my New York.  I felt neutral about T6 with the New Mexico.  But now I'm hating T7, even though it's supposed to be the "sweet spot".

 

Please enlighten me.

 

Your leads with the gun will take getting used to, keep at it.  You no longer have 12 rifles to shotgun everything and expect a few hits.  You now have more powerful 16" guns but fewer rifles.  You *must* get good with your aim.  Colorado's dispersion will only shine with that.  Patience may also be in order, it may not be best to fire as soon as you reloaded.  You may get a better silhouette if you wait a few seconds as the target turns.

 

Once your aim is good, then the dispersion will reward you with more hits for higher damage.  Also, make sure you're sailing with a group.  That is your single greatest defense when you're bottom tier as well as defense against a rushing Gneisenau or Scharnhorst.  A lone CO against them is meat for the table, so always sail with the group nearby.

 

If you want to practice with Colorado's gunnery without the stress of a PVP match, try Co-op for a bit or get Aslain's Mod Pack and enable Training Room to play by yourself against bots and get a better feel of the guns.

http://forum.worldofwarships.com/index.php?/topic/25508-mod05131-aslains-wows-modpack-installer-wpicture-preview-v5131-04-09-11-2016/

 

Colorado is the first USN BB that is relatively few in rifle count with 8 but sports 16" guns.  Get used to it, because if you're having problems hitting with Colorado who has 8 guns but excellent dispersion, you are going to have an even rougher time with the USN BBs at Tier VIII onwards.

 

For comparison, a Stock Colorado's dispersion with the Mk.7 mod 2 module is 227m.

 

North Carolina with Hull-B, Mk.8 mod 2 module is 293m.

Iowa with Hull-C, Mk.9 mod 2 module, and Artillery Plotting Room Mod 2 upgrade is 261m.

 

NC & Iowa have only 9 rifles.

 

Montana has 12 rifles, but with APRM2 upgrade the dispersion is 264m.

 

You really need to get a hang of Colorado's gun first.

[TenguBlade]

Also currently experimenting with Secondaries Build CO, she reaches out to 7.6km.  I decided to try that route instead of the typical AA Spec CO.  In the same upgrade slot, there is no option to improve Main Battery dispersion, only APRM1 which increases range, which I don't need.  The 16.7km range is more than enough for me.

Pick up APR1 with the Colorado and you'll be surprised.  She hits as accurately, if not more so, than Nagato at 20km.

 

I could usually decide a Ranked match by sniping some oblivious BB driver for 20k at the start.  Of course, once I got past Rank 10 that wasn't happening any more and I tossed out Colorado for Nagato, which remains one of the worst decisions I've ever made - mostly because those tiers were saturated with almost-above-average BB drivers and a ton of DDs, the latter of which would focus down whoever landed the first hit until he was dead.  Smart, but unfortunately my aim was so much better than theirs at long range that I always ended up being run down by all 4-5 DDs on their team.

[HazeGrayUnderway]

Pick up APR1 with the Colorado and you'll be surprised.  She hits as accurately, if not more so, than Nagato at 20km.

 

I could usually decide a Ranked match by sniping some oblivious BB driver for 20k at the start.  Of course, once I got past Rank 10 that wasn't happening any more and I tossed out Colorado for Nagato, which remains one of the worst decisions I've ever made - mostly because those tiers were saturated with almost-above-average BB drivers and a ton of DDs, the latter of which would focus down whoever landed the first hit until he was dead.  Smart, but unfortunately my aim was so much better than theirs at long range that I always ended up being run down by all 4-5 DDs on their team.

 

I'll give it a whirl the next day or two and try with APRM1.  It still surprises me how good the guns are compared to what they were before.  Every time I player her now, I'm always saying, "Where were you when I was grinding up the line the first time?" 

 

The guns are so nice, I've got this itch to dig my stats out of the gutter for Colorado.

[Kerrec]

 

Your leads with the gun will take getting used to, keep at it.  You no longer have 12 rifles to shotgun everything and expect a few hits.  You now have more powerful 16" guns but fewer rifles.  You *must* get good with your aim.  Colorado's dispersion will only shine with that.  Patience may also be in order, it may not be best to fire as soon as you reloaded.  You may get a better silhouette if you wait a few seconds as the target turns.

 

Once your aim is good, then the dispersion will reward you with more hits for higher damage.  Also, make sure you're sailing with a group.  That is your single greatest defense when you're bottom tier as well as defense against a rushing Gneisenau or Scharnhorst.  A lone CO against them is meat for the table, so always sail with the group nearby.

 

If you want to practice with Colorado's gunnery without the stress of a PVP match, try Co-op for a bit or get Aslain's Mod Pack and enable Training Room to play by yourself against bots and get a better feel of the guns.

http://forum.worldofwarships.com/index.php?/topic/25508-mod05131-aslains-wows-modpack-installer-wpicture-preview-v5131-04-09-11-2016/

 

Colorado is the first USN BB that is relatively few in rifle count with 8 but sports 16" guns.  Get used to it, because if you're having problems hitting with Colorado who has 8 guns but excellent dispersion, you are going to have an even rougher time with the USN BBs at Tier VIII onwards.

 

For comparison, a Stock Colorado's dispersion with the Mk.7 mod 2 module is 227m.

 

North Carolina with Hull-B, Mk.8 mod 2 module is 293m.

Iowa with Hull-C, Mk.9 mod 2 module, and Artillery Plotting Room Mod 2 upgrade is 261m.

 

NC & Iowa have only 9 rifles.

 

Montana has 12 rifles, but with APRM2 upgrade the dispersion is 264m.

 

You really need to get a hang of Colorado's gun first.

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

My New Mexico Main Battery Hit Ratio was 23% and with 32 battles played, my Hit Ratio with the Colorado is 28%.  I'm pretty sure the tighter spread of the Colorado is the reason my Hit Ratio is better, not because my aim has improved.  I'm not saying my aim is perfect and doesn't need work, but I don't think I was having such a horrible go at the Colorado because I couldn't aim.

 

Which brings me to your other piece of advice: stay with your allies.  THAT IS MY PROBLEM.  Either I spawn on one side of the map with a couple cruisers and DD, who go full steam ahead leaving me alone, or I spawn with all the other BB's who also full steam ahead and leave me behind.  Sometimes I'll push a cap with my allies later in a match, only to have them turn tail and run.  If my team bails on a push, who loses?  Yeah, the 21 knot bottom tier fat BB.  Being a distraction so my allies can run away is not my idea of a good contribution to my team.

 

Lastly from my experience, give an enemy T9 the choice between a T8/T9 cruiser or a T7 Colorado, and they'll shoot the Colorado.  So staying with your teammates doesn't make me safer, it makes them safer.  Which would be fine role to play, if I was rewarded with XP for it.  However, if I get knocked out of a match early being the fodder, unable to shoot back at cruisers sitting in smoke around 15-18km away or against T9 BB's firing beyond my range to hit them, I GET NO XP.

[HazeGrayUnderway]

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

My New Mexico Main Battery Hit Ratio was 23% and with 32 battles played, my Hit Ratio with the Colorado is 28%.  I'm pretty sure the tighter spread of the Colorado is the reason my Hit Ratio is better, not because my aim has improved.  I'm not saying my aim is perfect and doesn't need work, but I don't think I was having such a horrible go at the Colorado because I couldn't aim.

 

Which brings me to your other piece of advice: stay with your allies.  THAT IS MY PROBLEM.  Either I spawn on one side of the map with a couple cruisers and DD, who go full steam ahead leaving me alone, or I spawn with all the other BB's who also full steam ahead and leave me behind.  Sometimes I'll push a cap with my allies later in a match, only to have them turn tail and run.  If my team bails on a push, who loses?  Yeah, the 21 knot bottom tier fat BB.  Being a distraction so my allies can run away is not my idea of a good contribution to my team.

 

Lastly from my experience, give an enemy T9 the choice between a T8/T9 cruiser or a T7 Colorado, and they'll shoot the Colorado.  So staying with your teammates doesn't make me safer, it makes them safer.  Which would be fine role to play, if I was rewarded with XP for it.  However, if I get knocked out of a match early being the fodder, unable to shoot back at cruisers sitting in smoke around 15-18km away or against T9 BB's firing beyond my range to hit them, I GET NO XP.

 

Which is why you need to hang back, they don't have to be within a handful of km.  The guns perform very good at range.  The other ships are your buffer against torps, heavy focus fire, and rushing Gneisenaus and Scharnhorsts.  But you also have to read when it's time to push ahead.

 

USN Standard BB play is tricky once you get to Colorado's tier.  It's harder with those Tier VII Germans around but she can handle her own.  It's harder because gunpower and range for everyone goes up, but CO can still keep up.

 

 

[Kerrec]

 

Which is why you need to hang back, they don't have to be within a handful of km.  The guns perform very good at range.  The other ships are your buffer against torps, heavy focus fire, and rushing Gneisenaus and Scharnhorsts.  But you also have to read when it's time to push ahead.

 

USN Standard BB play is tricky once you get to Colorado's tier.  It's harder with those Tier VII Germans around but she can handle her own.  It's harder because gunpower and range for everyone goes up, but CO can still keep up.

 

 

 

I got to play several games last night as top tier in my Colorado.  And a couple vs. T8's.  I had no issues against T7 german BB's.  That's not to say I owned them, I'm just saying I got to trade damage, push caps, get in range to hit cruisers, etc...  In other words, I participated and generated decent XP for my efforts.  Even won most of my matches (due to my influence or not, is not the point).

 

I have problems when facing lots of T8 and T9 ships.

[HazeGrayUnderway]

 

I have problems when facing lots of T8 and T9 ships.

 

That's always going to be a challenge for bottom tier ships facing a match full of ships 2 tiers higher than them.  In the previous tiers, this isn't too much of a problem.  The power disparity between Tier V-VI isn't big.  But at Tier VII, you start facing a lot of the best high tier ships that aren't Tier X's.  Get used to the threat level you see with the Tier VIII's and IX's, because it's going to get worse.  Wait until you see Yamato, GK, Zao, Montana, Hindenburg, Shimakaze, Gearing, Khab, etc. once you hit Tier VIII.

 

Another thing I want to add.  On top of the stronger ships, at high tier, you are in general playing against much more savvy players.  The margin for error fighting Tier VIII+ is small.