RUSSIANBlAS

Hit R1 again moments ago too. 312 games and 51% WR however when I settled on the Sims I played 155 games and had a WR of 54% so maybe I should have just done that from the start Second time as an R1 winner and it was easier this time even though the smoke was a bit insane. Sims was my weapon of choice, tried BBs (Scharn, Gnesi and Naga) but I do not feel BBs are the best choice in Ranked where concealment and capping is the #1 priority. BBs just sit there and take pain whilst laughing at RNG failing them. I main BB normally and my dream is to get to R1 one day with one but I didn't feel it was possible. Others have done so maybe I just need to GIT GUD... Tried using the Belfast but somehow I couldn't get the smoke thing to work, it's hugely dependant on how good your Destroyers are as if they're not spotting then you are shooting nobody. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and play DD so I could make plays and smoke my allies. Sims has all the attributes needed, sure the torps are poor but the 9.2 km ones can frustrate the enemy when shoved into smoke. Like all seasons, you get a surprising amount of torp hits in smoke. Even in the Premier League a lot of folk will eat fishes as they think smoke protects them from harm. Also Sims has a broken XP multiplier, it isn't hard to come top of a losing team. It's saved me a lot of stars and I'd still be playing now if this "feature" wasn't part of the ship. Call it P2W and I'd totally agree but the ends justifies the means I guess. A few observations and pointers for those still fighting: RDF/RL is simply broken in very specific situations. Flanking DDs have their bull$h!t cut short as you know their every move. Smoke doesn't save them either. For a USN DD it is well worth bringing into Ranked.The extra awareness won't pay off every game but again it's saved me the same amount of stars as Sims XP modifier has. Remember if you are chasing a DD with RDF he still has torpedoes so know to off set your direction of travel maybe or go the opposite way to the way he has seen you go last. I haven't been torped a single time when DD hunting with RDF this season. Always be near your team to smoke and spot for them. Refrain from using your guns until you are spotted and even then don't fire if you can slip back into concealment. The amount of idiotic IJN DD who I've seen use guns once then quickly get focused down. That said, a Sim's guns can make the difference vs light cruisers such as P2W Belfast so if one is trying to rush your position or you clearly see their attention is elsewhere and you are safe then start firing. You can knock 1k hp off per salvo so it's worth opening up when the time is right. I think Flamu demonstrated it in a video but rather than blanket fire torps all the time it's often better doing very small overlaps so there are tiny gaps between your torp spreads. That way you will much more reliably hit anything within the torp pattern provided it is accurate in the first place. ALWAYS play as a team, don't go solo because your team disagrees with the cap you are going to. Go with the majority and work with them even if it is wrong. A split team who doesn't work together WILL lose whereas a team that works together and goes to a bad cap still has a chance. As always STAY ALIVE, even killing 3 and dying early means your team can still lose. Be alive to influence things. Stay positive, try not to argue with folk especially if you lose. It does make a difference. Had a guy a few battles ago who was whining he went from Rank 2 down to Rank 4 but eventually we got him to shut up and help. We still lost but it was closer than they expected. Finally NEVER give up, some battles do get turned around from seemingly impossible odds and even if you don't win it you might come top of the losing team. I'm going to do something else now I think like stare out the window in bewilderment

This... That is all

I missed out by 50 xp for the final mission

I am so glad the Christmas Convoy Missions gifted me a Leander... Current state of MM and the Emerald itself

The OP salt was delicious, nice little interlude from Ranked to read stuff like this.

I don't find I need SF in Aki but I haven't had that many games with her yet. But if it is a problem then they could buff her rudder and acceleration maybe as she steers like an utter pig, almost feels like using my Atago in her sometimes

I've kept a small list of the worst offenders so I can stats check them later. Seriously, a good chunk of even Premier League Ranked games are over in the first few mins because someone yolos. I briefly tried playing Scharn again and good games in her are awesome but she cant make things happen like a DD can so I've gone back to the Sims

Sorry OP, I read the first line of your suggestion and I face palmed, and I'm a big BB fan.

Yes but are you really going to be shooting at it from max range if it's moving and dodging?

Does removing stealth fire really matter for most of the ships that can do it? Are you really going to try and snipe at a DD from 13km anyway? For the average potato it might confuse them into wasting ammo at targets they've got no prospect of hitting. Maybe Zao suffers however...

Do WG ever tweak Prem ships? I don't think they're in the business of big changes. Only way I can see a need is if general MM or captain skills change.

My net gain last night was zero... Might as well not have played lol There is still some serious potato in the Premier League sadly. It's worse during the day or late at night as the MM pool is smaller so you often get the same folk every game. Got farmed by a Flint multiple times last night, we ran the guy close every time but his skill wall ship was ultimately too strong. We could try stacking the MM since WG says its fine, as long as one of us doesn't lose on purpose if we're on opposite teams

It would be a little faceless and the hacked grammar would made people laugh but it would be fair...

OP getting slapped with the history bat was entertaining...

This problem is especially bad in Ranked. If the other team has an excellent CV vs your average one then it's an automatic loss...

Good TDS and AA doesn't make up for poor gun dispersion, if that's the case... A BB needs effective teeth!

Being kissed by your own team is no big deal. Torped however...

CVs are hyper strong in Ranked. If one is far better then they'll hard carry their team to a win with little the other team can do to resist. I've said it in previous seasons, even extremely good players won't often come out with more than a 60% WR in Ranked. So you could theorize that there's anything from 25%+ of all Ranked games are going to be unwinnable.

True, no one actually plays the NY anymore anyway. It's comical how it can take bow citadel hits from a Scharn. A Kongo can bum rush and ram you, I've done that vs T7 BBs in a Kongo. Huge torpedo if all else fails

Anyone who is a competent BB pilot can't deny this thing is OP. It's a power house at its current MM. Only things that can challenge you are maybe an NY or Kongo. For everything else you stay at 10km + and farm them at a heavy angle. Even so hard that you block the rear turrets. It's nearly unstoppable given the average skill level of low tier folk and her power.

I can see some of the rage as the Ranked Reward has been reduced to £10 of doubloons...

If top level competitive play with abuse of p2w/ranked reward ships doesn't take your fancy then ignore it. I personally couldn't care less as I don't think this game is at all suited to professional gaming. Sea Kings prize can be $1,000,000 for all I care and good luck to those competing but I won't be playing attention.

Even with IFHE you won't be hurting BB with Aki other than fires and the psychological effect of an endless stream of shells hitting them. Cruisers and DDs will feel the hurt tho.

Oh dear... If it's any worse than the NC (which is actually quite decent these days) there really won't be much point!!

The accuracy of Nikolai is simply stunning, still not sure what WG was thinking other than a blatant Russian pay wall bias. I do enjoy the ship but in small doses to farm potatoes and seals shamelessly. If it wasn't ultra op I probably wouldn't ever play it as it's ugly to the point of offensive to look at and a still born RU catch up BB.