Free Chapayev - Where to go from here?

[Drasnighta]

I got the personal mission for the Chapayev from a free "Great 8" container and having completed it and recieved my T8 cruiser I'm kinda feeling a little undecided about whether I like this or not.

 

I've always wanted to (when I eventually get around to it) play through the Russian cruiser line, especially as I'd like to play lower tier ships like the Budyonny and the Kirov. I know absolutely nothing about how these cruisers play so I was wondering if I could get some advice.

 

Do I...

 

1) Keep the Chapy, maybe play a few co-op games beforehand and then retrain a 10 point captain to go on her and continue up the tiers.

2) Sell the Chapy and eventually get around to playing the line properly (while building an understanding of the line at the same time)

3) Keep the Chapy but pretend it doesn't exist until I finish with the Schors.

 

I've always found that I've no desire to go back and play skipped ships (like when I received Fushun from the New Year event, I couldn't motivate myself to go back and play its predecessors).

 

Is the Chapayev a hard ship to play? Are there any good guides around for it?

 

Thanks

[ColonelPete]

1 or 3, works both.

 

Chapa is a nice ship. There is an easy way to play her, but that does not influence battles much (Long range HE spammer). and there is the hard way (getting close, radar caps, kill DD)

[Seiranko]

I'd go with 3. Chapayev is a nice alternative to Cleveland, both are good T8 cruisers (though I absolutely hate the looks of the ship). But it's a good bit less forgiving. Having experience in Shchors helps a lot in getting good results out of the ship. Also, the other ships are decent on their own.

[KillSlim]

18 hours ago, Drasnighta said:

Is the Chapayev a hard ship to play? Are there any good guides around for it?

 

Thanks

 

It's not a complicated play style, pick an island to hide behind and spam HE. Pray you don't get the Ocean map. If the island-hiding-HE-spamming play style fits you, which realistically is the only way the ship works--because you will be primaried every single time you can be shot at for easy citadels--then feel free to play Chapayev. Schors and Buddy have identical play styles. 

[Arty_McFly]

Am 21.10.2018 um 21:23, Drasnighta sagte:

1) Keep the Chapy, maybe play a few co-op games beforehand and then retrain a 10 point captain to go on her and continue up the tiers.

Keep in mind, that Chapy needs a 14 point captain to be effective. With a 10 point captain, you have to choose between IFHE and Concealment Expert. If you miss IFHE, your HE damage against BBs and cruisers will be drastically reduced. Without Concealment Expert, Chapy is visible from the moon.

[Gnirf]

1 and 3 if you like the Russian line, long range kiter and HE spammer, will shine with a 14 p captain IFHE/CE as previous poster have said, have a 19 p on her and also the premium counterpart Kutuzov.

Chapayev is very good also in scenarios, Cherry Blossom for T8 cruisers. Yes she performs well in coop also against bots, learn when to silence your guns, she can be deleted fast if caught.

 

I am a colector therefor keeping all ships, and I do play Russian T3 6 8 , seldom the others right now, but it is also because I think they are tierwise very good, I have many Svetlana games also but not lately. I have 19 p in Bogatyr and Chapayev and I have clicked with the Russkies, if you like Schcors you will enjoy Chappa. 

[Sympathy4TheDevil]

Chappy is awesome and tier 9 and 10 are even better. Grind it out, spam HE and don't get in too close. Play the Moskva bow on and you can do damage for days. 

[Seiranko]

On 10/28/2018 at 7:49 AM, Arty_McFly said:

Keep in mind, that Chapy needs a 14 point captain to be effective. With a 10 point captain, you have to choose between IFHE and Concealment Expert. If you miss IFHE, your HE damage against BBs and cruisers will be drastically reduced. Without Concealment Expert, Chapy is visible from the moon.

I took IFHE over CE. Thing with Chapayev is, it has unusually good concealment for a Russian ship and it has that Russian long-range radar. Even without CE, you can basically counterradar when spotted. In contrast to example Cleveland, where the radar is too short for it (though even on Cleveland I went IFHE first, because concealment without CE is basically on-par with full concealment build Chapa).

 

Chapa isn't hard to play and a really good ship. Personally, would rate it as one of the best T8 cruisers, just because it has a good armament, detectability and radar. Regardless of MM, these are strong assets (contrast with Hipper, which is absolutely screwed if it's the only T8 ship in T10 match). The hardest part to get around with on the Chapayev is the ship handling. But if you diligently played through Shchors (recommended, it's a nice ship), you shouldn't struggle with Chapa. Try to get where nothing dangerous can shoot at you, ambush DDs, don't forget that you can shoot AP even at range, if necessary (cruiser broadsides are good targets) and have fun.

 

I'm not sure whether new Cleveland is a better ship. Got both and Cleveland certainly is more sturdy and has better handling. And when a DD cocks up inside radar range, Cleveland radar duration makes sure it's dead. But Chapayev is the original T8 radar terror for DDs and as I played DDs during the USN CL release and after, Cleveland can be dodged. Chapayev railguns mostly hit and hurt. And when playing the ships, I appreciate the Cleveland very much, it is a very very good ship, but Chapayev has distinct and valuable advantages that really make it still a good ship and fun to play. For any ranked (or if we ever get T8 CB), these are likely the two top picks.