13th Ranked Season: is the game "pay to win"

[Alfa_Tau]

Hello everyone

Let me tell you right now that I do not believe that ranked are pay to win per se. Although some ships have an obvious advantage. 

However there are a few aspects of the competitive tournment that require people to invest resources. If you are NOT ready to do so please DO NOT PLAY RANKED! 

 

Consumables MUST be premium;

 

Flags are essential especially the DETONATION flag: today I lost 2 team mates in 2 different battles cause were NOT using the flag.

 

CAMO   It's unbelievable to see a DD without CAMO in ranked. I can understrand a BB, won't make much difference but not a DD.

 

Last but not least the special upgrade (radar, hydro, etc) 

 

I understand that especially for those who doesn't have premium time or are not using one of the premium ships (I m using a Jutland) the silver cost is considerable but please UNDERSTAND if you don't use the above items, you are putting not only yourself in disdvantage but the Whole team. 

Finally when you chose a ship ask yourself the simple question: "what does this ship bring to my team". This is exactly what players do in Clan Battles. So I don't see how can be different in ranked. 

Considering now you have Supercruiser to pick a ROON is … . ridicolous choice. 

I know people will rage back to this point but thats the reality NOW. Currently I am playing at Rank 7, already full of Black. I already feel disadvantaged in my Jutland. But at least I have good guns good torps and Heal. 

 

Thanks 

 

 

[SgtTincan]

Black was earned with coal iirc so through playing, premium consumables are bought with credits that you earn playing the game, same for flags. whats your point calling any of this pay to win ?

[Verblonde]

3 minutes ago, Alfa_Tau said:

However there are a few aspects of the competitive tournment that require people to invest resources. If you are NOT ready to do so please DO NOT PLAY RANKED! 

I might refine this by adding (say) 'beyond rank 10' at the end. As long as you're in the two stars per rank bit, with a reasonable frequency of irreversible ranks, the impact of going in not fully loaded will probably be rather less important than player skill.

 

Easy for me to say though: I went into this season fully loaded from the outset, although I did stop at Rank 10, as that's the limit of my present abilities.

 

I'm a little surprised that captains aren't mentioned: I might suggest that a 19-pointer will probably have a greater positive impact than at least some of the essential upgrades/flags etc?

[Rhineheart_Thor]

Black is a Steel ship, if she was for coal I would have one.

 

Black is the only ship I want in game for " personal reasons "

 

So I think shes not pay to win, but I do understand your point.

 

Is she the strongest T9 Destroyer ? <rhetoric > IMHO :- Swapping her Defencive AA for 7.5km Radar in one slot makes her " Extremely Useful " in T9 Ranked with NO CV,s but I personally would still take Kitakaze,

" Psycho Pyromania ", over Blacks " Shadow War " at the end of the day for me in Ranked its all about DPM for your team, even if you hate your team, you all have to win, taking and defending caps is where its at.

 

~

[oosel]

see plenty of roons and ibukis in ranked and so far with the exception of a suicide roon on shards i think they seem to be a capable ships..........Kron, Kita and JB seem to be the current flavour of the month though and in bigger and bigger numbers the higher in rank you go

[DanSilverwing]

I think your thread title doesn't quite match your very sensible advice. People are going to quibble about "pay to win" ships now because they didn't bother to read what you actually had to say.

[Beaker71]

I've just got the black today. Only had a couple of games, and despite the radar - I'd take the jutland myself.  Strangely getting quite a few torp hits. Only played it in ranked so far.

[Rhineheart_Thor]

Just now, Beaker71 said:

I've just got the black today. Only had a couple of games, and despite the radar - I'd take the jutland myself.  Strangely getting quite a few torp hits. Only played it in ranked so far.

Jutland is a very strong boat, I am not sure but since I last played Her I think she may of been buffed ??? not sure

 

Enlighten me on her being buffed please ( I stopped playing British ships last year excluding a few premier to get the daily win bonus on ) 

[Beaker71]

3 minutes ago, CaptStevSmith said:

Jutland is a very strong boat, I am not sure but since I last played Her I think she may of been buffed ??? not sure

 

Enlighten me on her being buffed please ( I stopped playing British ships last year excluding a few premier to get the daily win bonus on ) 

 

Nope - she got a nerf to the rate of fire 3.5->4s - or something along those lines. Still a strong ship.

[Alfa_Tau]

51 minutes ago, Verblonde said:

I might suggest that a 19-pointer will probably have a greater positive impact

Right ! I did forgot to mention cause for me that's granted as I have many of my capt with 19 points. But you are absolutely right. 

[Alfa_Tau]

16 minutes ago, Beaker71 said:

I've just got the black today. Only had a couple of games, and despite the radar - I'd take the jutland myself.  Strangely getting quite a few torp hits. Only played it in ranked so far.

Black is very strong in ranked as allow the wise player to save the star . Kitakaze is a very strong gunboat no doubt. I have it and I know. BUt in ranked capping is more important and in this Black is the King. 

[Alfa_Tau]

23 minutes ago, DanSilverwing said:

I think your thread title doesn't quite match your very sensible advice

ahah totally right. But I did it on purpose as I want to grab the attention of the new players. 

[Alfa_Tau]

27 minutes ago, oosel said:

roons and ibukis in ranked

this 2 ships are good as any one else from rank 18 to 10.

Beyond that point they will find themselve overmatched by super cruisers. 

On the other hand in ranked, capnd deny cap is priority. Both ships DO NOT have radar. 

Perhaps it's because I am playing DDs but do you know how nice is when your team has no radar and the other does?? 

in a 6 vs 6 battle to lose a ship is already critical that's why team play is essential. Those 2 togheter with the French Tier 9 Cruiser  have limited supporting abilities. 

 

[Verblonde]

33 minutes ago, Beaker71 said:

I've just got the black today. Only had a couple of games, and despite the radar - I'd take the jutland myself.

That was the pair that did most of the heavy lifting for me; the impression (possibly wrong) that I came away with was that Black is superior if your team-mates are functioning as an actual team, whereas Jutland perhaps has the edge for 'army of one' stuff...?

[250swb]

2 hours ago, Alfa_Tau said:

 

Consumables MUST be premium;

 

Flags are essential especially the DETONATION flag: today I lost 2 team mates in 2 different battles cause were NOT using the flag.

 

CAMO   It's unbelievable to see a DD without CAMO in ranked. I can understrand a BB, won't make much difference but not a DD.

 

Last but not least the special upgrade (radar, hydro, etc) 

 

 

 

 

I'd put all those things on for Random battles never mind Ranked. I don't see why you'd need to 'buy' any of them other than earning credits in other battles for your upgrades such as radar etc., flags and camo you can win by simply playing, so why is using them 'pay to win'? I agree that players should think twice about not mounting them or playing a stock ship. But expecting success from the wallet is buying the full £140 four tier IX ship package in the Premium Shop, each of which would cost a massive amount of credits to upgrade and equip, credits also being available from the Shop. That is pay-to-win.

[GraySlayer]

1 hour ago, Alfa_Tau said:

Black is very strong in ranked as allow the wise player to save the star . Kitakaze is a very strong gunboat no doubt. I have it and I know. BUt in ranked capping is more important and in this Black is the King. 

 

Better than Chung? Chung has radar and better stealth than Black.

[Alfa_Tau]

14 minutes ago, 250swb said:

 

I'd put all those things on for Random battles never mind Ranked. I don't see why you'd need to 'buy' any of them other than earning credits in other battles for your upgrades such as radar etc., flags and camo you can win by simply playing, so why is using them 'pay to win'? I agree that players should think twice about not mounting them or playing a stock ship. But expecting success from the wallet is buying the full £140 four tier IX ship package in the Premium Shop, each of which would cost a massive amount of credits to upgrade and equip, credits also being available from the Shop. That is pay-to-win.

As I stated in my original post, I don't think ranked are pay to win in the classic sense of "opening the wallet" . My post title is provocative as I wish to drag the attention of new players .

I just reached Rank 6 in this season but it's unbelievable to see a Yugumo at rank9 with no camo?? forgot it?? I don't know. But I am seeing a lot of oddity in this season. 

 

[genosse]

11 minutes ago, GraySlayer said:

Better than Chung? Chung has radar and better stealth than Black.

So far, I am unimpressed. Made it to 6 in a BB and usually the team with the Black wins against the team with the Chung Mu.

 

I consider Jutland to be more dangerous, too.

 

Might be the players, though.

 

After that it's: The Team with more Kitas wins, and just hope yours doesn't got the Yugumos, who usually only try to save their star because they can't fight the other DDs.

 

See too many Yugumos and it's pretty much over. ;)

[Alfa_Tau]

12 minutes ago, GraySlayer said:

 

Better than Chung? Chung has radar and better stealth than Black.

Yes way better. Black can Mount both Radar and Smoke. Chung mu only one of the 2.

Black torps can hit DDs and considering half of enemy team is made of DDs.. Chung mu for me in THIS META is a less actractive choice. 

[GulvkluderGuld]

39 minutes ago, GraySlayer said:

 

Better than Chung? Chung has radar and better stealth than Black.

Please dont bring a Chung to ranked (before the potato BBs have invaded the top bracket anyhow).

 

Early in the season when only the best played at the top, it was 5 DDs 1 CA meta. Chung is awesome vs cruiser/Bbs comps, but good luck vs DDs with DWT and inferior guns.

[250swb]

22 minutes ago, Alfa_Tau said:

As I stated in my original post, I don't think ranked are pay to win in the classic sense of "opening the wallet" . My post title is provocative as I wish to drag the attention of new players .

I just reached Rank 6 in this season but it's unbelievable to see a Yugumo at rank9 with no camo?? forgot it?? I don't know. But I am seeing a lot of oddity in this season. 

 

I see what you mean, I admit I'd only read your first post and realise you nuanced your message since.

 

The lack of camo on a DD does say something simple about the overall mindset but it's the sort of thing Wargaming is encouraging along with all the other short cuts to success. I think the reason is that Ranked isn't seen as special anymore, it is just one of an ever growing series of overlapping events that encourage players to skip and skimp from one to another and not commit all they should to one event.

[GraySlayer]

38 minutes ago, Alfa_Tau said:

Yes way better. Black can Mount both Radar and Smoke. Chung mu only one of the 2.

Black torps can hit DDs and considering half of enemy team is made of DDs.. Chung mu for me in THIS META is a less actractive choice. 

 

Ah ok. Pity I don't have 14k steel :(

[Alfa_Tau]

45 minutes ago, GraySlayer said:

 

Ah ok. Pity I don't have 14k steel :(

me neither. that's why I am playing my Jutland. 

[Alfa_Tau]

2 hours ago, Verblonde said:

That was the pair that did most of the heavy lifting for me; the impression (possibly wrong) that I came away with was that Black is superior if your team-mates are functioning as an actual team, whereas Jutland perhaps has the edge for 'army of one' stuff...?

I fought several time against Black so far. My experience is that Jutland has better firepower and especially has Heal to regain some loss. I killed black only when I was able to surprise it in a very short range fight.

At mid range Jutland struggle because if black smoke and kite away you dont have the speed to close inand from behind the smoke he activate radar and kill me. 

Team work is Always a supeb thing. Unfortunately Ranked some time favor selfish beahviour. 

[nimlock]

Yep. Feels like f2p...