Question about Atlanta AA

[BartdeBruijn]

Hi Guys,

 

I recently bought the Atlanta Cruiser, which is a fine ship indeed! A bit situational and not meant for slugging it out one on one, but it's a great anti-DD platform and highly dangerous to other cruisers when in groups and within range. It's not so good at taking hits, but that's a cruiser thingy anyway.

 

The thing I wonder about, is the AA capability. Either the number is off, or something is borked, because as I understand it, all of its main armament is also capable of AA fire. Here's a snippet from the in-game info:

 

This class of cruisers with 127 mm dual-purpose main battery guns was designed for use in joint operations with destroyers.

 

So here's the thing. Shouldn't this thing shoot the crap out of any squadrons that come anywhere near it? It kills planes alright, but so do other USN cruisers. Or am I missing something and does it just have fewer guns total, thus even when all guns are DP, there's just fewer of them.

 

• AA Guns 20 mm Oerlikon Mk4 8x1 20 mm
• AA Guns 28 mm/75 Mk2 mod. 2 4x4 28 mm
• AA Guns 127 mm/38 Mk32 mod. 12 6x2 127 mm

• AA Guns 20 mm Oerlikon Mk4 13x1 20 mm
• AA Guns 40 mm Bofors Mk1 2x2 40 mm
• AA Guns 40 mm Bofors Mk2 4x4 40 mm
• AA Guns 127 mm/38 Mk32 mod. 12 6x2 127 mm

 

I am about to get coffee, maybe that will help

 

[Historynerd]

I might be mistaken about this, but to use dual-purpose batteries I think you have to use Ctrl and use the pointer to select the enemy aircraft squadron... otherwise the DP guns would remain in anti-ship mode.

[Darth_Glorious]

I might be mistaken about this, but to use dual-purpose batteries I think you have to use Ctrl and use the pointer to select the enemy aircraft squadron... otherwise the DP guns would remain in anti-ship mode.

 

wrong, using ctrl just makes sure that all guns focus on 1 only target...

[Historynerd]

 

wrong, using ctrl just makes sure that all guns focus on 1 only target...

 

Welp, said I could be mistaken....

 

Though, this seems to yield some bette results, in case two or three different squadrons come into range... and especially if there's only one torpedo bomber squadron.

[Seinta]

You are using the 127mm guns as your main battery and player controlled guns can't shoot planes.

[BartdeBruijn]

Hmm, so there goes the idea of a wicked AA cruiser. Shame really, it would fill a nice niche as dedicated anti-DD/heavy flak cruiser.

[Devantejah]

You are using the 127mm guns as your main battery and player controlled guns can't shoot planes.

 

If they are DP like on some destroyers and on the Atlanta, the 127mm will shoot at aircraft regardless if they are controlled by the player at the moment or not.

 

You just wont see them turn, but they will still damage the enemy aircraft.

[Historynerd]

 

If they are DP like on some destroyers and on the Atlanta, the 127mm will shoot at aircraft regardless if they are controlled by the player at the moment or not.

 

You just wont see them turn, but they will still damage the enemy aircraft.

 

So, main battery DP fire at aircraft even if you're aiming/firing at a ship? Wouldn't have fathomed that...

[dacorny]

Yes, thats because the firing of the AA guns is just animation.

 

As far as i understood it, as soon as an airplane enters your area of engagement of your AA guns, its getting DPS.

You can see the Value in the Stats.

 

Ships having two or three different ranges on aa guns ( 5km / 3.1km / 2.1km for example ).

 

So the closer the planes coming the more dmg they get per second.

[Blue_Bug]

The Atlanta can shoot a lot of planes. Remember that a lot of the AA capability is depended on the upgrades and comanders skills. I once shot 22 airplanes in one batle with the Atlanta, while not even hunting for them.

[BartdeBruijn]

The Atlanta can shoot a lot of planes. Remember that a lot of the AA capability is depended on the upgrades and commanders skills. I once shot 22 airplanes in one battle with the Atlanta, while not even hunting for them.

 

I know, I upgrade the AA skills/mods on all my cruisers and cruiser captains. I like shooting down airplanes and guarding our BB's from enemy torp squads, gives me a sense of contributing to the team and our cause. Besides, it looks absolutely epic to have a few ships sailing in formation, have them firing/AA going on.

 

When I play CV and I see an enemy BB that is guarded by a cruiser, especially USN ones, I avoid them and go off in search of other prey. You just lose too many aircraft otherwise. Torp runs with only three planes in your TB squad really cuts down the effectiveness.

[chaplainDMK]

Technically it should have 8 dual 5" guns, though overall I dont think it should have more small-caliber AA than a Cleveland, since it's quite a bit smaller. But small caliber guns only really work in self defense, the big dual purpose guns are what allows cruisers to cover other ships. 

[Pastaiolo]

If you check the AA stats it lists the main batteries as AA guns too. The game probably takes account of their damage against planes but you won't see them aiming at planes and actually firing.

[Boomer7]

Well looking through it all the Tier placement is a bit strange, as the Cleveland Class cruisers were built after the Atlanta class.

 

So from a historical standpoint it makes sense that the Cleveland has superior firepower, with lessons learned from the Atlanta.

 

The Atlanta should have a better AA at range while the close range AA of the Cleveland would be better.

If the twin purpose guns not work as AA guns in WOWS that would make the Atlanta a bit useless.

 

As I understand it the AA currently works more like in old style strategy games where the AA value is matched against the defense value of the planes and from that the damage is calculated. The shots we are seeing are just windowdressing not really doing anything.

 

 

Historically the Atlanta did not do too well in surface engagements:

Although very formidable as anti-aircraft ships, the Atlanta-class cruisers did not fare well in surface combat. The only two cruisers of the class that engaged in surface combat were sunk: Atlanta and Juneau.

 

 

[BartdeBruijn]

Historically the Atlanta did not do too well in surface engagements

 

Well, trust me, in game it doesn't do too well either ;) DD's are fair game, if you gang up on another cruiser, you can hurt it too, but the thing has 11km range and is relatively light caliber. It shoots very fast though.

 

I was just curious about it's AA capabilities, because I don't perceive it as a very strong AA platform, which it is supposed to be.

[Fominator]

Historically the Atlanta did not do too well in surface engagements:

 

And Fuso was pretty bad, somehow ships in WoWS performance is inversed to history. Right now Atlanta is pretty good against CAs and even BBs (if they get close), well see next patch with the new armor mechanics.

[BartdeBruijn]

 

And Fuso was pretty bad, somehow ships in WoWS performance is inversed to history. Right now Atlanta is pretty good against CAs and even BBs (if they get close), well see next patch with the new armor mechanics.

 

Atlanta has a field day against DD's, it can put the hurt to CL's and kill/cripple them, but CA's and up would wreck her due to superior firepower and range. Any time you start taking shots in an Atlanta, you lose half your turrets and consequently the fight.

 

Those DD's make for a yummy meal though

[Kyono]

As far as I'm aware, if you're not firing the main guns then they will act as AA and fire at aircraft instead of ships.

 

Went and bought the Atlanta today. First result.

 

 

 

When ever aircraft came over, I simply clicked on them and the guns did the rest. Looking forward to getting the advanced firing training on the captain (My PepsiCola captain) so that I can start shooting at targets 7km away.

[beercrazy]

 

 

 

this is my second battle with the Atlanta I bought today and I didn't even use the antiaircraft perk because like a noob I was pressing y instead of t to activate it
 

[Krogort]

I think the Atlanta should be one tier lower.

 

Its dual 127mm while quite effective against Destroyers are extremely fragile and it is not uncomon to have half of them destroyed, good thing you have 8.

Anti Air isn't that great compared to a tier 6 Cleveland which has 6 dual 127mm turrets in adition to its main guns.

[Kyono]

I think the Atlanta should be one tier lower.

 

Its dual 127mm while quite effective against Destroyers are extremely fragile and it is not uncomon to have half of them destroyed, good thing you have 8.

Anti Air isn't that great compared to a tier 6 Cleveland which has 6 dual 127mm turrets in adition to its main guns.

 

Next patch should hopefully stop your turrets popping every time someone so much as glances at you.

[Fominator]

Atlanta turrets have no armor, so next patch won't change that.

[Historynerd]

 

And Fuso was pretty bad, somehow ships in WoWS performance is inversed to history. Right now Atlanta is pretty good against CAs and even BBs (if they get close), well see next patch with the new armor mechanics.

 

How can we say that? The only surface engagement was heavily stacked against the force she was being part of; sure, we have several naval historians raising more than a legitimate doubt about the concept and the solutions implemented in this class of ships, but we can't know for sure how it would have performed in the battle she was built to fight...

[JohnHusky]

All of the AA will fire on Atlanta or any other ship for that matter that got duel purpose guns regardless of you using main guns or not. As soon as the planes get into range of your AA guns, they will loss HP until enough has been done and a plane is shot down. Anything else is just animations.

If a Plane got 500hp and it stays at long range AA (5km) and it does say 50 dps. Its gonna take you 10sec to shoot one down.

 

The animation however only show 1 AA bullet from the long range is fired per second. Its the same on any ship with any duel purpose guns.

So i think the long range AA needs some adjustment in the animation to make it look as all the guns are being used.

 

It would be nice if the animation would look more like what was described in the history about the Atlanta. As it would make a "wall" of fire to try and stop planes from coming too close. It kinda does that, with the skill "defensive fire" on cruisers, but not really the way i expected it to.

[Kyono]

All of the AA will fire on Atlanta or any other ship for that matter that got duel purpose guns regardless of you using main guns or not. As soon as the planes get into range of your AA guns, they will loss HP until enough has been done and a plane is shot down. Anything else is just animations.

If a Plane got 500hp and it stays at long range AA (5km) and it does say 50 dps. Its gonna take you 10sec to shoot one down.

 

The animation however only show 1 AA bullet from the long range is fired per second. Its the same on any ship with any duel purpose guns.

So i think the long range AA needs some adjustment in the animation to make it look as all the guns are being used.

 

It would be nice if the animation would look more like what was described in the history about the Atlanta. As it would make a "wall" of fire to try and stop planes from coming too close. It kinda does that, with the skill "defensive fire" on cruisers, but not really the way i expected it to.

 

Never thought about it working that way. Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.