Is Salem worth the coal?

[Silver_Firebote]

Hello hello, I’ve been saving up coal and almost enough to get the Salem.

how do u guys think about it and is it worth it?

[The_Finnster]

Yes, it’s worth it.

[principat121]

No, she's not worth it. 

[Spartan_Renegade]

A bit too late to be spending all that coal on Salem, innit? She is no longer in her prime, nor Des Memes for that matter.  There are better ships you could buy for your coal's worth. 

[RenamedUser_92906789]

42 minutes ago, Silver_Firebote said:

Hello hello, I’ve been saving up coal and almost enough to get the Salem.

how do u guys think about it and is it worth it?

 

She is worth it if you don't have a DesMoines. If you do, than not worth it, unless you absolutely love DesMoines and you want another variant.

Its basically a DesMoines with a better heal and a shorter (Atlanta) radar and no spotter plane option.

[lup3s]

42 minutes ago, Silver_Firebote said:

Hello hello, I’ve been saving up coal and almost enough to get the Salem.

how do u guys think about it and is it worth it?

 

I think nambr9 summarized it perfectly :

 

2 minutes ago, nambr9 said:

Its basically a DesMoines with a better heal and a shorter radar.

 

You trade "ease of use" with the radar for more survivability.

So to answer if the Salem is worth it, it sort of depends what you prefer;

just daka ? -> Salem definitely worth it

sneak in to hunt DDs ? -> DesMo is better because longer range radar

[Miscommunication_dept]

Des moines is better.

 

I think the most fun available for coal right now is the Marceau.

Max Immelmann is very good if you like CVs. 

[Jvd2000]

Depends on which coal ships you have and your class preferences. Salem is still a solid ship. If you want to have a tier x coal ship its either Salem, Moskwa or Yoshino for cruisers. Other options are the German cv or Marceau.

 

Salem is competitive with all other options, it all depends on your preferences. 
 

Buying an expensive coal like a Tx ship it’s always wise to use that 25% discount coupon. Next one is a month away.

[Miscommunication_dept]

36 minutes ago, nambr9 said:

 

She is worth it if you don't have a DesMoines. If you do, than not worth it, unless you absolutely love DesMoines and you want another variant.

Its basically a DesMoines with a better heal and a shorter (Atlanta) radar and no spotter plane option.

The heal unfortunately doesn't queue any more damage than a standard heal so IMO it's only great if you lose a lot of health early, later game you will have nothing to repair.

[Hades_warrior]

1 hour ago, Silver_Firebote said:

Hello hello, I’ve been saving up coal and almost enough to get the Salem.

how do u guys think about it and is it worth it?

Yes very much so.

[tocqueville8]

Imho she is worth it.

 

The superheal allows you to tank HE spam extremely well, and that's important for a ship that's going to spend a lot of time hugging islands to protect herself from crossfires.

Keep in mind though, that you can only pen 50% of regular AP/HE/SAP damage, and I believe 33% of citadel damage, so the effectiveness of each heal, which in theory can restore almost 50% of your hp, in reality goes down with each charge.

 

Example #1:

- you only take 100% healable damage (fires, floodings, overpens)

- all your heals are used in full, so you can restore 50% + 50% + 50% = 150% of your hp (200% with Superintendent)

- best-case scenario, your maximum hp is 300% of your original

 

Example #2:

- you only take 50% healable damage

- to use your first heal in full, you need to go down to 1 hp, then heal back to 50%

- you go down to 1 hp again, use a heal, but now you only go back to 25%

- same, to 12.5%

- basically you heal 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + 1/16 with Superindendent = 93% (total hp = 193%)

 

Example #3:

- you only take "citadel damage" (33% or 1/3 healable)

- same reasoning, you heal 1/3 + 1/9 + 1/27 + 1/81 with Superintendent = 49% (total hp = 149%)

 

As you can see, you'll be a true zombie if you bait Harugumos and Colberts into trying to melt you, but any North Carolina overmatching you with AP, even without hitting your citadel, will eat into your hp for good.

 

Having said that, the DPM is awesome, if a bit difficult to use due to slow shells and poor rudder/gun handling.

You'll murder DDs at close range, you'll murder cruisers that show even just a hint of broadside, and you'll laugh in the face of BBs with 15'' guns (Bismarck, Alsace, Lepanto...). Against 16'' guns and above, you might take heavy damage in response, but even with just your front two turrets you'll make them pay dearly.

Basically, it's hard to have a really low-damage game in the Salem, which is why I find her very re-playable.

 

Just a piece of advice: take RPF to make up for the shorter radar range (and lack of hydro). It's useful to know when a DD is spotting you from the flank and the position just isn't safe.

Because the heals give diminishing returns, you might consider skipping Superintendent (the extra Def AA isn't too great, either) and take Top Grade Gunner, which is very useful in those nose-in brawls that are so important in the late game.

 

2 hours ago, gopher31 said:

The heal unfortunately doesn't queue any more damage than a standard heal so IMO it's only great if you lose a lot of health early, later game you will have nothing to repair.

 

I read or LWM's review that the heal queues 33% of citadel damage instead of 10%, but maybe it's been changed since 2018. WoWs FT doesn't show it: does anyone know how to be sure?

[DFens_666]

3 minutes ago, tocqueville8 said:

I read or LWM's review that the heal queues 33% of citadel damage instead of 10% of it, but maybe it's been changed since 2018. WoWs FT doesn't show it: does anyone know how to be sure?

 

For Cruisers its usually 33%. Some exceptions like UK and US BCs which can be 10% or 50%.

[The_Chiv]

If you like the DM but wish it had a bit more healing then yes get the Salem. If you feel you must have 10km radar then no.

[22cm]

9 minutes ago, The_Chiv said:

If you like the DM but wish it had a bit more healing then yes get the Salem. If you feel you must have 10km radar then no.

No, because DM is free/for credits, and its basically same ship, with minor differences. 

Like Musashi/Yamato, but in that case Musashi is worth it because 1 tier lower its OP and sees less CVs. 

[KillStealBoss]

11 hours ago, nambr9 said:

and no spotter plane option.

For real? You even consider putting it in the first place?

[RenamedUser_92906789]

24 minutes ago, MacArthur92 said:

For real? You even consider putting it in the first place?

 

I only wrote the difference :)

 

I dont even have Salem ;)

[KillStealBoss]

33 minutes ago, nambr9 said:

 

I only wrote the difference :)

 

I dont even have Salem ;)

Not about Salem it's about mounting spotter plane instead of radar. 

[RenamedUser_92906789]

40 minutes ago, MacArthur92 said:

Not about Salem it's about mounting spotter plane instead of radar. 

 

Yes I know. What's your point? I wrote the differences between Salem and DesMoines. I never said one should use spotter on DM.... and even if one does... it's not really my business :)

[Miscommunication_dept]

Spotter plane on Des Moines or Salem is the fastest way to negative karma besides playing a CV.

[KillStealBoss]

15 minutes ago, gopher31 said:

Spotter plane on Des Moines or Salem is the fastest way to negative karma besides playing a CV.

At least on Salem you can't mount it 

56 minutes ago, nambr9 said:

 

Yes I know. What's your point? I wrote the differences between Salem and DesMoines. I never said one should use spotter on DM.... and even if one does... it's not really my business :)

Some people might not know it, better not mention it so they won't do the stupid thing to mount it 

[RenamedUser_92906789]

36 minutes ago, MacArthur92 said:

At least on Salem you can't mount it 

Some people might not know it, better not mention it so they won't do the stupid thing to mount it 

 

DM with range + spotter ... why not? :)

 

Radar is overrated anyways :D After all we are constantly demanding "variety" from WG ;)

[The_Chiv]

4 hours ago, 22cm said:

No, because DM is free/for credits, and its basically same ship, with minor differences. 

Like Musashi/Yamato, but in that case Musashi is worth it because 1 tier lower its OP and sees less CVs. 

Just with a UK cruiser heal instead of a US one. It also has less close range AA.

[Animalul2012]

Salem is OP in the right hands but offers less utility than des moines(suprise suprise another OP ship) but hey at least you still have a radar unlike zao or hindenburg. Salem is trades that utility in exchange to screw over even more anything that dares to face it in close combat. No cruiser can beat it in close quarters,have no armor on the turrets and he will destroy them easily,otherwise would just eat you with his HE and fires set on. Only a BB should dare to face these things in close quarters but even then if the dispersion and citadel rng does not favor,they are in big trouble.

[RenamedUser_12093_1992]

One important thing I noticed with Salem and Des Moines is the lack of legendary upgrade really hurts. No longer can you accelerate like a dd instead you are more sluggish and less agile. 

 

This is important when you are trying to bounce 406s because you can't quickly change position after the bb has shot you instead on Salem its trickier to make sure your position is correct before being shot at because of the 27mm nose.

 

IMO i I think Des Moines is better overall Salem is for farming dmg.

[22cm]

I had the honour of having in my team a spotting plane DM once. Only once, but it happened for real.