First steel ship?

[WildWind84]

Hi, if you haven't so far none of steel ship, which would you choose and why? I need to choose between Stalingrad or BOurgogne or Shikishima and haven't clue how to choose, so I would appriciate opinion about that. 

From TX ships I have: Ohio (sec. build), GK (sec. build), Preussen (sec. build), Hindy, Yoshino, Salem (my cursed ship), Yamato, Montana, Kremlin, Petro, Z-52 (but I am NOT dd player, just fxp him from Z-23 that I can go to RB for Ohio. DDs still try to learn in lower tiers, so I don't play t9 or TX with dds). 

 

Tnx in advance for any advice 

[Yosha_AtaIante]

Try to choose based on what you'd enjoy to play more. If you like playing battleships over cruisers then choose a battleship. Then ask yourself what that battleship needs to fulfill for you. You already have a Yamato so Shikishima won't offer much unique so maybe Bourgogne with her unique playstyle of being a very fast BB with fast reload would be interesting to you. 

[Bainsmit_steel]

If you like bbs with an touch of cruiser flavor then Burg, if you want Yamato spinnoff then Shikishima. if you want to be hipster then Incomparable...There is an rumor that new German ships will be good but that you never know...

 

If you like cruisers Stalin is at least for me pick nr 1.

 

DDs Ragnar rules

[KielYourself]

Ragnar and Incomparable are currently the most busted strong ships in the armory. Get them if you can.

 

Stalin, Shiki, Bourgogne and Austin are all solid and strong ships with Shiki just being a sidegrade yamato.

 

Plymouth is, unfortunately, just a worse Minotaur but can be an alright ship.

[WildWind84]

My joy in game are sec. bbs. Also enjoy to play with Hindy and Yoshino (but there is allways space to improved myself). Plymouth is out because I haven't Mino, I am just grinded Edinbourg. Austin - look Salem and also tt lines aren't yet grinded (I am just get T9 US cruisers, both line), so I am insecure about that. Petro I was played few battles with him but it could be decent, Incomparable haven't clue how is it or how to play with him (even I haven't meet him in battle more than I think 5-6 times or less). Montana and Yamato are decent for me also, even not much enjoy like bbs with sec. build or Hindy or even Yoshino. 

 

Bourgogne is somehow different than French TT line (different playstyle)?

 

New ship - Mecklebourg or how it spell?

Also, it could be possible option to wait him.

 

Sry for not good English and many questions, I tried to not screw up like with Salem I screw up and now with subs - Salem is waste of time for me...

[RuneSlayers]

It's called Mecklenburg xD

 

Both the Stalingrad and the Bourgogne are outstanding ships. If you like BBs I would obviously go for the Bourgogne. 

 

With the Shikishima...well...now with the Satsuma on T-XI. Go for her instead and save your steel instead of spending it for the Shiki.

[Panocek]

I've went with Stalingrad

-ironically, its only Steel ship that have basis in reality

-her guns still hold the line as one of the nastiest large cruiser guns in game, the best AP pen, improved ricochet angles, increased fuse sensitivity to reduce overpens, accurate at all ranges and potent HE

-long range radar gives her some utility

-while 60s fires and loss of survivability skills hurt, dismantling 72k hp and generous amounts of 50mm plating still takes some time without broadside present

 

Only issue, she can be seen as boring to play, as any attempt at bravery or "imma do a thing, watch me" sends you back to port gulag. You need to play her by the book, slow and steady, putting your range and accuracy to work in first half of the battle and avoiding crossfires like a plague because she and "margin of error" don't mix. While you could say "Petro delives 80% experience of a Stalin", Petro is also having bit of a nerf bat massage as of late and who knows when/where it will stop.

 

Bourgogne suffered quite a bit with IFHE/Armor reworks and there's no shortage of overmatch resistant plating found on cruisers, in return being coated in 32mm plating means any HE spammer worth his salt, Yamato and supershit battleships will have field day with you and your below average health pool.

 

Shikishima could be seen as demo version of Satsuma, one turret less and no gimmick, but much cheaper to run. Still Yamato hull, so brawling is... not advised to put it mildly, despite having potent secondary payload.

[__Helmut_Kohl__]

16 minutes ago, WildWind84 said:

My joy in game are sec. bbs.

 

In that case, maybe you should save your steel for now, in case we get a steel secondary BB before you can gather that much steel again. :)

[Karasu_Browarszky]

As always, check any and all reviews (with the caveat that some are now at least partially outdated). I'm not sure who is the most reliable reviewer in terms of YouTube, but for written reviews I always recommend LWM as your first stop.

[principat121]

1 hour ago, WildWind84 said:

I need to choose between Stalingrad or BOurgogne or Shikishima

1. Bourgogne (fun and allrounder)

2. Stalingrad (strong, but meta catched up)

 

Why bother with Shikishima, when you can have Satsuma for free?!

[Jvd2000]

My steel income is low. Just around 15 months to acquire one with a coupon. Mostly earned during Xmas with my T8 and T9’s. 
 

My first steelcship.: Bourgogne and never regretted this one. I like BB and cruisers most. And this is almost an BB/ Cruiser hybrid.  If you are not a CV/ DD main this is your best pick.

My second ship: Stalingrad. Picked because it is the oldest ship next to Bourgogne and I already missed out on Sommers. Way less positive. Had some nerfs. Still solid but requires a more subtle approach. Not regretting the buy but not Bourgogne levels of happiness.

 

Currently at 18k steel so again close to 3rd steel ship. CV and DD’s are out. Plymouth is not high on the list. And between Shikishima and Incomparable the latter seems to be the more special. 

[tocqueville8]

1 hour ago, Panocek said:

I've went with Stalingrad

-ironically, its only Steel ship that have basis in reality

 

*cough* FDR *cough*

[tocqueville8]

My 1st was the Shikishima, and I don't regret it (over 3M xp in her), but without Dead Eye she's just not very consistent anymore. Plus the Satsuma is a lot easier to get, even if she operates at a loss.

 

Bourgogne is fearsome, and maybe the most different one from your current TX lineup, but she gets nuked by superships: Annapolis and Condé pen her all over the place with HE, Hannover and Satsuma overmatch her with AP...

 

I'm going with Incomparable next, but of the three you're considering I'd pick Stalingrad: she's just a pain in the a** to deal with, especially in Ranked where there are fewer ships to crossfire her.

[Hades_warrior]

2 hours ago, WildWind84 said:

Hi, if you haven't so far none of steel ship, which would you choose and why?

None of them.

I rather use my steel to add resource to buy coal ships.

[FlyingBender]

Im in the same point that you. I have seen many videos and when I get my coupon I will go for  Bourgogne.

[Miscommunication_dept]

Ordinarily I would say Bourgogne but now patrie is coming, it doesn’t look so great.

Stalingrad looks like it will remain unique but is a strange ship to play

[WildWind84]

First of all - tnx guys for all your's advices, I really apriciate all :)

 

For few of you who ask about CV and DD - dd still learn, CV can't play (medical reasons), so CV and DD for now are out of options.

 

About coal ship to get with steel - no. Reason: only right now that is insteresting me is Napoli and even Moskva. I think I will manage for time to spare enough coal for both of them, steel goes only if ships going from armory and I coudn't get enough coal on time for them.

 

@Karasu_Hidesuke how much is all reviews reliable in the current state of game (SUBMARINES)? I wrote this just after I nuked in Ohio at start of battle by submarine, without chance to defend myself or to even detect sub... Just start, didn't push, nothing, was on middle speed and in C line (just start from port)...

[Panocek]

28 minutes ago, WildWind84 said:

@Karasu_Hidesuke how much is all reviews reliable in the current state of game (SUBMARINES)? I wrote this just after I nuked in Ohio at start of battle by submarine, without chance to defend myself or to even detect sub... Just start, didn't push, nothing, was on middle speed and in C line (just start from port)...

If you want "somewhat sub resistant" steel ship, then I'm afraid there are none. BBs and large cruisers, Stalingrad included, are favorite targets of subs with their clumsiness and usual reliance on bow-on and latter particularly isn't fond of showing broadside to disengage.

 

Ragnar is technically a destroyer, but pretty big, clumsy and not exactly stealthy at that, lack of hydro and tragically bad ASW doesn't make things better against subs. And she's scheduled to get a nerf too

[albin322]

i have all exept ragnar(really good acording to clanamtes), plymouth, incomparable. i curently sit on 81,000 steel so when cupoun gets here i probably buy incomparable with that and full price buy ragnar.  

[Vbeest]

4 hours ago, Panocek said:

I've went with Stalingrad

-ironically, its only Steel ship that have basis in reality

 

 

Roosevelt cries in the corner...

 

EDIT:

@tocqueville8 (post #12) - sorry, did not see your post at the moment of typing the above
 

[WildWind84]

1 hour ago, Panocek said:

If you want "somewhat sub resistant" steel ship, then I'm afraid there are none. BBs and large cruisers, Stalingrad included, are favorite targets of subs with their clumsiness and usual reliance on bow-on and latter particularly isn't fond of showing broadside to disengage.

 

Ragnar is technically a destroyer, but pretty big, clumsy and not exactly stealthy at that, lack of hydro and tragically bad ASW doesn't make things better against subs. And she's scheduled to get a nerf too

 

Could you please me tell range of ASW in Stalingrad and also in Bourgogne? Incomparable works for snipe or? Also ASW range? Tnx very much :)

[Karasu_Browarszky]

1 hour ago, WildWind84 said:

First of all - tnx guys for all your's advices, I really apriciate all :)

 

For few of you who ask about CV and DD - dd still learn, CV can't play (medical reasons), so CV and DD for now are out of options.

 

About coal ship to get with steel - no. Reason: only right now that is insteresting me is Napoli and even Moskva. I think I will manage for time to spare enough coal for both of them, steel goes only if ships going from armory and I coudn't get enough coal on time for them.

 

@Karasu_Hidesuke how much is all reviews reliable in the current state of game (SUBMARINES)? I wrote this just after I nuked in Ohio at start of battle by submarine, without chance to defend myself or to even detect sub... Just start, didn't push, nothing, was on middle speed and in C line (just start from port)...

 

@WildWind84 (your @paging me was not active btw).

 

Sorry, I don't know what they subs are having on impact on the various steel ships. They are having a detrimental effect on all ships, but in order to know how each ship has changed you need to get pointers from people who know the subs well and how they've changed the meta.

 

If we focus on BB's and Cruisers... I think all were released prior to the subs arriving in the game, Shikishima about two years ago in 2020. There are some newer reviews like this:

 

 

 

 

 

LWM catalog of reviews, last updated this March:

 

https://forum.worldofwarships.com/topic/210980-mouses-catalog-of-ship-reviews/

 

LWM BB review summary thread, but last updated about a year ago. So any newer reviews you'd have to try to find by googling.

 

https://forum.worldofwarships.com/topic/209611-mouses-quick-summary-of-premium-battleships/

 

 

A Review here on EU on Shikishima by @kon1990

 

https://forum.worldofwarships.eu/topic/138187-shikishima-review/

 

But I don't if there are any new reviews, everything seems to be from around 2020/21. The same for any of the others. Old reviews do not necessarily fully reflect

 

Discussions from various times/places:

 

 

Bourgogne, at least at that time with some reservations apparently.

 

ASIA forum poll/threads back in 2021:

 

https://forum.worldofwarships.asia/topic/50645-whats-the-most-recommended-first-steel-ship-in-2021/

 

That's basically Shikishima or Stalingrad there.

 

https://forum.worldofwarships.asia/topic/54545-shikishima-or-incomparable/

 

Some still liked Bourgogne, apparently between Shikishima and Incomparable, the former is easier, the latter harder to play, so think about what is your skill level/cealing and which would suit you best. Same for cruisers, of course.

 

Other resources, not necessarily directly related to the topic:

 

 

 

https://ships.gg/ships

 

https://wiki.wargaming.net/en/Ship:List_of_Ships

 

What is hard to find are the original released dates for each ship, though.

[Panocek]

10 minutes ago, WildWind84 said:

 

Could you please me tell range of ASW in Stalingrad and also in Bourgogne? Incomparable works for snipe or? Also ASW range? Tnx very much :)

You can check that in game, Armory -> ship -> preview ship.

 

In Bourg case, its 11km, one charge of one plane which drops two bombs, each bomb deals 2400dmg.

In Stalin case, its 8km, two charges of one plane which drops three bombs, each bomb deals 2600dmg.

 

Add to that recent change of "submarine location" being pure guessing game, ASW bombs gradually losing damage based on how far from target they detonated and ye, unless you had sub at least briefly spotted, you might as well not concern yourself with ASW planes, you're not going to do much to it.

[Karasu_Browarszky]

Just now, Panocek said:

You can check that in game, Armory -> ship -> preview ship.

 

In Bourg case, its 11km, one charge of one plane which drops two bombs, each bomb deals 2000dmg.

In Stalin case, its 8km, two charges of one plane which drops three bombs, each bomb deals 2600dmg.

 

Add to that recent change of "submarine location" being pure guessing game, ASW bombs gradually losing damage based on how far from target they detonated and ye, unless you had sub at least briefly spotted, you might as well not concern yourself with ASW planes, you're not going to do much to it.

Yeah.. that 'guessing game'. What it means is that this  is a somewhat moot point, though, unless you know where to drop that stuff.

[HMS_Kilinowski]

In your case low to mid tiers should be a priority.

Since there are no low to mid tier steel ships, unfortunately no steel ship can be recommended in quiet conscience.

One can however trade steel for coal and there are a lot of really good ships for coal in mid tiers. My personal recommendation would be T6-Anshan and T5-Oktober Rewhatever. Also Hill is a very nice ship to learn DDs. For the long range spammer, Lazo can be fun to play. These are serious options, since one can get about 5 mid tier coal ships for the equivalent of one T10 steel ship.