Fuso seems underpowered

[VIChiefIV]

I recently unlocked the Fuso and New Mexico and decided to purchase the Fuso first last weekend once I had accumulated enough silver for one of these two battleships.

 

However I only just noticed that the range of the Fuso has been radically altered in recent patches? I watched back the video Jingles made a few months back about the Fuso yesterday and there the Fuso still has a max range of 18-20 km. In its current version the Fuso has a range of 13 km which can be upgraded to 14,7 km (if I recall correctly). So this Tier 6 battleship has less range than my Tier 5 New York (max range 18,2 km) which has the option to install the 16% range increase-module, something the Fuso lacks.

 

Anyone who could tell me what the rational was behind this change? The Fuso's guns are very slow, it's a larger ship than the equivalent USA battleship so makes for a bigger target and although it's somewhat faster it has thinner armour. So this nerf of the Fuso seems somewhat unnecessary?

 

Another thing that puzzles me is the fact that the ship has 2 hull upgrades which give you EXACTLY the same stats increases. But the C-hull is required to get the Fire Control System-range increase. So you have to spend several thousand xp on the B-hull upgrade which seems completely redundant.

 

In addition, I'm in doubt what primary gun related module I should install. Right now I am thinking about getting the accuracy increase upgrade but since the game gives no % indication I'm not sure such an upgrade would have any significant effect. In which case I would probably go for the 15% increase in turret speed.

 

 

[Hauptbahnhof]

The range is based on how high the firecontrol is located, so you will get 20km range with the final hull upgrade, it has not been nerfed ( as far as I know ).

 

The interface just isn't very good at showing it to you..

[OttoKretschmer]

better range comes with the hulls itself on Fuso iirc

[VIChiefIV]

Alright, must have missed that then I suppose. Or does the game truly not indicate this in the stats overview of the hull upgrade? I could have sworn I didn't see it being mentioned anywhere.

[Hauptbahnhof]

Nope it's not mentioned anywhere ( since hull I think don't list firing range ).

[Vanhal]

Stock Fuso is among the crappiest craps in game. Don't even talk about this. Get your free XP or play YOLO to get the upgraded hull. Then it will shine.

 

And the rationality in this change?

Well, in the alpha test we often praised Wargaming that WoWs isn't like WoT, here the stock vesels are not unplayable like there, so they are going in the right direction.

But come on, it's the Wargaming! For them, the praises from the players are the sign that they are doing something wrong, they want to hear complaints! So they changed it and now the stocks are crap too.

[VIChiefIV]

Bit of an oversight then, since if stats like that would actually be mentioned mentioned it really would have added value. Alright, thanks for the input folks it's really appreciated

 

[PzAbteilung]

the fuso turning speed from turrets has been nerfed, thats a fact, but i suspect that accuracy and penetration has been nerfed too. I feel the fuso much worse than before i every aspect. Every single salvo from colorados and N mexicos makes me 20000 damage, i shoot them, and i get 7000 with lucky doing 7 hits!!!!

 

And with nagato the thing is more like this, i had great games with nagato since july,was no difficult to me make matches with 100k damage, now its near impossible. The usa BBs now deal much more damage than the japs.

[VIChiefIV]

And what about the gun related module upgrades? Right now I am thinking about getting the accuracy increase upgrade but since the game gives no % indication I'm not sure such an upgrade would have any significant effect. In which case I would probably go for the 15% increase in turret speed.

[kamuka]

Nope it's not mentioned anywhere ( since hull I think don't list firing range ).

 

When you click on the upgrade and open the Firepower tab on the right side it will show the range with the upgrade. (just like it will show a list of the new AA guns under the AA tab etc)

 

Edit: don't get turret speed. it lowers your rof. accuracy is the way to go.

[VIChiefIV]

Funny, been playing this game since open Beta but this is completely new to me when it comes to that tab. Cheers for the hint.

 

As for the module, there's actually a mistake in Jingles' video about it where he states he chose the 10% loading time/15% turning speed because it turns the turrets faster and makes you increase your rof. But unless I interpret the text incorrectly this module makes your guns' rof 10% slower, not faster.

 

So personally I was indeed planning on going for the accuracy increase. Just a shame that that upgrade gives no info on what the % increase of the accuracy on the guns is.

[Vanhal]

Just a shame that that upgrade gives no info on what the % increase of the accuracy on the guns is.

 

Don't have any proof of that, but from my experience, the most suitable word is "abysmal".

[VIChiefIV]

So hmmm, I suppose the better choice would then be the AA range increase.

[ilhilh]

the fuso turning speed from turrets has been nerfed, thats a fact, but i suspect that accuracy and penetration has been nerfed too. I feel the fuso much worse than before i every aspect. Every single salvo from colorados and N mexicos makes me 20000 damage, i shoot them, and i get 7000 with lucky doing 7 hits!!!!

 

And with nagato the thing is more like this, i had great games with nagato since july,was no difficult to me make matches with 100k damage, now its near impossible. The usa BBs now deal much more damage than the japs.

 

Changed since when?  I was last using the Fuso in the ranked battles which recently finished an it was still every bit the animal it was when I was grinding it to unlock the Nagato.

 

So hmmm, I suppose the better choice would then be the AA range increase.

 

The AA on the Fuso is hopeless too.  Increasing crap is still crap.

 

The first hull upgrade on the Fuso does transform the ship and everything else just improves it slightly.

[VIChiefIV]

Fair enough, but that still leaves me stuck with what upgrade to buy for the module. At 500k silver I'd rather not buy one and then find out there was an obviously better choice

 

And agreed, the Fuso becomes much better after the first hull upgrade.

[ilhilh]

I was going to tell you what I opted for but I can't remember so will check when I get home...

 

Traverse isn't necessary - I think the RoF is more important and if you plan ahead then you can make the turret turn speed largely be a none issue,  I think I read that you either get range or accuracy and if accuracy is on offer then you can't get range (but that would be worthless anyway).  So that leaves small improvements to accuracy, AA or secondaries.  Think secondaries would be a waste too so my recommendation would probably be accuracy or AA but both will see rather modest changes.  If I had to choose now I would probably go for accuracy although perhaps AA might make it do something against planes.

 

On a side note, the AA capabilities of Japanese ships is hopeless -  the Fuso is sub-par but it gets depressingly worse with the Nagato and Amagi.  Luckily the guns are good but in my American BBs I feel like I can thin out incoming planes and stand a chance of surviving torp runs but it is much harder for Japs - if they do shoot down planes often it is as they are retreating having dropped a world of pain into my path.  Also, if I am in my CV then I will generally pick on Japs first if there is a choice...

[VIChiefIV]

I had indeed planned to go for the accuracy upgrade initially. When you upgrade the Fuso to the C-hull you have I think 24 AA guns which might make the 20% AA range increase a way to make them actually useful.

[Msiiek]

Main battery accuracy>aa range. AA  is just too weak, you shouldn't buff it becouse you won't shoot down planes anyway. And you don't need to you can out turn them.

[VIChiefIV]

Got the accuracy upgrade and played my first good game yesterday where finally everything fell into place: Killed 1 destroyer, 2 cruisers and 1 battleship accumulating 2800 xp and 176k in silver

 

The ship handles a lot better now than in the stock version. I'm saving up xp for the C-hull and gathering funds to buy the 20% steering upgrade and the ship is fully outfitted.

[ollonborre]

Regarding the accuracy module, this is what it says on the Wiki: Gun Fire Control System Modification 2 decreases the area of the shell dispersion ellipse by 7. 

 

This is the Wiki though, so it is unclear if it is official. Nevertheless I still use it on my Fuso, and it "feels" more accurate so I might aswell keep it.

[Ascender]

Regarding the accuracy module, this is what it says on the Wiki: Gun Fire Control System Modification 2 decreases the area of the shell dispersion ellipse by 7. 

 

This is the Wiki though, so it is unclear if it is official. Nevertheless I still use it on my Fuso, and it "feels" more accurate so I might aswell keep it.

 

I have calculated it once for a few ships I had it I recall coming out at around 7.25% each time. That is in decrease from the previous value, I memorized Yamato's which went from 276 to 256 maximum dispersion.

 

As far as the Fuso is concerned, get all the upgrades and this ship is literally second to none. It is far more accurate than the New Mexico, has better sustained damage output values and even considering it's armoring tends to be (or at least feel) a lot worse the ship also provides a smaller overall target so that sort of evens it out. At these tiers it is still childsplay to dodge destroyer torpedoes and 12 guns like everything just melts away.

 

AP DPM (damage per minute) is second only to the Yamato and Montana, offset only by a slight lack of penetration compared to the larger caliber guns of the tier 7 and 8 ships, and HE DPM is second to none in the battleship line (and considering how HE works that makes it kinda silly good), so whenever you are presented with a BB that knows how to angle, just pepper him with HE! Use that advantage. Oh yeah and never forget you still have a 3.5 knot higher top speed then anything the americans get in these tiers which is a HUGE plus.

[VIChiefIV]

The ship is growing on me, mostly because more so than seemed to be the case with other battleships the quality of the experience really is determined by getting in that first upgrade. Pre-hull B the Fuso is so utterly slow in terms of turning circle that it's a pain to move about. Can't wait to get the 20% rudder shift time module, that's really going to have a further dramatic impact.

 

I am currently gathering funds to buy the New Mexico, which I've already unlocked xp wise, next. Now I've been hearing a lot of bad news about the Tier 7 Colorado, seems that's a ship that really is 'you hate it/you love it' kind of material. As an avid battleship player I was wondering if anyone would care to comment on that?

 

I've liked all battleships I've played with with the exception of the South Carolina (too slow to intercept/keep up with targets, and you're effectively outranged by every cruiser you run into at that Tier) and the Myogi (its gun layout is ridiculously poorly placed and isn't compensated enough by its higher speed and better range vs the Wyoming, which I found to be a lot more fun to play).

[ilhilh]

A lot of the Colorado's reputation is based on it's old performance but it was buffed a few patches back.  If you go to here:

 

http://forum.worldofwarships.eu/index.php?/topic/30610-nagato/page__st__100

 

I have summarised my thoughts on both the Nagato and Colorado and decided that despite a rocky win rate I enjoyed the Colorado more... but only once the Colorado is upgraded because it is terrible until that time.  If you have some free EXP save it exclusively for the Colorado - getting those upgrades ASAP will give you more of a chance to fall in love with the ship.

 

But, also on that thread a few posts lower than mine Unintentional_Submarine weighs in on the Nagato's side so I think in reality they are both relatively balanced just with different play styles.  Now you are past the low tier BBs I think the only ship you need to worry about being really bad is the Izumo (I'm currently at the Amagi and it is looming large in my mind).

[Ascender]

To me personally Colorado's reputation comes from two grounds primarily.

 

1) The hitpoint count is a miserable 50.100, which pales in comparison to the Nagato's 65.000 or even the New Mexico's 53.200.

2) The top speed is the same miserable 21 knots as you get on all battleships that went before it. As you go up in tiers and ranges become larger (particularly on tier 8, 9 and 10 ships) this becomes extremely painful to deal with. Nagato goes a healthy 25 knots, and that 4 knots difference is massive! (And as an extra bonus the Nagato has 3.8km longer range by default as well)

 

Sure the guns are annoying or bad to use, the armor leaves a lot to be desired still, the accuracy is meh and the anti-air is decent but nothing amazing. None of this would break the ship for me, if it wasn't for the two points I listed above. The reason I would rate the Fuso above the New Mexico is also because of the speed difference and in this case the accuracy difference, the Fuso is FAR more accurate than the New Mexico.

[valhalex]

That's incredible...280 shots with Fuso today..60 impacts. 0 citadels

 

If it was before the patch, I would did the Best game ever untill today.

 

Btw, I have fuso fully upgraded, and almost 200k xp acumulated with her, so I know how to play her