Are the Belfast and Scharnhorst worthwhile purchases

[thestaggy]

. . .if I am performing really well in the Fiji and Gneisenau (at least well above server averages), two ships I consider keepers?

 

I know both premiums offer different offensive capabilities in comparison to their tech-tree sisters, but are they that different/better to justify them over two incredibly powerful tech-tree ships?

 

PS - I have the Warspite, but I can no longer play the ship due to the gimped turret traverse, so I can justify the need for a trainer for each nation.

[The_Tyke]

Belfast is worth the basic package, yes. But to be honest you would probably prefer the Perth. I find it a much better boat all around than Belfast. You cant train Brit captains of course.

 

Can't comment on the Scharnhorst, not in my stable

[shadowwolf9705]

well personally i have the Scharnhorst and it is a very good ship, you need to get used to her guns a bit but if you want a battleship that incarnates everything a BB stands for it is the right choice, as she is a very good close range fighter with exceptionell armor and the guns are fantastic if you can handle them and adjust your aim against BBs (basicallly treat every BB as a german one and fire at the upper belt armor)

[Plaztma]

Both are great ships and will suit you well if you like Fiji and Gneisenau.

[CuddlyPanda]

But to be honest you would probably prefer the Perth. I find it a much better boat all around than Belfast.

 

Sorry, but what is the reasoning for this? Perth is a gimmicky Leander, and a waste since there are no additional ships in that line (captain training etc.). Belfast is better tier for tier than her. Smoke, radar + hydro. Wet dream of a ship, and it has a much better matchmaking with the current situation. Tier 7 is the spot to be ATM.

 

@OP: Get them both. You won't regret it. They are stellar ships, and I personally don't regret buying either of them. 

[Feign_Death]

. . .if I am performing really well in the Fiji and Gneisenau (at least well above server averages), two ships I consider keepers?

 

I know both premiums offer different offensive capabilities in comparison to their tech-tree sisters, but are they that different/better to justify them offer two incredibly powerful tech-tree ships?

 

PS - I have the Warspite, but I can no longer play the ship due to the gimped turret traverse, so I can justify the need for a trainer for each nation.

Scharnhorst 85k average dmg    max dmg 182k    average xp2198.    In my Gneisenau i have 73k average dmg      130k max and     1896 average xp.    I like my Scharnhorst alot!!! It really depends on your playstyle because with those small guns you really cant sit back you gotta push hard in this ship. I give the Sharnhorst a thumbs up!!

[Admiral_Noif]

If you know how to play on Scharnhorst, it can be badass in battle and big nightmare for enemy. Yes for Scharnhorst.

[svadilfari]

depends on your playstyle.

i love em both

[thestaggy]

Regarding my playstyle, I do not sit back. I'm up to the Bismarck and these ships are not made for sniping. I have a 32% hit rate in my Gneisenau (broken gun sights and only 6 guns), so I believe I have the hang of German accuracy if you are all implying that the Scharnhorst can be hit-and-miss.

 

As for the Fiji, the closer the better. If possible I play between 8 - 11 km so I can maximise the DPM potential and negate the poor arcs. There is a caveat here though, the Fiji has torps so I am comfortable at close ranges because players are reluctant to rush smoke if they know they can be torped. The Belfast doesn't have that deterrent.

[bigdoguk]

Yes ive just bought the both of them and they are great fun,glad I waited as I got a good deal on both.

[Tick0r]

If a Belfast is in smoke you really don't want to rush it unless you are a full health BB (like a Scharnhorst).

 

With Hydro and Radar it can see for itself and put out a huge amount of damage. I have both and would recommend both.

[lup3s]

I have both Belfast and Scharnhorst.

 

Belfast wrecks DDs and burns everything else to a crisp. But it's still a RN CL (without heal and torpedoes).

 

Scharnhorst is probably one of the most fun ships I own. It's fast and agile, it has very good secondary guns and it has torpedoes!

Its guns are lower calibre than the Gneisenau's, so its AP shells will (sometimes) lack penetrative power.

If you have to fight other BBs, burn them unless they give broadside. (20s reload + 9 shells with high fire chance)

[Bladezfist]

Belfast is about as powerful as the Fiji (very) although you may prefer one over the other if you want to fight DDs or Cruisers.

The Scharnhorst is a load of fun and makes me really want a full Battlecruiser line in the game. 

[txtspeak]

Scharnhorst is completely and totally broken, buy it before they pull it from the shop

[beercrazy]

Belfast = fun ship very squishy but if you have played british ships and finally got a Fiji and like that you will love the Belfast

Scharnhorst = my god oh my god thank you wg for letting me buy it yes yes yes its a german bb with cruiser speed and gun turning with epic armour and to top it all yea go on have some torps

 

replay I have of 8 kills in Scharnhorst and showing what that sexy ship can do

[tajj7]

I have both ships and have also played through the Fiji (which I really liked). Important things to note -

 

Belfast has no heal and no torps, her 'trick' is radar and concealment module, but really I have found this combo gimmicky more than actually useful, the ships is so squishy that really you don't want to be engaging enemy DDs unless you are confident they don't have a huge amount of back up, because even though you will really screw over the DDs, getting lit up with BBs supporting them you'll lose HP quickly and unlike Fiji you can't get it back. It's a combo that more works better end game hunting down DDs or pushing DDs off caps when there are less ships about to able to citadel you from any angle. 

 

I personally found the heal and torps more useful, you can be a little more aggressive because you know you can ambush torp people and I had plenty of games where I 'tanked' 50k plus damage and survived because of the good heal, where you will die in the Belfast. Plus it's that added defence against being rushed in the smoke, Fiji has a sting in her tail, but something like Scharnhorst can rush into Belfast smoke with little worry aside the fires and will very easily citadel you. 

 

Also whilst the Belfast has HE, you are likely to spec your captains for the normal RN cruisers so no DE and thus less fires.

 

You should also note that Belfast's so called 'OP' combo of radar and concealment only really works if you have a 15pt captain and thus your concealment goes slightly lower than your radar range which means you can truly surprise some people. Will say though she has smoke like the other RN cruisers and I think in the current meta that makes her worth it, Cruisers in general are having a hard time and the mid tier ones especially, generally the better performing ones have either some sort of stealth fire ability though low concealment or smoke like Zao or MK so that is something is has over other tier 7 cruisers that are almost as squishy as you. 

 

With the Scharnhorst it's an excellent ship, fast, agile, tanky, a fun battleship for me, but it does struggle against enemy BBs. They won't kill you that quickly but you can't kill them that quickly either, you are relying more on AP superstructure hits or fires (has good fire chance and 20s reload so this is a good option). Really Scharnhorst is a cruiser killer and the game is currently world of BBs so it's a little less potent than it probably would be in a more balanced game where you'd have less BBs and more cruisers about. 

 

Still a very solid ship, plus both are tier 7 so are in the sweetspot of MM. 

[Comrad_StaIin]

Belfast is about as powerful as the Fiji (very) although you may prefer one over the other if you want to fight DDs or Cruisers.

The Scharnhorst is a load of fun and makes me really want a full Battlecruiser line in the game. 

Note:

not any battlecruiser will Play like the Scharnhorst as Scharnhorst as a Battleship has the armor to take the hits battlecruisers do not

[thestaggy]

I have both ships and have also played through the Fiji (which I really liked). Important things to note -

 

Belfast has no heal and no torps, her 'trick' is radar and concealment module, but really I have found this combo gimmicky more than actually useful, the ships is so squishy that really you don't want to be engaging enemy DDs unless you are confident they don't have a huge amount of back up, because even though you will really screw over the DDs, getting lit up with BBs supporting them you'll lose HP quickly and unlike Fiji you can't get it back. It's a combo that more works better end game hunting down DDs or pushing DDs off caps when there are less ships about to able to citadel you from any angle. 

 

I personally found the heal and torps more useful, you can be a little more aggressive because you know you can ambush torp people and I had plenty of games where I 'tanked' 50k plus damage and survived because of the good heal, where you will die in the Belfast. Plus it's that added defence against being rushed in the smoke, Fiji has a sting in her tail, but something like Scharnhorst can rush into Belfast smoke with little worry aside the fires and will very easily citadel you. 

 

Also whilst the Belfast has HE, you are likely to spec your captains for the normal RN cruisers so no DE and thus less fires.

 

You should also note that Belfast's so called 'OP' combo of radar and concealment only really works if you have a 15pt captain and thus your concealment goes slightly lower than your radar range which means you can truly surprise some people. Will say though she has smoke like the other RN cruisers and I think in the current meta that makes her worth it, Cruisers in general are having a hard time and the mid tier ones especially, generally the better performing ones have either some sort of stealth fire ability though low concealment or smoke like Zao or MK so that is something is has over other tier 7 cruisers that are almost as squishy as you. 

 

With the Scharnhorst it's an excellent ship, fast, agile, tanky, a fun battleship for me, but it does struggle against enemy BBs. They won't kill you that quickly but you can't kill them that quickly either, you are relying more on AP superstructure hits or fires (has good fire chance and 20s reload so this is a good option). Really Scharnhorst is a cruiser killer and the game is currently world of BBs so it's a little less potent than it probably would be in a more balanced game where you'd have less BBs and more cruisers about. 

 

Still a very solid ship, plus both are tier 7 so are in the sweetspot of MM. 

 

Thanks for that, exactly what I was looking for with regards to the differences between the Belfast and Fiji. I'm actually less keen on the Belfast now. I play my Fiji with an extreme amount of aggression and the heal is invaluable in this regard. I'm following destroyers on to caps or even solo capping right at the start of games..

[beercrazy]

this is what the Belfast can do in one and a half minutes

the rader hydro and fast firing guns wreck dds and cruisers

 

[Isitari]

Belfast is insane. If you can use the British cruiser line well the Belfast will reward you well!

[BruceForce]

Yes to Scharnhorst:

Don't get the Belfast we don't need another Smoke-HE-Spammer ;)

[Deckeru_Maiku]

 

Sorry, but what is the reasoning for this? Perth is a gimmicky Leander, and a waste since there are no additional ships in that line (captain training etc.). Belfast is better tier for tier than her. Smoke, radar + hydro. Wet dream of a ship, and it has a much better matchmaking with the current situation. Tier 7 is the spot to be ATM.

 

 

I even prefer the Leander over the Belfast, due to Belfast having no topedoes.

The radar has very limited use IMHO, due to the short time of activity. Perth has the option to use the fighter plane, which is very nice for spotting while keeping the "trailing" smoke, which even allows to continually move out of harm's way.

 

So, my personal - ver personal . preference - is: Perth > Leander > Belfast.

 

@OP: I never even thought about buying the Scharnhorst after playing the Gneisenau. Gneisenau is a keeper. I have yet to lose a duel with a Sch'norst in my Gneisenau.

Belfast is a thing of personal taste, I guess. You already have the Fiji, so you already have a "keeper" there. I don't regret buying the Belfast, but I wouldn't buy it again. Perth I would buy again without thinking twice...

[tajj7]

this is what the Belfast can do in one and a half minutes

the rader hydro and fast firing guns wreck dds and cruisers

 

 

 

Thing is I find moments like this very few and far between, often you'll push onto caps, light the destroyers and the 5 ships behind will try to shoot you and if they get some RNG you'll take massive damage.

 

Even then you lost half your HP for 39k damage and if the Cleveland hadn't have been such a bad shot (missed three salvos I think) you'd have been on about 10k HP for the rest of the game, also the Fiji can do very similar aside the radar (which basically got you one salvo at the DD when he smoked) and would have got out of there with probably near 30k HP because of the heal. 

 

 

 

Thanks for that, exactly what I was looking for with regards to the differences between the Belfast and Fiji. I'm actually less keen on the Belfast now. I play my Fiji with an extreme amount of aggression and the heal is invaluable in this regard. I'm following destroyers on to caps or even solo capping right at the start of games..

 

Yeh that is the issue I found, the concealment + hydro + radar is a very powerful combo, but the radar is very short duration, ultimately I found the heal on the Fiji to be way more useful consistently. The radar would produce some frantic moments like the video above where you can truly screw over some DDs but having the ability to heal even citadel hits and last longer in the game outweighs it for me. 

 

[GulvkluderGuld]

 

Thanks for that, exactly what I was looking for with regards to the differences between the Belfast and Fiji. I'm actually less keen on the Belfast now. I play my Fiji with an extreme amount of aggression and the heal is invaluable in this regard. I'm following destroyers on to caps or even solo capping right at the start of games..

 

Belfast owner here and mainly a DD skipper here.

I have not played the RN cruisers because I prefer true dds with HE and larger smoke.

 

Sure the Belfast is squishy, but gimmicky? No.

The combination of consumables makes Belfast unique because it can do stuff no other CA can do.

It has a unique playstyle, just like Tirpitz and Scharnhorst and it is sooooo much fun I can tell you

 

Upsides:

- If you know no BBs are around: Rushing caps / smokescreens by Radar while closing to hydro range, followed by Hydro and then scavenging the smoke for yourself.

- If BBs are around: It can sneak up on smokescreens, pop smoke, , pop radar, and annihilate whatever sits in there in 3-4 volleys (RN CAs in less, if AP is loaded initially)

- HE lets it feast on angled BBs, if need be from inside smoke.

- It can use HE over islands like normal CAs, burning BBs to death and (for now) stealthfire with HE (not so efficient tho)

 

Downsides:

- Torps is her worst nightmare despite hydro, if you are caught reversing, they will probably hit anyway (!)

- Having no torps can be a downside, but most Sharnhorsts that tried to rush my smoke got burned to the waterline before ever reaching it. You are allowed to engage the brain and leave smoke and keep it between the Belfast and the BB while shooting before getting proximity spotted

- Main downside is having no heal imo.

[EdiJo]

With current economy Belfast is better for printing credits, although at this tier she is most effective with premium acct turned on for a while. Scharnhorst is just pure fun, cruisers and T5 battleships nightmare ;)