Cleveland help

[Mr_Tayto]

Hi all,

 

looking for some help on how to play the Cleve. I keep hearing it's one of the best CAs (especially at its tier), but I really struggle with it. I seem to do well in others, but find her too squishy, too slow and nowhere near agile enough to avoid even same-tier BBs.

 

I had a search but could find nothing specific to Cleveland. Help me!

[rnat]

As with pretty much all (especially US-) cruisers a lot of it comes down to positioning and map-awareness.

[VC381]

A lot of what you're reading is probably old and comes from when the ship was massively OP. That's not to say it isn't still very strong now, but it's not easy-mode. She is actually pretty agile for a cruiser overall, but not in comparison to the tiny nippy T5 you just came from, and she is a big target. What she does have is utterly sick firepower, the kind the other nations don't get until T7. You need to use islands, be aware of your surroundings to not get cornered or flanked and find good windows to unleash the guns uninterrupted. Against same tier cruisers and destroyers it's a no brainer as long as you don't let them get in torp range.

[Mr_Tayto]

A lot of what you're reading is probably old and comes from when the ship was massively OP. That's not to say it isn't still very strong now, but it's not easy-mode. She is actually pretty agile for a cruiser overall, but not in comparison to the tiny nippy T5 you just came from, and she is a big target. What she does have is utterly sick firepower, the kind the other nations don't get until T7. You need to use islands, be aware of your surroundings to not get cornered or flanked and find good windows to unleash the guns uninterrupted. Against same tier cruisers and destroyers it's a no brainer as long as you don't let them get in torp range.

 

I should have mentioned a couple of things in the OP, I guess.

 

Firstly, it's probably nearly two years since I unlocked her, before taking time out of the game for a while and coming back a little before the launch of the RN CLs. I remember Omaha being squishy but nippy, as you say.

 

Secondly, I posted this immediately after a defeat on strait, where there were literally no islands to hide behind in my part of the map. Yes I did do some damage but got into a position where I just couldn't shake a Fuso and he made it his life's work to cit me as much as he could before he died. Which he achieved. Multiple times.

 

I had a look back at my upgrades and realised I had some ones in there I'd obviously put in on unlocking, which made no sense to me as a more experienced player. One of the first things I've changed was the addition of the rudder shift upgrade - hopefully that will help me wiggle in future.

[VC381]

My only complaint about Cleveland's agility is that the turrets can't keep up with the ship. That's a ship where I actually use the turret traverse module, it really helps being able to wiggle and shoot and the hit to RoF isn't terrible since the volume is crazy anyway. You can give BBs a hard time in open water as well but you need a bit of team support so they don't focus you as you experienced.

[Philipp_ab_exterminatore]

My grind through the Cleveland was over long before she got beaten by the nerf hammer. If she was still the same ship id be welcoming her back for wanked battles

[lameoll]

what u need to remember in a cleveland is it has slow shells and huge shell arcs.

So basicly make use of islands and just spamm over them.

and if ur in need to fire in the open try to kite them and do not try to chase. 

[ThePurpleSmurf]

My only complaint about Cleveland's agility is that the turrets can't keep up with the ship. That's a ship where I actually use the turret traverse module, it really helps being able to wiggle and shoot and the hit to RoF isn't terrible since the volume is crazy anyway. You can give BBs a hard time in open water as well but you need a bit of team support so they don't focus you as you experienced.

 

To address this very problem I have retrained my Steven Seagal for the Cleveland and the upcoming ranked. With the buffed Expert Marksman of Seagal the turrets can easily keep up with the ship turning and the guns are on the target at all times. It's also very nice to switch ammo types lightning fast with the buffed EL perk.

[BruceForce]

I know it's hard, especially against higher tiers and at long range. But at short range this ship is amazing:

 

[Tomasberkut]

Islands are your best armour. Use them to your advantage. The guns have amazing arcs for this kind of play.

 

Crush RN dreams of imperialism with AP. Burn everything else.

 

Do not fear to brawl if the situation requires it - the lack of armour make it hard to get good shots in it, the citadel is very hard to hit and it packs a really mean punch.

 

Thats how I went through the Cleveland. Fun times.

[VC381]

 

To address this very problem I have retrained my Steven Seagal for the Cleveland and the upcoming ranked. With the buffed Expert Marksman of Seagal the turrets can easily keep up with the ship turning and the guns are on the target at all times. It's also very nice to switch ammo types lightning fast with the buffed EL perk.

 

Yup, he's currently doing that on my New Orleans though!