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When battling opposing warships, tactics are just as important as the warship employed. It has been proven that while a force may have all the technology it could have over an enemy, the inferior enemy could still 

MAS Awesome

Employing proper tactics with proper weaponry will easily trump opponents.

fight a fight by using superior tactics. While unable to cover all situations and ships a player will encounter, these tactics should cover most situations a skipper will face in this game.

General[]

Here are general tips to fighting opposing warships


IMG 2633

Note the shells fired by the enemy miss and hit the water because the captain of the destroyer quickly stops his ship

  1. Know your ship! Fight according to design specifications. For example, if your vessel is a fast boat, employ hit and run and use speed and distance to keep them from hitting you. If you employ submarines, recognize which situations would favor underwater torpedo attacks, mine laying and surface gunfire. Tactics will vary per category and even per ship.
  2. Know your map!  Differnet maps favor different strategies. The Island and Night maps favor close-quarter fighting due to obstacles and hindered lines of sight between spawn points. Vessels designed for long-distance firepower will be forced to fight at closer ranges, while carriers on both maps can attack with near-impunity. Keep in mind that if a carrier is hit, the deck will go on fire, perfect for aiming at in the pitch of night. Submarines, given the fact they need to be close to their target to attack, are lethal on maps with limited visibility and opaque water, given the sufficient skill to take advantage of it. Battleships can handily operate in any map choice, regardless of visibility, water clarity and distance. Choose maps wisely for your vessel.
  3. Lead in! Shells have to fly in an arced trajectory, making aiming at extreme distances difficult. This is further impeded if the vessel is moving. Keep in mind while any said weapon could theoretically hit targets at the distance said, their effective range is only two-thirds to one-third of the said distance. An exception comes in the Mk 45 5 inch gun. Due to its much flatter trajectory, higher shell speed and rapid rate of fire, its effective range is very close to the 15.6 km theoretical range. A torpedo's effective range is no more than two miles away for the Torpedo Tube B and the Triple Torpedo Tube, while the Torpedo Tube A's effective range is essentially point-blank. This is because torpedoes are much slower and less accurate than shells and equally, if not more, visible than shellfire.
  4. Attack the Sides! The side of a warship is substantially weaker than the bow or stern, while also easier to hit. By attacking only one side, you could capsize an enemy vessel easily. This rule is especially prevalent with the Mk 45 5 inch Gun, who relies on the strategic placement of artillery shells to deal maximum damage. Beware that a warship usually is able to unleash its full might here, but so will you. Unless engaging at short range, this is less of an issue- longer distances enable you to hit the even more vulnerable decks.
  5. Be Mobile! Moving does not decrease your accuracy greatly, while making it harder for the enemy to be able to destroy you. By being mobile, you can position yourself in an advantageous position, and then proceed to demolish enemy warships. This is why Fortresses do not fare well in battle- their massive size and the general lack of mobility compared to other vessels makes them vulnreable to any ship that has lots of firepower and high mobility such as large battleships, well-armed fast boats, cruisers, aircraft carriers and submarines. 
  6. Dodge the Shells! This applies more to faster, smaller ships. By moving in an unpredictable pattern, shells can be easy to dodge. Given that any gun that does reasonable damage has a 20-second reload time (save for the Mk 45 5 inch gun), it is possible to outmaneuver larger ships, given shell flight time. By utilizing whatever superior performance available (ex speed, turn radius, sensitivity, etc) one can minimize damage to your ship while maximizing damage to theirs. Keep in mind they will too attempt to do the same, so take care in maneuvering duels. 
  7. Ten Kilometers of Death! This is what indicates the effective range of any gun with a 20-second reload time.While able to throw a shell much farther than that, combat ranges tend to stop at this threshold. Slow shell flightime and arced trajectories tend to make shells miss at ranges beyond 10 kilometers. This is only a generalization: fortresses can be reliably engaged at the stated ranges while fast boats tend to be easier to be hit closer than the 10-kilometer line. 

Battleship Tactics[]

Battleships are the most common vessel in the game, as the first vessel any player receives upon download are one of the most versatile warships available. Because of the prevalence and versatility of this warship, there are countless variations to this design. Because of the variations, the vessels will be generalized. Such generalizations will not fit every vessel, but should cover most. Many definitions will overlap, sometimes considerably. Other vessels may be a hybrid vessel, possessing the attributes of some but not all of various categories. While some aircraft carriers may carry enough weaponry to challenge battleships in gun duels, they are better classified as aircraft carriers due to the fact that the main form of attack is via airplanes, and guns are utilized for defensive duties. 

Fast Boats:[]

Do not trade shots with larger ships. They neither have the protection nor firepower to do so. Instead, rely on hit-and-run tactics to chip away at health. Rely on flanking to avoid shots.

In the case of missile boats, keep your distance and devastate enemy warships while they lay helplessly far away. Once missiles are expended, function like a fast gunboat.

If fighting an aircraft carrier, remain on the move to avoid damage. Use according tactic once within range. Destroyers are trickier, since they have your speed and maneuverability, and in the perspective of a fast boat, an unholy combination of a gunboat, torpedo boat and missile boat. Corvettes and frigates can easily force you to trade shots, where their superior guns and protection will render you destroyed.

When fighting a submarine, come in from the side and deploy ASW weapons, if you have any. If ASW weapons are unavailable, then make a hasty retreat and force them to surface to engage you with deck cannon. Promptly destroy the surfaced submarine. If they do not surface, run. Watch out for mines- they are hard to see and they can sink battleships. However, your small size may be able to go through minefields, though this is a very risky tactic and should not be attempted unless there is no other option.

Fighting other fast boats rely on a bit of luck. Attack when they come close, since that is when they are most vulnerable. Any modest hits will likely impair speed and maneuverability. Utilize area-denial weapons such as torpedoes and mines to make them easy targets. Alternatively, use the Mk 45 5 inch Gun to track and destroy these pests. Against missile boats, dodge missiles by simple maneuvers. For all three classes, force them to trade shots at close range- your superior firepower will demolish them.

Corvettes (Littoral Combat Ships):[]

Corvettes may not be very fast, but they are certainly small and maneuverable. This makes it a very hard target, and thus is its greatest asset. Since every ship it faces either is faster or more heavily armored yet with heavier firepower, long-term harassment should be attempted when in a frigate. Against heavily armored but slow ships, chip away at their health and dodge their shots. It should be noted that corvettes are not fast compared to fast boats.

Fighting against them leads to battles not unlike frigates and fast boats. It is strongly recommended to use such tactics against them. Given their superior maneuverability, coming close to them is always important, since long-distance shots will lead to an excessive amount of misses. As a submarine, deploy mines to kettle these ships and force them into a head-on pass- your inaccurate torpedoes would easily be able to hit a target moving head-on. Alternatively, if you could hit their broadside with a salvo, do so- the bow of a ship is often very strong and a much smaller target than the side of a ship.

Fighting submarines is straightforward. Utilize standard ASW tactics and never cross in front of a submarine. Never make passes from bow-stern or stern-bow, since it would be very easy for a competent submariner to lead in a target coming to or away from them in a straight line. Always make depth charge passes from the sides. Keep a sharp eye to whether they are laying mines. If they are, force them to the open ocean, where the greater space makes mines much less effective.

Frigates:[]

As the skipper, utilize long-distance armaments to chip away at their ship while moving to dodge their gunfire. Come in hard and fast with guns blazing in a series of hit-and-run attacks against bigger and slower ships. Go no closer than torpedo range, since closer targets are easier targets. Dodge their shells during attacks. Keep your distance when you can- your speed is more than capable of putting some space between you and your target. Only come close to strike and once you have fired your heavy guns, make a hasty retreat to put distance between you and the target.

As an opponent in general, pursue them since these vessels do not stay close-in for long given their low armor and hitpoints. Plus, due to their emphasis on using speed and maneuverability for protection, they will lack the durability found on other vessels. Carriers should continue to operate as normal- aircraft have unlimited strike distance, and while air attacks are inaccurate, they are devastating. Passive-aggressive attacks are vital, where they are passive since they chip away at health but are aggressive in the speed and pursuit of damage.

Due to the speed limit, no warship can outrun a fighter plane. Fighter planes can provide harassment, destroying weaker, unprotected structures and if the opposing fast boat is light in armor, can even destroy it. Due to their small size, the only hope to destroy the planes may generally be the Mk 45 5 inch gun, only effective if equipped with the SPY-1 and it engages low-flying targets. If they come close, a carrier's best bet is to use its guns to kill the boat. A battleship should rely on its rapid-fire weaponry to bring down the boat, for the fast boat will be faster and more maneuverable but weaker due to the emphasis on speed.

In the three cases above, always try to destroy the boilers- a frigate dead in the water is a dead fast boat. Submarines, while immune to their weapons at range, should still approach with caution- your torpedoes are neither accurate nor fast and fast boats may posses antisubmarine weaponry. Watch out for corvettes- these ships were built to carry ASW weapons. These nippy vessels can take down the mightiest of ships in a David and Goliath battle- if given an excellent captain who knows the ship by heart and knows how to use them effectively. These ships require the second-most amount of skill as surface vessels to use effectively- the submarine is not a surface ship since it mainly attacks underwater.

Destroyer:[]

Any moderately armed, medium-sized surface vessel that possesses a high degree of maneuverability and speed relative to its armor. These ships could be said as an in-between for a fast boat and cruiser. As a skipper or opponent, treat it as a fast boat for all intents and purposes, but keep in mind that such a vessel would be slower but tougher than a fast boat and may even have the equivalent firepower of a small battleship.

Assess your opponent. If the opponent is a destroyer or fast boat capable of matching or outmaneuvering you, utilize area denial weapons such as torpedoes or mines to constrict movement. Trade shots at a distance and hope that your guns hit their ship more than their guns hitting your ship. Do not be afraid to ram vessels, but do not use it as a general tactic- only in emergencies or in cases where collision is unavoidable should ramming be attempted due to the light construction of a destroyer.

However, if the opponent is a slower vessel such as a battleship or cruiser, utilize maneuverability to dodge shells. Utilize area denial weapons to cripple their vessel, as you circle around them. Submarines should be treated like submarines in every other vessel. Carriers should be ambushed close-in and the runways be the focus of the attack. The most important part is to remain moving, since destroyers use speed and maneuverability to dodge shots.

Cruiser (Battlecruisers):[]

Hongsong SPY-22

Hongsong SPY-22. Weaponry and apparent speed classifies the ship as a destroyer.

Any surface vessel that has a proportionately small amount of armor versus its evenly-spread firepower across the decks. They are armed like battleships and take the form of them, but their inferior armor fittings usually determine these vessels for beginner players able to afford battleship-grade weaponry but not the lightweight armor needed to maintain good speeds. A good distinction between Destroyers and Cruisers is that Destroyer armaments mimic those of Fast Boats but have more of them, while Cruiser armaments mimic those of battleships but have less of them.

As a skipper, analyze the opponent before engaging. If the opponent is a destroyer, treat your ship like a battleship, since the protection and firepower is superior but not the speed and maneuverability. If the opponent is a battleship, treat your ship like a destroyer, since now the speed and maneuverability is superior. Vice-versa applies to the respective destroyer and battleship skippers.

Fighting carriers is a relatively easy task, since these ships are ideal for carrier-killing. Your speed, maneuverability, protection and firepower all are perfect for dodging bombers and getting close enough to unleash firepower. Ironically, these qualities make cruisers excellent conversion projects once the ship is no longer useful as a surface vessel. This can make carrier-killing more challenging, since the protection is largely intact while the ship, freed from the weight of numerous batteries of heavy guns, is now faster and more maneuverable than the ship it was built off of, not to mention the long-range nature of the aircraft. They may also retain some of the guns, a relic from its cruiser days. This makes these converted ships much more lethal. Be cautious and treat these ships like regular carriers.

Crossing the t
MAS Defender

The MAS Defender(CC). Technically a battlecruiser, she could be considered a fast battleship.

Battleship:[]

Any surface vessel that has a proportionate amount of armor, speed and

MAS Awesome

An upgraded MAS Awesome underway. She is an excellent specimen regarding battleship design.

evenly-spread firepower across the decks. They may be armed with any weapon, but usually use guns. These are the most common warships in the game, since the My First Battleship would be classified here. As the skipper, you would possess a general-purpose warship that can do most tasks and can be easily modified for anything. This vessel relies on armor to withstand shots, only needing maneuverability and speed to move it places. Steer your vessel in a position where it could deal the most damage, mostly attempting to deliver a broadside.

A high-risk high-reward tactic against opposing battleships is to "Cross the T", with your ship at the top of the "T", shown above. Your vessel will now provide the most amount of firepower at the cost of becoming easier to hit. The enemy will not be able to dish out as much firepower as you can, thus winning a damage race easily. In the example, the blue ships are crossing the "T" of the red ships. While both sides have the same number of ships and same amount of the same guns, red's two rear ships are out of range. All red's ships's rear guns cannot fire. The front to ships are in range but only 2 guns in total can fire at the enemy. Blue on the other hand can fire all of her guns in boardsidee at the front red ships.

However, this tactic is not recommended against submarines and battleship killers, for your firepower is redundant and you are now a submarine's easiest target, and battleship killers will simply have an easier time to kill you, for they have no firepower loss. However, your increased firepower concentrated on a smaller place can hopefully kill the battleship killer.

Engaging the enemy frontally may provide a harder target to hit, but will reduce the effective firepower your battleship has. Carriers, if they choose to engage in a gun duel, should be treated like a battleship. As an opposing battleship, you should prevent the opponent from crossing the T, though battleship killers will be at a disadvantage if the opponent is behind you. Submarines are a powerful counter, because the battleship will usually be big enough to hit, torpedo hits are lethal to them and they will not be able to destroy you due to the fact you are underwater. Beware though, for a battleship may possess antisubmarine weapons, easily lethal to any submarine. They may also possess enough armor to tank the torpedoes sent. Overall, battleships, the namesake vessel of the game, is the most versatile vessel in the game, capable of being easily modified to accomplish a variety of missions. 

Battleship Killer:[]

Any surface vessel that has a proportionate amount of armor and firepower and a majority of its armaments centered to fire forward. These vessels would be considered a sub-class of battleships whose main guns all fire forward. Because of the design, maneuvering is a key component of battle on both sides. As a skipper, utilize the massive forward firepower of the ship to crush enemy vessels. Always keep either the front or the sides of the vessel facing the enemy.

As an opposing surface combatant, try to attack from the rear- while providing the same target area as the front, you avoid having to face the glut of the weapons. Keep in mind that they may have some guns in the back, but with the emphasis of forward attack, your arms should be sufficient to bring any resistance here down. Boilers will most likely be here, so destroying them should disable the battleship- and ultimately destroy it.

Aircraft carriers and submarines should treat this ship as a battleship for all intents and purposes- a battleship hull could be easily modified to be a battleship killer and vice versa. Also keep in mind that battleships will generally have a slight emphasis of forward armaments, as many of its main batteries would be on the bow. Therefore, a good distinguishing factor between standard battleships and battlehship killers is that standard battleship main batteries would face both bow and stern while battleship killer main batteries would be almost exclusively face the bow. An example of this type of vessel would be the HMS Nelson, purchasable in the Build New Ship tab.

By all means, they are battleships, able to wade into gunfire and deliver massive damage. They simply sacrifice all-around firepower for heavy frontal firepower. 

Fortress:[]

Any platform-like surface vessel that possesses great armor and firepower with little or no regard to mobility. They generally have very large main batteries and Mk 45 5 inch guns. As a skipper, use your immense firepower to kill enemy vessels while accepting the massive amount of punishment delivered. The Mk 45 5 inch gun and massive 25mm antiair batteries should be employed for antiaircraft duties. Or better yet, use the massive size of the ship to deploy fighters or bombers to attack enemies beyond the range of your guns. As an opposing battleship skipper, use both maneuverability and speed to avoid their shells while firing broadsides into the fortress, since near-stationary targets are very difficult to miss.

Aircraft carriers will be extremely effective, wrecking the enemy with bombers while their guns cannot scratch you. Keep in mind some builders may incorporate fighters, complicating attack and defense. They would undoubtedly have massive anti-air batteries, purging scores of aircraft from the skies. Submarines are also at home, for the ideal target for a submarine are large, slow ships- exactly what a fortress is. Proceed with caution, as the Hedgehog and its standoff range is sitll lethal, and the sinking wreckage of a fortress would crush any unfortunate submarine underneath it. These vessels are notably ineffective unless given computer-level accuracy, and air raids can easily bring such a ship down due to the large amount of surface area presented to downward-flying munitions. 

Rams:[]

Any high-speed, high-durability surface vessel whose main form of attack is through intentionally colliding into your vessel. While ramming can be done by any vessel, these vessels are specialized to ram. Other vessels may not be properly considered rams, but have been designed to do so as an emergency weapon. Despite their name, they may possess deck weaponry in case a ramming attack is unfeasible or to disable or destroy the enemy when practical. Torpedoes may also be carried to augment the damage by ramming or to disable ships to make easy targets. As a skipper, properly executing the attack run is vital. Do not make a straight bee-line to the opponent when far away- you are asking to be shot. While zig-zagging or circling may delay when you attack, it decreases the chance of being brought down by high-firepower rapid-fire weapons.

Utilize maneuverability and speed to dodge shells. If either attack is unfeasible due to the sheer amount of firepower or speed, use fast boat tactics. As an opponent, avoid getting close. However, if speed and maneuverability forbid such, try to kill them fast with your weaponry if any are onboard. If firepower does not stop them, hope for the best and gun down the ram after collision- it will be at it's slowest and least controllable here. Survivng deck weaponry should dispatch a ram with ease, able to hit more vulnerable parts. However, because they are designed to intentionally crash into you, keep in mind that they would be very well armored and would take multiple hits to destroy. Also keep in mind that powerful weapons may be lost during the collison. Due to the near-surgical precision necessary to inflict maximum pain, they require a great amount of skill and luck to have a fighting chance.

Monitors:[]

Despite the monitor classification being synonymous with coastal usage, in the game they are capable vessels in a blue-water naval situation. Monitors are defined by their immense firepower relative to their average mobility and armor in a relatively small package. They generally have disproportionate amount of firepower compared to their size. The Battleship Capricornus is perhaps the most powerful example. It is the smallest vessel available in the store that comes with the 46cm Gun. Although it is notoriously weak against the Mk 45 5 inch Gun, monitors do not have stellar protection schemes, and the 46cm Guns alone will make heavier warships take this vessel seriously in multiplayer. The best description of these types of vessels is a box with a point at the end, the deck covered with a multitude of heavy guns.

When fighting in a monitor, utilize the superior firepower to counteract the average mobility and armor. Don't be afraid to get close- you do have firepower after all. However, if the opponent has superior armor and weapons, keep your distance- your relatively small size is an asset. Be mobile- you have no chance of surviving as much damage as you can deliver. Do not engage in drawn-out duels- your average armor and mobility will let you down.

Fighting monitors are fairly straightforward. Utilize the strengths of your ships. If you are a fast boat, use hit and run. If you are a battleship, challenge them to a drawn-out battle, if possible. If you are a carrier, spam planes and run. If you are a submarine, dive, shoot torpedoes and lay mines. Overall, treat this type of vessel as a battleship, and you should generally find this type of vesel fairly competent. If it were to have any strong point over any vessel, it would be against rams: the heavy firepower it can levy and the relatively small target it provides will make it a challenging target for rams.

Aircraft Carrier Tactics[]

A relatively expensive vessel to make effective, they are unboubtedly lethal at extreme ranges.They could destroy

KISDFYamamoto

Yamamoto: a player made aircraft carrier.

ships beyond the range of the feared 46 cm gun. But if a carrier is caught in the crossfire of an enemy ship of the same level, a carrier will be at a severe disadvantage in close-range warfare due to design compromises. As a skipper, keep your distance and rely on your warplanes to deal damage. If all warplanes are destroyed or the enemy vessel is severely damaged or has inferior gun-based firepower, engage the enemy in a gun duel. Assuming the vessel was of equal level, decent stability and is lightly damaged to undamaged, you would lose a battle easily due to the design compromises necessary to fit a flight deck and aircraft.

Treat submarines as you would as a battleship, since no current aircraft has any realistic antisubmarine capability, the only options to antisubmarine warfare is the risky Depth Charge, pricey Underwater Torpedo Tube and the costly Hedgehog. However, if the submarine is a shallow-diving type, then standard divebombers can handily destroy a submarine thanks to a divebomber bomb's large blast radius that lets it hit shallow-running submarines. Since carriers can be easily equipped with ASW weapons, this coupled with divebombers and a battleship hull to float on will make the carrier undoubtly a feared vessel against submarines.

Against a rival aircraft carrier, utilitze the same antiaircraft fit that battleships employ in addition to fighters, if possible. Utilize divebombers with torpedo bombers, for divebombers are easier to be brought down after they deal damage while torpedo bombers are easier to be brought down before they deal damage. Plus, divebombers are infinitely cheaper, requiring only resource instead of rare metal. However, if you can get torpedo bombers, by all means get them. Dive bombers provide a cheap(ish) main strike force while torpedo bomers can give the precison necessary to hit a ship. Fighters can ruin opposing carriers since they can destroy the bombers easily. If you carry fighters, make sure they get launched first. Once 2/3 of them are out, follow them with your zoom. The enemy fighters are going to meetup with your fighters at a spot. This can be a great time to shoot the enemy fighters down with the Mark 45 5 Inch Gun. In some cases they can be a superior ship-killer, especially against the troublesome fast boat. A lightly armored fast boat, lacking the speed and distance they rely on to survive, will fall prey to them. 

When opposing the carrier as a battleship, a key is to be on the move- carriers rely on distance to keep them safe, and moving fast also hinders the accuracy of the utterly destructive divebombers as well as the aim of the enemy skipper. Assuming you are the same level as the carrier if you engage in close-quarters combat, a battleship would generally win due to the fact that the carrier relies on warplanes instead of heavy guns to deal the glut of damage. Beware- when fighting on Open Level, some designs may possess heavy guns akin to battleships and most likely batteries of the Mk 45 5 inch Gun, creating an extremely dangerous warship that is equally adept at most, if not all, battle situations.

On rare occasions (only at close range) it has been proven that you can hit a aircraft with weapons other the the Mk 45 5 inch Gun and the Type 96 25mm AT/AA Gun.

MAS Red October (SS-2)

MAS Red October (SS-2). Even more powerful than the MAS Venturer, she is slightly faster. Named after the Soviet Typhoon-class Red October of "Hunt for the Red October" fame.

Submarine Tactics[]

A submarine is arguably the most powerful adversary to any vessel. It can destroy the mightiest of warships while nearly immune to enemy gunfire and warplanes. Only three weapons could menace the vessel when underwater- the Depth Charge, Underwater Torpedo Tube and the Hedgehog. A skilled submarine skipper could navigate their submarine in opaque conditions. As a skipper, utilize the depth gauge to have an idea on how deep your submarine is- while it is immune from weapons, it is certainly neither preferrable to lose because the sub sank too deep, nor to have you underestimate the depth and surface, with lethal results to the submarine. It is reccomended to slow your speed before turning, and not put your engine in reverse. If facing fast ships, attempt to spam torpedoes at them, since they will be forced to dodge them. Your main strength lies in the water- no gun could sink a submarine while it is underwater. A submarine on the surface is asking itself to be shot and sunk. Your ideal target is large, slow ships, for the torpedo is not very accurate and small ships are harder to hit. Fighting another submarine is a contentious issue. Though a submarine versus submarine duel is rare, it can still happen. And when it does, simply fire torpedoes at them- you can sink submarines this way. 

While submarines are not easy to kill, they are easy to evade- a submarine's average speed in a battle is between 45-70 knots, while equivalent surface warships have speeds over 100 knots. With such a speed advantage,  a surface warship could simply make the battle unwinnable for both sides by making a retreat. A submarine is also a sluggish vessel underwater- a surface ship under skilled hands and armed with antisubmarine weaponry could outmaneuver a given sub and then sink it. Experienced opponents would have known about the dangers of submarines and would take either action against you. Fast boats could dodge, if not outrun, your torpedoes and then demolish your prized submarine with Depth Charges or Hedgehogs. Battleships may be armored heavily at the waterline, to the point of making torpedo attacks ineffective from certain angles. Engaging in a surface duel against a surface ship will certainly end in your destruction, unless significant damage has already been done, the enemy has quit the game or your vessel has a surface firepower advantage.

However, a submarine armed with mines can be a lethal combination. Mines can be successfully employed to both the finishing blow or serve to shepherd ships into a tight circle. In the first method, the submarine first attempts to disable or destroy the ship with torpedoes. Aim for the boilers as much as you can. When they are disabled, it would be very difficult for a large ship to reverse course, since steering with reduced power could still enable it to run into mines. The mass and hydronamics of a large vessel means that it will take long distances to turn or stop. If the ship is not destroyed in the torpedo attack and is continuing on forward, lay mines in front of it. Given the submarine will cross the path of a battleship before it crosses the intercept point, the submarine could lay mines, this will work with success. Emplacing mines under a vessel will be even more destructive, bypassing the glut of armor installed at the bow or any mine countermeasures.  

The other method is if the ship does not make a beeline to the mines, it is possible to circle around a larger, faster vessel to entrap them in a tight ring of explosives. Unable to leave in a timely manner, you as the skipper can then destroy the hapless ship with torpedoes. This second method usually follows a failed attempt at the first method, where the opponent, still possessing enough speed to dodge these mines, is ensnared into the ring of explosives. They are one of the great equallizers of the game- they could reliably engage and attack ships at least two levels above. Overall, submarines require greater amount of skill and luck to fight effectively versus surface ships. 

Alternatively, missiles may be carried. Fire these to inflict some long-range damage before finishing them off with torpedoes.  

Hybrid Vessels[]

Naturally, not all vessels in the game will match any of the said categories. Some vessels, such as destroyers and fast boats, are often found with considerable overlap in definition. Some fast boats, destroyers and cruisers are indeed more powerful than some battleships available. However the hybrid vessels mentioned here regard mixtures between three of the main categories: battleships, aircraft carriers and submarines. Some may even be a combination between all three. However, the main focus will by on the various two-type combination. 

Battleship-Aircraft Carriers:[]

These vessels are among the most common hybrids. As deck space is easily retrofitted, it is relatively easy to make. It is usually a conversion from a battleship to the battleship-aircraft carrier hybrid, akin to the late-war configuration of the IJN Ise. However, battleship-aircraft carrier combinations are made with carriers as the basis. However, in these cases, the ship would be considered a carrier due to its primary purpose. Despite this, these are the second-most powerful warship, next to submarines. When enemies are at a distance, behave like aircraft carriers while if they come close, behave like battleships. Opposing skippers should treat this vessel with respect, due to the dual nature attack of the ship. Rely on the passive protection of AA guns or fighters to neutralize enemy aircraft while using whatever weaponry to strike back. Note that these ships are not to be confused with dedicated carriers converted from cruiser or battleship hulls.  

Battleship-Submarines:[]

These are rare vessels. Since submarines usually cannot hope to win a surface gun battle, most submarines are built mainly for torpedo delivery and mine laying, roles they excel in. However, submarines may carry light gun armamaments to finish off crippled or substantially weaker ships. Submarines are very vulnreable on the surface, and given the required dive-time for a submarine to be completely invulnreable to shells and the fact diving capability is compromised with damage, these are relatively clumsy vessels. If surfaced, treat it like a battleship. When underwater, treat it like a submarine. Skippers should avoid using this vessel entirely. 

Aircraft Carrier-Submarines:[]

These are relatively rare vessels, though they can still be found. Submarines usually must deploy aircraft before diving and must surface to recover them. However, given the weight distribution of the carrier deck, these vessels are more practical. The only drawback of such a submarine is the one-way nature of the submarine aircraft carrier's aircraft. This obviates the use of fighters. While certainly helpful against fast boats, such use by anyone else is impractical, given its low damage against ships and no antisubmarine warfare aircraft to bring down. Given the low deck space on carriers and the difficulty of retrofitting parts to a submarine, torpedo bombers are second-best choices, given their greater accuracy. As an operator, deploy all the aircraft first before diving. Then resume operations as a normal submarine. Surface if possible to recover and relaunch aircraft. As an opponent, deal with the aircraft with AA gun while dispatching the submarine like any other submarine. 

The Super-Warship[]

For Super Warship Page, See Super-Warships

Such a warship is rare in general play, but vital in the VIP realm of multiplayer. Such a vessel would properly fall under Aircraft Carrier, because of the fact many carry aircraft to attack enemies at a distance. While heavily varied in design, they possess many similar features- large batteries of Mk 45 5 inch Guns, multiple 46cm Guns, large air fleets and arrays of rare-metal weaponry such as Hedgehogs, Rocket Launchers and fighter planes. Thus, they are hybrids. They are likely to have the SPY-1 radar installed too. However, there are some which don't carry aircraft and would fall under Battleship. Others simply carry massive aircraft carrier fleets so big the need for guns are redundant.

Unlike every other vessel mentioned, they have no real weaknesses- their high speed, massive firepower and large aircraft complement make them lethal to everyone. The only warship that has a real chance to survive an encounter available to players who does not use possess one is the submarine. While slow and unmatched in firepower, they reside under the surface, making them immune to the sheer surface firepower. However, even submarines are vulnreable- speed, hedgehogs, bombers in shallow water and depth charges can foil any attempt against the Super-Warship. Mines, if employed, can provide means to kettle and then pick off a warship, for even these warships could still be severely damaged by a mine strike or stray torpedo. If any other warship that is not a Super-Warship, pray that they are merciful (which they aren't). If you are a Super-Warship agaisnt another, fight it as if you were a battleship. Despite your carrier aircraft, your speed, firepower, and armor will quickly make any duel a battleship duel. 

Flying Ships[]

While extremely rare in multiplayer, flying ships are nevertheless a threat. Due to their flying abilities, these ships are quite hard to damage. As a captain, fear nothing except for ASW. Your job is to kill the opponent or damage them sufficiently before they can get close enough to use ASW on you. Since these ships are in the air, their aim is usually better, as their guns have less of an arc. As an opponent, keep in mind that flying ships are usually very slow and unable to maneuver. They usually can't exceed 100 knots and 2000m in altitude (although there are some extremely rare exceptions). In addition to this, their base is an easy target for ASW or dive bombers. Try to out maneuver the enemy and use your speed to avoid being hit. Aim for the area under the main flying part in order to hit the ship. Once you get under the flying ship, drop depth charges to get the ship to descend, then dodge shots while running circles around the now immobile flying ship. However, if the battle is one where both ships fly, it is just a matter of who can get the other one to land first. Overall, just get the ship to land and fight it like a fortress.

Player Strategies[]

Players may add new sections to advise others players on additional tactics. Please state your username, which type of ship it would regard and finally explain the tactics. Diagrams and pictures can follow if desired.

pikapika55s stealth strategy: if you have a night assaltt ship like my ANF Silento for example, you sneek out of the fog/dark,ram the persons ship,then shoot them with whatever guns/torpedos you have.

Panda2344's fast battleship tactic: When having a fast battleship,(Ex. Aegis Battleship BB-101 from Shin Wei Chou's mod) go broadside and fire ALL your weapons while speeding around them. If they have planes, keep making swaps between shooting the ship and the planes. If you have AA or CIWS, let that do the work and you can just rain shots on the ship. When you're enemy is immobilized,(A.K.A: Unable to move) then ram them while firing ALL you're guns and whatever weapons you have.

DevinIV1 Anti Aircraft carrier strategy: If you can't handle them: Ignore the Planes. Just try and sink the ship, unless you are severely or fataly damaged by carriers. Remember, too end the match, you only need to sink the ship, not the planes.

FlammeumDraco333's Anti Air/Anti Carrier Strategy: If you are ever facing an aircraft carrier that can outrun you, simply take a hard turn and move in circles. This will make it very tough for planes to hit you, and you can simply plink off the advancing torp bombers and fighters and retreating dive bombers with Mk45's and AA. Once you wear down your opponent's air strike arm, your opponent will be forced to engage in a close range gun duel, where your superior weapons will overwhelm them, or they will be forced to disengage.

"Willthe Gamer's Yamato strategy" : If you are a battleship or battleship killer charge the Yamato until you are at about 10 km and then fire a broadside until it sinks. Recommended 5+ 46cm and 400 mm lightweight hull.

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