[Spoon]

Did you just flatout skip the Kagero? (I'm relieved to see your Bucky win rate is as bad as mine though )

[Enioch]

Yup.

I hadn't reached the SHima when the CBT ended, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it, so I splurged on some Free-XP. Will probably go back to it at some point, just for the pleasure of having 5.4 detection range.

Bucky win rate is probably non-representative, as I was still learning at that point and had no T5 commander. With the concealment skill, Bucky is a beast at T8 and can carry. Again, I might re-buy her for next Ranked season (or skip ranked completely, because it's not good for my stress levels, we'll see).

[Spoon]

Everyone I speak about ranked seems to suffer from some sort of PTSD. ****'s is bad for one's bloodpressure. 
The rewards can be nice though, if you have the luck to keep getting winning teams.
And yeah, my snowstorm suffers from a lack of T5 commander too (and my lack of credits to the get the concealment module installed), running into bensons that can detect you before you can spot them is almost certain doom...

[Enioch]

What.

You're taking Bucky out without the Concealment module?

This is inexcusable and equivalent to shooting yourself in the foot (similar to taking a DD out without stealth camo). Play low-tiers until you get the money. Seriously, stop playing her now.

Without the concealment module, you're forced to play Fubuki like a fleet destroyer (a la mini-Shima), sniping from max range with the OMGslow top torps. As soon as you get all stealth modules, you can play it like a ganker, which, i believe, is how it should be played. Close in to ~6.5 km and blap a BB with 9 torpedoes point-blank.

Look at the stat differences. You survive more games, because you don't get as close and take fewer risks, but I have a huge advantage in damage and XP earned.

[Enioch]

Zekamashi-chan with her wedding flags.



And pics of our honeymoon:





We got two compliments out of that match too. Apparently the team appreciated Zekamashi-chan leading and coordinating her bridesmaids (the other Shima and the Benson) on a terror run that completely gutted the enemy east flank.

[Enioch]

'Eeeeeeeeeh!' said Ibuki. 'I want to go have fun with Enioch-kun too!'

'What can you do?' said Shimakaze-chan. 'You are so slooooow and my torpedoes are bigger!'

'Shimakaze-chan no baka!' said Ibuki. 'I'll show you what I can do! Take the wheel, Enioch-kun!'

Soundtrack






'OK,' said Shimakaze-chan, 'that was pretty awesome.'

[Spoon]

What.

You're taking Bucky out without the Concealment module?

Too plain for such fancy cloaking devices! (I did buy one just now, making me broke once again)

This is inexcusable and equivalent to shooting yourself in the foot (similar to taking a DD out without stealth camo). Play low-tiers until you get the money. Seriously, stop playing her now.

Without the concealment module, you're forced to play Fubuki like a fleet destroyer (a la mini-Shima), sniping from max range with the OMGslow top torps. As soon as you get all stealth modules, you can play it like a ganker, which, i believe, is how it should be played. Close in to ~6.5 km and blap a BB with 9 torpedoes point-blank.

Look at the stat differences. You survive more games, because you don't get as close and take fewer risks, but I have a huge advantage in damage and XP earned.

I don't think too many conclusions should be drawn yet from my 20 something games sample size. (Though amazingly, my winrate went down to 30% now )
I didn't find Hatsuharu did very well as a ninja DD, so I played her as a fleet destroyer, and with bucky's higher detection range I was kind of forced to play similar to that. Even so, I don't think I quite agree Fubuki should be played as a ganker, or at least, I don't think thats how I'll ever play her. Something like a Benson with 10x9km torpedoes and mean guns seems far more suited for that to me. What I feel makes Bucky mostly a poor ganker is her slowness. 35kts 
I've already been in two-three situations where I was going to have alone time with an enemy carrier, just for them to outrun me and kill me with bomber rng. Which made me feel very sad.


Now... only 7 fires to go before this grueling myoko challenge part 2 is finally over...
Nurnberg, you are so outclassed for your tier, but I need you for these stupid fires...
 
Edit: My bucky stats right now actually make me one of the single worse player of this class 

[ssmit132]

Thanks for adding me to the team, Axem.

What kind of times do you NA guys usually play at? As I'm GMT +10, playing during the week is tricky (I'm at uni during NA night time).

[Enioch]

I don't think too many conclusions should be drawn yet from my 20 something games sample size. (Though amazingly, my winrate went down to 30% now )

Fair enough.

I didn't find Hatsuharu did very well as a ninja DD, so I played her as a fleet destroyer, and with bucky's higher detection range I was kind of forced to play similar to that.

Hatsu is very definitely NOT a good Ninja, especially since she often goes against the super-stealth Mutsukis. Anything can out-spot you at that tier. Hatsu needs to be played as a fleet destroyer / gunship (!) early on in the game, until the enemy DDs are cleared and then switch to ninja.

Even so, I don't think I quite agree Fubuki should be played as a ganker, or at least, I don't think thats how I'll ever play her. Something like a Benson with 10x9km torpedoes and mean guns seems far more suited for that to me. What I feel makes Bucky mostly a poor ganker is her slowness. 35kts 

I've already been in two-three situations where I was going to have alone time with an enemy carrier, just for them to outrun me and kill me with bomber rng. Which made me feel very sad.

Fair enough - but it's all circumstantial. The Benson can engage from a distance (even stealthtorp, now) and cause huge damage but she's mostly dependent on guns / fires. Her torps are slow and do less damage than Bucky's - and if you engage with guns before the torps hit, the enemy knows there's a DD around.

Take everything I write with a grain of salt, because I haven't played her in a while:

Bucky is meant to stop pushes - not push back (because, as you pointed out, she's slow as molasses). You make a swooping run across the front of the enemy advance and see whether you can spot enemy DDs (Bucky is the stealthies thing at her tier) and then a) spot for your cruisers, if enemy DDs are present or b) pick an enemy BB and close to ~6.5 km and launch everything. If all goes well, you've eliminated ~50% of BB firepower in that flank and made the rest very very jumpy. What she's got for her is that huge Alpha of the original torpstrike.

Then you pop an offensive smoke and start raining down fire. She's got good guns - 7% fire chance and +300 HE damage compared to the Benson. DPM is less, but shells are less affected by BB armour, so it evens out. Launch torps as you see fit during that time.

The moment the enemy starts retreating, that's it - you immediately break off and relocate to another cap point. You've done your job. You are not supposed to follow / harry them - that's for the CAs and the BBs in your team.

[Enioch]

Rage. Impotent, seething rage. (Good showing by the enemy team, though).

Not shown in the damage dealt tab: an Iowa which I soloed. Literally. Full damage to zero, no friendly assists. He never went under two fires burning.

[StarSlayer]

Myōkō: swift as the wind, silent as the forest, fierce as the fire and steady as the mountain.  Still one of the best CAs for her tier, Onna-bugeisha mine.

[Enioch]

*Slow clap*

Yup, she's a beauty. Those 10*203 AP shells at T7... Omnomnom.

[crizza]

I took the faster torp, decreased range skill for my myokos skipper
But she certainly performs.
But the Yorck... oh my gosh... dunno howmany battle I took an opening salvo, which nearly crippled her, but she never failed me.
Off to ARP Myoko grind.

[StarSlayer]

Milady Roon, it has taken some effort to gain your favor but now obtained let us dance together you and I.







Seriously this ship murderates flat surfaces.

[crizza]

Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose...
Those Two DDs thought my Fuso was easy prey
At first I thought torpedo acc was a mistake for the Myoko, but after a Udaloi decided to come too close, the DD never stood a chance, he started to turn and that's it.
67knots is a fair tradeoff for the loss of 1km range^^

[attachment DELETED!! by Strong Bad]

[Gray]

Milady Roon, it has taken some effort to gain your favor but now obtained let us dance together you and I.







Seriously this ship murderates flat surfaces.

Where is that skin from? Could you pls provide a link?

[StarSlayer]

Tanz's skins, I can't imagine playing vanilla visuals.  Most of the newer packages can pretty much just be dropped into the res_mods but some of older ones need a little more manual input.  I run 10x20's camo stripper to remove WG's from showing up.  I'd also recommend Jim_Kong_Il's US cruiser skins, his Omaha and Cleveland skins are top notch, you can find the links at the bottom of Tanz's first post. 

[Gray]

Thx m8, much appreciated!

[Gray]

The fight in the Atago was close until the last moment, but in the end her 203mm guns rained death and destruction upon the two heavy cruisers pushing our cap and secured the victory.

The fight with the Kutuzov started quite good for us, as we were able to deny the enemy team cap A and B, while C was contested.
I pushed through B, destroying a DD and capping, while being under constant fire from a Tirpitz and a ARP Myoko.
When i arrived at C my guns shredded an Atlanta with two salvos, then i continued to push the NoCar out of the cap while keeping her burning.

By the time i finished her off, most of my team was destroyed, the rest was scattered all over the map.
The enemy had the numerical superiority, but switching fire between a NAgato and two ARP Myokos slowed them at least down.
When the Tirpitz removed my last 1k-ish HP, the game was effectively lost. The one brave DD that was defending B got focusfired and destroyed.
The rest got mopped up rather quickly afterwards. Too bad, with more teamplay this could have been an victory.

[StarSlayer]

Why yes Roon citadeling an Amagi at max range for a 15000 damage salvo sounds like a lovely idea.  With 6.8 rounds a minute and 5900 max damage AP this ship just tears apart anything that shows a flat.  Can't wait for the Hindie.