Help me pick my next Steel Ship!

[LTC_Tiger]

Hi, everybody!

So far, for steel, I have acquired Somers (got her when they announced they were pulling her) as my first steel ship, Incomparable as my second and Bourgogne as my third.  I have finally obtained enough steel to pick my fourth steel ship currently in the Armory (any of them other than the FDR, anyway) using this period's 25% off coupon.  I'm usually a BB player.  So right now, I'm looking between Shikishima, Mecklenberg or R. Lauria.  I suppose it should be mentioned that I have the Musashi already, as well as Thunderer, as it is my understanding that Shiki and Lauria play somewhat similarly to these premiums.

That said, which of these three should I pop for, or should I just hang onto my steel for now?

[ArIskandir]

You can go the Gato way and screw all those BBs way harder than you would playing any BB yourself. The cold fact is Gato is way more effective at killing "heavies" than any BB or Cruiser you could buy. As a Sub, Gato also doesn't care about 90% of the annoying game stuff that could otherwise "cramp your style"... CVs: No problem; Subs: No  problem; HE spam: No problem; No spotting: No problem; Team mates left you hanging: No problem.

[Wulf_Ace]

40 minutes ago, LTC_Tiger said:

Hi, everybody!

So far, for steel, I have acquired Somers (got her when they announced they were pulling her) as my first steel ship, Incomparable as my second and Bourgogne as my third.  I have finally obtained enough steel to pick my fourth steel ship currently in the Armory (any of them other than the FDR, anyway) using this period's 25% off coupon.  I'm usually a BB player.  So right now, I'm looking between Shikishima, Mecklenberg or R. Lauria.  I suppose it should be mentioned that I have the Musashi already, as well as Thunderer, as it is my understanding that Shiki and Lauria play somewhat similarly to these premiums.

That said, which of these three should I pop for, or should I just hang onto my steel for now?

Mecklenburg

[HogHammer]

3 hours ago, LTC_Tiger said:

So right now, I'm looking between Shikishima, Mecklenberg or R. Lauria.

Of the three you provided, I would have to pick the Mecklenburg. It just has better overall utility in various game modes when compared to the Shikishima or R. Lauria.

[Helstrem]

Of all the steel ships I've bought (Shikishima, Bourgogne, Stalingrad, Incomparable and R. Lauria)  Shikishima has been the most productive for me, and I also have Musashi.

[Wolfswetpaws]

5 hours ago, LTC_Tiger said:

Hi, everybody!

So far, for steel, I have acquired Somers (got her when they announced they were pulling her) as my first steel ship, Incomparable as my second and Bourgogne as my third.  I have finally obtained enough steel to pick my fourth steel ship currently in the Armory (any of them other than the FDR, anyway) using this period's 25% off coupon.  I'm usually a BB player.  So right now, I'm looking between Shikishima, Mecklenberg or R. Lauria.  I suppose it should be mentioned that I have the Musashi already, as well as Thunderer, as it is my understanding that Shiki and Lauria play somewhat similarly to these premiums.

That said, which of these three should I pop for, or should I just hang onto my steel for now?

When a red-team Shikishima sunk my Kaga (with 75% HP) in one salvo, I became very interested in the Shikishima.
(Yeah, I complimented them on their gunnery in all-chat, too.  It was a good sportsmanship moment.)
I'm a fan of the Yamato, so I chose the Shikishima as my first steel ship. 
I followed that with the Bourgogne and later with the Gato.

While I haven't thought far ahead, because it takes me a while to accumulate steel, if I had to make a choice "today" in order to answer your question, I'd probably flip a coin between the Mecklenburg and the Incomparable. 
I'd have to take a good look at their performance stats and armor schemes, but BB's with torpedoes and plenty of maneuverability pique my curiosity.  🙂 
 

[Itwastuesday]

I have Shiki. Not recommended. Poor Yamato sidegrade. You get worse gun performance overall for some anti-air gains. 6 shells only and the atrocious turret traverse speed is a constant issue. Just play Yamato (or Musashi in your case). Also memetic secondary builds are just not good. 

Here's a montage of Mecklenburg : 

 

[Unlooky]

10 hours ago, LTC_Tiger said:

Hi, everybody!

So far, for steel, I have acquired Somers (got her when they announced they were pulling her) as my first steel ship, Incomparable as my second and Bourgogne as my third.  I have finally obtained enough steel to pick my fourth steel ship currently in the Armory (any of them other than the FDR, anyway) using this period's 25% off coupon.  I'm usually a BB player.  So right now, I'm looking between Shikishima, Mecklenberg or R. Lauria.  I suppose it should be mentioned that I have the Musashi already, as well as Thunderer, as it is my understanding that Shiki and Lauria play somewhat similarly to these premiums.

That said, which of these three should I pop for, or should I just hang onto my steel for now?

Lauria is easily the best ship on that list. Shikishima is a Yamato sidegrade, and Mecklenburg is essentially a Hindenburg in a BB slot. Lauria does absolutely vile things to every class in the game. Angled BB? 20k. Angled Cruiser? 20k. Even submarines, if they're stupid enough to stay surfaced while spotted, eat 20k. Can't recommend it enough over every other steel ship right now. 

[UnrepentantSinner]

7 minutes ago, Unlooky said:

Lauria is easily the best ship on that list. Shikishima is a Yamato sidegrade, and Mecklenburg is essentially a Hindenburg in a BB slot. Lauria does absolutely vile things to every class in the game. Angled BB? 20k. Angled Cruiser? 20k. Even submarines, if they're stupid enough to stay surfaced while spotted, eat 20k. Can't recommend it enough over every other steel ship right now. 

Unless a CV is looking for you, her AA is pretty bad, so are her secondaries and if you show broadside be prepared to eat a lot of damage, because of her weird shaped citadel. Honestly, if she works for you that's great, but i think she is a bit overhyped.

[OldSchoolGaming_Youtube]

Have Zero experience of these myself but the ones I heard most good things about is Mecklenburg (seems to be Trenlass favorite BB) and Lauria.

[aleksi111]

There's also the new Komissar announced as Steel cruiser if one is willing to just wait

 

Edited May 8 by aleksi111

[Itwastuesday]

2 hours ago, OldSchoolGaming_Youtube said:

Have Zero experience of these myself but the ones I heard most good things about is Mecklenburg (seems to be Trenlass favorite BB) and Lauria.

Was thinking of getting it myself, but worse firing angles than kurfurst sounds a bit extreme even for me. Like it's going to be Marlborough all over again. 

[Unlooky]

15 hours ago, UnrepentantSinner said:

Unless a CV is looking for you, her AA is pretty bad, so are her secondaries and if you show broadside be prepared to eat a lot of damage, because of her weird shaped citadel. Honestly, if she works for you that's great, but i think she is a bit overhyped.

I haven't found her AA to be bad by any means. No battleship has AA worth mentioning anyways. Same applies to her secondaries. In fact, I've actually found them somewhat above average compared to non secondary battleships, since they fire SAP which do 1k a hit to DDs. The reload is horrible but it's perfect for DDs popping in and out of concealment. She's very obviously not a secondary battleship or made for brawling, so I can't really understand this complaint. 

Finally, the simple solution to the last point is to not show broadside. IMO too many new battleships are released with idiot proof armor German BB style. She literally does not have any weaknesses besides "eats shit when broadside," which can be mostly mitigated with good play. 

[Itwastuesday]

9 hours ago, Unlooky said:

IMO too many new battleships are released with idiot proof armor German BB style. 

Isn't that the truth. Turtleback, submerged citadel, black hole armor, anything to make a ship not pay for their mistakes.

[BOBTHEBALL]

On 5/8/2024 at 7:31 AM, LTC_Tiger said:

Hi, everybody!

So far, for steel, I have acquired Somers (got her when they announced they were pulling her) as my first steel ship, Incomparable as my second and Bourgogne as my third.  I have finally obtained enough steel to pick my fourth steel ship currently in the Armory (any of them other than the FDR, anyway) using this period's 25% off coupon.  I'm usually a BB player.  So right now, I'm looking between Shikishima, Mecklenberg or R. Lauria.  I suppose it should be mentioned that I have the Musashi already, as well as Thunderer, as it is my understanding that Shiki and Lauria play somewhat similarly to these premiums.

That said, which of these three should I pop for, or should I just hang onto my steel for now?

Mecklenburg is not worth it, Shikishima is not worth it and Lauria is amazing. Get her.

[Helstrem]

On 5/8/2024 at 12:21 AM, Itwastuesday said:

I have Shiki. Not recommended. Poor Yamato sidegrade. You get worse gun performance overall for some anti-air gains. 6 shells only and the atrocious turret traverse speed is a constant issue. Just play Yamato (or Musashi in your case). Also memetic secondary builds are just not good. 

Here's a montage of Mecklenburg : 

 

I find Shikishima's guns out perform Yamato's and massively out perform Musashi's.  Higher rate of fire, better dispersion (slightly) than even Yamato with legendary module but fewer shells per salvo.

[Itwastuesday]

9 hours ago, Helstrem said:

I find Shikishima's guns out perform Yamato's and massively out perform Musashi's.  Higher rate of fire, better dispersion (slightly) than even Yamato with legendary module but fewer shells per salvo.

Eh, I find that it just hits a shell or two that overpen. Regardless, for a steel ship it's not different enough to the Yamato, imo. 

[Kratbowl]

Do you think Komissar will later be introduced into the armory as an ordinary ship for steel, and not as part of a special promotion, as now?

[UnrepentantSinner]

31 minutes ago, Kratbowl said:

Do you think Komissar will later be introduced into the armory as an ordinary ship for steel, and not as part of a special promotion, as now?

Next update already, if i remember it right from the Twitch stream., which would be a lot faster than with Ruggiero di Lauria, back then it was 3 month i think.

[Kratbowl]

5 minutes ago, UnrepentantSinner said:

Next update already, if i remember it right from the Twitch stream., which would be a lot faster than with Ruggiero di Lauria, back then it was 3 month i think.

Thanks! That's nice, but... I still have to take Lauria (this is not to say that Lauria is bad - it’s a pretty interesting ship, but I was seriously thinking between her and Komissar), because otherwise the coupon will expire on June 2nd. Plus, the resource type for Rhode Island/Van Oranje has not yet been announced, and these 2 ships are the most interesting to me.

[OT2_2]

Personally, I have made my mind up, and it will be Ruggiero di Laura. Like her slender form 😁 and her powerful guns. After that Mecklenburg comes on my personal bucket list. 

Edited May 19 by OT2_2

[UnrepentantSinner]

8 minutes ago, Kratbowl said:

Thanks! That's nice, but... I still have to take Lauria (this is not to say that Lauria is bad - it’s a pretty interesting ship, but I was seriously thinking between her and Komissar), because otherwise the coupon will expire on June 2nd. Plus, the resource type for Rhode Island/Van Oranje has not yet been announced, and these 2 ships are the most interesting to me.

Lauria, while not my favorite ship can be very strong, 457mm main guns with SAP and decent accuracy are quite something. Kommisar i only have encountered in a few games and so far i have been underwhelmed. I would take Lauria first. I hope Rhode Island will return soon, but i don't think that's going to happen, they still haven't released any of the other ships, like Almirante Grau, Leipzig, Schill and so on.

[Kratbowl]

Lauria is a "safer" option for me. She lacks armor, but her guns are powerful.

2 hours ago, OT2_2 said:

Like her slender form 😁 and her powerful guns. After that Mecklenburg comes on my personal bucket list.

And yes, Lauria is beautiful.

Mecklenburg is great, I definitely recommend taking it.

[GandalfTehGray]

Years later Stalingrad guns still bring joy. 

[BOBTHEBALL]

For me personally this is my rating of "Top 5 Steel ships to buy". It's a list that combines both enjoyment, how good a ship is, how unique a ship is and if it's good in the meta.

1. Lauria

2. Bourgogne

3. Stalingrad

4. Ragnar

5. Austin

Any questions please ask.