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Brisbane (Vs Minotaur) Review


Verytis

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The Commonwealth T10 CL, Brisbane, is an alternative variant of the Royal Navy T10 CL, Minotaur. Placed in a separate nation and given the name of a city in Australia, Queensland. Both ships were never built, but plans did exist for the Minotaur, and the guns and turrets saw actual implementation in the Tiger class. Brisbane was first released as an event ship during early-mid 2023.

The following review gives an overview of Brisbane by itself and compares it with its sister, the Minotaur, as well as other CLs. Additionally, it’ll make some comments on the implications in-game.

Overview

Brisbane is essentially a sister ship to Minotaur, sharing the same hull, armour, and weapons. However what differs between them greatly is in their weapon efficiency and consumables, which can significantly impact a skilled player’s decisions.

  • Minotaur is focused primarily on gunnery, with a specialization in high RoF and improved AP shells only. Complemented by torpedoes that can make effective kiting weapons and are occasionally handy in brawling situations
  • Brisbane’s weapons instead emphasize versatility and longer range. A hybrid with the unique specialization of a long-range stealth radar.

For those looking to take up either ship in-game, both can expect the same base playstyle. However, they both present different challenges for beginners:

  • Minotaur’s access to smoke makes it easier to pick up and survive in. However, its AP specialization requires more experience to deploy effectively.
  • Brisbane is generally more intuitive to use due to HE access, but the lack of smoke makes surviving difficult for those not versed in ship handling and awareness.

Main Differences between Brisbane and Minotaur:

  • Significantly different main battery shells.
    • Brisbane: HE and AP available (low RoF)
    • Minotaur: AP (short fuse, improved angles)
  • Increased detectability
  • Increased radar range, decreased duration.
  • Increased torpedo range and reload time.
  • No smoke consumables are available.
  • ASW Airstrike instead of Depth Charges

Hull

  • 16mm exterior, 13mm superstructure
  • Exposed 102mm citadel armour and a stepped Citadel.
  • Same armoured turrets.
  • Same RN CL acceleration and drifting capability.
  • Same ship handling and rudder.

 

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How to survive? Just dodge for the most part.

 

Brisbane and Minotaur share the same hull, so they handle the same. Use your maneuverability and concealment at medium-long range.

Your exterior armour is worse than DDs, and every new CA gets to overmatch you for free. Or it's a Des Moines who can suppress you with improved AP.

 

Don’t rely on healing to pull you through because it can only delay your death. You can only heal 50% of shell dmg, so half of your superheals’ potential is more often than not wasted. The "on-board 3D printer" meme is somewhat misleading. That said, the excess heal is very good for fire/flooding damage, but chances are your opponents will be loading AP.

Consumables

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  • Standard DCP
  • Special Repair Party
    • It is the very same, inherited from Minotaur, with all the good memes and little caveats. You heal a lot so you can continue maintaining pressure or potentially cheat death. But you only restore 50% shell dmg. Any experienced captain who has survived near death would know their time is borrowed.
  • Standard Hydro
  • Radar (12km)
    • Brisbane’s unique trait: 12km stealth radar. Unlike Minotaur, you can’t swap this for smoke. Its implications are significant, so there's a separate section dedicated to it below.

The Radar

  • Increased radar range: 10km -> 12km
  • Reduced duration: 20s base

Pros:

  • The large stealth radar gap ensures you can always counter-spot anything that out-spots you and keep them spotted even as you kite away from enemy fire
  • Long-range stealth radar lets you approach smoke screens much more easily and ambush targets inside.
  • The increased range gives Brisbane superiority in terms of intelligence and cap denial for the team, allowing you to more easily disrupt DDs and detect hidden threats from safety.

Cons:

  • Decreased duration, along with lower DPM, limits Brisbane’s ability to use it for damage dealing alone.
  • Your low shell velocity means you may struggle to hit DDs with your increased radar range. Your low gun caliber also means you can’t citadel most larger ships.

In terms of DD hunting, Brisbane is similar to Minotaur. Minotaur relies on burst dmg before the DD can angle and escape. Brisbane is limited by radar duration and gunnery.

Thus, both ships heavily rely on the presence of teammates to maximize their radar’s potential. But when you do have a team, it is here that Brisbane wins out by a wide margin by being able to stealth-spot for everyone from long range.

Main Weaponry

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Main Battery

  • Same 5x2 152mm guns and ballistics
  • Access to both HE and AP shells. (Minotaur only has access to AP)
  • Longer reload time. 3.2s -> 5.0s
  • AP shells do not have special properties, unlike Minotaur.

HE DPM Comparison List:

Spoiler

DesktopScreenshot2023_10.21-11_13_05_74.png.5048a2673cac58bdae275a509ea5f1b7.png

Fire Chance Comparison List:

Spoiler

DesktopScreenshot2023_10.21-12_55_11_15.png.f1928d0b5b81cec77983fd07bd7b381b.png

HE Shells

  • 258k base HE DPM. (293k upgraded)
  • 9% base fire chance.

AP Shells

  • 384k base AP DPM, compared to Minotaur’s 600k. (436k vs 680k w/ upgrade.)
  • Regular CL AP. Nothing to mention.

Other characteristics

  • Ballistics are slow and floaty, the same as Minotaur. You can arc over islands, but hitting fast DDs will be challenging.
  • Turret angles are mostly sufficient at 29° forwards, 35° backwards. Mostly sufficient at maintaining angles while keeping the rapid firing guns beared. Be aware of travel direction to ensure you don't expose excess broadside. Be especially aware of increasingly common ships with improved AP angles, as those ships can "suppress" most of your DPM by forcing you to stay angled.

Overall, the HE DPM is in line with A. Nevsky and Yodo, other non-DPM focused CLs with 30mm HE Pen.

  • Nevsky and Yodo have better ballistics and range, while Brisbane inflicts slightly more DoTs from combining HE fires with torpedo floods.
  • Unlike Minotaur, you can do dmg to angled DDs and CAs. But your gunnery is still worse than Des Moines in every aspect and no match for Worcester.

Note that since you’ll be using the 293k upgraded HE DPM against most targets, you won’t really get to experience the massive dmg spikes typical with Minotaur catching broadsides with AP. You're more of a slow but consistent cooker.

Overall, Brisbane’s gunnery is serviceable but lackluster for a CL. Combined with your weak armour, you'll often be kited by DDs, overmatched by CAs, or overwhelmed by the sheer DPM of other CLs. You’re not defenseless, but any sustained direct engagements will be dangerous.

Torpedoes

  • Increased torpedo range. 10km -> 13.5km
  • Increased number of torpedoes. 4x4 -> 4x5
  • Increased reload time. 96s -> 131s
  • Increased speed. 62 kts -> 65 kts
  • Slightly better torpedo angles. 40° -> 36° (like…just why?)
  • Single-launch available

More torpedoes, slightly faster speed, better angles, and a greatly increased range of 13.5km, at the cost of a reload penalty.

  • In terms of torpedoes, you’re basically a Jinan in every aspect, minus TRB and deepwaters. You also sit comfortably among Zao and Yodo, albeit torpedoes have less range but are more challenging to detect, which makes them dangerous to DDs.
  • The greatly increased range, along with the stealth torpedo gap, allows you to deploy them from further away and target predictable static positions such as islands and smokes. The single launch option is particularly useful for targeting bow-tanking targets.
  • Another usage is on kiting flanks. With a 13.5km range, you can comfortably launch torpedoes from 15km and let enemies run into them while simultaneously using guns at long range. A similar playstyle to IJN.
  • In brawling situations, the torpedo angles are decent but still come with notable risks due to your large citadel. As usual, beware of ships with overmatch or improved AP angles.

Overall, it is a solid armament befitting a hybrid ship.

Concealment

  • Increased detectability. 9.1km -> 9.8km (max concealment build.)

While Minotaur has the best concealment of all CLs, Brisbane’s is average, beaten only by Smolensk, Yodo, and A. Nevsky.

Unlike a max concealment Minotaur, a Brisbane may find evading detection and dictating combat on your terms somewhat difficult when scouting. There are CAs such as Napoli and Gouden Leeuw with similar concealment and overmatch that’ll straight-up ruin your match if you’re not cautious. No smoke option to help you either.

While a cruiser's concealment matters less in randoms due to DD and CV spotting for you, it can be critical for determining engagement initiative in smaller formats. Your poorer concealment also limits your build options, making it far less practical to use a double rudder build for increased evasion. This isn’t like the days where CAs are easy to outspot.

Brisbane indeed has a 12km radar for a massive 2.2km stealth radar gap, but the concealment is just enough not to be painful when the radar is down.

AA/ASW

  • ASW Airstrike (Minotaur has ship-based charges instead)
  • Same AA

AA

  • AA guns are all the same, except Minotaur’s few short-range mounts have all been replaced with mid-range mounts - a subtle difference at best.
  • In typical AACL fashion, your long-range 6.9km AA is a double-edged sword. Both make it trivial to spot you but also an annoyance to the CV in a wider area.

ASW

Many CLs, including Minotaur, suffer in the ASW department, hampered by having ship-based charges that are rarely usable. So, for Brisbane, this is a great boon. You can:

  • Intervene in underwater submarine fights from a distance.
  • Casually “probe” a nearby area for subs or ships with active AA.
  • Use them as fighter bait. Because your air concealment is big.

ASW range is still shorter than your surface concealment, though you can spot surfaced subs with radar and force them to dive. However, subs at periscope depth can spot you based on your poor air concealment, a significant distance from your hydro.

One advantage you do have is strong maneuverability. Your inherited RN CL acceleration and drifting abilities make you among the best cruisers at dodging homing torpedoes.

Ship Builds

DesktopScreenshot2023_10.21-10_11_11_60.png.4d37e544232bc9b196e45848743cfbb4.png

  • Mobility, Survivability and Awareness to maximize your longevity. You can’t do anything while cosplaying a submarine. Take off IFA and PT if you feel confident, but don't blame me.
  • RPF for DD hunting and basic intelligence. You don’t want to encounter wild Napoli unprepared.
  • Torp mod 1 on slot 3 to keep your tubes from being reset. Also, HE spam is more forgiving on poor dispersion.
  • Gun reload on slot 6 because you really want to make things back off from you. Also, to better utilize radar.

Alternatives:

  • Torpedo build is an option. But they’re an inherently situational and unreliable weapon.
  • Further buffing the radar could also be handy since it's the major gimmick of your ship.
  • AA build is only useful for escorting. You’ll either dodge most things a CV throws at you, or it’s a Malta, and you’re going down under anyway.

Don’t bother with a double rudder build. You gimp your concealment. And your ship’s selling point is the big stealth radar.

PS: If you still have heal flags, you should probably take them off.

Conclusion/Tactical Implications/TLDR

Brisbane is a more newbie-friendly and versatile radar Minotaur...which isn’t very newbie-friendly at all…

Features summary:

Pros:

  • Unique long-range stealth radar capability.
    • Counterspot anything that spots you, barring periscope subs.
    • Approach under stealth to ambush enemies attempting to cap or smoke camp.
    • Kite away while keeping the enemy in radar range.
  • Access to 30mm pen HE greatly alleviates one of Minotaur's weaknesses.
  • Long range torpedo armament.
    • Strong tool for targeting static positions and kiting.
    • Also gives you a means to do dmg when exposing your fragile hull may be dangerous.
  • Sufficient concealment for spotting roles.
  • Inherited Minotaur hull with RN acceleration and drifting capabilities. Good at evading long-range shots.
  • Superheal that allows you to return to combat quickly.
  • ASW airstrike.
  • You're just really annoying to DDs.

Cons:

  • Your combination of mediocre gun DPM and poor ballistics, along with a weak hull, means you’ll have to struggle in most gun trades.
    • Your guns require sustained firing for results, which is not ideal for your stealth.
    • Hitting fast DDs under your radar may be challenging.
  • Your super lite armour can't stop DDs from fighting back while making you a targeting exercise for every new CA released. You can't push and often must kite.
  • As a hybrid, you must balance between gun and your stealth aspects. Constantly firing guns can allow the enemy to determine from where to expect incoming torpedoes or radar.
  • KOTS and CB don't take kindly to you.

So why play Brisbane?

If you want...

  • to be tanky, play San Martin.
  • to spam HE, play Worcester or Colbert
  • to just dodge, play rudder Minotaur or Colbert.
  • to flood the ocean, play Jinan.
  • to have a big long radar, play Nevsky. Comes with railguns too.
  • to have a big stealth radar, while trying to do too many other things at once. Or perhaps you're just an Aussie. Play Brisbane.
  • to be a weeb, play Yodo Zao. I’m sorry, Yodo players.

Thank you for reading. Disclaimer: List is for fun and is not comprehensive,

 

Side Notes:

Spoiler
  • Personal opinion. I'm very ambivalent about Brisbane. The ship has so many different features, that it could make for a strong contender. But she is just handicapped by the guns, non-suitability for rudder build and constant overmatch it faces. Fixing any of these two would instantly go a long way. Until then, the radar still gives her a unique niche to herself, which isn't all too bad. I'm also happy that my Mino does not have to be replaced.
  • It was a huge pain redoing most of the formating. Most of it didn't carry over well from google doc. If anything looks off, that's the reason.
  • If you actually bothered to read this entire wall of text, please look forward to its companion, the Guide on Minotaur, where there'll be even more text. Coming soontm.

 

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34 minutes ago, Verytis said:

If you actually bothered to read this entire wall of text, please look forward to its companion, the Guide on Minotaur, where there'll be even more text. Coming soontm.

😎

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Not a big fan of brisbane (love radar mino though.) In my opinion, the reload nerf makes the damage output, even with HE, anemic. You dont get crazy DPM like other CLs and still suffer from poor ballistics and low pen. The poor ballistics, longer engagement ranges, and lackluster DPM just makes it significantly worse in the DD killer role compared to minotaur. The only circumstances where I feel that brisbane is better is fighting other cruisers with light or average protection where the 30mm pens everything. Against BBs, the Minotaur AP just feels so much better, even factoring fires. Of course the torpedoes are a very nice improvement and hilarious to get kills with, but I don't feel like they're consistent enough to justify playing the ship over radar Mino.

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  • HogHammer featured this topic
  • (to be a weeb, play  Zao. ).. sorry 
  •  im no weeb but i would pick zao over brisbane  any day 
  •  
Edited by Gaelic_knight
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On 10/22/2023 at 12:07 PM, Verytis said:

MekjaQT4gSEH0CI8KbjzXON6OhIjfMmzshIc942kZqmNc5gDkyTuZ7SGZAZbka30b3SAKyldtzcYz0VHX5E7qtEmaK8M36Ygh2NpswTkHAQeuU8Y2J9r751OJ_DC7QJHArQWkxGDfpLbE_8a

The Commonwealth T10 CL, Brisbane, is an alternative variant of the Royal Navy T10 CL, Minotaur. Placed in a separate nation and given the name of a city in Australia, Queensland. Both ships were never built, but plans did exist for the Minotaur, and the guns and turrets saw actual implementation in the Tiger class. Brisbane was first released as an event ship during early-mid 2023.

The following review gives an overview of Brisbane by itself and compares it with its sister, the Minotaur, as well as other CLs. Additionally, it’ll make some comments on the implications in-game.

Overview

Brisbane is essentially a sister ship to Minotaur, sharing the same hull, armour, and weapons. However what differs between them greatly is in their weapon efficiency and consumables, which can significantly impact a skilled player’s decisions.

  • Minotaur is focused primarily on gunnery, with a specialization in high RoF and improved AP shells only. Complemented by torpedoes that can make effective kiting weapons and are occasionally handy in brawling situations
  • Brisbane’s weapons instead emphasize versatility and longer range. A hybrid with the unique specialization of a long-range stealth radar.

For those looking to take up either ship in-game, both can expect the same base playstyle. However, they both present different challenges for beginners:

  • Minotaur’s access to smoke makes it easier to pick up and survive in. However, its AP specialization requires more experience to deploy effectively.
  • Brisbane is generally more intuitive to use due to HE access, but the lack of smoke makes surviving difficult for those not versed in ship handling and awareness.

Main Differences between Brisbane and Minotaur:

  • Significantly different main battery shells.
    • Brisbane: HE and AP available (low RoF)
    • Minotaur: AP (short fuse, improved angles)
  • Increased detectability
  • Increased radar range, decreased duration.
  • Increased torpedo range and reload time.
  • No smoke consumables are available.
  • ASW Airstrike instead of Depth Charges

Hull

  • 16mm exterior, 13mm superstructure
  • Exposed 102mm citadel armour and a stepped Citadel.
  • Same armoured turrets.
  • Same RN CL acceleration and drifting capability.
  • Same ship handling and rudder.

 

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How to survive? Just dodge for the most part.

 

Brisbane and Minotaur share the same hull, so they handle the same. Use your maneuverability and concealment at medium-long range.

Your exterior armour is worse than DDs, and every new CA gets to overmatch you for free. Or it's a Des Moines who can suppress you with improved AP.

 

Don’t rely on healing to pull you through because it can only delay your death. You can only heal 50% of shell dmg, so half of your superheals’ potential is more often than not wasted. The "on-board 3D printer" meme is somewhat misleading. That said, the excess heal is very good for fire/flooding damage, but chances are your opponents will be loading AP.

Consumables

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  • Standard DCP
  • Special Repair Party
    • It is the very same, inherited from Minotaur, with all the good memes and little caveats. You heal a lot so you can continue maintaining pressure or potentially cheat death. But you only restore 50% shell dmg. Any experienced captain who has survived near death would know their time is borrowed.
  • Standard Hydro
  • Radar (12km)
    • Brisbane’s unique trait: 12km stealth radar. Unlike Minotaur, you can’t swap this for smoke. Its implications are significant, so there's a separate section dedicated to it below.

The Radar

  • Increased radar range: 10km -> 12km
  • Reduced duration: 20s base

Pros:

  • The large stealth radar gap ensures you can always counter-spot anything that out-spots you and keep them spotted even as you kite away from enemy fire
  • Long-range stealth radar lets you approach smoke screens much more easily and ambush targets inside.
  • The increased range gives Brisbane superiority in terms of intelligence and cap denial for the team, allowing you to more easily disrupt DDs and detect hidden threats from safety.

Cons:

  • Decreased duration, along with lower DPM, limits Brisbane’s ability to use it for damage dealing alone.
  • Your low shell velocity means you may struggle to hit DDs with your increased radar range. Your low gun caliber also means you can’t citadel most larger ships.

In terms of DD hunting, Brisbane is similar to Minotaur. Minotaur relies on burst dmg before the DD can angle and escape. Brisbane is limited by radar duration and gunnery.

Thus, both ships heavily rely on the presence of teammates to maximize their radar’s potential. But when you do have a team, it is here that Brisbane wins out by a wide margin by being able to stealth-spot for everyone from long range.

Main Weaponry

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Main Battery

  • Same 5x2 152mm guns and ballistics
  • Access to both HE and AP shells. (Minotaur only has access to AP)
  • Longer reload time. 3.2s -> 5.0s
  • AP shells do not have special properties, unlike Minotaur.

HE DPM Comparison List:

  Reveal hidden contents

DesktopScreenshot2023_10.21-11_13_05_74.png.5048a2673cac58bdae275a509ea5f1b7.png

Fire Chance Comparison List:

  Reveal hidden contents

DesktopScreenshot2023_10.21-12_55_11_15.png.f1928d0b5b81cec77983fd07bd7b381b.png

HE Shells

  • 258k base HE DPM. (293k upgraded)
  • 9% base fire chance.

AP Shells

  • 384k base AP DPM, compared to Minotaur’s 600k. (436k vs 680k w/ upgrade.)
  • Regular CL AP. Nothing to mention.

Other characteristics

  • Ballistics are slow and floaty, the same as Minotaur. You can arc over islands, but hitting fast DDs will be challenging.
  • Turret angles are mostly sufficient at 29° forwards, 35° backwards. Mostly sufficient at maintaining angles while keeping the rapid firing guns beared. Be aware of travel direction to ensure you don't expose excess broadside. Be especially aware of increasingly common ships with improved AP angles, as those ships can "suppress" most of your DPM by forcing you to stay angled.

Overall, the HE DPM is in line with A. Nevsky and Yodo, other non-DPM focused CLs with 30mm HE Pen.

  • Nevsky and Yodo have better ballistics and range, while Brisbane inflicts slightly more DoTs from combining HE fires with torpedo floods.
  • Unlike Minotaur, you can do dmg to angled DDs and CAs. But your gunnery is still worse than Des Moines in every aspect and no match for Worcester.

Note that since you’ll be using the 293k upgraded HE DPM against most targets, you won’t really get to experience the massive dmg spikes typical with Minotaur catching broadsides with AP. You're more of a slow but consistent cooker.

Overall, Brisbane’s gunnery is serviceable but lackluster for a CL. Combined with your weak armour, you'll often be kited by DDs, overmatched by CAs, or overwhelmed by the sheer DPM of other CLs. You’re not defenseless, but any sustained direct engagements will be dangerous.

Torpedoes

  • Increased torpedo range. 10km -> 13.5km
  • Increased number of torpedoes. 4x4 -> 4x5
  • Increased reload time. 96s -> 131s
  • Increased speed. 62 kts -> 65 kts
  • Slightly better torpedo angles. 40° -> 36° (like…just why?)
  • Single-launch available

More torpedoes, slightly faster speed, better angles, and a greatly increased range of 13.5km, at the cost of a reload penalty.

  • In terms of torpedoes, you’re basically a Jinan in every aspect, minus TRB and deepwaters. You also sit comfortably among Zao and Yodo, albeit torpedoes have less range but are more challenging to detect, which makes them dangerous to DDs.
  • The greatly increased range, along with the stealth torpedo gap, allows you to deploy them from further away and target predictable static positions such as islands and smokes. The single launch option is particularly useful for targeting bow-tanking targets.
  • Another usage is on kiting flanks. With a 13.5km range, you can comfortably launch torpedoes from 15km and let enemies run into them while simultaneously using guns at long range. A similar playstyle to IJN.
  • In brawling situations, the torpedo angles are decent but still come with notable risks due to your large citadel. As usual, beware of ships with overmatch or improved AP angles.

Overall, it is a solid armament befitting a hybrid ship.

Concealment

  • Increased detectability. 9.1km -> 9.8km (max concealment build.)

While Minotaur has the best concealment of all CLs, Brisbane’s is average, beaten only by Smolensk, Yodo, and A. Nevsky.

Unlike a max concealment Minotaur, a Brisbane may find evading detection and dictating combat on your terms somewhat difficult when scouting. There are CAs such as Napoli and Gouden Leeuw with similar concealment and overmatch that’ll straight-up ruin your match if you’re not cautious. No smoke option to help you either.

While a cruiser's concealment matters less in randoms due to DD and CV spotting for you, it can be critical for determining engagement initiative in smaller formats. Your poorer concealment also limits your build options, making it far less practical to use a double rudder build for increased evasion. This isn’t like the days where CAs are easy to outspot.

Brisbane indeed has a 12km radar for a massive 2.2km stealth radar gap, but the concealment is just enough not to be painful when the radar is down.

AA/ASW

  • ASW Airstrike (Minotaur has ship-based charges instead)
  • Same AA

AA

  • AA guns are all the same, except Minotaur’s few short-range mounts have all been replaced with mid-range mounts - a subtle difference at best.
  • In typical AACL fashion, your long-range 6.9km AA is a double-edged sword. Both make it trivial to spot you but also an annoyance to the CV in a wider area.

ASW

Many CLs, including Minotaur, suffer in the ASW department, hampered by having ship-based charges that are rarely usable. So, for Brisbane, this is a great boon. You can:

  • Intervene in underwater submarine fights from a distance.
  • Casually “probe” a nearby area for subs or ships with active AA.
  • Use them as fighter bait. Because your air concealment is big.

ASW range is still shorter than your surface concealment, though you can spot surfaced subs with radar and force them to dive. However, subs at periscope depth can spot you based on your poor air concealment, a significant distance from your hydro.

One advantage you do have is strong maneuverability. Your inherited RN CL acceleration and drifting abilities make you among the best cruisers at dodging homing torpedoes.

Ship Builds

DesktopScreenshot2023_10.21-10_11_11_60.png.4d37e544232bc9b196e45848743cfbb4.png

  • Mobility, Survivability and Awareness to maximize your longevity. You can’t do anything while cosplaying a submarine. Take off IFA and PT if you feel confident, but don't blame me.
  • RPF for DD hunting and basic intelligence. You don’t want to encounter wild Napoli unprepared.
  • Torp mod 1 on slot 3 to keep your tubes from being reset. Also, HE spam is more forgiving on poor dispersion.
  • Gun reload on slot 6 because you really want to make things back off from you. Also, to better utilize radar.

Alternatives:

  • Torpedo build is an option. But they’re an inherently situational and unreliable weapon.
  • Further buffing the radar could also be handy since it's the major gimmick of your ship.
  • AA build is only useful for escorting. You’ll either dodge most things a CV throws at you, or it’s a Malta, and you’re going down under anyway.

Don’t bother with a double rudder build. You gimp your concealment. And your ship’s selling point is the big stealth radar.

PS: If you still have heal flags, you should probably take them off.

Conclusion/Tactical Implications/TLDR

Brisbane is a more newbie-friendly and versatile radar Minotaur...which isn’t very newbie-friendly at all…

Features summary:

Pros:

  • Unique long-range stealth radar capability.
    • Counterspot anything that spots you, barring periscope subs.
    • Approach under stealth to ambush enemies attempting to cap or smoke camp.
    • Kite away while keeping the enemy in radar range.
  • Access to 30mm pen HE greatly alleviates one of Minotaur's weaknesses.
  • Long range torpedo armament.
    • Strong tool for targeting static positions and kiting.
    • Also gives you a means to do dmg when exposing your fragile hull may be dangerous.
  • Sufficient concealment for spotting roles.
  • Inherited Minotaur hull with RN acceleration and drifting capabilities. Good at evading long-range shots.
  • Superheal that allows you to return to combat quickly.
  • ASW airstrike.
  • You're just really annoying to DDs.

Cons:

  • Your combination of mediocre gun DPM and poor ballistics, along with a weak hull, means you’ll have to struggle in most gun trades.
    • Your guns require sustained firing for results, which is not ideal for your stealth.
    • Hitting fast DDs under your radar may be challenging.
  • Your super lite armour can't stop DDs from fighting back while making you a targeting exercise for every new CA released. You can't push and often must kite.
  • As a hybrid, you must balance between gun and your stealth aspects. Constantly firing guns can allow the enemy to determine from where to expect incoming torpedoes or radar.
  • KOTS and CB don't take kindly to you.

So why play Brisbane?

If you want...

  • to be tanky, play San Martin.
  • to spam HE, play Worcester or Colbert
  • to just dodge, play rudder Minotaur or Colbert.
  • to flood the ocean, play Jinan.
  • to have a big long radar, play Nevsky. Comes with railguns too.
  • to have a big stealth radar, while trying to do too many other things at once. Or perhaps you're just an Aussie. Play Brisbane.
  • to be a weeb, play Yodo Zao. I’m sorry, Yodo players.

Thank you for reading. Disclaimer: List is for fun and is not comprehensive,

 

Side Notes:

  Reveal hidden contents
  • Personal opinion. I'm very ambivalent about Brisbane. The ship has so many different features, that it could make for a strong contender. But she is just handicapped by the guns, non-suitability for rudder build and constant overmatch it faces. Fixing any of these two would instantly go a long way. Until then, the radar still gives her a unique niche to herself, which isn't all too bad. I'm also happy that my Mino does not have to be replaced.
  • It was a huge pain redoing most of the formating. Most of it didn't carry over well from google doc. If anything looks off, that's the reason.
  • If you actually bothered to read this entire wall of text, please look forward to its companion, the Guide on Minotaur, where there'll be even more text. Coming soontm.

 

Good read, very nice!

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@Verytis thanks for the data...

I'm not one to take the game seriously enough to have "Recognition cards for each ship" on my roll top desk where I play this game !  BUT, the data you provided could do just about the same thing...>!   If I were adventurous, a Mod that showed the "targeted ship Armor layout" would be very useful...

Again thanks.  And, to be honest, I play both "within their strengths" that I haven't calculated.   That I just sensed after a couple of dozen matches.  I play both most days.

Well done.

Edited by Asym
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  • 2 months later...

I have to say though that this is one of the best reviews I have seen and read to date. I must admit though that the Brisbane and Minotaur do vary for in terms of play style but I think overall though, I actually like both ships. 

If you were to ask me about my own preferance, we I think the Minotaur would have been my first preference however I love playing the Brisbane because she's something unique and its quite fun to play around with. Plus I live in Brisbane, well there is that as well too lol 

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Hello, @Admiral_Revan! On my behalf, welcome to the forum. My main account is on EU, but I have an exclusively F2P account on ASIA as well.

image.jpeg.e19c6b8d888bca5609374c718726fd66.jpeg

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  • HogHammer unfeatured this topic
On 10/22/2023 at 12:07 AM, Verytis said:
  • to be a weeb, play Yodo Zao. I’m sorry, Yodo players.

 

LOL  😄

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