Battleship choice - New Mexico vs Colorado

[Lomax]

I'm in a position to upgrade my class VI New Mexico to VII Colorado but I don't see the advantage. My New Mexico is stronger in every cat except for a 4 point difference in artillery. What am I missing ?

[Sidian]

Well, if you want to progress further through the USN BB line, then you have to play the Colorado (unless you want to spend free exp, but free exp is very valueable).

The big advantage of the Colorado is the higher range and higher caliber. Don't rely on the ratings, they are very inaccurate most of the time.

The higher caliber is very important, because the New Mexico can't overmatch 25mm of armor (which is very common for t6 and t7 battleships and t8+ cruisers) with AP. That means a t8 cruiser who doesn't show broadside almost doesn't care about the New Mexico's AP shells.

The 406mm caliber of the Colorado's AP shells can overmatch up to 27mm of armor, which means it doesn't care for bow, stern and (partly) deck armor of t5-t7 battleships and any cruisers you face.

Therefore, the 4 point rating difference in artillery is the difference between "almost dealing no damage to angled t8 (and t9) cruisers and angled t6-t7 battleships" and "dealing tons of damage to all cruisers you can face and to any battleship that isn't t8 or t9 regardless of their angle".

[s u p e r g r a m p s]

Also, New Mexico has an awful 1.5 sigma, which is why she's been nicknamed by some people as the "USN Shotgun". I'd take Colorado's bigger 406mm guns and 2.0 sigma over the New Mexico.

If you ask me? New Mexico has been power creeped hard, and unless they buff her sigma to like 1.7 and or increase her AA on her Hull B to her 1943 standards, she just kind of sucks. If you don't have CE to reduce her detection to 12km, she just struggles to get close enough to reduce the effects of her poor sigma without getting battered as she crawls along at 21 kts.

The QE, Bayern have 380mm guns which can overmatch 25mm, Fuso that has much better gun range (though kind of in the same boat with her poor 1.5 sigma)... heck even Normandie is better with the same number of guns in fewer turrets and slightly better sigma at 1.6, better speed, and gun range. Also, lets not forget all the premiums: Arizona with 1.8 sigma, Mutsu and West Virignia 1941 Maryland with 406/410mm guns, Warspite, and the upcoming Izmail.

[Lomax]

Thanks Sidian and Supergramps. Evidently I was missing allot and there is a whole nother level to this game that I did not realize existed. I was wondering how you guys were coming up with sigma ratios, gun calibers and armor thickness and then for the 1st time I left clicked on the basic specs and was astounded to see the detailed info that came up. I have been playing at a real disadvantage not knowing my ships and not knowing anymore about my enemy's ships than the tier. I'm going to enjoy this game a whole lot more with the technical depth you just made me aware of. Thanks again, give me a shout out if you see me on the high seas. I'm BladeLomax in WOW.

[Sidian]

I don't think sigma is displayed anywhere in the client (unless they added it recently), it's basically how good your shell dispersion is. The higher the sigma, the more likely the shells will land near the spot where you aimed at. That's why the Colorado is more accurate than the New Mexico, even though the Colorado has a higher Maximum Dispersion.

There is a lot more to the game that isn't explained well (or at all) and that you are probably not aware of. Don't take this the wrong way, but i checked your stats and there is still a lot room to grow. :)

If you want to improve (which will also gain you more exp and credits), i highly recommend watching these videos:

https://youtu.be/-tAWN32AnZY
https://youtu.be/xRIQlK23kyg
https://youtu.be/dSndzC1HXjk
https://youtu.be/mEx6upFyXNc

You can also find a lot of useful information on the official WoWs youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVmXzlhZvJVSo3LA0O0ccjHRxxv-Qzchb

[Lomax]

Thanks Sidian, You are right, I do have allot of room to grow and I'm gonna check those tube vids out. My stats are not that great because I'm mostly a CV driver and it's hard to sink ships with planes. You can spot and inflict lots of light damage but it's hard to score high even with great aim. I am just now starting to learn how to battleship, moves slower but I like it.

[s u p e r g r a m p s]

I'd say, If you really enjoy the New Mexico, purchase the Arizona: Her sigma is at 1.8 and the difference between her and NM's shot placement is like night and day.

[Ryuu]

Caliber and armor can be seen in the port btw