WoWS Q&A – 9th September 2016

Thanks to Babykim, EU.
The Q&A by BadPreacher dated September 5, and by Vessery dated September 8
Q: I noticed inconsistencies between the hit ribbons and the damage dealt.
A: Confusion may occur because not all penetrations cause damage. For example, a disabling hit on a turret is a penetration that does not reduce the HP of a ship.


Q: There were plans to allow some cruisers taking Defensive AA Fire and Hydroacoustic Search already in 0.5.11.
A: We have postponed this decision, but you can expect another bonus for higher tier cruisers soon.


Q: Why not give Smoke to the Atlanta?
A: The Atlanta already has two consumables, which suffice to make her competitive.


Q: Can you clarify when an AP shell will bounce (ricochet).
A: We have decreased the angles that lead to bounces, which currently are:
Sure bounce: before (0-30 degrees), after (0-22.5 degrees)
A chance of bounce: before (30-45 degrees), after (22.5-30 degrees)
No chance of bounce: before (45-90 degrees), after (30-90 degrees)
Note that an HE shell will never bounce.


Q: How does the thickness of armor influence the chance of bounces
A: The thickness only effects penetrations via the 14.3 rule. The armor is penetrated if the nominal armor thickness (i.e. perfectly perpendicular hit) is less than the caliber divided by 14.3.


Q: How many ellipses govern the distribution of artillery hits?
A: Just one.


Q: I would like to filter game modes, e.g. play standard battles only.
A: We currently do not plan this option.


Q: Why 8 km visibility limit in a cyclone, as opposed to a percentage penalty, so that the battleships are still easier to detect than the destroyers?
A: We wanted cyclones to invoke a radical change in gameplay. We have made the minimap more informative and added a synoptic in 0.5.11.


Q: I believe torpedos cannot be used in stormy seas during a cyclone.
A: This is more of a suggestion than a question.


Q: We still have battles with 5-8 destroyers per side.
A: We consider nerfing some destroyers, and buffing other classes, either directly or by changing the overall meta.


Q: I have an 17.8 inch notebook with 1600-900 resolution in game. Why does the reticle take most the screen in close view (binoculars)
A: You probably use the dynamic reticle, which always takes most of the screen in close view.


Q: Will the Prince Eugen get new or rare consumables such as Smoke Screen or Repair Party?
A: No. But we plan adding a profitability bonus to this cruiser.


Q: Following the resent matchmaking changes, tier 5 became food to higher tiers.
A: The main reasons for the change is the overall reduction of tier spreads and the fact that novice players should have more comfortable gameplay. We can expect tier 5 players to have enough experience, while tier 5 ships still can influence the outcomes of tier 7 battles. We will keep monitoring statistics for tier 5, and make adjustments if necessary.


Q: I fired a salvo of torpedoes and died before the last torpedo was released.
A: This is because torpedoes in a salvo are fired with a short delay between them.


Q: Does the anti-torpedo protection of German battleships work as intended? They appear very vulnerable to both aerial and ship torpedoes.
A: Yes, it does.


Q: I fear that the Fubuki with a 6-torpedo salvo on tier 6 would further aggravate the torpedo soup problem.
A: We already have destroyers with large salvos on low and medium tiers, e.g. the Farragut (8 torpedos), the Derzki (10 torpedos).


Q: Why buff American carriers by baffling their fighters?
A: Because American carriers with fighter setups where very ineffective in gaining air-superiority.


Q: Does the number of doubloons needed to retrain a captain depend on the tier of the ship?
A: No, only on the number of skill points of the captain.


Q: Is Demolition Expert useful for a carrier?
A: Not really. It is most useful when the baseline chance of fire is small and the number of hits is large.


Q: Carrier will not auto-drop on a ship concealed in smoke.
A: Yes, in this case you need to use the Alt.