With the other WarGaming titles, World of Tanks and World of Warplanes, I experimented with playing just about every class of ingame equipment that was available. In Tanks, I started of with Light Tanks, then went down the Heavy lines, picked up a few Artillery pieces and discovered Tank Destroyers. Part of the reason for doing this was to see, first hand, if I could find out what the game had to offer that might have suited me the best.
The other purpose of doing this, was to also see the strengths and weaknesses, building some kind of knowledge base for when I would face them as opponents. For those who look at the statistical results, I was below average in just about everything I played there, I couldn't remember to adapt when changing between the different classes.
Then, with World of Warplanes, the cycle repeated, sorta. Once again, I experimented with Fighters, Heavy Fighters, Carrier Based Fighters (some were later renamed to Multi-Role Fighters) and Ground Attack aircraft. It was early on that I discovered I enjoyed the GA playstyle, a leisurely exercise of lying low, dropping bombs and being chased around the map by faster and more maneuverable opponents.
Not only was I having fun with Soviet GA's, but was doing quite well. Although I played the other lines the game had to offer, statistically, Ground Attack aircraft were my strongest suit. Once again, despite practicing my very best, I failed to perform successfully and with positive consistency with other types of aircraft.
It's not that I didn't understand how to use them more properly, it's that I couldn't turn that same understanding into the timely ingame action I desired.
Now, I come to World of Warships, with a much different focus. I have set my eyes on one class and one class only; Destroyers. Here is the history behind this decision....
My first taste of using an online, player controlled ship is thanks to Battlefield 1942. Some maps, usually containing a fair amount of water, had ships as an optional spawnpoint and even allowed for these to be manned and controlled by players.When I first started playing, I was like most everyone else, running around on the land, shooting my guns off or running people over with ground based vehicles. I won't discuss my poor attempts at flying the aircraft offered, back then....
What opened my eyes to those grey floaty things in the water, was being shelled from offshore, by naval batteries. Soon, I discovered I could enter the game, on a ship and return that same frustration upon others. Depending on the map, I would try out all of the ships classes that were available.
Aircraft Carriers were slowly and lacked the armament to put that smile on my face. Battleships were just as slow, but the guns wrecked havoc wherever I landed a shell, no direct hits were required. The submarines were too tricky for my liking, I don't remember if I ever figured those out. The landing craft were nothing more than a disposable taxi, just to get me around.
However, when I discovered the Hatsuzuki, a poorly rendered Japanese Akizuki Class Destroyer, along with it's American counterpart, the USS Fletcher, things got very interesting. Soon, I was zipping around at shooting at enemy players in their ships, supporting landing operations, sneaking in very close to shore and dropping surprises on unsuspecting opponents. Pure fun.
Back then, I knew which maps held these ships, so when I would login and look for a hosted server, I would seek out those particular map names, with hopes "my" ships would be there. Sometimes, they would be waiting for me to Captain them around, other times, I had to resort to team-killing just to get them. It was with the latter, I realized that insanity was setting in and stopped playing altogether.
Really now, just for a bunch of pixels?
Sometime later, I went through a submarine gaming phase and what better game to play during that time then Silent Hunter III. Despite it's learning curve and required attention for micromanagement, it was a lot of fun for me. Diving and moving just below the surface of the oceans, quietly and patiently hunting convoys and their escorts, attempting to complete the single player missions. A few real life friends invited me to try the online experience, of which I jumped at the chance to. We would meet up on a third party voice program and login to servers as a three man Wolfpack. Torpedoes and deck guns would wreak havoc on the enemy players as they attempted to do the same to us.
Everything changed when we found and downloaded the Grey Wolves expansion. This player created mod allowed me to go from a submarine to the ability to select and use surface ships, some already in the game and others, created specifically by this mod. Can you guess what was my choice, more often then not? Part of the thrill for me, when using a U-Boat, was trying to avoid the game controlled Destroyers. Listening for the propellers to gauge their location, performing evasive maneuvers when splashes were heard, since that heralded incoming depth charges.
Now, the tables were turned. By finding other servers that were hosting the game with this mod, I could pick a Destroyer of my own and hunt down player opponents as they attempted to complete their mission goals. The game of cat and mouse would last for hours, but it was time well spent with my friends and pitting my skills against other real players was the challenge I craved. As time went on, the servers were getting harder to find and my friends drifted off to play other games. I too, stopped answering the call to Action Stations.
So, that brings me to here, to World of Warships. Although I have, once again, dabbled with the other classes the game has to offer, I do believe my first calling will be with Destroyers. Aircraft Carriers are just too slow and vulnerable and I don't particularly care for the complicated overhead view that one of the modes offers. Battleships, like Carriers, are slow too, but can at least take a real pounding and have those big guns, which require patience to get into a good firing solution.
Cruisers, on the other hand, have a good balance between Battleships and Destroyers. Pretty good speed, maneuverability and the ones I have played so far, torpedoes. I may come back to these at a latter date. But yeah, Destroyers. At the time of this posting, I have progressed to tier V in the American tree, currently at the Nicholas. My Japanese line is still in progress, only tier III with the Wakatake.
I couldn't have come at a better time to the game either. During this Beta phase, I could experiment with all my heart"s desire, but I will remain focused in improving my skillset and reporting any bug and issues I may find. With the announcement of player's progress to be reset when this Closed Beta rolling into the Open Beta phase, I will have this one shot before the "do over".
Also, I have heard rumors of both a Closed and Open Beta reward ship, depending if players meet certain requirements to receive them. As much as I have my fingers cross for premium Destroyers, very handy for credit generation and crew training, it's up in the air on what they will actually be. I will try and keep an open mind, if I get any of those.
Plus, I already have my ace in the hole for when this game is finally launched, with the purchase of this, one of two only premium Destroyers in the game, so far....
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