So since your typical run n’ gun multiplayer shooter game wasn’t enough for you, you’re looking to try something new? World of Warships has exactly what you need. However, commandeering and fighting using massive vessels is a far cry from running around a map and shooting enemies with your guns. Where in the past you only needed to pull the trigger and watch your opponents drop, you need to be much more calculating, astute, and precise when fighting on the high seas.

World of Warships is, in essence, a naval shooter game where you control ships instead of characters when completing your objectives. The objectives of every game mode are similar to what you’d find in your typical FPS or TPS games such as capturing a point, getting the most eliminations, or simply sinking the enemy ships. However, both the controls and the manner in which you wage combat are vastly different from anything that we’ve ever tried before. Feel free to read our review if you wish to learn more about this game.

Due to the many differences that we’ve seen between World of Warships and any other shooter, we decided to create a combat guide for beginners. If you’re just starting and want to discover the most important elements to consider in combat, then read on!

The Main Battle Screen

If we had to compare World of Warships to a typical shooter, we’d relate it to a third-person shooter title like PUBG or Fortnite. In the main screen, you can view your ship in its entirety, and even freely rotate the camera to inspect the battlefield. Furthermore, you can also rotate the camera while moving to keep an eye on your surroundings while trolling through the ocean.

Map awareness is critical in this naval game. Since your ship’s movements are so stiff (this is a vessel that weighs thousands of tons we’re talking about), turning to face your enemies or to make a quick retreat is difficult and slow. In this sense, if you ever lose sight of the enemy, and end up falling into an ambush, you’re going to get really hurt regardless of what you do. For this reason, when it comes to avoiding damage in World of Warships, prevention is key.

Luckily, aside from the intuitive camera controls (which are vastly improved thanks to our BlueStacks tools), you have many other elements in your main view that will help you with monitoring the map and staying safe. The radar, for starters, is your best friend since it shows you much more than just your position in relation to your enemies’. You’ll need to learn to use this vital element if you want to win every match in this hectic naval game.

The radar is the square in the top left corner of the screen. In it, you’ll see the basic lay of the land (or the sea, in this case), alongside other interesting elements. Most importantly, though, are the allied and enemy ships, represented by the green and orange triangles, respectively. In certain game modes such as Center Control and Base Capture, you’ll also find the central contested area and enemy base, respectively.

Regarding the enemy ships, keeping tabs on them using the radar is paramount for avoiding ambushes. The dotted line around your ship is your level of concealment, which is affected by your camouflage. If the enemy is outside this line, it means that you’re hidden and therefore can’t be targeted. Use your camo to your advantage by moving to a favorable position before opening fire.

Play World of Warships Blitz on BlueStacks

Another important element in the main screen is the speed control. Moving in World of Warships is unlike the movement in any other shooter game. In a nutshell, your ship can move in three speeds: Half speed, full speed, and reverse. Instead of mashing the WASD buttons, you simply need to tap it the corresponding number of times to set your speed. For instance, if you’re in a complete stop, you only need to tap the “W” twice to reach full speed. In contrast to FPS games where everyone’s running around, sailing in this naval game takes patience and cunning.

Shot Type and Precision

We already mentioned in our BlueStacks usage guide how precision is exceedingly important in World of Warships. When it comes to combat in this naval game, your shots are not hitscan. In other words, each shot travels in a ballistic trajectory and takes time to reach the target depending on the distance it needs to travel. In this sense, if your target is moving, you’ll need to lead it in order to do maximum damage.

However, leading is not the only important thing, as you’ll also need to keep in mind your shot type. There are 3 types of projectiles in World of Warships: HE rounds, AP rounds, and torpedoes. Each of these serves a different purpose, though they all work towards the same goal of sinking your opponents:

• HE Shells: Projectiles that explode on impact and may cause fires to erupt in the enemy vessel. They travel long distances and do good damage. However, when shot from afar, they could land a half-penetration shot, cutting damage in half.
• AP Rounds: Trickier projectiles that do tons of damage, but are affected by distance considerably. Depending on the distance, an armor-piercing round could over-penetrate (25% damage), half-penetrate (50%), or even bounce off the enemy’s hull, doing no damage.
• Torpedoes: Missiles that travel underwater and explode on the enemy’s hull on impact. They’re very slow but do tons of damage.

Your ship has many gun batteries mounted along its deck, most of which can rotate to shoot the target. However, their angle of rotation is limited and, depending on your target’s current location, you might only be able to shoot it with a few guns. For maximum effect, always try to line the side of your ship with the target. Also, when you have a clear shot, remember to double click the fire button to unload your entire stock into your victim.

Your gun batteries rotate automatically to where your reticle is aiming, a process that could take a few seconds. Each orange reticle on your screen represents one of your main guns. The more reticles that are lined up, the more guns will fire when pulling the trigger. For future reference, you can also keep an eye on the bars on the bottom of the screen. These bars represent their guns and can change to different colors depending on the context:

• Grey: Can’t aim in the current direction.
• Orange: Gun reloading.
• Yellow: Gun rotating.
• Green: Ready to fire.

The key to doing maximum damage in this naval game is patience. Always try to keep an eye on your main guns and to only pull the trigger when you have a clean shot with as many batteries as possible. By aiming properly, you can sink any ship with just a few volleys.

Fighting in World of Warships is very complicated, at least when compared to other shooter games. However, with practice and by upgrading your ships, you’ll slowly become a force to be feared on the battlefield.

Download BlueStacks Now!