Maneuvering

This article is a stub. A place to put interesting facts. Someone will write a real article here some day.

• What's the point of maneuvering?
• Does maneuvering affect gun accuracy?
• What are the dangers of maneuvering?
• Where did this island come from? Is it on the map?

See also Controls and Terminology.

QWASDE

These keys (case insensitive) are the ship's stick and rudder -- the keys to control speed and turning.

Throttle

There are six throttle settings. The initial setting is All Stop. The propellers stop turning. If the ship was moving when this setting is selected, it will coast to a stop.

Forward power is applied over four settings: 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and Full Throttle.

The last setting is Back Full. The screws turn in reverse, driving the ship to full reverse speed.

• W increases the throttle setting
• S decreases the throttle setting

A single tap to the key moves the throttle one setting.

Steering

A ship is steered by its rudder(s). Rudders are huge and when underway control enormous pressures. Rudder movement is not instantaneous and on larger ships can take a number of seconds to move, translating to slow steering response.

• A moves the rudder to the left, causing the ship to turn to port.
• D moves the rudder to the right, causing the ship to turn to starboard.

Depressing the key starts to move the rudder toward full deflection. Releasing the key allows the rudder to return Amidships.

The A and D keys are often held down or feathered to control a turn. But a major turn, e.g. 180°, can take 30 seconds or more. The Q and E keys function differently: they order the rudder between preset deflections at Full Left, 1/2 Left, Rudder Amidships, 1/2 Right, Full Right. This frees the left hand to move to other keys, then back to the steering keys to complete the turn.

• Q moves the rudder to the left, causing the ship to turn to port.
• E moves the rudder to the right, causing the ship to turn to starboard.

Depressing the key orders the rudder to be moved one preset in the desired direction. The rudder will not automatically return to Amidships when the key is released but must be changed by counter-order.

Ship Speeds

A ship's maximum forward speed is developed over time with the application of full power in a straight line.

• Full Throttle - maximum forward power
• 3/4 Throttle -
• 1/2 Throttle -
• 1/4 Throttle -

Speed in reverse

Maximum speed in reverse is a function of the ship's maximum forward speed.

[ Max Speed / 4 ] + 4.9 = Reverse Speed

Modifiers to Speed and Power

• Combat signal Sierra Mike
• Consumables Engine Boost  and Emergency Engine Power 
• Slot 4 Upgrade (Tiers VI and above): Propulsion Modification 1
• Slot 2 Special Upgrade Engine Boost Modification 1
• Unique Upgrades to several Tier X ships.

Stopping

A ship has no brakes. It either coasts down, allowing water resistance to dissipate speed, or applies opposite power. Turning will also slow a ship down more quickly than straight-line coasting.

Is This Island On the Map?

The fastest way to decrease a ship's speed is to run into something immovable, notably terrain. In World of Warships, impact with terrain causes no damage to a ship. Likewise, the hull of a sinking ship can be used to slow or stop. (Canny drivers have been known to use them as torpedo shields.)

Running into a movable ship will also slow or stop a ship, but not without potential penalty. Colliding with a teammate causes no damage to either ship, but doing so repeatedly may produce penalties. See Teamkilling.

Running into an enemy ship will also bring a ship to a halt, but with severe consequences. See Ramming.

Turning

Rudder shift time

Higher level hull modules, e.g. a B hull, include an improvement in the ship's rudder shift time, even though that improvement may not be stated in port.

Modifiers to Rudder Shift

A module upgrade to a B or C Hull almost universally includes an improvement to rudder shift time.

On many higher tier ships, the performance of the rudder can be further improved.

• Upgrade Slot 4 (Tiers VI and above): Steering Gears Modification 1
• Upgrade Slot 5 (Tiers VIII and above): Steering Gears Modification 2

Dodging

Sometimes known as "WASD hacks".

• Gunfire
• Torpedoes
• Air strikes

Ship:Anti-Aircraft_Fire#Maneuvering

Autopilot

All ships have access to the Autopilot. From the battle screen:

• M opens / closes tactical map (<esc> etc. also close it).

• Left-Click on a spot on the tactical map enables autopilot and sets the first waypoint.
• Shift + left-click on the map: adds a waypoint. There can be up to 5 waypoints.
• A waypoint can be dragged by the mouse cursor (hold LMB) to adjust the route.

• Use of the QWASDE keys on the battle map disables the autopilot

Maneuvering Aircraft Carriers

Aircraft carriers may be manually steered (with QWASDE), but only when not controlling aircraft. Manually set throttle and rudder (QWSE) remain set while operating aircraft without the ability to change them until the squadron lands. Thus the Autopilot is most commonly used to change location.

While under manual control, Sector Reinforcement and the manual selection of a secondaries target are enabled.

Maneuvering Aircraft

• W increases speed (engine will heat)
• S decreases speed (engine will heat)

Ship:Consumables#Engine_Boost_2 ...