Game Basics
Game Basics Guide
So, you’ve set up an account (I hope you remembered to use a referral code? If you didn’t it’s not too late, do it now!) and you’ve logged in. It might be tempting to rush off and buy a shiny new toy, but before you splash out on that lovely Tirpitz, it’s time to learn some basics. Fortunately for you, you’ve found your way to the World of Warships wiki and a world (of warships) of information is available here.
Before the Battle When you first log in, you’ll find yourself in the Port Screen. At first, your options will be limited until you’ve played a few games and your access level increases. For now, you’ll have a nice selection of beginner ships. You probably don’t have any credits to buy things like modules and you’re probably not going to stay at Tier I for long enough to need them.
For now, simply pick a ship and hit the Battle button and you’ll be entered into the battle queue. At first, you will be limited to Co-op battles until you are ready to experience PvP combat. As a new player, you’ll be subject to special Matchmaking rules to protect you from the worst of those seal clubbers, make the most of this time to learn some useful skills. It might seem tempting to race to a big ship as quickly as you can, but although you will have a powerful vessel, so will the enemy! As you play more battles, you will gain Access Levels as you go.
In the Battle Upon entering a battle, you'll find yourself in one of two teams—a table with all ships participating in the battle will appear on your screen. The green ones to the left are your allies, and the red ones to the right are opponents. You can hover over any of your opponents' ships to see their characteristics; this allows you to identify your strong and weak points compared to them. Pay close attention to the counter at the bottom of the screen—it will be counting down the time left until the battle starts.
Controls If you’ve played a video game before, the basic controls will probably be familiar to you. By default, the standard controls are:
- W to move forward
- S to move backward
- A to move left
- D to move right
- Shift to aim
- Left mouse button to fire
A more extensive list of controls is also available.
Remember the main rules:
- Don't fire at your allies, and try to support them in difficult situations.
- Ships can't speed up, stop, or turn in a second, so think ahead about your maneuvers.
- Stay on the move—constantly change course and speed to avoid shells and torpedoes.
- Learn to predict your opponents and improve your ability to do so, and you'll not only stay afloat but also learn to win.
- Keep in mind that your opponents are also in constant motion as well. Take a lead on your target while firing at a moving opponent. The farther the target and the higher its speed, the greater the lead you should take.
- If your ship is set on fire or flooded, your HP will start melting like snow in the spring. Activate Damage Control Party by pressing R; doing so will stop the fire and partially save your ship's HP, but remember that you will only be able to use it again after a cooldown period. Stopping one fire is not always a good idea, try and save it until you have multiple fires or floods.
- Shooting your allies or inactivity in battle will result in penalties being applied to your account. To start with your rewards from a battle will be forfeited, continued misbehaviour will see you relegated to Co-op battles only for several games.
The Minimap This important, and sadly often overlooked, feature lives in the bottom right of your screen. There are many options on setting up your minimap. For now, hold CTRL and hit the “+” key twice, this will enlarge your map to a useful size. The map will display the known positions of all ships and can provide important information in battle.
After the Battle
After the battle ends, you'll see some statistics showing how well you performed in it: how many opposing ships you sunk or damaged, the place you took in your team and the sums of XP and Credits you earned.
You can spend XP in the Port to research modules or the next, more powerful ship. Spend Credits on upgrading the ships you possess or buying new ships.
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As you progress along the tech tree lines, the options for ships will expand and new types will become available. As a new player, it is recommended to play “across” the lines and try several nations and classes up to Tier VI. Do not feel that you must race up the tiers as quickly as possible! The more you try, the more likely you are to find a play style that suits you.
There are five types of ships:
- Heavy-armored Battleships with the most powerful guns
- Swift and stealthy Destroyers
- Cruisers—universal fighters
- Aircraft Carriers with aircraft as their main fighting force
- Stealthy Submarines
In addition, each nation will have different strengths and weaknesses. Some lines will be easier to learn than others. As you buy higher tier ships, the number of available upgrades will increase, allowing players to customize their ship. A portion of the XP earned will also be applied to the ship Commander, allowing a captain to learn new skills, allowing players to further customize things to their preferred play style. A well trained captain can be moved between ships (at a cost of course), allowing players to keep their best captains on their newest ships.
