WG offering short rental of San Diego to NA server.

[Ensign Cthulhu]

Let me play those last two games tonight and I'll get back to you with my final opinion.

[Daniel_Allan_Clark]

1 hour ago, Ensign Cthulhu said:

Let me play those last two games tonight and I'll get back to you with my final opinion.

Does that mean you won't be purchasing San Diego? Final opinion sounds like you didn't end up liking her, which is a fair opinion.

After all, we are spoiled for choice with American cruiser options, I find.

[Guest Capt_of_Satisfaction]

I feel really comfortable in the ship but it is true, I'm finding I just can't get there with DPM.  The guns, especially SAP are weak.  For example, Killer Whale I'm laying into BBs relentlessly and wishing I was in my T7 ATL, knowing that I can double my scores in Mainz and Bayard as well.  I love the feel and consumables and so much more but the guns! 

[Ensign Cthulhu]

6 hours ago, Daniel_Allan_Clark said:

Does that mean you won't be purchasing San Diego? Final opinion sounds like you didn't end up liking her, which is a fair opinion.

It means I need a couple of extra games in her to finalize my opinion. My main problem is that the first three went TOO well - I had three straight co-op games (which is what I would use her for) where I finished top of team, and that was without any upgrade slots fitted. I'm worried that this is an unrepresentative sample and I haven't found all the weaknesses yet. 

If I have two more absolutely cracking games where I manage to shoot, torpedo and heal my way out of trouble and come top of team or at least in the top three, I'll have to conclude that the ship is good and worth having in the co-op context. Even so, I'd be waiting to see if RNGesus handed her to me from a free crate at Christmas or Anniversary time before I actively put down doubloons on her (I'm done buying Santa crates; I now have all the banned ships I could ever want from them).

Right now I find her interesting enough that if she were in the "instead of Bayard" list for the Anniversary, I'd get her that way. But we will see what the future brings.

[Daniel_Allan_Clark]

1 hour ago, Ensign Cthulhu said:

It means I need a couple of extra games in her to finalize my opinion. My main problem is that the first three went TOO well - I had three straight co-op games (which is what I would use her for) where I finished top of team, and that was without any upgrade slots fitted. I'm worried that this is an unrepresentative sample and I haven't found all the weaknesses yet. 

If I have two more absolutely cracking games where I manage to shoot, torpedo and heal my way out of trouble and come top of team or at least in the top three, I'll have to conclude that the ship is good and worth having in the co-op context. Even so, I'd be waiting to see if RNGesus handed her to me from a free crate at Christmas or Anniversary time before I actively put down doubloons on her (I'm done buying Santa crates; I now have all the banned ships I could ever want from them).

Right now I find her interesting enough that if she were in the "instead of Bayard" list for the Anniversary, I'd get her that way. But we will see what the future brings.

Thanks for the further detail!

🙂

[Wolfswetpaws]

On 8/21/2023 at 9:59 AM, Ensign Cthulhu said:

https://worldofwarships.com/en/news/community/sea-trials-2023/ 

Offer good to 28 August; ship disappears after 3 days or 5 battles.

EU/Asia server members - it would be interesting to know if you guys got a similar, server-restricted offer. 

The San Diego?  Yeah, I rented her.  🙂
 

Okay.  More seriously, here are some of my impressions.
I completed some in-game missions or clicked on some news article or whatever.  
In all the excitement, I lost track.  Anyway...

I played the San Diego, tonight for 5 games.
3 Co-op.  1 Random battle.  And the final game in Co-op.

As a Tier-8 Atlanta-ish USN Cruiser, the San Diego has some redeeming qualities, which are balanced by some trade-offs.

1.  Her main-gun reload boost consumable is welcome.  I was able to score lots of hits quickly with it, when I was in favorable positions (relative to red-team ships).
It wasn't difficult to exceed 100 or even 150 main-gun hits in a Co-op battle, in the right circumstances.
if you're doing a mission that requires main-gun hits, and you have nothing but a San Diego, you'll do okay.

2.  The SAP projectiles shred DD's nicely.

3.  Like the Atlanta, the San Diego's top-speed leaves a little bit to be desired. 
At Tier-8 I'd expect 35 knots instead of 32.5 knots.  But, that's just me?  Also I count the perceived lack of top-speed as one of her "balance" trade-offs.

4.  The AP projectiles, at close-range and into the broadsides of Cruisers, shred Cruisers nicely.
Also, they're useful if aiming at the secondary battery gun decks of Battleships.

5.  The trade-off of using SAP is the lack of fire-starting capability, as many of you are aware.

6.  There are no secondary-battery guns.  Every turret is a main-gun.  It's a design "feature", for good, bad or ugly.

7.  There are torpedoes!  Yay!
They have a lousy short range of 4.5 km?!?  Awww.  Dang-it.
The warheads aren't the most powerful, but they can finish-off wounded BB's and sink a number of Cruisers and DD's, if one can get into a favorable launching position.

8.  As a "something different" for the "player who has everything (else)", the San Diego is a fun ship in her own right, especially in Co-op. 
I only had one random battle with her, so that's not much to work with for evaluation purposes.
All the usual light-cruiser benefits and concerns would seem to apply, though, in randoms.

9.  Competitive concealment/detection circle.

10.  AA did shoot down some planes.
But since most of the planes were at the edge of her range for most of the time, I would want more time to evaluate the AA capability.   (Or, one could just trust LittleWhiteMouse's opinion, since she's spent more time with the San Diego).

11.  Cost.  In doubloons or cash, the San Diego is a Tier-8 ship and has a higher price-tag than the Atlanta.
     If you're not the "player who already has everything else" and has a lot of spare change, other ships compete more effectively on a "bang for yer buck" basis.
  If you have the resources to spare and want a ship for one of your Commanders who is without a 'Bote?  Then maybe consider the "more challenging career" that the San Diego can offer in terms of game-play.

12.  Did I have fun sailing the San Diego?  Yes, I did.  
Thank you for the rental experience.  It's nice to test-drive the premium ships that I'm curious about.
To be fair, I have fun in a lot of ships.  
But, the San Diego's turning circle and rudder shift and gun-turret rotation rates are enjoyable to work with when I'm wading-in among multiple red-team ships in an effort to "hit them with my sword".  🙂

Hope this helps everyone.  Thanks for reading.  🙂
 

Quote

 

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by Wolfswetpaws

[clammboy]

11 minutes ago, Wolfswetpaws said:

The San Diego?  Yeah, I rented her.  🙂
 

Okay.  More seriously, here are some of my impressions.
I completed some in-game missions or clicked on some news article or whatever.  
In all the excitement, I lost track.  Anyway...

I played the San Diego, tonight for 5 games.
3 Co-op.  1 Random battle.  And the final game in Co-op.

As a Tier-8 Atlanta-ish USN Cruiser, the San Diego has some redeeming qualities, which are balanced by some trade-offs.

1.  Her main-gun reload boost consumable is welcome.  I was able to score lots of hits quickly with it, when I was in favorable positions (relative to red-team ships).
It wasn't difficult to exceed 100 or even 150 main-gun hits in a Co-op battle, in the right circumstances.
if you're doing a mission that requires main-gun hits, and you nothing but a San Diego, you'll do okay.

2.  The SAP projectiles shred DD's nicely.

3.  Like the Atlanta, the San Diego's top-speed leaves a little bit to be desired. 
At Tier-8 I'd expect 35 knots instead of 32.5 knots.  But, that's just me?  Also I count the perceived lack of top-speed as one of her "balance" trade-offs.

4.  The AP projectiles, at close-range and into the broadsides of Cruisers, shred Cruisers nicely.
Also, they're useful if aiming at the secondary battery gun decks of Battleships.

5.  The trade-off of using SAP is the lack of fire-starting capability, as many of you are aware.

6.  There are no secondary-battery guns.  Every turret is a main-gun.  It's a design "feature", for good, bad or ugly.

7.  There are torpedoes!  Yay!
They have a lousy short range of 4.5 km?!?  Awww.  Dang-it.
The warheads aren't the most powerful, but they can finish-off wounded BB's and sink a number of Cruisers and DD's, if one can get into a favorable launching position.

8.  As a "something different" for the "player who has everything (else)", the San Diego is a fun ship in her own right, especially in Co-op. 
I only had one random battle with her, so that's not much to work with for evaluation purposes.
All the usual light-cruiser benefits and concerns would seem to apply, though, in randoms.

9.  Competitive concealment/detection circle.

10.  AA did shoot down some planes.
But since most of the planes were at the edge of her range for most of the time, I would want more time to evaluate the AA capability.   (Or, one could just trust LittleWhiteMouse's opinion, since she's spent more time with the San Diego).

11.  Cost.  In doubloons or cash, the San Diego is a Tier-8 ship and has a higher price-tag than the Atlanta.
     If you're not the "player who already has everything else" and has a lot of spare change, other ships compete more effectively on a "bang for yer buck" basis.
  If you have the resources to spare and want a ship for one of your Commanders who is without a 'Bote?  Then maybe consider the "more challenging career" that the San Diego can offer in terms of game-play.

12.  Did I have fun sailing the San Diego?  Yes, I did.  
Thank you for the rental experience.  It's nice to test-drive the premium ships that I'm curious about.
To be fair, I have fun in a lot of ships.  
But, the San Diego's turning circle and rudder shift and gun-turret rotation rates are enjoyable to work with when I'm wading-in among multiple red-team ships in an effort to "hit them with my sword".  🙂

Hope this helps everyone.  Thanks for reading.  🙂
 

 

Thank you for the write up +! I think I will skip her though. She is in my port right now but it's not my play style. I tend to like to run in the middle of things and die in a blaze of glory lol.

[Wolfswetpaws]

Just now, clammboy said:

Thank you for the write up +! I think I will skip her though. She is in my port right now but it's not my play style. I tend to like to run in the middle of things and die in a blaze of glory lol.

For that, she is a fun 'bote, Master @clammboy.  🙂
Expect to wiggle and  "turn & burn" to avoid ordnance while getting into the "Death Blossom" firing position.  🙂
👍

If you have nothing better to do, I encourage you to sail her as a rental ship and see for yourself.
She can enter Co-op, random and Scenario Operations. 
So she's versatile and can make progress on missions.

It's your choice, though.  And thank you for your kind words about my write-up.  🙂 

[clammboy]

10 hours ago, Wolfswetpaws said:

For that, she is a fun 'bote, Master @clammboy.  🙂
Expect to wiggle and  "turn & burn" to avoid ordnance while getting into the "Death Blossom" firing position.  🙂
👍

If you have nothing better to do, I encourage you to sail her as a rental ship and see for yourself.
She can enter Co-op, random and Scenario Operations. 
So she's versatile and can make progress on missions.

It's your choice, though.  And thank you for your kind words about my write-up.  🙂 

Yes you know you are right tonight when I get home from work I will test her out . Wolf do have any suggestions for builds and captain builds can I put one of my captians on a rental ship without losing him? 

[Verblonde]

22 minutes ago, clammboy said:

can I put one of my captians on a rental ship without losing him?

You can in this case (some of the event rentals in the past have been tied to specific captains, if memory serves):

(This is the rental SD on my NA account.)

As to builds, the most sensible answer is probably 'do whatever LWM recommended' at least to start with.

FWIW, I currently have this lot (on my main EU account):

So, zero imagination for ship build. Although mine pretty much lives in Coop/Ops, I still build for proper game modes just on the off-chance.

Also:

Not sure what I'll do with the remaining two points when I get to them, although developing this captain is a lower priority at the moment. SD probably does want a specialist captain build though, if only because of the SAP (and not losing anything for taking Heavy HE/SAP).

Competent players will probably have better suggestions though.

Edited August 24, 2023 by Verblonde

[Wolfswetpaws]

59 minutes ago, clammboy said:

Yes you know you are right tonight when I get home from work I will test her out . Wolf do have any suggestions for builds and captain builds can I put one of my captians on a rental ship without losing him? 

Awesome.  🙂

For me, the rental San Diego came with a 10 point Commander.
I simply kept him as the Captain and trained him in my "usual" assortment of Cruiser skills.
Or you could go with @Verblonde's advice of using LittleWhiteMouse's choices.

[Wolfswetpaws]

1 hour ago, clammboy said:

can I put one of my captians on a rental ship without losing him? 

Based upon my past experiences with rental ships, yes you can.
 

[clammboy]

12 minutes ago, Wolfswetpaws said:

Based upon my past experiences with rental ships, yes you can.
 

Thank you Wolf!

[o4x4]

Rented and played Newport, somehow got 144k spotting (no dd or cv).

[S7CentNickel]

So I “rented” thie SanDiego.   Ugh.  I’m so glad I haven’t spent anything but a little time with it.  Why would you play this when the Atlanta is practically the same thing ( better at its tier too!). Thanks for the rental but WG can gladly have it back. 

[Verblonde]

12 minutes ago, S7CentNickel said:

Why would you play this when the Atlanta is practically the same thing ( better at its tier too!).

Leaving aside stuff like knocking off snowflakes, she's not bad for Ops (not my first choice usually though) due to getting the healing potion - unless your kung fu is *very* strong with non-healing cruisers, that arguably gives her an edge over her siblings.

Probably not worth buying her just for that though...