World of Warships: the complete hub
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World of Warships: the complete hub

World of Warships is Wargaming's free-to-play naval shooter on PC. Twelve ships a side, long sightlines and decisions that take a minute to pay off. Start here.

By Mobile Games Guide EditorialUpdated
DeveloperWargaming
PlatformPC, also on Steam
Team size12 vs 12
ClassesDestroyers, cruisers, battleships, carriers, submarines

The classes

Destroyers
DestroyersSmall, fast, stealthy. Spot for the team, cap objectives and land torpedoes. Hard to master, the most fun when you do.
Cruisers
CruisersThe all-rounders. Fast guns, consumables that support the team, fragile to battleship shells. The best class to learn the game in.
Battleships
BattleshipsHuge guns and huge health. Forgiving of mistakes, punished for being passive. Most popular class for new players.
Aircraft carriers and submarines
Aircraft carriers and submarinesCarriers fight with squadrons, submarines with torpedoes from below. Both play very differently from surface ships, learn them later.

Which nation first

Every nation has a flavor. American ships have strong anti-air and heavy cruisers. Japanese destroyers carry the best torpedoes and Japanese battleships hit hard at range. German ships have tough armor and good secondaries. British cruisers rely on heal and smoke. Soviet ships favor flat shells and close ranges. For a first line, American or German cruisers are the easiest to learn with.

World of Warships aircraft over ships
Air attacks and anti-air matter more at high tiers. Pick ships with good anti-air once carriers appear in your matches.

Aiming: AP, HE and lead

Armor piercing shells punch through armor and do big damage on citadel hits, but bounce or overpenetrate thin targets. High explosive shells always do some damage and start fires, which is the reliable choice against angled or unknown targets. Lead the target: a shell takes several seconds to arrive, so aim where the ship will be. Read our naval combat guide for the full method.

Battleship firing in a storm in World of Warships
AP for broadside targets, HE for angled or lightly armored ones.

Fifteen beginner mistakes, in short

  • Sailing broadside to battleships.
  • Charging alone to the enemy spawn.
  • Firing AP at destroyers.
  • Ignoring the minimap.
  • Using the repair party too early.
  • Stopping the ship to shoot.
  • Hiding behind an island all game.
  • Not capping when the team needs points.
  • Rushing to high tiers without credits.
  • Skipping commander skills.
  • Firing torpedoes through friendly ships.
  • Chasing kills instead of objectives.
  • Playing carriers at tier IV with no practice.
  • Forgetting the consumables.
  • Giving up at the first lost flank.
Cruiser under fire in World of Warships
A cruiser caught broadside is a cruiser that dies. Angle and kite.

Free rewards

Wargaming runs recruitment and returning player programs that give premium time, ships and credits for inviting friends or coming back after a long break. Bonus codes also appear in official streams and newsletters. We cover the codes and recruiting rewards as they appear.

World of Warships recruiting rewardsWorld of Warships returning player rewards

FAQ

Which World of Warships class is best for beginners?

Cruisers teach you the most, battleships are the most forgiving. Destroyers and carriers are harder and better learned later.

What nation should I start with in World of Warships?

American or German cruisers are easy to learn with. Japanese destroyers and battleships are strong but less forgiving.

AP or HE in World of Warships?

AP against broadside battleships and cruisers, HE against angled targets, destroyers and anything you cannot penetrate.