Minotaur British Tier 10 Cruiser preview

Minotaur

Minotaur

We have just learned that the in-game title of Minotaur on Chinese servers is Minotaurus (translation hassle, troll face do_Ob)

For the upcoming British cruiser line, what characteristics they have, which role will they play, and will they affect the game's balances in current version? It's time for us to closely investigate these cute(?) British Cruisers(Destroyers???)!

Intro

First of all, in our limited human history, there was a ship class (was canceled because of the high cost, the Tiger-class Cruiser is the replacement), Minotaur-class in the game is based on the United Kingdom draft drawings, built at the end of world war.

At that time, Neputune class was thought to be out-dated, oversize in tonnage and scale with high cost. Thus it was canceled in 1946. Meanwhile, the Royal Navy(RN) thought that United States Worcester (Worcester-class Cruiser) is the direction of future cruiser. Therefore, a new cruiser project that use Worcester for reference was set and the result is Minotaur class.
英国海军高层要求Minotaur米诺陶级裝备6''/50(152mm)Mk26炮，和3"/70(76.2mm)Mark6炮。初期有4个草案，即A、B、C、D。A、C、D装备5座双联Mk26，只是动力部设计及舰长有区别，B则备4座双联Mk26

Senior decided to develop Draft D, also known as Z4C. Z4C equipped with 5 dual Mk26 cannon and 8 dual Mark6 cannon while its displacement was 15520 ton
Later, Senior thought Z4C had almost the same tonnage with Neptune while cost much higher. So ZA, a new design with smaller tonnage, was created.

ZA data: displacement: 14090 tons; max speed: 31.5 knot; armament: 5*dual 152mm Mk26 gun, 8*76mm Mark6 guns and 4*533mm torpedo; armor: 38mm in the upper and lower deck, 89mm in belt, 102mm in turret front.

Due to financial pressure, the construction plan of Minotaur-class was cancel by RN's Senior in 1947.

WG seems to selected a drawings from original plan and optimized it with redevelopment.

Although the RN finally canceled the Minotaur class, we finally have the chance to see their face in the game through WG's work. Despite some changes and creation of details , Saint Petersburg Ship Design Bureau seems always maintain its thought with his own philosophy——Extended history and create it.

Of course, its naive to assume it as criticism.

With British Cruiser line becomes the first ship line that light cruisers only, how well will the Minotaur perform as the top ship in this tech tree , what kind of role should it play and which tactics it should take? Today, contents of such questions will be lifted by us in advance.

Main parameter

Details parameters

Suitable players

Viva to the Royal Navy/Grace is everything/Evil will defeat grace/blacktea lover/old-fashion lady are more attractive and they have specific beauty.

Performance analysis

With a vulnerable protection level (well it's a light cruiser) , Minotaur has 10 152mm guns that provide a horrible rate of fire, more selection of consumables, air defense DPS(even without AA consumables) that can rival to Des Moines, flexible mobility and outstanding concealment. As the fist tier 10 light cruiser in game, please don't compared it with other CA without analysing the detail. Yes I am talking about four Knights. You should act like a DD. In other words, take the roles between CA and DD. Sounds like Khabarovsk, who act as a light cruiser while holding a name of destroyer, isn it?

While 16mm armor won't be crushed by guns with diameter of 220mm and below, you should act more cautiously due to the new Ricochet angle system. Also, any attack of large caliber naval gun attack would be fatal for you. So consider how to not get BB's threat first before consider how to dodge. Finally, although 16mm armor could not resist any HE that launch by guns with diameter larger than 102 mm , no one will be interested in striking into a pile of smoke screen that has radar and hydrophone, totally unpredicted torpedo while it has a gun within its effective range. Even in the absence of both and in the case of no apparently loss in hit point, few HE SPAMMER can have absolute confidence that they can terminate you before they died.

However there's an exception: a ship that neither its AP nor its HE can make you feel the fear of death and can burn your soul, a ship that are fearless to your torpedoes, a ship that can destroy your optical camouflage in a further distance.——Grosse Kurfurst . So whenever the game is, be cautious to those Krauts, especially when he decided to choose you as the only target so that it'll be a bad game for you.

Smoking guns have two enemies: the close range blind shoot and torpedoes soup in all directions. Therefore, when the game begins, your priority objective should be burning down those goblin-acted destroyers. ——Reduce an enemy and you'll live longer

Spread

To tell you the truth, as a ship with many guns having high firing rate, spreading is not a very important issue

Ballistic

Consumables, accessories and Captain skills

Thanks to the innate flexibility of guns turning speed, choosing expert marksman is clearly not wise in 2nd layer. While you have the best torpedoes among cruisers, Torpedo Armament Expertise is your priority option without any hesitation. Of course, if you don't have good cautious , artillery alert is also an optional choice.

Due to the extreme dependence on firing after hills and fight in fogs, we recommend you to choose torpedo detection rather than monitors, especially in the case of lack of skill points . For those who are confident to their sense, an extra consumable items is much better.

Since there is no AA consumables and powerful second artillery, skills of advanced firing training or manual air defense is not a good idea. Low income is one reason, the other one is that you still can't stop the torp planes to terminate you, even if having a higer AA . So your defense should be given as a supplement to fleet air defense, disturbing enemy's CV rather than facing CV's single attack wave with youself alone. Or you can choose another way to once and for all to solve the problem.——Two Minotaur——Now you are a Des Moines with infinite AA.

Second, due to lack of penetration in 152 mm calibre HE ammo, chance of fire that caused by high fire rate is crucial, especially when facing target with heavy armor, so demolition expert is a better choice.

Last is the judgement between concelment expert and Jack of All Trades , better concealment allow more range for stealth gun and radical style of maneuvering, while Jack of All Trades can reduce the embarrassing moment between each smokescreen when it is in CD.

When it comes to consumables, radar is a better option in teamplay that some one can set the smokescreen for you. For accessories, as the spread is not a problem so inserting accuracy accessory does not make any sense, air defence range plug can improve the range into a reasonable one. As to the rate of fire and range of fire, you can choose fire range if you feels better. Let me share a joke, 16km Fletcher.
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Tactical analysis
Unless there are piles of Shimakaze and Gearing comes to launch their cross torpedoes, nothing can challenge a team of the Minotaur with 12 hydroacustic search 8 smokescreen 4 radar 12 repair party, especially they play in teamwork.
Your advantage is creating unparalleled pressure to the opposite line. Attack, attack and attack, or you are the hunt to be hunted instead of being a hunter.
Let the Destroyer regard you as their PAPA.
Let the carrier regard you as their Mom
Don't act alone

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