KING GEORGE V

Country
United Kingdom (UK)

Class
Battleship

MMweight
8.0

Obtain Method
Tech Tree

Arena rating

C

PVP rating

B

King George V (KGV) was the most modern British battleship in commission during World War II. In this game, KGV is part of the British L3 tech tree line. The main characteristic of this line is MAP ammunition. MAP can penetrate bow and stern armor, citadeling the enemy from the front or the back. However, MAP struggles to penetrate the belt armor of a broadsiding enemy. Read more about MAP and other ammunitions here. Another characteristic of this line is vertical style dispersion. The shells tend to hit along the vertical axis of the enemy ship. Which means if they’re broadsiding, only a few shells will hit the body (and some will hit the superstructure). But if the enemy is bowtanking, most of the shells will hit. MAP and vertical style dispersion makes this ship a great counter to enemies that are on bowtanking.

KGV has low caliber and slow shell velocity due to air drag. These make KGV’s damage per salvo low. In addition, its dispersion pattern makes it hard to punish broadsiding enemies. It also struggles to hit long range targets. However, KGV has very fast reload so it can inflict a lot of damage over time. The AP has improved ricochet angle penetration. Even if the enemy is well angled, AP can still penetrate it.

When the enemy is bowtanking, load MAP. When the enemy is broadsiding, load AP. When the enemy is angling, both MAP and AP are effective. Playing British battleships is more of a psychological battle. The enemy must predict what ammunition you’re going to use. Wrong prediction will give you massive advantage. The enemy can’t just angle against your ship because as long as your aim is good, you can penetrate him. Even though KGV’s low caliber makes it hard to citadel enemies, just by penetrating the enemy every 22 seconds is enough to makes them suffer.

KGV has weak side armor, but the bow armor is strong and the citadel protection is good. KGV has bad turret firing angle so it has to show a lot of broadside to fire all guns. KGV’s speed is slow, but compensated by amazing acceleration and excellent maneuverability. The acceleration level is 50% better than most battleships, on par with cruisers. KGV is also relatively small and has good concealment.

Playstyle

KGV is not good at sniping due to its dispersion pattern and slow shell velocity. At the start of the battle, sail to a flank. Due to its excellent surface detectability, KGV can sail much more forward than other battleships. KGV doesn’t have the speed to be as effective as other battleships specialized in flanking, but KGV is a good spotter among battleships. Use MAP as your default ammunition. Only change to AP if the enemy is broadsiding.

If your team’s firepower is superior in your flank, you push with your teammates. Point your bow towards the enemy when pushing. Use an island to cover your weak side armor. KGV’s tight turning radius and good rudder shift helps it a lot when brawling. Regularly switch the tanking role between you and your teammates so everyone has time to repair. If the enemy team’s firepower is superior, don’t push. Turn back and kite at medium range (12-15 km). Don’t immediately run away because your team needs you to protect the flank. Run away only when your HP is low.

If you’re an experienced player and has artillery warning skill, you can sail in open water and fire all guns. This is risky because you’re showing a lot of broadside, so you must always maneuver and use speed juke to dodge the enemy’s attack. You can try this simple tactic: stay at medium range (12-15 km), sail at 1/4 speed when the enemy isn’t shooting, accelerate to full speed when the enemy shoots at you, reverse if the enemy shoots in front of your ship.

Is it worth to buy?

KGV has the lowest caliber in its MMweight but can be very annoying to deal with. It’s good for people with good reflex and like to play mind games with the enemy. Often, the presence of KGV is already a deterrent that makes the enemy hesitant to push. This allows your teammates to gain map control. KGV is a tech tree ship, which means you just have to grind it. No need to spend money.

Strengths
MAP ammunition can penetrate any bow and stern armor. Fast reload. Fast turret rotation speed. Amazing acceleration. Good maneuverability. Good bow armor. Good repair. Good concealment.
Weaknesses
Bad turret firing angle, low caliber, slow shell velocity, vertical style dispersion, weak side armor, no fighter plane.
General playstyle
Kiting, pushing
Preferred fighting range
Short to medium range

Recommended Build

Equipment
Slot 1: adv. disaster retardant module
Slot 2: engine enhancement module
Slot 3: aiming system module
Consumables
Slot 1: elite damage control
Slot 2: elite repair
Crew Skills (after basic skill)
Captain: artillery warning – boost morale – hull protection
Gun: crack gunner – high speed aiming – burn the ship behind
Engine: quick shift – adv. quick shift – steering master
Damage control: emergency flooding – buoyancy reserve – extinguish

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