One Take: Zao

[@Tsnelo]

The age-old problem of bringing Defensive-AA: getting trolled by the match-maker with matches with no CVs.

[@Strangelove657]

Yeah its annoying, I'll get like 2-3 CV games in a row and swap to DFAA only to get a game with no CV

[@paulthebored6782]

You are not supposed to counter CV, you know?

[@Tearnofear]

Flambass made a little, none-representative, Test and it turned out you get less CVs with defAA xD

[@esgeran1654]

One might argue Def-AA did an outstanding job in those cases, you didn't get dropped by planes a single time (not counting hybrids, dutch cruisers, did I miss anything?).

[@j3rwu534]

Imagine being an Asashio in that match.

[@joce0993]

Nightmare matchmaking😱

[@veljko8663]

💀💀

[@kmpaton]

The only other thing it needs is a CV. Sadly the Asashio is my most played ship, but the current MM makes it painful.

[@HoshikawaHikari]

One can only imagine XD

[@LeBinh--]

imagine being yueyang

[@UhackUdie]

PQ stop breaking NDA, Zao is a test ship.

[@AllAhabNoMoby]

I suck with the Zao, but I love playing her. I still feel like she's capable of so much. I wish the gun- and torpedo angles were better, she could use a buff.

[@BigHams04]

Main problem with her is the health - She's got the stealth and armour to play a good game, but a single full pen from a 406mm gun is cleaving off 10% of your health. I think her torp angles are good as they are, being really efficient for kiting and zoning, rather than as an aggressive armament. Main battery firing angles buff could be interesting as it would reduce the amount of broadside that needs to be shown to get all guns off, potentially offsetting the health problem. I can see her becoming immensely powerful very easily because of the alpha coming from stealth, which I can imagine makes her terrible to balance

[@AllAhabNoMoby]

@@BigHams04 Yeah, I can live with her HP. If she had safer firing angles (preferably her torps too afaic) and perhaps a slight increase in dpm, she would be so strong.

[@tomriley5790]

@@BigHams04 I'd like to see her get the same deck armour as atago

[@Verdha603]

@@BigHams04 Gonna have to agree with you on the HP/armor buff; throw a couple thousand more HP on her and buff her deck armor to be the same as Atago’s would fix most of the complaints I have with her being a proverbial glass cannon for what’s supposed to be a heavy cruiser.

[@nabilzakiron6615]

@@BigHams04 what? zao's torp angle is better to use for aggresive

[@keller1334]

Zao has really been power crept hard. They didn't need to nerf the unique upgrade. It was good but it also really helped the Zao avoid getting blasted out of existence despite it being called a heavy cruiser.

[@littletweeter1327]

now thats some NA server matchmaking

[@kb8459]

As someone who plays mainly zao at a decent level (53% wr in the ship- see the jingles tin hat video) I don’t think the ship struggles against carriers due to its maneuverability and ability to dodge drops so I prefer hydro definitely especially because early game i try to match my detection with friendly dds to get huge hits in from 10 km on enemy dds. With spotter plane coal upgrade range mod is unnecessary and the legendary upgrade becomes more valuable. I definitely think this ship is amazing and better than Venezia due to concealment torps and HE general versatility. Venezia is better at pushing zao is better at kiting. Thank you for featuring this excellent ship!

[@slip6699]

I always loved zao but it's a 50% w/r boat for me. It's slowly gone down cron when it was my first tier 10. Avg about 85k dmg. I find that even when I have a bigger game, it doesn't matter The game is already decided and I'm just kiting my ass off for inconsequential dmg farming. I've got like 300 battles in at this point.

[@kb8459]

@@slip6699 when I started I had a 40% wr with the ship and I’ve managed to get it to 53 but in my recent games I hover around 60. I think zao is actually one of the best cruisers in the game at having an impact because it is uniquely good at contributing to the dd fight due to concealment and gun ballistics. Once you kill enemy dds you want to be where the enemy team is pushing so that you can punish with torpedoes, farm with he, and get opportunistic hits on broadside cruisers with Ap. Zao is incredible in that role especially if you have a friendly dd working with you forcing cruisers to give you broadside with torpedoes and spotting dds.

[@TheHenk92]

I would buff the sideplating of the Zao to 32 MM. then it becomes much more similar to how the Zao used to be. Buffing the turret angles only makes it more like a worse hindenburg. If WG would buff the Zao's sideplating it still has its obvious weaknesses but it does create a its own niche.

[@Lamp004]

my all time favorite, Zao was the feared monster back when i started playing, and when i finally got it, it was all i hoped for, sadly the meta changed and Zao was kinda forgotten, but i still manage to get good games every once in a while, thx for the video and for bringing Zao back to life for bit at least

[@JLewisRacing927]

The Hindy on your team in the first game on the A10 line from start to finish, love it.

[@conandude76]

On the topic of Fires..."....not so good against cruisers..." Stalindgrad has entered the chat (and was immediately set on fire, as that's the best way to deal with them outside of torps)

[@swordmonkey6635]

It seems like the Japanese Cruiser line has been ignored for quite a while. I puttered out on the Mogami a couple years ago. I loved the Furry Taco, but the Japanese Cruiser play style didn't mesh with me. I don't like the over the shoulder torps and the slow rate of fire. I get what the ship is, but I have to mature toward the ship style. I'm getting there. lol

[@arthurdenner3211]

Heyyy, Zao! Love that ship so much, first T10 I got. She'll need some buffs soon to be competitive, but she's still fun.

[@jonnyb1255]

I like the fact you run into these obstacles. It helps us see how you adjust to these crazy things

[@ElsinoreRacer]

Ahh ghost firing. The Mogami with the 155s had range of 18.1 and visibility while firing was 15-ish km. The Captains perks for range and rate of fire were not capped at 139mm. So with concealment, rate of fire, and range captain's skills the Mogami was 155mm, 16gun >18km super Atlanta with an almost 4k ghost firing range. You would just pick a BB, maintain 15-16km and just disassemble him. Lots of rage quits..lol. I had a game where it came down to just me in the tier 5 US DD and a Pensacola. I had a 1-2km ghost range and just picked him apart. Almost like kicking a puppy. I guess it's good it is gone, but man was it fun if you knew how.

[@goheboge09studio69]

PQ when is the “how to grind” series Bismarck episode coming out?

[@matsab7930]

How to grind? Don’t. Sell the ship and start on another line - preferably something that isn’t a battleship.

[@PotatoQuality]

Soon tm...

[@saltybread1232]

@@matsab7930 Couldnt agree more, i really like the german BB line, but holy fuck FDG is a pain in the ass. but if you wanna go for it, do it, i went for secondary build and when i unlocked the GK i was done with that line. But i still sometimes play the pommern because it is my only premium

[@rogerc1596]

Man,that matchmaker is great lol...I saw something similar on the S.E Asia server a few months ago for a tier 6 battle....had 8 dds per team,a couple of cruisers and a couple of battleships....it was the most intense game I have played.

[@haiannguyen3299]

i miss the good old days when zao was considered too OP

[@conandude76]

What DO you consider a bad cruiser for this meta if not the overly powercrept zao??

[@benjaminmello8023]

Thanks for being one of the only good wows youtuber

[@ddjay1363]

The Def Fire AA consumable? It does fuck all. The 'carrier re-work' saw to that.

[@kno6ndg7]

I love ZAO. The concept of heavy cruiser that can jump out from 10km and oneshot broadside cruisers or destroyers is very attractive. Add to that the concept of burning battleships while dodging their volleys at the distance and you have all you need. No, there is no carriers in this game, no, no. Please, no)) ZAO, of course, need some love from developers. Better torpedo angles would be the first step to improve it.

[@TheFuzzypuddle]

best salvo of my life came in this ship. had a wooster at 11km and hit 8 citadels out of 12 shell salvo. unbelievable. the ship is so accurate.

[@knifenoob5411]

One takes are great! Keep em coming.

[@ardenritzel4052]

Maybe make a video of where to shoot each ship would be good for players! And go over overmatching

[@SofaKingA]

The IJN CC line is my fav and Zao is prob my fav cruiser. It may not be a meta ship but it's the most fun. Great games!

[@s.31.l50]

The first game is just historically accurate matchmaking XD

[@LUX1243]

This series is all about looking at end game ships in a usual game and see how they perform. The matchmaking... "ok no battleships".

[@R-2500]

If we’re talking about turret angle buffs, Lion should get one for the rear turret, once showed the best possible angle while still having all guns on target in ranked and got dev struck by a Jean Bart anyway, makes the thing feel useless cause 6 guns ain’t enough

[@vaughnblaylock6069]

The Nevsky is one of the most frustrating ships to fight against. The number of fires it produces is crazy, and it seems to be unkillable by a lot of ships. I think a Nevsky is every bit as dangerous as a DD in a game.

[@eliminatorrz6317]

Enemy Marceau here, can't believe I got in both your matches lol

[@martyrudd5385]

Is this series about how to play a ship to it's strengths, or about how to play it within the meta? Armchair quarter back here - I would have been closer in supporting the "yoloing DDs". I think most people play the Zao wrong. They try to square peg/round whole it into the current sniping meta. (And I acknowledge that unicom players can get better results playing it "wrong" than I do playing it "right". As opposed to the Venezia, the Zao has to get productivity out of its torps for the same output. That means playing it closer in, which the Zao does better imo, but admittedly that play style is more inconsistent in the current meta. So with playing it closer in, it's roll is more of a DD hunter with accurate hard hitting HE, and ambushing with its torps. That is what it does better than the Venezia (yes, I know SAP alfa can one shot a DD, but that Italian dispersion so unreliable. The Zao's is best in class. Plus Venezia has no sonar to get after DDs (and subs) aggressively. The Zao is more overall inconsistent in the "farm from distance meta", since it is more concerned with DDs and map control. And I'll take that any day over ships that are made to farm from a distance. Even if some people succeed more often playing the meta, they can play something else. I'll take the Zao any day for fun, even if it isn't a good fit in the pew, pew, pew meta.

[@PhanchaiSiam555]

13:00 Yes! 😅😅 That's cause I like to play DDs. ☺️

[@erlienfrommars]

The first game just proves how powercrept Zao has become

[@conandude76]

Leave the turrets alone, make the sides 32mm armor, and you'll have basically the old zao back. Blam.

[@solid244]

"I am in intense pain" lol

[@Coyote27981]

Old legendary upgrade was great, with better rudder speed on top of what it has now. For some reason it got nerfed, not sure why. Its not a popular ship nor OP, but WG being WG. Without that, not worth it. Removed it and replaced it with range mod.

[@conandude76]

same. And it's still a pile of shit compared to 90% of the t10 cruisers to come out in the past year or two.

[@slip6699]

Same. The stealth attacks can be useful but much harder to pull off now day's with so many planes and radar on the board. The ship is not as forgiving as it used to be either after that initial volley.

[@keller1334]

Agreed. I hadn't played the game for awhile. Came back and went to play my favorite tier X. Couldn't figure out why it was so sluggish. Wargaming really don't play their own game.

[@SoldierOfFate]

Zao isn't just worth playing or grinding for anymore. What it does good at, another cruiser can easily do better. Nuking DDs? Venezia. HE spam? Hindenburg (and it has better armor and DPM too). Kiting? Nevsky. To top it off, it has zero tools to support the team or help carry games. Its stealth also doesn't mean anything in a meta that heavily favors CVs.

[@TheDOWfan]

Zao - the poster child of powercreep

[@RingoFreakingStarr]

I once got into a match in the Asa where...there were no CVs or BBs. I felt very useless lol.

[@parkerwicker]

Important question regarding the 2nd game. Can we see the dog?

[@findlay2535]

we are speedy with it

[@RomanAmirdzhanov]

Hey, PQ, would you say that such captain build would be a good idea for an Atago or would it be different?

[@Ranpyaku]

Oh... the mini conqueror.

[@SoldierOfFate]

My biggest gripe with Zao is that it can't carry games. You just don't have the HP, DPM, or any viable tools to influence matches.

[@jaw0449]

Few BBs seems to be a more-and-more common theme...but never 0

[@Cactusjugglertm]

What the hell was that shot on 6:33?! 🤣🤣

[@wei270]

do you think zao should get a buff to keep up with the current meta?

[@Just_som_Ottur]

What the hell has been going on with the matchmaker as of late…? The other day I got a game with 5 battleships and 5 dd’s, and that was it >_>

[@jameshobbs1460]

First tier 10 I ground too.. was a hoss then and is still a hoss now.. yes better ships.. gut this one is long in the tooth but the teeth still cut.. GG

[@doods7566]

PQ:wow no battleships? me:bru theres a petro

[@jlo8863]

for me, only problem on Zao These days Is Her's Turing circle is too bad.

[@jojohannes5103]

How do you get that fov it looks so good

[@justindeberry9102]

Just hoping for a fletcher game soon :)

[@conandude76]

was my first t10. And I really wish I'd have used that wasted time on almost ANY other line in the game.

[@Gian-Luca006]

I really would like to see Henri because I don’t know if it’s worth getting or to go for DesMoiens

[@slip6699]

Henry is better now post captain rework. Check out his video on the lighthouse build. Play ass in and angle 30 degrees and just farm.

[@todorp4056]

Zao is pretty ordinary in the current patch

[@OOZ662]

"Doesn't even get det flags any more." Wait, wat?

[@saltybread1232]

those ribbons, how do you make them look like that?

[@NikosGkouros]

One take: halland

[@batrastardly4574]

Facing only 3 BB's is an eye-opener but no BB's? I've never seen that in 20k games.

[@123-y5x9g]

WG should reverse the hp nerf.

[@syc8150]

Yee video drop!

[@tonychiu1068]

I've had it for a long time. It needs a buff. I know i'm not a good player, but this thing is just too weak. Like 15% more hitpoints. A bit more DPS. Something.

[@SoldierOfFate]

Zao is a PR sink for a good reason: it used to be bonkers powerful with Atago-style torp angles, stealth fire, and it actually had more HP back then. And people padded their stats to hell with it. You have to break at least 90k damage to get a decent PR in this thing, and good luck with that when you're more fragile than a Minotaur.

[@padanfain7466]

Just shows what a bad place BB's are in at the minute with Deadeye removed, and not replaced with anything of worth.

[@HoshikawaHikari]

IJN CA CL split when XD

[@RockyRoadRage]

The matchmaking has been noticeably different along these lines the past few days.

[@roxasbradley6452]

I've had a match where it was tier 5 and it was 12v12 all battleships nothing else

[@aslanarslan94]

How about yoshino?

[@Buster_Baldwin]

No reason to grind the Zao when you can get the Yoshino?

[@slip6699]

Mega Zao is just a more relaxed zao game play and rolls in damage so much easier.

[@sdauz]

Do Hindenburg next!

[@sdauz]

It's my favourite ship in the game

[@s.31.l50]

Well, according to WG QnA, Zao is perfectly balanced... 😅🤦‍♂️

[@karlack26]

no BBs and CVs and the cruisers that spawn in the middle still abandons the middle. Like you whole team played like there was bbs and CVs in the match. Like why did that handy just run from the middle to the 10 line then north all the cruisers were so passive on your team.

[@conandude76]

Imagine being a non unicum playing this ship in the current cv and overmatch fiesta meta...

[@cleyvour]

Hi PQ. I know there's not a large chance that you will see this, but I'll take my shot anyway. I have the knowhow and the tools to make a democratic competitive scene for world of warships where the community makes the rules. However, I do not have the influence to proliferate it. A community driven and democratic format has so many benefits for competitive that I cannot list them in a comment and keep it concise. If this concept interests you, we should get in contact. Thank you for your time, and have a lovely day.

[@ted5567]

There are no cvs only dds is the standard norm because they nerfed cv rockets.

[@GerKaiNeknete]

Where is that bloody Hindenburg going? these teammates suck the most

[@megopcutubeix7419]

Instant queue is not a good thing. Only means the matchmaker were as unintelligent as it could be. Not that it is to begin with.

[@Cpt_DoDo]

on this sip?

[@samuelmcdonough3605]

With the CV rocket nerf DDs are unbalanced. I’ve seen as high as 6 per side. This can be infuriating. Trying to level Destroyer escorts just sucks. However it’s a boon for anti DD CAs. Any ships that struggle DD are feeling increasingly useless

[@Phokey29]

Lol, "One Take" series, where Wargaming shows that the MM system is so broken there's no such thing as a one take game.

[@jackellis8134]

colbert needs to be debuffed, it is like playing against a flamethrower with HE

[@maxterhex]

Yeah, Zao is not bad ship, it just all other t10 cruiser are better then Zao,

[@cyberwaste]

It's poor game design to have the destroyer class have such a high importance for the team to the point that a team with one remaining is almost certain to win.

[@antigravity6]

Olympic cheaterrs (Russians) made Japanese Zao look like paper boat. But they made their Russian ships super strong.....what a cheaterr

[@austinpowersfasjer]

You say Zao has good dispersion. While that might be true, its AP is notorious for either shattering/bouncing or overpenning. Its too incosistent and all the power creep really got it down. And i can know. Ive played over 1000 games in it from the beginning.

[@vonik16zao10]

Hindenburg in a10? Well well u have really bad team mate

[@jasonshen7600]

first?

[@Matthew10950]

First.

[@viniciusdesouzamaia]

I have a complaint: the series is misleading because this was a two-take. Unsub.

[@gkagara]

Zao used to be decent now it just get citadel from every angle.