World of Warships: Vehicle Classes, Tactics & Squad Play

A practical guide to the six ship classes in World of Warships, the tactics each one brings to a battle, how squads and matchmaking work, and how many players you can expect on a server.

World of Warships is a free-to-play naval combat game developed by Wargaming. You command a warship in team-versus-team battles, usually 7v7, against players from around the world. Every ship belongs to one of six classes, and each class has a distinct role, a distinct set of weapons, and a distinct way of winning. The game is played online, in real time, with matches that typically last between three and ten minutes.

Progression is based on experience points (XP) and credits. You earn XP by playing well — spotting enemies, dealing damage, destroying ships — and you spend credits on repairs, consumables and ammunition. Premium ships and premium accounts accelerate progression but are never required to compete.

Every ship in World of Warships falls into one of six classes. The class determines your hull, your armament, your speed and your role in the battle. You can play any class at any tier, but the meta and the tactics differ sharply from one class to the next.

Each class has a small set of high-leverage tactics that, once internalised, make the difference between a random player and a contributing one.

Destroyer. Stay in smoke. Use your speed to reposition, not to chase. Torpedo from the flank, never head-on. Your spotting is worth more than your damage — a spotted battleship is a dead battleship.

Cruiser. Hold the midline and keep your guns on the enemy's capital ships. Use your spotting range to deny the enemy safe positioning. Do not chase destroyers — that is a losing trade.

Battleship. Angle your hull. Keep your broadside on the enemy and your bow toward them. Save your main battery for capital ships; use your secondary guns to harass destroyers and cruisers.

Carrier. Stay out of range of destroyers. Rotate your aircraft waves to cover the whole map. Use your fighter to deny the enemy's spotting and your torpedo bomber to finish off capital ships.

Submarine. Stay submerged until you have a clear shot. Torpedo from the side, not the front. Use your speed to reposition after every volley — a surfaced submarine is a target.

Light Cruiser. Play like a cruiser but with more mobility. Use your speed to reposition and your spotting range to control the midline. Do not overextend — you are still a cruiser, not a destroyer.

You can play solo or in a squad of up to seven players. When you queue in a squad, the matchmaking system tries to place your whole squad on the same team, but it is not guaranteed — if the system cannot balance the teams, your squad may be split. This is why experienced players often queue in smaller squads (2–4) rather than full seven-man squads.

Matchmaking pairs teams of equal average tier and equal total XP. You will not be placed against a team that is significantly stronger or weaker than yours. The system also considers your recent performance to keep matches competitive.

You can also play in a clan — a larger group of players who share a common name and can queue together. Clans are a good way to find regular squadmates and to learn from more experienced players.

The standard mode is 7v7 — seven players on each team, for a total of 14 players per battle. There are also 1v1, 3v3 and 5v5 modes for smaller, more focused matches, and a 15v15 mode for larger, more chaotic battles. The map size scales with the number of players, so a 15v15 battle takes place on a much larger map than a 7v7.

There are also special modes: Conquest, where you capture and hold points; Domination, where you destroy the enemy's base; and a number of limited-time events with unique rules and rewards. Each mode rewards a different set of skills, so it is worth trying a few to find the one that suits your playstyle.

If you are new to World of Warships, start with a destroyer or a cruiser. These classes are forgiving, easy to learn, and let you contribute to the team from the first battle. As you gain experience, try a battleship or a carrier to learn the long-range game.

Watch a few battles before you jump in. The game has a built-in spectator mode that lets you watch live battles and learn the map, the classes and the tactics from the inside. It is the fastest way to go from random to contributing.

Finally, be patient. Naval combat is a game of positioning, timing and teamwork. The first few battles will be rough, but once you internalise the tactics of your class, the game opens up in a way that few other games can match.

World of Warships is a trademark of Wargaming.net Ltd. This page is an independent, informational guide and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Wargaming. We may earn a commission from links on this page.