In the free-to-play naval warfare-themed multiplayer online game World of Warships, “Citadels” play a crucial role in protecting warships from enemy attacks. A citadel refers to the armored area of a ship that protects its vital components, such as the engine, magazines for ammunition, crew quarters, and boilers.
Citadels are designed to be a strong, armored compartment that shields the ship’s critical components. During the World Wars, armor on warships concentrated in a very strong citadel, with the rest of the ship remaining virtually unprotected. They are often a rectangular armored raft with sloped sides, a closed top, and an open bottom, sitting within the hull of the ship.
In World of Warships, the Citadel remains a prime target for players as it is composed of all the most important modules of the ship. If you can make it through the citadel, then you can deal critical damage to the enemy ship and put it out of commission for good.
Knowing how to get citadel hits and damage enemy ships is a key step to becoming a master captain in World of Warships. This article is a guide on how to locate a citadel and how to hit it to cause maximum damage to your enemy.
How To Locate The Citadel?
The exact location of a citadel can vary depending on the ship you are targeting, but it is typically located near the waterline, always underneath the gun turrets (magazines) and the chimneys (boiler rooms and turbine rooms).
If you want to target the citadel, it is best to aim for the ship’s midsection. In the case of battleships or cruisers, shooting at the side of the ship, closer to the middle, is usually most effective, but their armor can be hard to break through without big guns and armor-piercing shells (AP). Whereas, on most destroyers, which have super-light armor, a good hit on the broadside of the ship could disable its citadel.
How To Hit The Citadel?
Once you have located the citadel of an enemy ship, it is time to launch your attack. Since it is the thickest armor on the ship, it is important to understand how penetration works and select the right shell type to land the shot and disable it.
It is also important to note that the likelihood of a citadel hit is dependent on several factors, such as the caliber and type of weapon, the angle of attack, the thickness of the target ship’s armor at the point of impact, and the distance between the attacking ship and the target ship.
Here are some tips on landing the best shot at warship citadels:
Pick the Right Shells
Since citadels are the strongest and most protected part of a ship, you will want to use shells that can pierce through the armor and deal a fatal blow. You can hit the citadel with high-explosive (HE) and armor-piercing (AP) shells.
HE shells can damage the citadel and set the enemy ship on fire, but AP shells are far more capable of getting through the armor. HP shells can cause splash damage, and AP shells can score critical hits but may ricochet or overpenetrate.
Locking in on the Citadel
As mentioned earlier, the citadel is typically located below the waterline, which means that you want to aim your shell to land just above the waterline. This requires an understanding of how bullets move and land, and the effect of gun caliber on shell trajectory.
You can also use the armor viewer in the game to find the exact location of citadels on different ships. The tools allow you to see the armor layout and identify the citadel, which is often indicated by “citadel armor” in the tooltips. Also consider the angle of impact and the distance between your ship and the target. Closer ranges generally provide better penetration, and the angle of impact can affect whether a shell penetrates or ricochets.
Citadels of Different Battleships in World of Warships
The tips above will help you locate and cause maximum damage to the citadel. Now let’s learn about how different ships on the World of Warships game can fare against citadels.
Destroyers
If you are commanding a destroyer and are going up against a battleship, then you are only going to be a slight nuisance and distraction to it. It is best to leave the battleships alone.
Your artillery isn’t going to land much damage on the citadel of a cruiser either. However, if you are positioned right and know how best to handle your guns, then you may be able to cut through the cruiser’s armor and destroy its vitals. One way to destroy a cruiser is to use your torpedoes to harass it. If it manages to breach the citadel, then you take the ship down in two shots.
Cruisers
If you are the captain of a cruiser on WoW, then your main targets should be destroyers and other cruisers. The AP shells on these ships have enough power to break through armor and land citadel hits.
While cruisers have nothing against battleships, at the right angle and close range, you may have a chance of landing a citadel shot and taking it down. This also depends on the caliber of your guns and the type of battleship you are up against. It is the lighter battleships that are susceptible to citadel shots from cruisers.
Battleships
Battleships are equipped with massive guns that can consistently land lethal blows on the citadels of enemy ships. They are capable of destroying both cruisers, destroyers, and even other battleships from all ranges. While AP shells can bring down battleships, HE shells are enough to hit the citadels of light cruisers.
Can a Citadel Hit be Avoided in World of Warships?
You can practically avoid being hit on the citadel by angling your ship’s armor. This will make it more difficult for the enemy to penetrate the armor and reach the internal components of your ship.
However, the trade-off here is that angling the armor can reduce the effectiveness of the ship’s weapons.
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Can a Citadel Hit Sink an Enemy Ship?
A citadel hit does not guarantee the sinking of an enemy ship in World of Warships, as it depends on various factors, such as the overall health of the ship and the damage control efforts taken by its crew. Nonetheless, citadels are vital to the ship, and the most effective type of defense is an attack on them, which can significantly increase the chances of the enemy ship sinking.
Citadel attacks can result in significant damage to the internal structure of the ship and even cause it to sink immediately. The success of a citadel hit can impact a World of Warships player’s overall performance and their progress.