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the stern and plan your attack to give your opponent a broadside from your forward cannons, and a blast from the rear cannon pointed off the stern. If the target is already turning or will need to turn to avoid an obstacle then approach him on the inside off his turn. This will help you close quickly on your victim. Hold your fire until just before you bow comes under the target's forward cannon. Blast them then make a hard turn away from the target. When your stern gun lines up blast away. If you time it right the targets forward cannon will miss.
You can also use the J-turn defensively when a target is closing on you to deny him a shot and allow your rear cannon to shoot straight out the back.
8.3.3 The Mailman
This is a really easy tactic often used by a battleship with cannon that depress. To play mailman, let your teammates know what you are doing and let them engage the target. You just sit off at a distance (hide against a shore if possible) and sling long range fire toward the unknowing target. Have your teammates stay clear of your line of fire. They can even channel the target toward you. The beauty of this tactic is oftentimes, in the heat of battle, a skipper will not even realize that extra damage is being taken.
8.3.4 Convoy Escort
Convoy escort duty, that for wimps right? Wrong! Escort duty requires nerves of steel and steel balls too! Escort duty requires specials skills and a willingness to take hits meant for the transport. This article shares some tips on how to properly provide escort. First the basics which many escort shippers seem to forget. The object is to protect the transports from being sunk, thus allowing it's cargo to earn your team points in order to win the convoy portion of the game. That is the number one priority, not engaging the enemy and inflicting combat damage. Of course, the wizened escort skipper must consider that there may come a time when one of the tow of you is going to go down, and you must decide whether it's our 2500 point cruiser or that turtle slow 500 point transport. If you are sunk what is the impact to your team's combat segment of the game? Is it worth the cargo value of the transport to have your warship sunk? Will my name be "chicken" forever if I abandon my post to survive? These factors must be weighed before you even start providing escort. Discuss these with the transport captain before you start a run. If he knows when you are going to bail he can chose whether to abort the run before he is left undefended.
Okay, it's decided. I'm gonna defend this thing or go down slugging. So what do I do now? First, try not to launch when the enemy that is currently on the water outguns you. That invites disaster for you both. Also consider the enemies skill to your own. Is that single 40 knot light cruiser armed only with 4 bbs skippered by a a three year veteran while you only have one month experience under your belt?
Okay you've waited an consider it safe enough to launch. It ain't! Don't be surprised if the entire enemy fleet rushes to rearm and through their ships back on the water. For some reason transports seem to attract warships like fresh chum attracts sharks. You'll find quickly enough that providing escort is the surest way of engaging the enemy and with limited room to maneuver while protecting your charge you will be at a disadvantage.
So up ahead is my charge plowing the waves at 22 ho-hum knots. Boom! Off in the distance a light cruiser fires a warning shot. This guy must be crazy you think. My ship is a heavy cruiser. Making flank speed you rush ahead to engage the potential predator. You set up the perfect shot yelling to your opponent to bring it on. Suddenly the enemy dodges you shot, doesn't engage at all, and continues on towards the slow moving morsel you left behind. The transport captain zigs and zags but the quicker ship pulls along side and lets loose a bunch of tin fish. Ka-Boom! The transport's thin armor is crushed. She starts settling in the water and you'll be lucky to make it back in time to pick up survivors. This happens all the time. Never leave the transport to engage the enemy. Often times this is simply a trick to draw you away. You may out gun the attacker, but are you faster?
The trick to running escort is to stay in the transport's wake, always ready to rush to her starboard or port beam and screen incoming rounds. Communicate with the transport captain if you need him to turn to allow you to place yourself between him and the attacker let him know. When the threat is over, drop back again into her six o'clock position. Do not steam non-stop parallel beside the slower ship. This hampers one of the transports greatest survivability assets quick turning. The other asset the transport has is stopping, so be prepared for these maneuvers. Remember rush up, screen, fall back.
Okay I got that. Now, what if it's a bigger ship attacking - decision time my friend. You should have already planned for this. But, there are things you can do. Start by feeling out the attacker. Screen the shot. Many attackers make the mistake of ignoring the escort and focusing only on the transport. They won't even fire on the escort. They'll try to get around you so simply screen them and fire if you can.
Smart attackers, however, quickly evaluate the situation and consider the survivability of the escort. So you are screening and Kaboom! The battleship lays a broadside into your cruiser. He ain't falling for your screen and could care less if it's transport or cruiser for breakfast. Fact is cruisers look better sinking. Uh-oh you are in trouble. Take heart all is not lost…least not for sure. Recalling your sacred duty about now is a good thing. The first thing to try is to get up close real close. This will present only superstructure or deck shots on your ship and will buy you some precious time as the opponent tries to maneuver to get a shot on you. Let your transport captain know what you are doing so he does not stray too far from you.
Okay, getting close ain't working. The sucker keeps backing off and is gonna sink you, then have the transport for desert. Okay, radio the escort skipper plan B. You are backing out of the screen and pulling around the farside of the attacker. He now has a clear shot at the transport. Don't worry, the transport can take a hit or two. Once you are on the far side the transport is free to hit the brakes, turn hard or whatever.

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