Before your first Steam battle in World of Warships, identify your vessel, learn the controls that apply to it and check the resource counters in port. The Steam page describes a free-to-play game with PvP and online co-op, available in French since November 15, 2017.
Learn the controls that depend on your vessel
Keep the official controls page close at hand: Ship: Controls. In battle, F1 displays help, Tab shows battle information, Ctrl displays the cursor, H indicates the status of the ship or aircraft, B opens quick commands and M displays the tactical map.
These keys are not interchangeable between vessels. Battleships, aircraft carriers and submarines use different controls, so check the selected category before pressing a key. In port, keep credits, doubloons, ship XP and Free XP separate; each counter serves a different purpose.
Follow this order before launching a battle
- Identify the selected vehicle. Check whether you are piloting a battleship, aircraft carrier or submarine. Controls do not automatically transfer from one category to another.
- Open the battle references. Use F1 for help, Tab for battle information and H to check the status of the ship or aircraft. B opens quick commands.
- Set the route on the tactical map. Press M, then click to place the first autopilot waypoint. Shift+click adds further points, up to five in total according to the documentation. Check the displayed route before letting the ship follow it.
- Choose the weapon controls for the category. For battleships, cruisers and destroyers, keys 1, 2 and 3 select the main shell types and torpedo tubes according to the available armament. X unlocks the armament or locks onto the target closest to the center of the screen, depending on the action described on the controls page.
- Apply the special-vessel controls. On an aircraft carrier, W activates the boost and F returns the squadron to the ship. On a submarine, C dives, F surfaces and 1, 2 and 3 select the documented torpedo types.
- Read the port economy. The official resource page distinguishes credits, doubloons, XP and resources: credits are used in particular for ships unlocked from the tech tree, modules, upgrades, service and resupply after a battle. Ship XP researches modules and the next ships, while Free XP is shared between ships and can replace ship XP. Ship: Economy
- Verify the counter before confirming. Credits, doubloons and Free XP appear at the top of the port screen. Select the relevant ship to view its own XP. If the value is not the one expected, return to the vessel's screen and reread the resource category before purchasing or researching.
Five mistakes to avoid at the start
- Using C or F without checking the vehicle. C makes a submarine dive, while F makes that vessel surface or returns an aircraft carrier's squadron, depending on the context.
- Confusing ship XP with Free XP. Ship XP belongs to the selected vessel; Free XP is shared. Spending them therefore has different consequences.
- Following an unchecked autopilot route. The first click sets a waypoint and Shift-clicks add more. The map prepares the route, but the documentation does not define one universal strategy for every situation.
- Spending credits automatically. Credits have several confirmed uses, but the sources do not establish a universal order between ships, modules, upgrades, service and resupply. Check the action and counter each time.
- Expecting identical graphics performance. The Steam page provides installation and technical information, but it does not guarantee the same frame rate or quality on every machine.
Questions that come up at the start
Where should I start?
Start with F1, Tab and M, then identify the ship category before using 1, 2, 3, C or F. Check your credits and XP in port afterward.
Which mistake should I avoid?
Do not generalize a control: C and F have different roles on a submarine and an aircraft carrier. Keep Free XP and ship XP separate as well.
How can I check the result?
On the tactical map, confirm that the first waypoint appears after clicking and that later points are added with Shift. In port, check the counters at the top, then select the ship to display its own XP.
What should I do if the method fails?
Open help again with F1, check the information with Tab and return to Ship: Controls and Ship: Economy. If the issue concerns access, World of Warships on Steam provides the version and platform information.
The useful sequence is simple: vessel category, matching controls, tactical map, then port counters. It will not choose a nation, ship or build, but it keeps the first matches and purchases from being distorted by a control or resource mix-up. The Steam version also mentions more than 800 ships, 13 national tech trees, upgrades and commanders; leave those choices until the basic checks are clear.
Also see the World of Warships game page.
