Boasting high range, Battleships (sometimes shortened to BShips), are powerful, if expensive, Indirect Combat attackers.
Usage[]
Battleships have the highest possible maximum range of all the indirect combat units capable of attacking land units, having 1 more range than a Rocket, and deal heavy damage to almost every target it can hit. Thanks to this long range and firepower, Battleships can be excellent area denial units, covering a wide area, while also being highly resilient to damage from all land units aside from indirects which it handily outranges. Whether a Battleship can fulfil this role naturally is entirely dependent on the map design - a map with a Port in a strategic location or with enough contiguous sea tiles near contested properties can allow a Battleship purchase as a potential zoning option. A well-defended and positioned Battleship can effectively shut down an entire flank on its own due to its consistent damage output and difficulty of dislodging from a friendly Port without heavy air support.
This power comes at a cost, however, literally - at 28000 funds, they are tied with the Mega Tank for the second-most expensive unit in the game. This means that deploying one is almost always a major investment of resources, even in games with lots of funding available such as large High Funds maps, and will almost always be met with an immediate counter unit such as a Bomber to deal with it, necessitating further investment in covering the Battleship from attack. In addition, despite having +1 range, their actual damage numbers against land units are not significantly different from a Rocket despite costing nearly twice as much. This can make a Battleship an inefficient use of funds in cases where its extra range and durability are not strictly necessary, even putting aside that Battleships simply cannot cover areas that are too far in-land.
Battleships alone are defenseless against air units, and should be protected from B-Copters and especially Bombers with other B-Copters, Anti-Airs, Fighters, and potentially Cruisers. On heavy naval maps, Battleships are also incapable of hitting a submerged Sub, so caution is advised when advancing near enemy Ports. If your Battleship moves within firing range of the enemy Port before they build a Sub, however, you can effectively neutralize this option with just a Battleship. Otherwise, if Subs are proving to be a threat, a Cruiser escort will be required.
Due to their high cost and slow movement, Battleships are difficult to deploy in an optimal position, but can easily force the enemy back if deployed in a time or place that an enemy does not expect.
Fighting Against[]
Once deployed, Battleships are very difficult units to play around with their high range. It may be better to factor in enemy funds to determine if they will build a battleship; if an opponent is ending their turn with 10000+ funds available, they may be saving for a Battleship should there be a port relatively close to the front lines.
Air units are generally the safest option for taking on enemy Battleships; if not properly defended, any Air units capable of attacking Sea units can deal considerable damage to a Battleship which, if not destroying them, will lower their combat effectiveness severely. Opponents may be hesitant to repair a Battleship right away as it is a very expensive unit to repair, so it may be able to whittle it down over a span of turns.
If you are unable to threaten a Battleship, it will push your forces back very far inland, forcing you to give up vital ground and properties in the process. The best course of action to deal with an enemy Battleship is to deny the enemy the ability to feasibly build one, either by pressuring them into buying other units or to focus on areas that the Battleship is not able to reach quickly.
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