After plenty reading, I'm hearing the most important factor is being able to perform well with your ship above all else. I'm a returning player who hasn't touched the game in a few years, but my two all-time favorites were the St. Louis and Phoenix. Mostly the St. Louis though, due to its absurd number of cannons, high ROF, and ability to set fires. Watching the damage trickle and opponents wither away from slow burns was great. I've also enjoyed some BBs as well, particularly the ones with decent range--I find that's important for me as I'll easily overextend myself and run straight into a pile of enemies if not given the chance to sit back for a minute and read the situation.
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