Modern Warships is now on Steam, so a lot of new players are jumping in from PC for the first time.
Some people come from slower naval games. Some come from mobile. Some just see modern ships, missiles, aircraft, submarines, and think: “Yeah, I can probably figure this out.”
You can. But you can also waste a lot of resources in the first few hours if you buy random equipment, rush into higher tiers too early, or treat every battle like a slow simulator.
This guide is here to help you avoid that.
Before you start playing seriously on Steam, check your login carefully.
If you already played Modern Warships on mobile or on the standalone PC version, make sure you use the correct login option and connect to your existing account if needed.\[/p]Do not rush through the first login screen just to “fix it later.” It is much better to spend one extra minute here than to accidentally start fresh and wonder where your progress went.
If you are completely new, no problem. Just start normally and continue with the basics below.
Modern Warships is a fast 5v5 naval action game.
It is not built around long sailing times where you spend half the match waiting for something to happen. Battles start quickly, contact happens fast, and mistakes can get punished pretty hard.
That does not mean the game is brainless.
You still need to understand positioning, cover, timing, missiles, aircraft, submarines, anti-air defense, and how your loadout works.
The difference is simple: Modern Warships gets to the action much faster. So if you are coming from slower military vehicle games, adjust your habits a bit. Do not sail alone into the middle of the map. Do not show your broadside for free. Do not waste all your weapons into enemy countermeasures. And please, do not blame the ocean when five enemies focus you at once.
The ocean did nothing wrong.
Tier 3 looks exciting because the ships and weapons are more advanced. That is exactly why many new players rush there too fast.
The problem is that Tier 3 is less forgiving. Players usually have stronger builds, better map knowledge, and more experience with timing their attacks. If you enter too early with a weak build and no understanding of the basics, the match can feel brutal.
A better path:
Play enough lower-tier battles to understand movement and positioning.
Try different classes before committing to one style.
Learn how missiles, torpedoes, aircraft, and anti-air systems behave.
Save important resources until you know what you actually need.
Move up when your ship, weapons, and understanding are ready.
Tier 3 is not the tutorial. Treat it like the deep end of the pool, except the pool has hypersonic missiles and angry submarines.
There is no single “best” class for every player. A ship can be strong on paper and still feel terrible if it does not match your style.
Cruisers are usually a good starting point because they feel balanced. They can deal damage, survive reasonably well, and teach you the core flow of battle without forcing you into one very specific role.
Good if you want:
A flexible playstyle.
A mix of weapons.
A safer way to learn positioning.
Destroyers are often more mobile and aggressive. They can pressure enemies, use missiles and torpedoes well, and reposition faster than heavier ships.
Good if you want:
More active gameplay.
Better movement.
A ship that can punish exposed enemies.
Just remember: mobile does not mean immortal. If you rush alone, you are not flanking. You are donating yourself to the enemy team.
Battleships usually bring heavy firepower and strong presence, but they are less forgiving when badly positioned. You hit hard, but you also become a very attractive target.
Good if you want:
Big damage.
A more direct fighting style.
To punish enemies who expose themselves.
Bad positioning on a battleship is expensive. Think before you commit.
Submarines are not just “hide and win.” They require patience, timing, and awareness. You need to know when to attack, when to dive, when to retreat, and when the enemy is waiting for you to make a mistake.
Good if you want:
A slower, more tactical style.
Ambush gameplay.
To pressure large targets.
Bad if you get bored after 15 seconds and want to charge forward like a destroyer with commitment issues.
Carriers are powerful, but they are not the easiest starting choice. You need to manage aircraft, watch the map, choose targets, and understand what your team needs.
Good if you want:
Map control.
Aircraft gameplay.
A more strategic role.
If you do not like multitasking, carriers may feel like doing homework while missiles are flying at your face.
This is one of the easiest beginner traps.
A ship can look amazing and still be a bad first purchase for you. Before buying, ask yourself
Do I understand this class?
Do I already have weapons that fit this ship?
Can I afford to upgrade it properly?
Does this ship match how I actually play?
Am I buying it because it is useful, or because it looks like it could delete a small country?
Looking cool matters. We are all human. But your first serious purchases should help you progress, not just decorate your port.
A good loadout is not just “put the most expensive thing in every slot.”
Your weapons need to work together.
Missiles are your main source of pressure on many ships. Do not fire everything at once without thinking. If the enemy has countermeasures ready, you may waste a full attack. Try to bait countermeasures first, then follow up when the timing is better.
Cannons are reliable because they do not care about countermeasures the same way missiles do. They are great for steady damage and finishing targets.
Use them often. Do not treat your cannon like a decoration.
Torpedoes are strong against larger or slower targets, especially when enemies are distracted or have limited room to dodge. Do not launch them randomly from bad angles and expect miracles. Good torpedo hits usually come from timing and positioning.
Depending on the item, grenade launchers can help against close targets, torpedoes, or grouped enemies. They are easy to ignore as a beginner, but they can make a big difference when used well.
Anti-air is not glamorous until enemy aircraft start farming your team.
Then suddenly everyone becomes a philosopher and asks why nobody brought better air defense.
Do not ignore AA. Aircraft, missiles, and helicopters are part of the battle, and your survival often depends on how well your ship can handle pressure from the sky.
Your helicopter is not just there to look cool on the deck. It can help with spotting, extra damage, and pressure.
Use it carefully. Losing it instantly for no reason gives you nothing.
The safest beginner rule is simple: Do not spread your resources across too many ships at once.
Pick one main ship you enjoy. Build around it. Upgrade it. Learn it properly.
A smart order usually looks like this:
Choose a ship you will actually play.
Get weapons that fit that ship.
Upgrade the ship and key equipment.
Only then start expanding into more classes and experiments.
Early on, avoid buying every interesting thing you see. Modern Warships has a lot of ships and weapons, and the game is much easier when you focus instead of turning your inventory into a museum of unfinished ideas.
Modern Warships has premium content, but it also regularly runs events, Battle Pass activities, and reward tracks where you can get useful items by playing. So before spending hard-earned resources, check what is currently available.
Look through:
Active events.
Battle Pass rewards.
Daily and limited-time activities.
Free reward tracks.
Event shops or exchange options, when available.
This matters because sometimes you can earn something useful instead of buying the first thing that catches your eye.
Also, do not ignore limited-time rewards just because you are new. Even if you cannot get everything, you can still collect useful items and build up your account over time.
This is the classic “I have arrived” move.
Sadly, what usually arrives next is five enemy players, three missile salvos, a torpedo warning, and a quick trip back to the port.
Stay near your team when possible. You do not need to hug everyone the whole match, but being isolated makes you an easy target.
Big red buttons are fun. We all understand the temptation.
But if you launch everything into fresh countermeasures, you may lose your whole damage window.
Use timing. Mix pressure. Watch enemy reactions.
Islands are not just map decoration. Use them.
Cover helps you break line of sight, avoid focus fire, reload safely, and choose better fights.
Open water can be useful sometimes, but if you sit there forever, you are basically telling the enemy team: “Please test your full build on me.”
If there is an aircraft carrier in the match, pay attention.
Aircraft can spot, pressure, and finish weakened targets.
Do not tunnel vision so hard on one ship that you miss the air threat coming straight at you.
Submarines can punish players who ignore positioning and awareness.
If you know a submarine is nearby, do not sail like nothing is happening.
Watch your surroundings, use movement, and do not become the easiest target in the match.
New players often spend resources on random ships and equipment because everything looks interesting.
That is normal, but it slows your progress.
Build one good setup first. Experiment later.
Here is the short version:
Stay close enough to your team to get support.
Use cover instead of sitting in open water.
Do not rush Tier 3 without a proper build.
Do not fire every weapon into countermeasures.
Upgrade the ship you actually use.
Check events before spending resources.
Learn what killed you instead of instantly blaming balance.
Try different classes before deciding what you main.
Watch the sky when carriers are in the match.
Respect submarines. They love distracted players.
If you want a simple path, try this:
Do not worry too much about perfect performance yet. Learn movement, aiming, weapon switching, camera control, and how fast battles develop.
Play a few matches with different ship types if you can. You may think you want a battleship, then discover you actually enjoy destroyers more.
Pick something that feels good, not just something that looks powerful.
Check your weapons. Think about what your ship is missing. More burst damage? Better anti-air? More reliable damage? Better torpedo pressure? Do not upgrade randomly. Upgrade with a purpose.
At this point, pay more attention to where players go, where they get focused, where cover matters, and when teams usually clash. Map knowledge is a huge part of survival.
Modern Warships becomes much more fun once you stop asking only “what is the strongest ship?” and start asking “why does this setup work?”
Strong ships matter. Good weapons matter. But timing, positioning, target choice, and resource management matter too.
Take your time, build one solid setup, learn the pace of the game, and do not rush into every fight like your ship has personal problems to solve.
See you on the water, Commander.