In World of Warships, coal is one of the most versatile and sought-after resources. Unlike credits or doubloons, coal is earned purely by playing the game, and it unlocks a treasure trove of premium ships, unique commanders, and special upgrades. Whether you’re a new commander trying to finish a daily ‘Collect or Scrap Coal‘ task or a veteran looking to spend your hoard wisely, this guide covers everything you need to know about earning, managing, and making the most of your coal.
The ‘Collect or Scrap Coal‘ daily mission often confuses players, but it’s simply a nudge to interact with the coal economy. Here’s how to tackle it and build your reserves efficiently.
How to Earn Coal in World of Warships
Coal is a time-gated currency that rewards consistent play. There are several reliable ways to add it to your account, and understanding each method helps you maximise your daily and monthly income.
Complete Daily Missions and Challenges
Every day, you’ll receive a set of missions. One of the most common is ‘Collect or Scrap Coal‘. To complete it, you must either earn coal directly by playing battles or obtain it from containers, campaigns, or by scrapping certain items that yield coal. The task is designed to be simple: finish a few matches, open your daily containers, or sell some spare signal flags, and the mission will tick over. As you complete daily missions, you also fill a progress bar that rewards extra coal at milestones, making regular play the foundation of your coal income.
Claim Your Daily Containers
Each day, you can earn up to three containers by gathering a set amount of XP. Always select the ‘More Resources‘ container option. Not only does it directly drop coal (typically 400 or 800 per container), but it also has a chance to contain a supercontainer with a large coal bundle (15,000 coal). Over time, this is the most consistent and passive way to build your reserves.
Participate in Campaigns and Events
Ongoing campaigns and limited-time events often reward substantial amounts of coal. Check the campaign tab and special event directives. Many tasks grant coal for simple objectives, and completing entire stages can drop thousands of coal at once. Seasonal events like the anniversary or holiday celebrations are particularly generous.
Ranked Battles, Clan Battles, and Competitive Modes
Competitive modes offer excellent coal payouts. Ranked sprints and seasons reward coal at various league thresholds, and Clan Battles provide coal for both personal and clan achievements. Even if you’re a solo player, reaching rank 1 in a sprint or earning a few wins in Clan Battles can significantly boost your stash. The Brawls mode also occasionally offers coal as a reward for victories.
Armory Coupons and Recurring Sources
Every patch, you can claim a resource coupon from the Armory that discounts coal purchases. While the coupon itself doesn’t generate coal, it stretches your existing stock. Furthermore, keep an eye on the Armory’s ‘Resources‘ tab for occasional free coal bundles or missions that reward coal for dealing damage, spotting, or winning in specific ship types.
How to Scrap Items for Coal
Scrapping is an often-overlooked way to generate coal, especially if you have a surplus of unused inventory items. This is particularly useful for completing the ‘Collect or Scrap Coal‘ daily when you need just a few more points.
Sell Unused Signal Flags and Camos
Go to your Inventory, select the Signals or Camos tab, and you’ll see a ‘Sell‘ option. Many signal flags can be scrapped for 1,200 or 2,400 coal each. Keep the ones you use regularly (like Sierra Mike for speed or India Delta for healing), but sell duplicates of situational signals or those you’ve accumulated hundreds of. Premium camos often sell for even more coal, sometimes up to 6,000 per camo. If you’ve played for a while, you likely have a mountain of expendable camos like ‘Type 1‘ or ‘New Year Streamer‘ that can be safely converted.
Scrap Premium Consumables and Modules
Higher-tier premium consumables (Damage Control Party II, Repair Party II) can be sold for coal if you have excessive amounts. Similarly, duplicate special upgrades from containers or events can be scrapped. Be careful not to sell modules you might need on future ships, but if you have three of the same special radar module, selling one for coal is a smart move.
Scrapping Ships for Coal?
You cannot scrap tech tree ships for coal, only for credits. However, some event or premium ships can be traded in during special exchange events, which occasionally reward coal. Always confirm the trade-in value before proceeding, as these events are rare.
Best Coal Ships to Spend Your Hard-Earned Coal
Knowing which ship to buy with coal can be daunting. The choice depends on your preferred playstyle, but some standouts are consistently recommended by the community for their performance and unique playstyles.
Carriers: Malta vs. Max Immelmann
When choosing a coal carrier, two popular options are the British Tier X Malta and the German Tier X Max Immelmann. Malta excels at area denial with her carpet-bombing attacks and robust plane hit points, making her forgiving and effective against both battleships and destroyers. Max Immelmann is a more specialised strike carrier, relying on her fast planes and powerful skip bombers to land devastating hits, but she demands careful target selection. For overall fun and reliability in random battles, Malta is often the safer pick, while Max Immelmann rewards a more aggressive, high-skill playstyle.
Destroyers for Operations: Forrest Sherman, Jager, or Groningen
All three are excellent destroyers, but for Operations (scenario mode), Forrest Sherman shines with her rapid-firing guns and long duration smokes, letting you farm damage on bots while denying areas. Jager is a torpedo boat with a massive health pool and quick torpedo reloads, ideal for operation maps where you can flood channels with fish. Groningen is a gunboat with a 5-second reload and hydro, but her lack of torpedoes and limited smoke punish mistakes. For pure fun and consistent performance in Operations, Forrest Sherman generally offers the highest damage output, followed closely by Jager if you enjoy torpedo gameplay.
Other Noteworthy Coal Ships
Don’t overlook the Soviet cruiser Moskva, a star in Ranked and Clan Battles with her 12km radar and excellent guns. The French battleship Jean Bart (when available) is a fan favourite for her reload booster, and the German cruiser Agir is a solid brawler with torpedoes. Always research the current meta before spending coal, but these ships rarely disappoint.
Commander Joaquim Marques Lisboa: Availability Update
The unique Portuguese commander Joaquim Marques Lisboa, originally released during a special event, has been a topic of discussion regarding a return via coal or crates. As of the latest updates, Wargaming has not confirmed his permanent addition to the Armory for coal. Occasionally, such commanders reappear in themed containers or event bundles. Keep an eye on the news portal and the Armory’s ‘Commanders‘ tab. If you’re eager to obtain him, the most reliable method is to check the premium shop during commemorative events like the Portuguese Navy Day or holiday sales, where he might be offered directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I complete the ‘Collect or Scrap Coal’ daily task?
To finish this task, simply earn coal through any means such as playing battles, opening containers, completing campaigns, or scrapping unused signal flags, camos, or premium consumables. As soon as you accumulate coal or scrap an item for coal, the mission will progress.
Where can I find coal quickly if I need it right away?
The fastest method is to sell spare signal flags or camos from your Inventory. Common Tier 1 and 2 camos often sell for 6,000 coal each if you have many stored. Also, check available campaign stages and event directives for easily achievable coal rewards.
Is it better to scrap items or keep them for future use?
Keep a healthy stock of signals you regularly use (speed, repair, fire reduction). Sell duplicates of signals you rarely use, and always scrap camos that give only cosmetic or minimal bonuses if you have dozens of them. Special premium consumables can be sold if you have more than 100 of a type.
Which coal destroyer is best for Operations among Forrest Sherman, Jager, and Groningen?
Forrest Sherman offers the highest consistent damage and utility with her guns and smokes, making her the top pick for Operations. Jager is excellent if you prefer torpedo setups and careful positioning. Groningen requires a higher skill floor due to no torpedoes and limited smokes, so she’s recommended if you’re comfortable with pure gunboat play.
Can I buy Commander Lisboa with coal?
Not at the moment. He was exclusive to an event and has not been added permanently to the Armory for coal. Monitor official news and the premium shop during themed events for a possible return.
