I just unlocked Lion and it feels like a bigger, meaner version of Monarch, but I’m not sure if that’s the right way to read it. Is it basically Monarch with larger guns and tier-appropriate stats, or does it play differently enough that the comparison misses the point?
Is Lion just a stronger Monarch with bigger guns?
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PineLantern
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The short version is that Lion is closer to a refined Monarch than a mini Conqueror. You do get the jump to 406 mm guns, which helps a lot with overmatch and consistent damage into higher tier armor schemes, but the ship is not just a raw upgrade in every direction.
What really changes is the package around the guns. Lion tends to feel a bit less awkward when it can use its shells well, but it still sits in that British battleship style where fire setting, survivability tools, and positioning matter more than pure broadside slugging. Monarch is often remembered as the rougher step because the gun feel can be inconsistent, while Lion smooths some of that out without becoming a completely different ship.
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I’d call it a sidegrade in some respects and a straight tier-up in others. Lion gets better caliber and usually feels more forgiving against angled targets, but it does not suddenly become a ship that just wins by brute force. If you sail it like a bigger Monarch, you can get workable games, but the ship still asks for patience and careful angling.
The comparison to Conqueror is a trap a lot of people fall into. Lion is not just a weaker version of that ship, because the whole tier gap matters. At Tier 9 you run into different matchmaking, different armor values, and different expectations for survivability. So yes, there is a family resemblance, but it is more like a continuation of the line than a copy with a bigger main battery.
NorthQuill:
Good point about the matchmaking. A lot of ships feel different just because of who they’re fighting, even before you get into the stats.
AmberVale:
Exactly. Tier changes can make the same style feel way more comfortable or way more punishing.
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My take is Monarch is the messier learning step and Lion is the cleaner one. Monarch’s reputation mostly comes from the fact that people expect a battleship to lean on chunky AP salvos, while British battleships often get more value from fire pressure and survivability tools. Lion keeps that identity, but the 406s make it easier to actually punish mistakes instead of feeling stuck fishing for damage.
So if you are asking whether Lion is a straight procession of everything getting better, not really. The guns do improve a lot, but the ship still lives or dies on the same fundamentals. If you liked Monarch’s style but wished it had more bite, Lion is probably what you wanted. If you disliked Monarch because of the whole line’s feel, Lion probably will not magically fix that for you.
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MintHarbor:
That matches how it looks from the outside too. The bigger guns are the headline, but the real question is whether you like the British battleship rhythm at all.