First, let's clarify the underlying logic: this game isn't about a single ship type dominating; in cross-server battles, team composition synergy is more important. But if you insist on ranking priorities, my current version ranking is: Aircraft Carrier > Battleship > Destroyer > Cruiser. Don't rush to argue—hear me out. First, Aircraft Carriers. Many beginners think carriers deal damage slowly, but in peak-tier cross-server battles, the pace actually relies more on early suppression than in normal servers. My current main is the Lexington; after full limit break, her aviation stat reaches 2200, and the first round of airstrikes can reliably take off about 40% of the health of the enemy's rear-line cruisers. The key is that her aircraft have a chance to trigger the “Anti-Fire Armor” debuff, which is especially valuable against battleships. With the same resources, the expected damage of an aircraft carrier is about 18% higher than a battleship, and it's consistently safe from counterattacks. The downside is obvious: she's vulnerable to destroyers getting up close and interrupting her, so you must pair her with a screen ship for protection.
Next, Battleships. Bismarck was my initial main. The advantage is durability; its mid-line tanking ability ranks third in the whole game without issue, and the skill “Armor-Piercing Barrage” deals an additional 30% damage to enemy front-line destroyers. The problem is accuracy: in tests, against cruisers of the same combat power, it hits about 83% of the time, but against high-evasion destroyers, only 61%. This gap is critical. In cross-server battles, if the enemy stacks evasion, your battleship misses and basically does nothing. Suitable for casual players as a secondary core, but don't make it your only damage source.
As for Destroyers, many think they're just utility units, but Z1 became very strong after her skill overhaul. Her “Torpedo Assault” ignores 40% of battleship armor, making her effective against the current top-ranking Iron Wall composition on the Korean server. However, destroyers are fragile; at the same combat power, their survival time is only 57% of a battleship's. I recommend training one, but don't allocate more than 30% of resources compared to your main damage dealer. Place it third in the rear line, and enter after the enemy carrier finishes a round for optimal effect.
Finally, Cruisers. Honestly, they're a bit awkward. Damage is lower than battleships, survivability is worse than carriers, and the only advantage is that their skill applies a “Focused Fire Mark” for extra team crit. But the pace of cross-server battles this season is toward fast attrition, and cruiser buffs take three rounds to fully manifest, while most battles end in four rounds. Unless you pull the exclusive ship Prinz Eugen, I don't recommend prioritizing cruisers.
In summary, if you ask which start is the most cost-effective, start with an aircraft carrier, train a destroyer as the second priority, use battleships for front-line durability, and put cruisers aside for now.In the first two weeks after the new zone opened for cross-server play, all resources should be spent on aircraft carriers and destroyers. These two cards can reach the top fifty in Peak King. Don't follow those who level up four on the first day; inflated combat power is just an illusion and will be caught by reality later. Brothers, if you have different test data, feel free to contribute. I'm still testing the new German battleship in the new expansion, and I'll update once I have the data. 🚢