Please note that all information in the development blog is preliminary and subject to change during testing. Any showcased features may or may not end up on the main server.
We continue to work on Unique Upgrades (UU) and now we’re ready to share some changes to the existing UUs and some new ones.
Updating current upgrades:
X Z-52, Slot 5
Current upgrade
- -5% ship’s detectability
- -15% torpedo tubes reload time
- Added bonus lowering torpedo detectability by 10%.
The UU will strengthen X Z-52 as a torpedo boat, while lowering her efficiency on key areas due to a smaller bonus to detectability in comparison to the standard concealment upgrade.
X Grozovoi, Slot 6
Current upgrade
- -18% main battery reload time
- -7% main battery traverse speed
- +10% torpedo tubes reload time
- Torpedo tubes reload time penalty increased from +10% to +20%.
The UU offers artillery-focused gameplay. The upgrade was too effective, and the penalty to the main battery traverse speed had no significant impact because of the ship’s already good base value, thus her torpedo tubes reload time penalty was increased.
X Moskva, Slot 6
Current upgrade
- -11% maximum dispersion of main battery shells
- +8% main battery firing range
- -13% main battery traverse speed
- Bonus lowering maximum dispersion of main battery shells lowered from -11% to -7%;
- Main battery traverse speed penalty increased from -13% to -20%.
The change to the UU offers a clear choice between upgrades for damage per minute, for range increase, and for accuracy
X Minotaur, Slot 5
Current upgrade
- +150% action time of the “Smoke generator” consumable
- +10% dispersion shells fired by enemies attacking your ship
- -5% to the ship’s detectability
- -15% smoke screen dispersion time
- Removed the bonus, which increased dispersion shells fired by enemies attacking your ship by 10%;
- Added bonus which lowers the reload time for all consumables by 10%.
The UU allows the ship to stay in her smoke screen for a significant time while moving at ¼ speed, and the bonus to the reload time of her consumables both improves her overall survivability and efficiency, and makes the UU useful with any build.
X Zaō, Slot 6
Current upgrade
- -20% rudder shift time
- -7% maximum dispersion of main battery shells
- +8% main battery firing range
- Removed the bonus which lowered rudder shift time by 20%.
The upgrade was too universal, empowering different parameters of the ship. In its current form, the UU will be effective for playing on the open water using long range of main caliber guns.
X Yamato, Slot 6
Current upgrade
- -7% maximum dispersion of main battery shells
- -6% main battery reload time
- -19% main battery traverse speed
- Removed the bonus which lowered the main battery reload time by 6%
- Main battery traverse speed penalty reduced from -19% to -13%
This upgrade gave two bonuses: DPM and accuracy, and it was too effective. After the change, the UU will offer a clear choice between these two parameters.
New upgrades:
X Daring (Slot 5)
- –10% to the torpedo tubes reload time
- +15% to maximum torpedo damage
Currently, X Daring is a versatile destroyer with a slight edge to an artillery-focused playstyle. The UU will suggest shifting that edge towards torpedoes. With this upgrade, she will thrive further away from caps, with an emphasis on torpedoes and attacks from within smoke.
X Kléber (Slot 6)
- -20% to ship’s detectability
- + 80% to main battery reload time
The UU offers an alternative to X Kléber’s artillery focused gameplay: high-speed, close-range torpedo boat with quick torpedo reload. The ship’s detectability will be comparable to that of other destroyers at the same Tier, but the ship will lose a significant part of her artillery damage per minute.
X Harugumo (Slot 5)
- +30% to smoke dispersion time
- +100% to smoke generator action time
- + 1 consumable’s charge
The UU improves the main playstyle of the ship at the cost of detectability and lowered efficiency in fighting for key areas. The UU allows X Harugumo to stay hidden in smoke while moving at ¼ speed.
X Kremlin (Slot 6)
- -18% to main battery reload time
- -12% to main battery firing range
- -1 charge of consumables
Modernization offers a more aggressive playstyle, in which the ship sacrifices its survivabilityin exchange for rate of fire bonus.
X Audacious (Slot 6)
- -15% to ship’s detectability
- +20% to engine boost duration
- -50% time for the engine to reach full power
- -30% rudder shift time
UU allows the ship to be closer to the enemy, thus increasing the frequency of plane attacks. But the risk of being detected and becoming the target of focused fire is also increased.
X Midway, Slot 6
- +10% to bombers cruising speed
- +10% to HE bombs damage
Instead of generally improving all plane types, the UU offers an emphasis on bombers, increasing their speed and bomb damage.
X Hakuryū, Slot 6
- +15% to maximum planes speed
- -20% to engine boost duration
The best effect the UU will have is directly before an attack, by significantly increasing the planes’ speed and lowering the time they spend in the AA zone. At the same time, the distance covered with the engine boost active remains roughly the same as without the UU.
Source: WoWS Devblog
