WoWS: Changes to Test Ships — 0.11.0 Closed Test

We adjusted the stats of the following ships based on testing results: Sevastopol, Dido, Canarias, FR25, Atlântico, Hornet, and Italian destroyers.

VI Dido

  • Short-Burst Smoke Generator consumable:
    • Smoke dispersion time: 40 s. to 35 s.
    • Reload time: 70 s. to 80 s.

VI Canarias

  • Main battery reload time: 10.5 s. to 12 s.
  • Maximum AP shell damage: 4,250 to 3,800
  • Base detectability range by sea: 10.8 km to 11.5 km.
    Other detectability ranges increased proportionally.

We’ve heard your concerns about the several changes we’ve already applied to Dido and Canarias, so we’d like to take a moment to explain this trend in more detail.

Our goal when releasing new ships is twofold: to provide a fun gameplay experience while also staying in line with other existing ships as far as overall performance. A ship’s method of distribution does not enter into this equation at any stage. If a ship is too weak, it won’t be attractive to players; and if it’s too strong, it runs the risk of becoming very popular, thereby damaging the game experience for others. Therefore, it’s always in our best interest to keep all ships as close to a balanced state as possible, regardless of how they’re made available.

At the moment, testing of Dido and Canarias has shown that they are outperforming all other Tier VI cruisers. For this reason, we’ve spent the last few test sessions applying adjustments to different aspects of these ships in an effort to hit that very important sweet spot between balance and gameplay.

American aircraft carrier Hornet, Tier VIII

  • The maneuverability of its dive bombers during the ‘attack’ and ‘preparation’ states: significantly increased

VIII Atlântico

  • Hydroacoustic Search consumable: removed
  • AP shell fuse delay, ricochet angles, and arming threshold: reduced to standard values
  • Secondary battery:
    • Accuracy of 127 mm guns: increased to the level of German battleships
    • Accuracy of 234 mm guns: increased to the level of Georgia and German battlecruisers
    • Ballistics adjusted: all shells have a more arcing trajectory.

      With the above changes, the ship’s secondary battery will see an overall increase in performance, while still having a harder time scoring hits on destroyers due to the slower shells. The improved accuracy will allow it to reliably score hits on the decks of enemy battleships and deal more damage on average to larger targets, even from behind island cover, thanks to the more arcing trajectory of the shells.

X Sevastopol

  • Repair Party consumable reload time: 200 s. to 180 s.
  • Engine Boost consumable: added
  • Damage Control Party: replaced with Fast Damage Control Team consumable.

The gameplay concept behind Sevastopol revolves around making quick surprise attacks with its accurate guns then retreating back into safety, since its exposed citadel and weak plating make it vulnerable to sustained fire. With these changes, the “British” Repair Party, Engine Boost, and Fast Damage Control Team consumables can be used in conjunction to make these getaways safer and more viable.

II Curtatone

  • Torpedo tubes reload time: 55 s. to 65 s.
  • SAP shell ricochet angles brought up to standard with the high-tier destroyers: reduced from 80°-85° to 60°-75°
  • Exhaust Smoke Generator consumable: added
  • Emergency Engine Power consumable: added

III Nazario Sauro

  • Torpedo tubes reload time: 65 s. to 75 s.
  • SAP shell ricochet angles brought up to standard with the high-tier destroyers: reduced from 80°-85° to 60°-75°
  • Emergency Engine Power consumable: added

IV Turbine

  • Torpedo tubes reload time: 65 s. to 75 s.
  • SAP shell ricochet angles brought up to standard with the high-tier destroyers: reduced from 80°-85° to 60°-75°
  • Emergency Engine Power consumable: added

At lower tiers, Italian destroyers play similarly to other destroyers, with torpedoes being the weapon of choice. With these changes, we aim to get players more acquainted with the unique features of higher-tier Italian destroyers from the start of the branch.

V Maestrale

  • Torpedo tubes reload time: 70 s. to 75 s.
  • SAP shell ricochet angles brought up to standard with the high-tier destroyers: reduced from 80°-85° to 60°-75°
  • Emergency Engine Power consumable: added

VI Aviere

  • Turret no. 2 rotation angle: 360°
  • Torpedo tubes reload time: 65 s. to 75 s.
  • Emergency Engine Power consumable: added

VII Luca Tarigo

  • Torpedo Tubes reload time: 75 s. to 70 s.
  • Emergency Engine Power consumable: added

At mid-tiers, the main battery starts becoming more effective, though the focus remains on using torpedoes to get the job done. Now, with the addition of Emergency Engine Power, these destroyers can start dabbling in aggressive, smoke-covered charges into singled-out enemies using their SAP shells, though this is not yet their go-to strategy.

VIII Vittorio Cuniberti

  • Exhaust Smoke Generator consumable reload time: 90 s. to 80 s.

IX Adriatico

  • Exhaust Smoke Generator consumable reload time: 90 s. to 80 s.

X Attilio Regolo

  • Exhaust Smoke Generator consumable reload time: 90 s. to 80 s.

At high tiers, more gameplay options open up, and players can choose between two different strategies:

    • A cautious approach centered on making the most of the ships’ fast-reloading long-range torpedoes.
    • A “high risk — high reward” aggressive playstyle focused on using consumables in conjunction with guns and torpedoes to close the distance quickly and safely enough to deliver a devastating point-blank attack.

In the right hands, the combination of these two strategies can be used to great effect, and can certainly get more than a little adrenaline flowing. The most similar experience to this found currently in the game is Paolo Emilio — the main difference being that the tech tree Italian destroyers will need to lean more on their guns.

VII FR25

  • “French” Engine Boost Consumable: added
  • SAP shell ricochet angles brought up to standard with the high-tier destroyers: reduced from 80°-85° to 60°-75°

This destroyer offers a unique style of gameplay based on the combination of Italian and French destroyer traits.

American supercarrier United States

  • Detectability range by Air: 22.54 km to 15.53 km.

Please note that all information in the development blog is preliminary. Announced adjustments and features may change multiple times during testing.