WoWS: New ships – Closed Test 12.5

Spanish cruiser Numancia and Italian battleship Ruggiero di Lauria have been added to the game for testing.

Spanish cruiser Numancia, Tier VIII

One of the “Washington cruiser” designs proposed to the Spanish Navy by Vickers-Armstrongs was based on the hull of the Emerald-class ships, but with seven 203-mm guns in one triple- and two twin-gun turrets. In order to keep the power plant compact, a linear arrangement of the boiler rooms and engine rooms was adopted. The ship was supposed to be faster than the original, and the installation of an aircraft catapult was also implied. However, preference was given to the version of the project that became the basis for the Canarias class.

Numancia is armed with seven 203 mm main battery guns in the triple-gun turret located in the bow, and two aft twin-gun turrets. These guns have a good turning rate for their caliber, but not the highest damage per salvo and a low firing range. The main feature of this ship is the availability of an alternative firing mode. Activating burst fire mode increases the damage of the AP shells, but decreases gun accuracy. Numancia is also armed with four triple-tubed torpedo tubes with fast reload. The torpedoes, however, are slow and deal low damage.

The ship can boast good concealment as well as decent speed and maneuverability. At the same time, she has a low HP pool and weak AA weapons. The equipment is represented by a choice between Hydroacoustic Search and Defensive AA Fire, as well as Fighter in a separate slot.

Ship parameters

Spanish cruiser Numancia, tier VIII

Hit points – 34500. Plating – 25 mm. Fires duration: 30 s.
Torpedo protection – 13 %.

Main battery – 2×2, 1×3 203 mm. Firing range – 14.4 km.
Maximum HE shell damage – 2850. HE shell armor penetration – 34 mm. Chance to cause fire – 17%. HE initial velocity – 814 m/s.
Maximum AP shell damage – 4500. AP initial velocity – 814 m/s.
Reload time – 11.0 s. 180 degree turn time – 18.0 s. Maximum dispersion – 132 m. Sigma – 2.00.

Burst fire:
Reload time – 42.0 s. Burst interval – 1.0 с. Shots in the series 3. AP shell damage: +25%. Shells’ dispersion: +25%.

Airstrike (DC):
Reload time – 30.0 s. Available flights – 2. Number of Aircraft in Attacking Flight – 1. Maximum range – 7.0 km. Number of Bombs in Payload – 2. Maximum bomb damage – 4200.0.

Torpedo tubes – 4×3 533 mm.
Maximum damage – 11967. Range – 8.0 km. Speed – 59 kt. Reload time – 76 s. Launcher 180 degree turn time – 7.2 s. Torpedo detectability – 1.2 km.

Secondary Armament:
4×2 105.0 mm, range  – 6.6 km.
Maximum HE shell damage – 1200. Chance to cause fire – 5%. HE initial velocity – 900 m/s

AA defense: 6×1 20.0 mm., 8×2 37.0 mm., 4×2 105.0 mm.
AA defense short-range: continuous damage per second – 46, hit probability – 85 %, action zone – 2.0 km;
AA defense mid-range: continuous damage per second – 35, hit probability – 90 %, action zone – 3.5 km;
AA defense long-range: continuous damage per second – 102, hit probability – 90 %, action zone – 5.2 km;
Number of explosions in a salvo – 4, damage within an explosion – 1400, action zone 3.5 – 5.2 km.

Maximum speed – 33.5 kt. Turning circle radius – 710 m. Rudder shift time – 9.2 s. Surface detectability – 10.4 km. Air detectability – 6.4 km. Detectability after firing main guns in smoke  – 5.9 km.

Available consumables:
1 slot – Damage Control Party
2 slot – Hydroacoustic Search / Defensive AA Fire
3 slot – Fighter

All stats are listed without crew and upgrade modifiers but with best available modules. The stats are subject to change during the testing.

Ship naming reasons

In the historical tradition of many countries, there are legendary battles like the Battle of Thermopylae which immortalized the 300 Spartans, or the Battle of the Alamo. They have become legendary national myths.

In Spain, one of these stories is the long defense of the city of Numancia against the Roman legions by the native Celtiberians in the 2nd century BC. It became a symbol of heroism, sacrifice, and national glory. Cervantes himself dedicated a play to the siege of Numancia. During the Napoleonic invasion of Spain, the myth of this event received renewed attention, and in 1818 a warship—a 74-cannon sailing ship—was named Numancia for the first time.

When the ruins of the historic city of Numancia were discovered in 1860, the armored frigate which came into service four years later received the same name. It served in the Spanish Navy for almost half a century, going down in history as the first battleship to circumnavigate the globe during the First Pacific War (1864-1871). Numancia is now the name of a missile frigate in the Spanish Navy. However, in the late 1930s, when our ship could have been built, the name was vacant. We decided that the new cruiser would be worthy of that historic name.

Italian battleship Ruggiero di Lauria, Tier X

In 1921, engineer Ferdinando Cassone presented the idea of a battlecruiser with eight 457-mm guns and a speed of 35-40 knots. This ship was the largest ever designed for the Italian Navy. To reduce overall length, it was proposed to place the boilers above the engines: in a “two-level” power plant. The anti-torpedo protection was also unique—detonations would be directed to an expansion chamber overboard, from where the gases would be diverted through special channels.

The Ruggiero di Lauria is armed with eight 457mm guns in four turrets. The guns fire very powerful SAP shells, as well as AP shells with standard characteristics, and also have a short firing range.

The ship has high speed, good armor and a low detectability range. Among the disadvantages: a high positioned citadel, low HP pool, and low maneuverability. Her equipment is represented by the improved Repair Party, which restores 33% of the damage received to the citadel, as well as a choice between Fighter and Spotting Aircraft.

Ship parameters

Italian battleship Ruggiero di Lauria, tier X

Hit points – 79200. Plating – 32 mm.
Torpedo protection – 39 %.

Main battery – 4×2 457 mm. Firing range – 19.2 km.
Maximum AP shell damage – 14900. AP initial velocity – 762 m/s.
Maximum SAP shell damage – 16600. SAP shell armor penetration – 114 mm. SAP initial velocity – 757 m/s.
Reload time – 30.0 s. 180 degree turn time – 30.0 s. Maximum dispersion – 210 m. Sigma – 1.80.

Airstrike (DC):
Reload time – 30.0 s. Available flights – 2. Number of Aircraft in Attacking Flight – 1. Maximum range – 11.0 km. Number of Bombs in Payload – 2. Maximum bomb damage – 4900.0.

Secondary Armament:
8×2 135.0 mm, range  – 7.3 km. Maximum SAP shell damage – 3050. SAP shell initial velocity – 875 m/s

AA defense: 6×4 37.0 mm., 20×6 20.0 mm., 10×2 37.0 mm., 8×2 135.0 mm.
AA defense short-range: continuous damage per second – 252, hit probability – 70 %, action zone – 2.0 km;
AA defense mid-range: continuous damage per second – 392, hit probability – 75 %, action zone – 3.5 km;
AA defense long-range: continuous damage per second – 70, hit probability – 75 %, action zone – 4.6 km;
Number of explosions in a salvo – 4, damage within an explosion – 1540, action zone 3.5 – 4.6 km.

Maximum speed – 35.0 kt. Turning circle radius – 1000 m. Rudder shift time – 17.0 s. Surface detectability – 15.2 km. Air detectability – 12.5 km. Detectability after firing main guns in smoke  – 16.7 km.

Available consumables:
1 slot – Damage Control Party
2 slot – Repair Party
3 slot – Fighter/Spotting Aircraft

All stats are listed without crew and upgrade modifiers but with best available modules. The stats are subject to change during the testing.

Ship naming reasons

In Europe, the 13th century was the height of medieval chivalry, with myriad campaigns and battles. Many will name the great kings and famous commanders of that era, but it is unlikely that they will easily recall the outstanding naval commanders. But they did exist.

Ruggiero di Lauria (1250-1305)—an Italian in the service of the Spanish kingdom of Aragon, the strongest maritime power of its time, stretching along the shores of the Western Mediterranean. The talented naval commander rightly carried the honorary title of Grand Admiral of the kingdom, regularly defeating French squadrons off the coast of Italy, Spain, and Malta. Not surprisingly, in the Navy of the united Italy, the name Ruggiero di Lauria was given to the lead battleship of a series of three ships, which at the time of its laying down in 1881 was the most powerful in the world. The other two were named after famous Venetian naval commanders Francesco Morosini and Andrea Doria. The battleship served in the Regia Marina until 1909.

Even now the Great Admiral of the 13th century is not forgotten—the multipurpose patrol ship Ruggiero di Lauria is currently under construction at the shipyard in La Spezia. We decided that our new Italian battleship could be no less worthy of this glorious knightly name.

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

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