Captains! In Update 13.3, two new ships will be entering testing: a fiery Pan-Asian cruiser and a fierce American destroyer with a fighting reputation. Read on for details.
Pan Asian cruiser Incheon, Tier X
An alternative design for a heavy cruiser equipped with rapid-firing artillery, developed in the United States in the 1940s. Had she been implemented in metal, the ship could have joined the Republic of Korea Navy in the 1950s. She was named after the city of Incheon, one of the most important ports in the country.
Blending characteristics from both USN heavy cruisers and Pan-Asian cruisers, artillery enthusiasts are sure to enjoy Incheon. Her main battery of four twin 203mm autoloading turrets gives her excellent damage output, with both high penetration HE shells and AP shells with improved ricochet angles. Her concealment and short cooldown Pan-Asian smoke generator will allow her to play aggressively and create her own cover, while access to deepwater torpedoes and a Torpedo Reload Booster, with similar characteristics to those found on Jinan, will help deter enemies from getting too close. However, the low number of tubes will make these more of a supplement to her main battery. Incheon shares typical weaknesses with those of her tech-tree sisters; a lack of Hydroacoustic Search and no Surveillance Radar will limit her options for dealing with enemy destroyers, while poor ballistics, short range, and bad turret angles will make open-water combat difficult.
In gameplay, captains will want to use Incheon’s concealment and Smoke Generator to take good positions and put her main battery to work. Enemy battleships will be her primary target, but with spotting support from her teammates, Incheon may also engage in favorable trades with enemy cruisers and destroyers. Be wary of finding yourself alone and make sure to keep an eye on enemy Radar-equipped ships; if spotted at an inopportune time, Incheon may quickly find herself in severe danger of being sunk.
The permanent camouflage for Incheon is still a work in progress.
Pan Asian cruiser Incheon, Tier X
Hit points – 48600. Plating – 25 mm. Fires duration: 30 s.
Torpedo protection – 16 %.
Main battery – 4×2 203 mm. Firing range – 16.1 km.
Maximum HE shell damage – 2800. HE shell armor penetration – 34 mm. Chance to cause fire – 14%. HE initial velocity – 823 m/s.
Maximum AP shell damage – 5000. AP initial velocity – 762 m/s.
Reload time – 6.0 s. 180-degree turn time – 30.0 s. Maximum dispersion – 144 m. Sigma – 2.05.
Airstrike (DC):
Reload time – 30.0 s. Available flights – 2. Number of Aircraft in Attacking Flight – 1. Maximum range – 8.0 km. Number of Bombs in Payload – 2. Maximum bomb damage – 4900.0.
Torpedo tubes – 2×4 533 mm.
Equipped with deepwater torpedoes that can not hit the destroyers and submarines.
Maximum damage – 17900. Range – 13.5 km. Speed – 69 kt. Reload time – 125 s. Launcher 180-degree turn time – 7.2 s. Torpedo detectability – 0.8 km.
Secondary Armament:
6×2 127.0 mm, range – 7.3 km.
Maximum HE shell damage – 1800. Chance to cause fire – 5%. HE initial velocity – 792 m/s
AA defense: 12×2 20.0 mm., 12×2 76.2 mm., 6×2 127.0 mm.
AA defense short-range: continuous damage per second – 147, hit probability – 85 %, action zone – 2.0 km;
AA defense mid-range: continuous damage per second – 413, hit probability – 90 %, action zone – 4.0 km;
AA defense long-range: continuous damage per second – 105, hit probability – 90 %, action zone – 5.8 km;
Number of explosions in a salvo – 5, damage within an explosion – 1680, action zone 3.5 – 5.8 km.
Maximum speed – 33.0 kt. Turning circle radius – 800 m. Rudder shift time – 11.2 s. Surface detectability – 13.8 km. Air detectability – 8.0 km. Detectability after firing main guns in smoke – 8.5 km.
Available consumables:
1 slot – Damage Control Party (Duration time 5 s; Reload time 60 s; Equipment is unlimited)
2 slot – Smoke Generator (Duration time 30 s; Smoke screen dispersion time 70 s; Radius 450.0 m; Reload time 110 s; Charges 3)
3 slot – Defensive AA Fire (Duration time 40 s; Average AA damage +50%; Damage within the explosion radius of shells fired from medium- and long-range AA defenses 300%; Reload time 80 s; Charges 3)
4 slot – Torpedo Reload Booster (Duration time 1 s; Torpedo reload time 8 s; Reload time 300 s; Charges 2)
5 slot – Repair Party (Duration time 28 s; HP per second 243.0; Reload time 80 s; Charges 3)
All stats are listed without crew and upgrade modifiers. The stats are subject to change during the testing.
American destroyer Johnston, Tier IX
A Fletcher-class destroyer that commenced her naval service in October 1943. The ship bears the name of Union Navy Lieutenant John W. Johnston, a distinguished hero of the American Civil War. Despite only brief combat service, USS Johnston engaged in numerous military campaigns that unfolded in the Pacific theater. The warship met her demise shrouded in glory during a fierce confrontation with a Japanese squadron under the command of battleship Yamato during the Battle off Samar on October 25, 1944.
Johnston isn’t just another Fletcher! Reflecting her fierce spirit, Johnston’s main battery of five 127mm guns will be supplemented with a burst fire mode and SAP shells. Combined with her good concealment, these will make her extremely deadly in short engagements with enemy destroyers. Her burst fire is somewhat unique in that Johnston will actually put out more damage per minute in this mode than firing normally; captains will want to make sure they hit their first shots, which may be a challenge considering her typically bad ballistics. Backing up her main battery is the expected load of ten torpedoes; with characteristics similar to Gearing’s, that will punch out to extreme range, albeit on a very long reload. Rounding out her arsenal are the Engine Boost and Defensive AA Fire consumables typically found on other USN destroyers, occupying the same slot.
In terms of playstyle, Johnston will favor getting up close and personal with enemy destroyers and making quick work of them with SAP and burst fire. Aim will be key – if a burst is missed, Johnston’s damage output will suffer, so captains may wish to use her normal firing mode to adjust their aim beforehand. Her long-duration American Smoke Generator and long-range torpedoes will allow her to put out damage on larger targets from safety as well, but of course, caution must be exercised when dealing with enemy Surveillance Radar.
The model for Johnston is still in development, so for testing purposes, we are using another ship – Frank Friday – with settings identical to Johnston.
American destroyers Johnston and Frank Friday, Tier IX
Hit points – 17100. Plating – 19 mm.
Main battery – 5×1 127 mm. Firing range – 12.5 km.
Maximum HE shell damage – 1800. HE shell armor penetration – 21 mm. Chance to cause fire – 5%. HE initial velocity – 792 m/s.
Maximum SAP shell damage – 2500. SAP shell armor penetration – 36 mm. SAP initial velocity – 792 m/s.
Reload time – 4.5 s. 180-degree turn time – 5.3 s. Maximum dispersion – 109 m. Sigma – 2.00.
Burst Fire:
Reload time – 9.0 s. Burst interval – 1.4 s. Shots in the series 3.
Depth charges:
Maximum damage – 5100.0. Number of charges – 2. Bombs in a charge – 12. Reload time – 40.0 s.
Torpedo tubes – 2×5 533 mm.
Maximum damage – 17900. Range – 13.5 km. Speed – 66 kt. Reload time – 170 s. Launcher 180-degree turn time – 7.2 s. Torpedo detectability – 1.4 km.
AA defense: 5×2 40.0 mm., 6×1 20.0 mm., 5×1 127.0 mm.
AA defense short-range: continuous damage per second – 53, hit probability – 95 %, action zone – 2.0 km;
AA defense mid-range: continuous damage per second – 112, hit probability – 100 %, action zone – 3.5 km;
AA defense long-range: continuous damage per second – 74, hit probability – 100 %, action zone – 5.8 km;
Number of explosions in a salvo – 4, damage within an explosion – 1540, action zone 3.5 – 5.8 km.
Maximum speed – 36.5 kt. Turning circle radius – 560 m. Rudder shift time – 3.0 s. Surface detectability – 7.2 km. Air detectability – 3.2 km. Detectability after firing main guns in smoke – 2.8 km.
Available consumables:
1 slot – Damage Control Party (Duration time 5 s; Reload time 40 s; Equipment is unlimited)
2 slot – Smoke Generator (Duration time 30 s; Smoke screen dispersion time 127 s; Radius 450.0 m; Reload time 160 s; Charges 3)
3 slot – Engine Boost (Duration time 120 s; Maximum speed +8%; Reload time 120 s; Charges 3)
3 slot – Defensive AA Fire (Duration time 40 s; Average AA damage +100%; Damage within the explosion radius of shells fired from medium- and long-range AA defenses 300%; Reload time 80 s; Charges 4)
All stats are listed without crew and upgrade modifiers. The stats are subject to change during the testing.
Please note that all information in the development blog is preliminary. Announced adjustments and features may change multiple times during testing.
