Yamato Bureau Project
Yamato · Tier ★ · Battleship · Japan · 12 segments. Updated 2026-08-31.
The Concept of the Future Battleship
Being restricted by international agreements, Japan wasn't able to build as many ships as their competitors in the Pacific Ocean - the United States and Great Britain. The idea of creating "super battleships" that would outmatch the most powerful warships of possible competitors became popular. However, having prepared several draft designs in the early 1930s, Japanese engineers understood that they would not be able to design a ship that would be significantly more powerful than the American Colorado or British Nelson under the existing treaties.
Project Design
A few years passed from the moment the decision was made to build new battleships without regard to international treaties to the moment when they actually went into production. From 1935 through 1937, several dozen versions of the project with different propulsion, armor, and artillery arrangements were considered. Ultimately, the ship design took the following shape: turbine propulsion, "All or nothing" armoring, and nine 460 mm guns arranged in three turrets along a linearly elevated scheme.
Designing the Ship Lines
It took a great deal of time and effort for the Japanese ship builders to create the optimal design and shape of the "super battleship's" hull. She was supposed to carry massive armament and armor protection, and ensure design integrity without adding weight beyond the limit. At the same time, she had to have ideal contours, so that her turbines would require as little energy and fuel as possible. Under those conditions, each line and each curve played a huge role, improving the battleship's speed and reducing her weight.
Building the Infrastructure
Creating a "super battleship" required corresponding infrastructure. There was only one shipyard in the country where a ship of such scale could be built. Other shipyards were reconstructed. It was necessary to build several docks of matching sizes for further ship maintenance. Special 450-ton crane vessels were created in order to lift armor plates for "super battleships," and dozens of workshops, production and storage facilities, where all required materials would be stored, were built.
Measures to Ensure Security
Both the design and building processes took place in an environment of utmost security. Very few people had access to the complete set of line drawings, and entry to shipyard territory was permitted only for those with photo ID cards that had been verified against the list of workers and engineers prepared in advance. The shipbuilding area where the hull of one of the battleships was supposed to be built was surrounded by a 30+ meter wall. To protect the wall from the wind, it was constructed of sisal mats that took 2,500 kilometers of rope to make!
Designing the Main Battery
Understandably, the "super battleship" also needed "superguns." The development of the corresponding artillery system began in 1934, long before ship construction began. It took five years to design. The gun, which was referred to as the "40 cm" to maintain secrecy, was in reality a 460 mm gun capable of firing a 1.5-ton shell over a distance of 42 kilometers. The turrets for these guns alone had a weight that could be compared to that of a large destroyer. In order to deliver turret mounts to the shipyard, special transport vessels were built.
Secondary armament
To be able to hit relatively small surface targets "not worthy" of main battery guns, it was planned to mount 155 mm guns in twelves. Their turrets were demounted from Mogami-class cruisers during their refurbishment. Long-range AA artillery was represented by the most effective systems Japan had at that time - 127 mm twin mounts that were covered by sophisticated light screens to protect them from powder blasts. The "Ultimate AA frontier" was maintained by numerous 25 mm automatic air defense guns.
Aircraft Equipment
Having one or several reconnaissance or spotting aircraft was an indispensable element of all large artillery-focused ships in the 1930s. New battleships of the Imperial Navy were supposed to receive seven hydroplanes each. They were launched with the help of a catapult that could propel the five-ton aircraft to speeds of up to 32 m/s. When the aircraft returned, it landed on the water next to the battleship and was lifted on board with the help of a special crane.
Building and Laying Down the Ship
The order for the construction of the first two "super battleships" was issued to shipyards immediately after the end of design works. The lead ship, later named Yamato, was laid down on November 4, 1937, at Kure Naval Base. The works in the building berths, hull assembly, installation of propulsion, and other construction took almost three years. By the time Yamato was launched, two more battleships had been laid down, and a third one was in preparation.
Building and Launching the Ship's Hull
The ceremony of the launch of Yamato's hull at the concealed boathouse of Kure Naval Base took place on the 8th of August 1940. The gigantic size and scale of the ships kept causing a lot of problems. For instance, the launch weight of same-type Musashi broke all records - it exceeded 35,000 tons. In order to move the gargantuan hull of the battleship, a large tugboat was designed and constructed. Yamato's fit-out works continued for one more year after her launch.
Commissioning the Ship
By October 1941, all superstructures were built, all guns mounted, key equipment installed, and reception tests for Yamato began. In one of her sailings, she was able to reach a speed of 27.4 knots, which exceeded the design characteristics. The combat unit was hurried into commission - the unpretentious ceremony of passing the ship into service took place earlier than planned, on December 16, 1941, after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Combat Readiness
December 16, 1941, was the date of the ship's official commissioning, but that didn't mean the battleship was ready for battle. Equipment installation was still ongoing and the crew still had to learn how to handle this unique new ship. This took months to do. It was not until February of 1942 that the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, Admiral Yamamoto, raised his flag on this battleship. In March and April, gun practice and testing of the main battery took place. Finally, on May 27 of 1942, Yamato went out to sea.
Segment titles and background come from the game itself. The patrons, fleet and trials each segment asks for are not published by the game, so they are not listed here.