GamingDiver / WoWs Legends Ships / Colbert
World of Warships: Legends ship guide

Colbert

Also called: 科尔贝尔 Beta
France · Tier ★ · CL Cruiser · Premium
HE fire-spam cruiserGuns farm HE fires and sustained DPM; Sonar contests islands and smoke without exposing the hull.
Playstyle
  • Work the islands rather than a firing line
  • Avoid: Pushing in blind because the kit says brawler
Key characteristics
High HE / fire outputHigh AP DPMLobs over islandsSonarEngine BoostFragile
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Community Data

Colbert Community Stats

Across 14,000+ Standard battles from 160+ players, Colbert averages a 62% win rate, 106,000 damage and 1.3 kills per battle, and survives 47% of them.

Community Data

Colbert Community Stats

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Playstyle

Overview

Colbert is a Legendary French light cruiser whose 127mm guns bring 536,870 HE DPM (1st of 19), with Sonar as her vision tool: it lets her contest islands and smoke without exposing the hull. She carries no torpedoes, so everything has to come through the guns and the sonar bubble. Sonar reaches 4.4 km. She also puts out cohort-best AP (664,696 AP DPM), making her a dual-threat gunship: keep AP up against broadsides and citadels, and switch to HE against bow-in ships, superstructures, and the thin or angled targets AP over-penetrates or bounces off. Standout traits: best Repair Party charges in Legendary CAs (3, 3rd of 21) and end-plate armor in Legendary CAs (32 mm, 3rd of 21). The trade is loose grouping in Legendary CAs (2, 21st of 21).

Positioning

Work the islands rather than a firing line. Sonar (4.4 km on ships, 3.1 km on torpedoes) is the whole kit, and it only pays inside that radius, so hold the cover beside a contested cap and use it to catch destroyers and torpedoes coming around the corner: HE into the destroyer, AP into any cruiser that shows you a broadside while it sits in smoke. Firing from a friendly smoke reveals you at 6.4 km, so pick the salvo rather than holding the trigger. Your guns lose penetration at range, so aim AP at broadsides you can still citadel and put HE into superstructures and upper-hull sections, rather than the bow-in or belt armor your shells bounce and shatter on. Once the rudder is over she turns tightly for her cohort (620 m), so a committed turn costs less water than most of what she is fighting.

Potato Avoidance

Pushing in blind because the kit says brawler

4.4-km Sonar is what makes the close fight winnable, and it only helps once you are already committed; it does not tell you what is waiting two islands over. Push when a destroyer is lit or a teammate holds vision, not to find out who is there.

Signature Traits

Engine Boost

+20% speed (about +6.6 kt), 180 s duration. Engine Boost consumable temporarily raises top speed. Mobility on demand to reposition, chase a kill, or break contact. Uncommon in Legendary CAs.

ELITE MAIN BATTERY ↗
  • HE DPM machine · 536870 HE
  • AP DPM machine · 664696 AP
ELITE REPAIR PARTY ↗
  • Extra heal charges · 3 Repair
  • Repairs citadel hits · 50%
ELITE ARMOR ↗
  • Thick end plates · 32 mm
  • Thick bow plate · 32 mm
Loose grouping ↗

Sigma 2, bottom decile of Legendary CAs. Shells scatter more; bracketing matters.

Fragile HP pool ↗

36100 HP, bottom decile of Legendary CAs. Trade hits sparingly.

Acquisition

How to get Colbert

Colbert is a Premium ship and not available to unlock in the Tech Tree. Acquisition paths: Research Bureau and Containers. Container chances are shown as the listed odds of receiving this exact ship, dividing grouped ship-pool odds across the resolved ships and including nested container paths when a crate can drop another crate.

While you save up, check active promo codes for free doubloons, camouflages, and other rewards.

Best listed chance for this ship

  • Spectral Vault 5.0 0.588235% Superprize: Premium Ship Archived · Spectral Vault 5.0 · 1 of 17 ships
  • Chest of Rarities 0.2% Legendary Tier ship Event · Chest of Rarities · 1 of 5 ships
  • Spectral Vault 4.0 0.147059% Superprize: Premium Ship Archived · Spectral Vault 4.0 · 2 paths combined · 1 of 17 ships
    Show 2 paths
    • Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.088235%
    • Spectral Vault 4.00.058824%
Show all 8 containers (5 more)
  • Spectral Vault 3.0 0.036765% Superprize: Premium Ship Archived · Spectral Vault 3.0 · 4 paths combined · 1 of 17 ships
    Show 4 paths
    • Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.017647%
    • Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.009706%
    • Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.006471%
    • Spectral Vault 3.00.002941%
  • Mystic Lantern 0.02% Superprize: Premium Ship Event · Mystic Lantern · 1 of 25 ships
  • Piñata Chest 0.02% Legendary Tier ship Event · Piñata Chest → Chest of Rarities · 1 of 5 ships
  • Spectral Vault 2.0 0.006618% Superprize: Premium Ship Archived · Spectral Vault 2.0 · 6 paths combined · 1 of 17 ships
    Show 6 paths
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.001765%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.001765%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.001176%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000971%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.000647%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.00.000294%
  • Spectral Vault 1.0 0.000963% Superprize: Premium Ship Archived · Spectral Vault 1.0 · 10 paths combined · 1 of 17 ships
    Show 10 paths
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000176%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000159%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000159%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.000106%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000097%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000087%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.000065%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.000058%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.00.000029%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.00.000026%
Official WG availability sources
  • Anniversary Update: New Horizons Bureau project 2022-07-21
    • Colbert is a fancy new French cruiser.
    • This is the first Bureau project to become available for Steel—3,000 pieces, to be precise.
Show direct source rows

Want the full picture? Each container page charts the odds as you open more crates - including pity guaranteed-reward timers and, for GD Supporters, pack math personalized to your port.

Builds

Pair with a commander whose unique skill complements her main armament; check the build tool for current recommendations.

Open in Build Tool →

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Cohort position

Hide ▾

Where Colbert sits among Legendary CAs (20 ships). Notable standouts are shown first; the rest of the cohort-ranked stats are in the expand below. Acquisition variants (Black Friday, Founders Edition) are counted once with their base ship, not as separate peers.

BestTurning circle620 m (1/21) BestMain battery reload3.2 s (1 of 2 tied) BestHE DPM536,870 (1/19) BestAP DPM664,696 (1/21) BestEffective HE DPM (incl. fire)683,600 (1/19) BestRepair charges3 (1 of 6 tied) BestEnd plates32 mm (1 of 4 tied / 1 of 4 tied) Top 10%Fires per minute17.9 (2/19) Top 10%AP arming threshold21 mm (3/21) Top 10%Displacement12,520 t (3/21) Top 25%Smoke fire bloom6.42 km (6/21) Top 25%Rudder shift9.3 s (6/21) Top 25%Main dispersion131.7 m (4/21) Bottom 25%Max speed33 kt (18/21) ShorterAP fuse timer0.01 s (19/21) Bottom 25%Flak damage per salvo (expected)2,277 (16/20) Bottom 10%Hit points36,100 HP (20/21) Bottom 10%AP pen at 10 km86 mm (20/21) WorstMain battery caliber127 mm (1 of 2 tied) WorstSigma2 (1 of 2 tied) WorstNo secondaries (8 of 21 in cohort) WorstAcceleration (0-12 kt)11.8 s (21/21) WorstEngine power87,000 hp (21/21) WorstPower / turn radius140.3 hp/m (21/21) WorstNo torpedoes (8 of 21 in cohort) WorstMax armor80 mm (21/21) WorstCitadel belt80 mm (21/21)
See 14 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Colbert -- here's where she sits on every other ranked stat in the cohort. Stats tagged NORM are tied across more than half the cohort, so the value is the cohort default rather than a standout.

Concealment13.5 km(13/21) Air detection8.1 km(13/21) Main battery range15.55 km(12/21) AP velocity808 m/s(13/21) HE velocity808 m/s(15/19) Time to 90% speed27 s(15/21) Power-to-weight6.95 hp/t(8/21) AA DPS504(16/21) AA range5.2 km(9/21) AA threat2,358(8/21) Repair heal rate0.66 %/s(7/21) NormAP ricochet start45°(14 of 21 tied at this value) NormAP auto-bounce angle60°(14 of 21 tied at this value) NormTurn speed retained81%(18 of 21 tied at this value)

Stats & specs

Customize in the Build Tool →
Survivability
Hit Points36,100
Displacement12,520 t
Hull dimensions
ƒLength x beam at the waterline, plus draft. Length matters when dodging torpedoes; beam and draft shape how hard the ship is to hit.
175 x 19.19 m
Armor range10–80 mm
Plate armor thicknesses10, 12, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 25, 32, 38, 40, 50, 80 mm
Armor material/layer entries70
Fire resistance
ƒtop hull: 1 − 0.6004 fire coefficient = 40%. Lowers how often hits set you on fire. It does not reduce the damage a burning fire does per second; fires burn at the full rate on every ship.
40%
Fire duration30 s
Fire damage
ƒOne unattended fire: 0.003 of max HP per second (0.3%) × 30 s = 0.09 of the pool; 0.09 × 36,100 HP = 3,249 HP on this ship. 4 fire points can burn at once.
0.3% of HP per second
Flood duration40 s
Flood damage
ƒOne unattended flood: 0.0025 of max HP per second (0.25%) × 40 s = 0.1 of the pool; 0.1 × 36,100 HP = 3,610 HP on this ship.
0.25% of HP per second
Torp Reduction
ƒ1 − 0.3 hull torpedo-damage coefficient / 0.333 unprotected baseline = 10%. Reduces torpedo hit damage. It does not affect flooding: floods start as often and tick at the full rate.
10%
Magazine HP
ƒPer-turret powder-magazine HP, a separate pool from the ship's. Penetrating hits wear it down and the turret is likelier to be knocked out as it falls, so a larger pool keeps the guns firing through punishment that silences a peer's.
18,100
Steering gear HP
ƒDurability of the steering gears. As this pool drops, hits are likelier to jam the rudder; unlike most modules the steering can be knocked out and repaired but is never permanently destroyed.
10,800
Effective HP
ƒBase 36,100 HP plus everything Repair Party can restore: 0.0066 of max HP per second (0.66%) × 28 s × 36,100 HP = 6,671 HP per charge, × 3 charges = 20,014 HP. Ceiling, not a prediction: a charge only restores damage actually taken, and only the regeneratable share of it. In practice ships realize about half of this, mostly because half the charges go unspent; a charge that is used returns about 97% of the per-charge figure above.
56,114
Repairable: penetration60%
Repairable: citadel50%
Repairable: steering gear50%
Section HP
Bow section HP
ƒDamage saturation pool for the bow: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 2,400 = 4,800), then further hits on it deal half damage. A penetration deals 0.33 × the shell's max damage; once the section is saturated it deals exactly half of that (0.5 × 0.33 = 0.165 × max damage), so a 3,000-damage shell's pen goes from 990 to 495. Overpens (0.1 × max damage) and citadels (1.0 ×) ignore saturation. Pens on the ship's other, unsaturated sections still deal the normal 0.33 ×. A larger pool keeps that part of the ship taking full damage for longer; a small one saturates fast and protects the ship's HP.
2,400
Casemate section HP
ƒDamage saturation pool for the casemate: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 3,300 = 6,600), then further hits on it deal half damage. A penetration deals 0.33 × the shell's max damage; once the section is saturated it deals exactly half of that (0.5 × 0.33 = 0.165 × max damage), so a 3,000-damage shell's pen goes from 990 to 495. Overpens (0.1 × max damage) and citadels (1.0 ×) ignore saturation. Pens on the ship's other, unsaturated sections still deal the normal 0.33 ×. A larger pool keeps that part of the ship taking full damage for longer; a small one saturates fast and protects the ship's HP.
3,300
Auxiliary section HP
ƒDamage saturation pool for the auxiliary room: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 3,150 = 6,300), then further hits on it deal half damage. A penetration deals 0.33 × the shell's max damage; once the section is saturated it deals exactly half of that (0.5 × 0.33 = 0.165 × max damage), so a 3,000-damage shell's pen goes from 990 to 495. Overpens (0.1 × max damage) and citadels (1.0 ×) ignore saturation. Pens on the ship's other, unsaturated sections still deal the normal 0.33 ×. A larger pool keeps that part of the ship taking full damage for longer; a small one saturates fast and protects the ship's HP.
3,150
Hull section HP
ƒDamage saturation pool for the hull: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 27,100 = 54,200), then further hits on it deal half damage. A penetration deals 0.33 × the shell's max damage; once the section is saturated it deals exactly half of that (0.5 × 0.33 = 0.165 × max damage), so a 3,000-damage shell's pen goes from 990 to 495. Overpens (0.1 × max damage) and citadels (1.0 ×) ignore saturation. Pens on the ship's other, unsaturated sections still deal the normal 0.33 ×. A larger pool keeps that part of the ship taking full damage for longer; a small one saturates fast and protects the ship's HP.
27,100
Superstructure section HP
ƒDamage saturation pool for the superstructure: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 5,250 = 10,500), then further hits on it deal half damage. A penetration deals 0.33 × the shell's max damage; once the section is saturated it deals exactly half of that (0.5 × 0.33 = 0.165 × max damage), so a 3,000-damage shell's pen goes from 990 to 495. Overpens (0.1 × max damage) and citadels (1.0 ×) ignore saturation. Pens on the ship's other, unsaturated sections still deal the normal 0.33 ×. The superstructure is not exempt: it saturates exactly like the bow and stern, so shells aimed at it stop dealing full damage once this pool is used up. A larger pool keeps that part of the ship taking full damage for longer; a small one saturates fast and protects the ship's HP.
5,250
Stern section HP
ƒDamage saturation pool for the stern: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 2,100 = 4,200), then further hits on it deal half damage. A penetration deals 0.33 × the shell's max damage; once the section is saturated it deals exactly half of that (0.5 × 0.33 = 0.165 × max damage), so a 3,000-damage shell's pen goes from 990 to 495. Overpens (0.1 × max damage) and citadels (1.0 ×) ignore saturation. Pens on the ship's other, unsaturated sections still deal the normal 0.33 ×. A larger pool keeps that part of the ship taking full damage for longer; a small one saturates fast and protects the ship's HP.
2,100
Citadel section HP
ƒThis section has no practical saturation cap: every hit here keeps dealing its normal share of damage (on most ships the citadel; on many destroyers the casemate).
No saturation cap
Main Battery
These main guns are dual-purpose: they also fire at aircraft and feed the AA Defense card.
ModuleArtillery: 16×127 mm
Mounts / barrels8 mounts / 16 barrels
Reload time3.2 s
Firing range15.6 km
Turret traverse30 °/s
Turret armor10 mm
Turret traverse arcs
ƒHow far each mount can train, in degrees to either side of the mount's own facing. A rear turret with ±150° leaves a 60° blind wedge over the bow; one-sided arcs are wing mounts that cover a single side. The data does not say which way each mount faces, so the arcs are listed per mount without bow/stern angles.
2x 198° arc, ±136°, 2x 188° arc, ±140°, 2x ±150°
Guns to bear
ƒ180° − 136° (the most restricted aft-facing mount's arc) = 44° off bow; 180° − 140° (the most restricted forward-facing mount's arc) = 40° off stern. How far off the bow (or stern) the ship must angle before every main turret can fire: the widest blind wedge among the rear-facing (or forward-facing) mounts, from each mount's trainable arc.
44° off bow / 40° off stern
Shell Grouping (σ)2
Dispersion type
ƒIn practice: 6% tighter (better) horizontal dispersion and 6% less vertical spread at max range (15.6 km) than a standard cruiser: about 132 m wide × 79 m tall, against 140 m × 84 m. Also on this curve (225): AL Avrora, AL Yukikaze, AL Z24, Acasta, Achilles, Adriatico, Aigle, Akatsuki, Akizuki, Albany, Allen M. Sumner, Attilio Regolo and 213 more.
Standard destroyer
Max Horiz Disp
ƒHorizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range, from the dispersion model: σH=(R30·idealRadius−minRadiusidealDistance+minRadius)·30 =(1555530·8−0.51000+0.5)·30=131.7m
131.7 m at 15.6 km
Max Vert Disp
ƒVertical dispersion ellipse height at max range: σV=σH·radiusOnMax =131.7·0.6=79m
79 m at 15.6 km
Med Horiz Disp
ƒ50%-hit horizontal radius: σH,50=σH·0.6σ =131.7·0.62=39.5m
39.5 m at 15.6 km
Med Vert Disp
ƒ50%-hit vertical radius: σV,50=σV·0.6σ =79·0.62=23.7m
23.7 m at 15.6 km
Turret turn time
ƒ180 degrees / 30 deg/s traverse speed = 6 s.
6 s
Shells/min
ƒZero upgrades: 14 broadside guns x 60 / 3.286 s (3.2 s = 23 ticks) base reload = 255.7. All upgrades (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10% reload): 14 broadside guns x 60 / 3 s (2.9 s = 21 ticks) all-upgrades reload (3.2 s × 0.9 Main Battery Mod. 3 = 2.9 s) = 280.
Initial: 255.7 → 280
HE shells
HE alpha2,100
HE Velocity808 m/s
Fire Chance7%
HE fire DPM vs T8 BB146694
Effective HE DPM vs T8 BB683564
HE penetration
ƒ21 mm ≈ 127 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
21 mm
HE full-salvo alpha
ƒ2,100 HE damage x 14 broadside guns = 29,400.
29,400
HE DPM
ƒZero upgrades: 29,400 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 3.286 s (3.2 s = 23 ticks) base reload = 536,870. All upgrades (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10% reload): 29,400 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 3 s (2.9 s = 21 ticks) all-upgrades reload (3.2 s × 0.9 Main Battery Mod. 3 = 2.9 s) = 588,000.
Initial: 536,870 → 588,000
Fires/min
ƒZero upgrades: 255.7 shells/min × 0.07 (7% fire chance) = 17.9. All upgrades (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10% reload): 280 shells/min × 0.07 (7% fire chance) = 19.6.
Initial: 17.9 → 19.6
AP shells
AP alpha2,600
AP Velocity808 m/s
Min Ricochet45 deg
Guaranteed Ricochet60 deg
Fuse Timer0.01 s
Fuse Threshold21 mm
AP pen max range60 mm
AP overmatch
ƒfloor(127 mm caliber / 14.3) = 8 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
8 mm
AP Pen Close
ƒAP formula evaluated at muzzle velocity: P=10−7·K·m0.69·d−1.07·v01.38 =10−7·2200·32.50.69·0.127−1.07·8081.38=227.4mm.
227.4 mm point-blank
AP Pen Far
ƒSame formula at the ship's max firing range (15.6 km), where the shell has slowed to 308.6 m/s: P=10−7·2200·32.50.69·0.127−1.07·308.61.38=60.2mm.
60.2 mm at 15.6 km
AP full-salvo alpha
ƒ2,600 AP damage x 14 broadside guns = 36,400.
36,400
AP DPM
ƒZero upgrades: 36,400 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 3.286 s (3.2 s = 23 ticks) base reload = 664,696. All upgrades (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10% reload): 36,400 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 3 s (2.9 s = 21 ticks) all-upgrades reload (3.2 s × 0.9 Main Battery Mod. 3 = 2.9 s) = 728,000.
Initial: 664,696 → 728,000
AP AOE Radius
ƒAP shell over-penetration splash radius; scales with shell mass. Wickes 102mm = 3, standard 152mm CL ~ 20, Iowa 406mm ~ 270, Yamato 460mm = 400, Incomparable 650mm = 550 (max). Larger value = bigger splash damage area when AP over-pens.
10
AA Defense
AA mount points10
Maximum AA range
ƒLongest-reaching family on the in-game AA card. Base AirDefense aura max range is 4.5 km; dual-purpose mount auras extend it.
5.2 km
57 mm/60 ACAD Mle 195110×2 57mm
Far aura
Gunsmain battery (DP)
Continuous DPS
ƒEffective DPS in in-game units (raw aura damage × 3.5 × hit probability, summed per contributing aura) - matches the Close-range AA DPS headline's currency. Includes 129 from dual-purpose main battery firing as AA in this range band.
129
Range5.2 km
Medium aura
Guns57 mm/60 ACAD Mle 1951
Continuous DPS
ƒEffective DPS: 119 raw aura damage × 3.5 × 0.9 hit probability = 375 - the same in-game units as the Close-range AA DPS headline.
375
Range4.5 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒFar 129 + Medium 375 = 504
504
Flak
AA explosions
ƒEach ~2 s salvo fires 2 AA explosions in quick succession, each leaving 5 clouds ahead of the attacking squadron, plus 1 stray cloud farther out that appear off-beat between salvos - up to 11 clouds per salvo × 230 damage each. Planes that fly into a cloud take its damage; clouds dissipate before the next salvo lands. Defensive AA Fire, where fitted, multiplies the AA explosions within each salvo, and commander skills that raise the Number of AA explosions add to it.
2 per salvo, 5 clouds each + 1 outer cloud
Cloud damage
ƒDamage a plane takes for flying into one flak cloud, before any reductions.
230
Cloud spawn chance
ƒEach cloud in the pattern rolls this chance to spawn, so salvos average fewer clouds than the maximum. Often called flak 'hit chance', but spawned clouds always damage planes that fly into them - the roll is on spawning.
90%
Salvo interval
ƒA new flak salvo (the AA explosions above) fires roughly every 2 s.
every ~2 s
Fired by
ƒFlak keeps firing while at least one main battery mount is operational - even losing every dedicated AA mount does not stop it.
Main battery
Flak zone
ƒThe activation band: flak fires while attacking planes are inside it. Clouds are placed ahead of the planes' path, so clouds can land short of 2.5 km or past 5.2 km - once planes get inside the band, new salvos stop. AA range bonuses push the outer edge out; the 2.5 km inner edge does not move.
2.5-5.2 km
See the AA layers diagram ↓
Maneuverability
Engine power87,000 hp
Maximum speed33.0 kt
Turning circle radius620 m
Rudder shift time9.3 s
Engine power-boost threshold2.5 kt
Engine spool-up time15.3 s
Reverse spool-up time7.7 s
Reverse speed
ƒtop speed / 4 + 4.9 = 33 / 4 + 4.9 = 13.2 kt. Base value; speed modifiers scale it.
13.2 kt
Crash stop
ƒSeconds from top speed to a dead stop after ordering full reverse: reverse power winds in over the reverse spool-up while water drag does most of the braking, using the ship's own reverse-power ratio. The full curve is on the acceleration chart. Full reverse stops about a quarter faster than a plain Stop order from top speed.
28.9 s
Engine boost threshold (reverse)
ƒSpeed below which the engine's built-in power boost applies in reverse.
9.9 kt
Acceleration 0-90%
ƒTime to reach 90% of top speed (29.7 kt of 33.0 kt).
27 s
Acceleration 0-99%
ƒTime to reach 99% of top speed (32.7 kt of 33.0 kt). 99% rather than 100% because true top speed is asymptotic (thrust meets drag), so the last fraction of a knot is never quite gained.
42.3 s
Guns in a full turn
ƒWith the rudder hard over the hull turns 6.3°/s, so a target drifts across the bow at that rate. Turret traverse minus hull turn: 30 − 6.3 = +23.7°/s, so the guns hold the target through the turn. Main Battery Mod. 2 (+20% traverse) and Mod. 3 (−15%) move this line.
hold target (+23.7°/s spare)
See the full acceleration curve ↓
Concealment
Detectability by sea
ƒBase value, no camouflage. With a Grade IV permanent camo (or any disposable camo): 13.5 km x 0.955 = 12.89 km. Camouflage does not change detectability by air.
13.5 km
With Grade IV camouflage (sea)
ƒDetectability by sea 13.5 km x 0.955 (Grade IV permanent camo or any disposable camo) = 12.89 km.
12.89 km
Detectability by air8.1 km
Smoke firing penalty6.42 km
Detect when firing (sea)
ƒmax(main battery range, sea detectability 13.5 km) = 15.55 km. Equal to the ship's main battery range (never below base detectability): firing makes you visible to everyone you can reach.
15.55 km
Detect when firing (air)
ƒAir detectability 8.1 km + gun-firing bloom 2.54 km = 10.64 km. The bloom tracks main-battery caliber 127 mm × 0.020 = 2.54 km.
10.64 km
Detect when on fire (sea)
ƒSea detectability 13.5 km + 2.0 km while burning = 15.5 km.
15.5 km
Detect when on fire (air)
ƒAir detectability 8.1 km + 3.0 km while burning = 11.1 km.
11.1 km
Guaranteed Detect2 km
✦
Consumables
Damage Control Party∞ charges · 60 s reload · 5 s active
Choose one
Sonar2 charges · 180 s reload · 96 s active · 4.44 km ship detect
ƒDerived from the consumable's 30 m grid-unit range (km = grid units x 30 / 1000): 148×301000=4.44 km
· 3.12 km torpedo detect
ƒDerived from the consumable's 30 m grid-unit range (km = grid units x 30 / 1000): 104×301000=3.12 km
Defensive AA Fire3 charges · 140 s reload · 25 s active · ×2 flak burst boost
ƒRepeats the flak burst pattern ×2 within each salvo - more clouds in the air over the salvo, at the same spots.
Engine Boost2 charges · 120 s reload · 180 s active · +20% speed bonus
Repair Party3 charges · 80 s reload · 28 s active · 6,671 HP (18.5% of max HP) total heal (per charge)
ƒ0.0066 of max HP per second (0.66%) × 28 s effective active time = 0.185 of max HP × 36,100 HP = 6,671 HP: up to 18.5% of max HP restored per charge.
· 20,013 HP (55.5% of max HP) total heal (all charges)
ƒ0.185 of max HP per charge × 3 charges = 0.555 × 36,100 HP = 20,013 HP: up to 55.5% of max HP if the whole Repair Party loadout is used.
· 238 HP/s (0.66% of max HP) heal per second
ƒ0.0066 (0.66% of max HP) × 36,100 HP = 238 HP/s. WoWS heals a flat percent of MAX HP each second, so this rate holds at any health level.

Under the hood

Show ▾

All values are ship base stats with modifications and upgrade changes denoted inline.

The constants behind the formulas and the long tail: shell and dispersion inputs, fixed-range anchors, salvo math, layered AA. Click the formula chip on any row to see how it is calculated.

Main battery formulas

vs standard cruiser6% tighter H · 6% shorter V
H = horizontal, V = vertical spread. This ship's curve against the standard cruiser curve, both evaluated at this ship's max range (15.6 km) with the same model as Max Horiz/Vert Disp: horizontal 132 / 140 m − 1 = -6%, vertical 79 / 84 m − 1 = -6%. Shell grouping (σ) is separate: it sets how shells bunch toward the centre of this ellipse.
Shell scatter width @ 5 km52.5 m
(166.7 × (8 − 0.5) / 1000 + 0.5) × 30 = 52.5 m. Horizontal scatter at a fixed 5 km, from the same dispersion model as the rows below - a knife-fight-range anchor comparable across ships.
Shell scatter width @ 10 km90 m
(333.3 × (8 − 0.5) / 1000 + 0.5) × 30 = 90 m. How wide your shells scatter at 10 km, from the same dispersion model as the max-range figure above. Picking a fixed range makes this number directly comparable from ship to ship: max-range dispersion makes a longer-range gun look worse even when it's tighter at any common range. The interactive Dispersion tab on the Charts card plots the full curve from 0 to max range.
Shell scatter width @ 15 km127.5 m
(500 × (8 − 0.5) / 1000 + 0.5) × 30 = 127.5 m. Horizontal scatter at a fixed 15 km, from the same dispersion model - the long-range anchor. Only shown when the ship's guns reach 15 km.
Shell scatter height @ 5 km20.6 m
How tall the scatter ellipse is at a fixed 5 km, from the same model, comparable from ship to ship. The height/width ratio is a piecewise-linear curve through three points from the ship's own dispersion data: radiusOnZero=0.2 at 0 m, radiusOnDelim=0.5 at delim·Rmax=0.5·15555=7778 m, and radiusOnMax=0.6 at 15555 m. Below the kink: k=0.2+(0.5−0.2)·50007778=0.3929, so σV=σH·k=52.5·0.3929=20.6m.
Shell scatter height @ 10 km47.6 m
How tall the same scatter ellipse is at 10 km. Comparable from ship to ship for the same reason as the width value above. The height/width ratio is a piecewise-linear curve through three points from the ship's own dispersion data: radiusOnZero=0.2 at 0 m, radiusOnDelim=0.5 at delim·Rmax=0.5·15555=7778 m, and radiusOnMax=0.6 at 15555 m. Above the kink: k=0.5+(0.6−0.5)·10000−777815555−7778=0.5286, so σV=σH·k=90·0.5286=47.6m.
Shell scatter height @ 15 km75.6 m
How tall the scatter ellipse is at a fixed 15 km, from the same model. Only shown when the ship's guns reach 15 km. The height/width ratio is a piecewise-linear curve through three points from the ship's own dispersion data: radiusOnZero=0.2 at 0 m, radiusOnDelim=0.5 at delim·Rmax=0.5·15555=7778 m, and radiusOnMax=0.6 at 15555 m. Above the kink: k=0.5+(0.6−0.5)·15000−777815555−7778=0.5929, so σV=σH·k=127.5·0.5929=75.6m.
AP pen 5 km137 mm
AP penetration at a fixed 5 km, from the same ballistic curve as AP Pen Close/Far: the shell's impact velocity at that range fed through the AP formula P=10−7·K·m0.69·d−1.07·v1.38 =10−7·2200·32.50.69·0.127−1.07·560.61.38=137mm, where 560.6 m/s is the shell's speed when it arrives at 5 km (from 808 m/s at the muzzle). Fixed anchors make ships directly comparable at the same fighting distance; the Charts card plots the full curve.
AP pen 10 km86 mm
AP penetration at a fixed 10 km, from the same ballistic curve as AP Pen Close/Far: the shell's impact velocity at that range fed through the AP formula P=10−7·K·m0.69·d−1.07·v1.38 =10−7·2200·32.50.69·0.127−1.07·398.71.38=86mm, where 398.7 m/s is the shell's speed when it arrives at 10 km (from 808 m/s at the muzzle). Fixed anchors make ships directly comparable at the same fighting distance; the Charts card plots the full curve.
AP pen 15 km62 mm
AP penetration at a fixed 15 km, from the same ballistic curve as AP Pen Close/Far: the shell's impact velocity at that range fed through the AP formula P=10−7·K·m0.69·d−1.07·v1.38 =10−7·2200·32.50.69·0.127−1.07·313.81.38=62mm, where 313.8 m/s is the shell's speed when it arrives at 15 km (from 808 m/s at the muzzle). Fixed anchors make ships directly comparable at the same fighting distance; the Charts card plots the full curve.
HE flight time @ 10 km6.68 s
How long an HE shell takes to reach a target at a fixed 10 km, from the same numerically integrated trajectory the Charts card plots. The shell slows under quadratic air drag, adrag=kρv2, where ρ is air density from a standard-atmosphere profile and k bundles the shell's drag coefficient, caliber and mass: k=πCdd28m=π·0.3079·0.12728·31.5=6.19×10−5. That runs from a 808 m/s muzzle velocity in 0.02 s steps under gravity 9.8 m/s² until the shell lands, then divides by 2.77 because the game clock runs faster than real time. Lower is better, since a faster shell is harder to dodge and needs less lead.
AP flight time @ 10 km6.6 s
How long an AP shell takes to reach a target at a fixed 10 km, from the same numerically integrated trajectory the Charts card plots. The shell slows under quadratic air drag, adrag=kρv2, where ρ is air density from a standard-atmosphere profile and k bundles the shell's drag coefficient, caliber and mass: k=πCdd28m=π·0.3079·0.12728·32.5=6×10−5. That runs from a 808 m/s muzzle velocity in 0.02 s steps under gravity 9.8 m/s² until the shell lands, then divides by 2.77 because the game clock runs faster than real time. Lower is better, since a faster shell is harder to dodge and needs less lead.
Guns per full salvo (alpha, DPM)14
Counted from each mount's firing arc: most barrels that bear at once: 14 of 16, 60° off the bow; 12 abeam.

Model inputs

Krupp (AP)2,200
Armor-penetration constant of the AP shell; penetration scales straight with it, so a 10% higher Krupp is 10% more penetration at every range.
AP shell mass32.5 kg
Enters penetration as mass^0.69 and slows the shell's drag deceleration, so a heavier shell keeps more velocity at range.
AP drag coefficient0.3079
Air drag on the AP shell in flight; lower keeps velocity, and with it penetration, at long range.
AP muzzle velocity808 m/s
Starting speed of the AP shell; penetration scales with velocity^1.38.
HE muzzle velocity808 m/s
Starting speed of the HE shell; sets its flight time and lead.
idealRadius8
Horizontal dispersion growth per idealDistance of range, in 30 m units; the slope of the scatter-width line.
minRadius0.5
Horizontal dispersion at zero range, in 30 m units; the intercept of the scatter-width line.
idealDistance1,000 m
Range step over which horizontal dispersion grows by idealRadius.
taperDist4,000 m
Inside this range the scatter width tapers toward minRadius instead of following the line.
radiusOnZero0.2
Vertical scatter as a share of horizontal at zero range.
radiusOnDelim0.5
Vertical scatter as a share of horizontal at the delim point.
radiusOnMax0.6
Vertical scatter as a share of horizontal at maximum range.
delim0.5
Where the vertical-scatter curve bends, as a share of maximum range.

AA defense

AA DPS at max range129
Only families that reach 5.2 km contribute at the outer edge of the AA bubble. In-game families: 57mm 60 2 25 10x2 -> 375 DPS @ 4.5 km; Far AA (?) -> 129 DPS @ 5.2 km.
AA DPS layered by range129 DPS @ 5.2 km, 504 DPS @ 4.5 km
@ 5.2 km: 129 from one family; @ 4.5 km: 375 + 129 = 504. Cumulative AA DPS at each family range threshold. Inner ranges stack the outer families, so a target closing the distance hits stronger AA bubbles as it crosses each band.
AA DPS at point-blank504
375 + 129 = 504 DPS: the sum of every family's average DPS, achievable only inside the closest-range family (4.5 km).
AA threat index2358
375 × 4.5 + 129 × 5.2 = 2358. SUM over AA auras of (aura DPS x aura range km). A plane crossing the AA bubble is exposed to each aura for a time proportional to that aura's range, so long-reach DPS is worth more than the same DPS in a short bubble. Units: DPS*km; used to rank overall AA threat across the cohort.
Open in Charting Tool

Ship Charts

Background

Designed and built after World War II, and equipped with powerful dual-purpose 127 mm artillery, this relatively small cruiser was primarily used for AA defenses.

Armor Beta

Hull HP 36,100, distributed across 5 hull zones, each with its own plate thicknesses, saturation cap, and pen thresholds.

Bow & stern32 mm

Overmatched by 7 AP guns here: Incomparable SE 25IncomparableYamato and 4 more. Angling still helps against the rest.

Belt / citadel80 mm

Thin belt: battleship AP citadels straight through it broadside. Rely on angle, speed and concealment, never sit flat.

Farming10 mm

Superstructure and extremities take HE pens and AP overpens from nearly any gun: steady chip damage. Fire resistance 40%, fires burn 30s. Range-by-range in the Compare tool →

Section Plates HP cap Threats Tactic
Bow32 mm2,400 (7% of HP)
Overmatched by 460mm+ AP (Aki, Musashi)Angle bounces 410mm32 mm: HE pens from 203mm+
Bow-tank fits behind this exterior plate. Saturation is FAST here; the cap is often only a few thousand HP.
Hull (midship)15 mm primary (range 10–50 mm)27,100 (75% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ AP (Gouden Leeuw)Angle bounces 203mm15 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Largest HP pool. Citadel sits behind these plates; thinner deck and side plating absorb the rest.
Stern32 mm primary (range 10–32 mm)2,100 (6% of HP)
Overmatched by 460mm+ AP (Aki, Musashi)Angle bounces 410mm32 mm: HE pens from 203mm+
Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel80 mm primary (range 32–80 mm)≈ 165,500 (effectively no cap)
Citadel pen: full damageOver-pen: ×0.10 damage
Effectively no cap; citadel pool sits at ~165k HP on every ship. An AP citadel penetration deals the shell's full damage, the biggest single hit available; only over-penetrations are damped, to ×0.10.
Superstructure10 mm primary (range 10–50 mm)5,250 (15% of HP)
Any HE ≥16 mm pens at full damageDamage multiplier ×0.6
Any HE ≥16 mm pens at full damage. HE-spam target, and the section saturates fast (often only a few thousand HP).
Turret (module, per magazine)separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP18,100 magazine HPTurret knocked outPer-turret powder-magazine HP, a separate pool that does not drain ship HP. As it is worn down the turret is likelier to be knocked out, and a smaller pool gets there faster.
AA mount (57 mm mount)separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP200 per-mount HPDestroyed at 0 HPPer-mount HP for the heaviest AA on this ship. An AA mount destroyed at 0 HP stops shooting down planes for the rest of the battle; DCP does not repair destroyed mounts. HE shells specifically target AA mounts since the small-caliber HP pool falls fast.
Rudder (module)separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP10,800 module HPIncapacitated at 0 HPWhen module HP reaches 0 the rudder locks at its current angle until DCP repairs it. Repair via Damage Control Party.

Saturation cap = HP a section can absorb before further damage to it is reduced (the "bow-tank" effect). Citadel pool is ~165k on every ship (effectively no cap); damage is gated by pen/over-pen multipliers instead. Superstructure saturates fast but HE always pens regardless of the plate thickness. Rudder (and other module HPs) are a separate pool from ship HP: damaging a module doesn't drain ship HP. Incapacitated modules like the rudder and engine are restored by DCP, but secondary and AA mounts destroyed at 0 HP stay out for the rest of the battle.

Balance History

Balance updates affecting Colbert. Cards are condensed; use each source link for full context.

Buff ×2Main Battery ×1Consumable ×1
2023-03-02

Ministry of Balance Reports: Buffs, Nerfs, and Commanders

  • Colbert is a tremendous ship in the right hands, but she has poor battle impact and a poor winrate while her damage output is also lacking in all but the most experienced player's hands.
  • Main battery reload time reduced from 3.5 to 3.2 s.
  • Amount of HP restored by Repair Party increased from 180 to 238 per second.
Read the full official post
Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

Every custom exterior Colbert can equip.

Primary official WG sources

Filtered to official World of Warships: Legends pages where this ship is a focus, reward, line member, or high-context variant mention.

2021-12-16 · Patch notes Holiday Update: Chilling With the Beasts Patch notes 2022-07-21 · Patch notes Anniversary Update: New Horizons Patch notes 2025-02-27 · Patch notes March Update: Thirst for Combat Patch notes