GamingDiver / WoWs Legends Ships / Defence

World of Warships: Legends ship guide

Defence

Also called: 防卫 Beta

U.K. · Tier ★ · CB Cruiser · Premium

Super-cruiserHeavy-caliber guns on a cruiser body: bully cruisers with AP, avoid battleship brawls.

Playstyle

Hold 14-17 km from a contested cap with an island close enough to shadow back into, and bow toward the closest BB
Avoid: Trading the super-heal advantage in open water

Key characteristics

356 mm AP overmatchHeavy, fast torpedoesHeavy AP penHeavy HE shellsWide always-pen zoneLow AP DPM

On this page

Community stats
Playstyle
How to get Defence
Builds
Cohort position
Stats and specs
Charts
Background
Armor
Exteriors

Community Data

Defence Community Stats

Across 19,000+ Standard battles from 300+ players, Defence averages a 67% win rate, 113,000 damage and 1.4 kills per battle, and survives 52% of them.

Community Data

Defence Community Stats

Log in to GamingDiver and upload your data to see Community Data for Defence: community win rate, damage, survival, spotting, and your own comparison.

Playstyle

Overview

Defence is a Legendary British super-cruiser: a battleship-sized hull with a 356mm main battery on a cruiser frame. She is built to overmatch broadside cruisers with AP, not to brawl with battleships. She also packs the super-heal (2%/s, for 20 s, every 80 s, 2 charges): each Repair Party charge returns dramatically more HP than a standard heal, so her durability comes from sustain alongside the lead trait. Sonar (5 km on ships and 3.5 km on torpedoes, 100 s active, 180 s reload, long uptime) lights up DDs and torpedoes inside its bubble, which lets her contest the cap edge without taking the spotting cycle. HE pen sits at the 1/4 caliber ratio instead of the standard 1/6, so HE damages angled targets her AP can't, but her HE volume is low: a tool for bow-on targets, not a damage plan. Standout traits: heavy AP shells in Legendary CAs (10,500, 2nd of 21) and AP overmatch threshold in Legendary CAs (24.8 mm, 2nd of 21). The trade is AP DPM in Legendary CAs (210,000, 19th of 21).

Positioning

Hold 14-17 km from a contested cap with an island close enough to shadow back into, and bow toward the closest BB. The heavy bow plate lets you hold the angle against same-tier guns, which is the protection the citadel needs; the hull does not tank battleship volleys broadside even if it can absorb them bow-on. The big guns reach for full AP citadels at that distance. Shooting from the cloud gives you away at 11 km, wider than a destroyer's own concealment here (about 7.1 km), so one can watch you shoot for 3.9 km before you know it is there, with the smoke holding you broadside and stopped. Treat it as cover to leave from, not a firing position. Vision is mutual: past the 2 km guaranteed ring you cannot see out either, and only your Sonar bubble sees out; past that you are shooting at what a teammate holds lit. Enemy sonar (about 4.9 km) and radar (about 9.9 km) read straight in regardless. At 600 m the screen is wider than standard, so it can cover a teammate holding the same line as well as your own hull.

Potato Avoidance

Trading the super-heal advantage in open water Parking in smoke to trade

The kit rewards finishing the trade behind cover so the heal recovers what the salvo took; sustained open-water exposure burns through all 2 charges before the cooldown completes. Your gunfire shows at 11 km while a destroyer at this tier is only spotted at about 7.1 km, so it can sit inside your bloom watching you shoot with no way for you to see it, and the whole point of farming from smoke is that you are stopped and side-on. That is a free torpedo solution on a stationary broadside. Keep moving and use the cloud to break off, not to stand and fight.

Signature Traits

ELITE MAIN BATTERY ↗

Heavy AP shells · 10500 damage
Big-caliber AP overmatch · 24.8 mm
Heavy HE shells · 6100 damage

Deep effective HP ↗

109080 effective HP once Repair Party is counted, top decile of Legendary CAs. Absorbs more total punishment than the raw HP pool suggests.

Heavy torpedoes ↗

19567 damage per torpedo, top decile of the 13 Legendary CAs with torpedoes.

ELITE REPAIR PARTY ↗

Fast heal cycle · 24240 HP
Super-heal

MAIN BATTERY DOWNSIDES ↗

Low AP DPM · 210000 AP
Stiff AP fuse · over-pens plate under 59 mm

Acquisition

How to get Defence

Defence is a Premium ship and not available to unlock in the Tech Tree. Acquisition paths: Campaign 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.

CampaignEarned in the campaign “To tame a Dreadnought” (Apr 2020); campaign ships can later return through other limited methods.
ContainersAppears in official container odds below; availability depends on the container being sold or awarded.

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

Best listed chance for this ship

Mystic Lantern 0.02% Superprize: Premium Ship Event · Mystic Lantern · 1 of 25 ships

Official WG availability sources

"The Best Form of Offence" Campaign Breakdown Campaign Start: 2024-12-16 · End: 2025-01-26
- To successfully complete "The Best Form of Offence" campaign and unlock British Legendary cruiser Defence, you must accumulate 2,970 Renown with an active Admiralty Backing.
Holiday Update: Glimpse Into the Future Campaign Start: 2024-12-12
- Meet the new Legendary British cruiser Defence—the main reward of this holiday campaign!
- To obtain Defence, complete the 100 campaign milestones within 6 weeks.

Show direct source rows

Mystic Lantern 0.02% · Superprize: Premium Ship

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.

Bruce Fraser

WG official

InspirationsGunichi Mikawa · Francesco Mimbelli

WG official build from Through the Spy Glass: Defence.

Source: Through the Spy Glass: Defence

Open in Build Tool →

Commanders frequently paired with this ship Bruce Fraser

Have a build you swear by? Open it in the Build Tool and hit Save build to share it here, or browse the Ship Builds guide for proven loadouts across the fleet.

Cohort position

Hide ▾

Where Defence 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.

BestHE shell damage6,100 (1/19) BestHE fire chance41% (1/19) BestSecondary HE alpha1,900 (1/13) BestSecondary HE pen22 mm (1 of 2 tied) BestAP ricochet start60° (1 of 5 tied) BestTurn speed retained94.5% (1/21) BestRepair heal rate2 %/s (1 of 3 tied) Top 10%Main battery caliber356 mm (2/21) Top 10%Time to 90% speed11 s (3/21) Top 10%Acceleration (0-12 kt)3.8 s (3/21) Top 10%AP auto-bounce angle67.5° (3/21) Top 25%Hit points60,600 HP (6/21) Top 25%Stealth profile12.59 km / 7.55 km (6/21 / 5/21) Top 25%Main battery range16 km (6/21) Top 25%Secondary fire chance8% (3/13) Top 25%AP pen at 10 km427 mm (4/21) Top 25%Torpedo damage≈19,567 (3/13) Top 25%Torpedo speed67 kt (3/13) Top 25%Torpedo reload90 s (3/13) Top 25%Citadel belt229 mm (4/21) Bottom 25%Max speed33 kt (18/21) Bottom 25%Smoke fire bloom11 km (19/21) Bottom 25%AP DPM210,000 (19/21) Bottom 25%Secondary DPM (per side)135,830 (12/14) ShorterAP fuse timer0.015 s (17/21) Bottom 25%Power / turn radius155.8 hp/m (17/21) Bottom 25%Effective HE DPM (incl. fire)189,217 (16/19) Bottom 25%AA range4.5 km (19/21) Bottom 25%Torpedo reaction time9.4 s (11/13) Bottom 10%AP arming threshold59 mm (20/21) Bottom 10%Power-to-weight4.33 hp/t (20/21) Bottom 10%Flak damage per salvo (expected)1,512 (19/20) WorstAP velocity757 m/s (21/21) WorstHE velocity757 m/s (19/19)

See 18 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Defence -- 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.

Rudder shift12.7 s(15/21) Turning circle770 m(9/21) Main battery reload18 s(14/21) Sigma2.05(13/21) Fires per minute8.2(13/19) HE DPM122,000(15/19) Main dispersion143.4 m(13/21) Engine power120,000 hp(15/21) Displacement27,733 t(16/21) AA DPS624(8/21) AA threat2,253(11/21) Torpedo range9.99 km(9/13) Max armor229 mm(7/21) Bow armor25 mm(13/21) Stern armor25 mm(13/21) NormSecondary dispersion bracket57(11 of 14 tied at this value) NormSecondary range5 km(11 of 14 tied at this value) NormRepair charges2(15 of 21 tied at this value)

Peers in this cohort

Compare Legendary Cruisers

Show all 20 peers

Stats & specs

Customize in the Build Tool →

Survivability

Hit Points60,600

Displacement27,733 t

Hull dimensions

Length x beam at the waterline, plus draft. Length matters when dodging torpedoes; beam and draft shape how hard the ship is to hit.

220.5 x 26.8 m

Armor range16–229 mm

Plate armor thicknesses16, 19, 20, 25, 30, 38, 40, 45, 51, 76, 89, 102, 127, 152, 178, 203, 210, 229 mm

Armor material/layer entries61

Fire resistance

top 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 duration45 s

Fire damage

One unattended fire: 0.003 of max HP per second (0.3%) × 45 s = 0.135 of the pool; 0.135 × 60,600 HP = 8,181 HP on this ship. 4 fire points can burn at once.

0.3% of HP per second

Flood duration40 s

Flood damage

One unattended flood: 0.0025 of max HP per second (0.25%) × 40 s = 0.1 of the pool; 0.1 × 60,600 HP = 6,060 HP on this ship.

0.25% of HP per second

Torp Reduction

1 − 0.262 hull torpedo-damage coefficient / 0.333 unprotected baseline = 21%. Reduces torpedo hit damage. It does not affect flooding: floods start as often and tick at the full rate.

21%

Magazine HP

Per-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.

30,300

Steering gear HP

Durability 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.

18,200

Effective HP

Base 60,600 HP plus everything Repair Party can restore: 0.02 of max HP per second (2%) × 20 s × 60,600 HP = 24,240 HP per charge, × 2 charges = 48,480 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.

109,080

Repairable: penetration60%

Repairable: citadel50%

Repairable: steering gear50%

Bow section HP

Damage saturation pool for the bow: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 3,700 = 7,400), 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.

3,700

Casemate section HP

Damage saturation pool for the casemate: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 5,600 = 11,200), 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.

5,600

Hull section HP

Damage saturation pool for the hull: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 45,500 = 91,000), 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.

45,500

Superstructure section HP

Damage saturation pool for the superstructure: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 4,100 = 8,200), 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 ×. 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.

4,100

Stern section HP

Damage saturation pool for the stern: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 4,800 = 9,600), 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.

4,800

Citadel section HP

This 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

ModuleArtillery: 356 mm/45 Mk.VII

Mounts / barrels3 mounts / 6 barrels

Reload time18 s

Firing range16 km

Turret traverse5 °/s

Turret armor305 mm

Turret traverse arcs

How 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 ±155°

Guns to bear

180° − 155° (the most restricted aft-facing mount's arc) = 25° off bow; 180° − 155° (the most restricted forward-facing mount's arc) = 25° 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.

25° off bow / 25° off stern

Shell Grouping (σ)2.05

Dispersion type

In practice: the baseline curve for a standard cruiser -- at max range (16.0 km) shells land in an ellipse about 143 m wide and 86 m tall. Also on this curve (215): AL Baltimore, AL Chapayev, AL Cheshire, AL Harbin, AL Montpelier, AL Tallinn, AL Zara, Aberdeen, Accord, Agano, Albemarle, Algérie and 203 more.

Standard cruiser

Max Horiz Disp

Horizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range, from the dispersion model:

σ_{H} = (\frac{R}{30} \cdot \frac{idealRadius - minRadius}{idealDistance} + minRadius) \cdot 30

= (\frac{16000}{30} \cdot \frac{8 - 1.1}{1000} + 1.1) \cdot 30 = 143.4 m

143.4 m at 16 km

Max Vert Disp

Vertical dispersion ellipse height at max range:

σ_{V} = σ_{H} \cdot radiusOnMax

= 143.4 \cdot 0.6 = 86 m

86 m at 16 km

Med Horiz Disp

50%-hit horizontal radius:

σ_{H, 50} = σ_{H} \cdot \frac{0.6}{σ}

= 143.4 \cdot \frac{0.6}{2.05} = 42 m

42 m at 16 km

Med Vert Disp

50%-hit vertical radius:

σ_{V, 50} = σ_{V} \cdot \frac{0.6}{σ}

= 86 \cdot \frac{0.6}{2.05} = 25.2 m

25.2 m at 16 km

Turret turn time

180 degrees / 5 deg/s traverse speed = 36 s.

36 s

Shells/min

Zero upgrades: 6 broadside guns x 60 / 18 s base reload = 20. All upgrades (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10% reload): 6 broadside guns x 60 / 16.286 s (16.2 s = 114 ticks) all-upgrades reload (18 s × 0.9 Main Battery Mod. 3 = 16.2 s) = 22.1.

Initial: 20 → 22.1

HE shells

HE alpha6,100

HE Velocity757 m/s

Fire Chance41%

HE fire DPM vs T8 BB67217

Effective HE DPM vs T8 BB189217

HE penetration

89 mm ≈ 356 mm caliber / 4 (improved HE penetration: German BBs, Yamato-class, and a handful of others).

89 mm

HE full-salvo alpha

6,100 HE damage x 6 broadside guns = 36,600.

36,600

HE DPM

Zero upgrades: 36,600 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 18 s base reload = 122,000. All upgrades (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10% reload): 36,600 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 16.286 s (16.2 s = 114 ticks) all-upgrades reload (18 s × 0.9 Main Battery Mod. 3 = 16.2 s) = 134,842.

Initial: 122,000 → 134,842

Fires/min

Zero upgrades: 20 shells/min × 0.41 (41% fire chance) = 8.2. All upgrades (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10% reload): 22.1 shells/min × 0.41 (41% fire chance) = 9.06.

Initial: 8.2 → 9.06

AP shells

AP alpha10,500

AP Velocity757 m/s

Min Ricochet60 deg

Guaranteed Ricochet67.5 deg

Fuse Timer0.015 s

Fuse Threshold59 mm

AP pen max range355 mm

AP overmatch

floor(356 mm caliber / 14.3) = 24 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).

24 mm

AP Pen Close

AP formula evaluated at muzzle velocity:

P = 10^{- 7} \cdot K \cdot m^{0.69} \cdot d^{- 1.07} \cdot v_{0}^{1.38}

= 10^{- 7} \cdot 2295 \cdot 721^{0.69} \cdot {0.356}^{- 1.07} \cdot 757^{1.38} = 610.7 mm

610.7 mm point-blank

AP Pen Far

Same formula at the ship's max firing range (16 km), where the shell has slowed to 510.7 m/s:

P = 10^{- 7} \cdot 2295 \cdot 721^{0.69} \cdot {0.356}^{- 1.07} \cdot {510.7}^{1.38} = 354.8 mm

354.8 mm at 16 km

AP full-salvo alpha

10,500 AP damage x 6 broadside guns = 63,000.

63,000

AP DPM

Zero upgrades: 63,000 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 18 s base reload = 210,000. All upgrades (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10% reload): 63,000 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 16.286 s (16.2 s = 114 ticks) all-upgrades reload (18 s × 0.9 Main Battery Mod. 3 = 16.2 s) = 232,105.

Initial: 210,000 → 232,105

AP AOE Radius

AP 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.

175

Torpedoes

ModuleTorpedoes: 622 mm PR Mk IV

Launchers / tubes2 launchers × 4 tubes = 8 tubes

Reload time90 s

Projectile speed67.0 kt

Range9.99 km

Maximum simulated damage

Most targets only intersect one hull section, so a hit transfers about 1/3 of the warhead alpha (2/3 when the warhead blast >= 5000 and the burst reaches a second section). For this ship:

D_{sim} = α \cdot c = 58, 700 \cdot 0.333 = 19, 567

. In battle, a hit on the torpedo belt deals the per-hit figure × (1 − the target's torpedo protection %), a bow or stern hit deals it in full, and a torpedo never counts as a citadel hit.

≈ 19,567

Maximum damage (ammunition)

58,700 warhead alpha / 3 + 1,500 blast = 21,067. Warhead alpha / 3 plus the blast addend: the per-torpedo damage figure. The 'Maximum simulated damage' row above applies target geometry to the same warhead.

21,067

Torpedo module damage

Per-torpedo module/blast damage parameter. Most torpedoes carry 500 to 2,000; ships announced by WG as dealing increased module damage carry 9,000 to 12,000, so their hits knock out engines, rudders, and turrets far more often. Comparative figure.

1,500

Torpedo detectability1.7 km

Reaction time

How long a target has to dodge after your torpedo is spotted at its detectability range (lower means less warning):

t_{react} = \frac{1.7 km}{67 kt \times 2.6855} = 9.4 s

. 2.6855 converts knots to m/s on the game clock. Base value; commander torpedo-concealment skills lower it further.

9.4 s

Flooding chance

This torpedo carries a flooding-chance value of 3.55 per hit, shown as

3.55 \times 100 = 355 %

. Values above 100% are normal: in battle the base chance is scaled down by the target's torpedo protection (the Torp Reduction stat on its Survivability card) and any flood-resistance modifiers, so a value above 100% keeps flooding likely even through partial protection.

355%

Torpedo launcher traverse12 °/s

Launch arcscentreline 0.2°

Torp Turn

Time to rotate the launchers 180 deg:

t_{turn} = \frac{180 °}{12 ° / s} = 15 s

15 s

Torp Arming210 m

Per-side salvo damage

One side firing, all torpedoes hitting: per-side tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 4 x 19,567 = 78,268. Each hit on the target's torpedo belt is reduced by its torpedo protection %.

78,268

AA Defense

AA mount points14

Maximum AA range

Longest-reaching family on the in-game AA card. Base AirDefense aura max range is 3.5 km; dual-purpose mount auras extend it.

4.5 km

40 mm Bofors Mk VI8×6 40mm

40 mm Bofors Mk IV6×2 40mm

134 mm/50 QF Mk I (DP)

Dual-purpose: your secondaries doing double duty against aircraft. The same mounts appear on the Secondary Battery card - shared guns, not extra hardware.

8×2 134mm

Guns134 mm/50 QF Mk I (DP)

Continuous DPS

Effective 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 69 from dual-purpose secondaries firing as AA in this range band.

Range4.5 km

Guns40 mm Bofors Mk IV + 40 mm Bofors Mk VI

Continuous DPS

Effective DPS: 176 raw aura damage × 3.5 × 0.9 hit probability = 554 - the same in-game units as the Close-range AA DPS headline.

554

Range3.5 km

Total DPS in Aura

Far 69 + Medium 554 = 623

623

AA explosions

Each ~2 s salvo fires 2 AA explosions in quick succession, each leaving 3 clouds ahead of the attacking squadron, plus 1 stray cloud farther out that appear off-beat between salvos - up to 7 clouds per salvo × 240 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, 3 clouds each + 1 outer cloud

Cloud damage

Damage a plane takes for flying into one flak cloud, before any reductions.

240

Cloud spawn chance

Each 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

A new flak salvo (the AA explosions above) fires roughly every 2 s.

every ~2 s

Fired by

Flak keeps firing while at least one secondary battery mount is operational - even losing every dedicated AA mount does not stop it.

Secondary battery

Flak zone

The 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 4.5 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.

2.5-4.5 km

See the AA layers diagram ↓

Secondary Battery

Mounts8

Firing range5.0 km

Shell Grouping (σ)1

Secondary DPM (per side)

Sum across all secondary families of (per-side barrels × 60 / reload_s × alpha), with each reload counted in whole 1/7 s ticks (guns fire on the first tick after the reload), where per-side barrels = mounts × barrels-per-mount / 2 (the guns that bear on one broadside target). Per-family: 8×2 134 mm (8/side) × 60/6.714 s (6.67 s = 47 ticks) × 1900 = 135,830. Assumes every shell hits (real hit rate is lower; the Brawl matchup tool on the Compare page folds in dispersion + target armor).

135,830

Secondary fire DPM vs T8 BB (per side)

Fires/min (per side) 5.7 × (1 − 0.4 fire resistance) × 60 s × 0.003 of max HP per second × 75,900 HP = 46,881. Per side: the barrels that bear on one broadside target (mounts × barrels / 2). A ceiling: assumes every shell hits and ignores the four-fire cap and Fire Prevention.

46,881

Total secondary DPM vs T8 BB (per side)

Secondary DPM (per side) 135,830 + secondary fire DPM 46,881 = 182,711: shell damage plus fire damage against one T8 battleship, every shell hitting.

182,711

134 mm/50 QF Mk I (DP)

Dual-purpose: the same mounts also fire at aircraft, so they appear on the AA Defense card too - shared guns, not extra hardware.

8×2 134mm

Caliber134 mm

Reload time6.67 s

HE alpha1,900

Muzzle Velocity792 m/s

Fire Chance8%

Secondary fires/min (per side)

8×2 barrels / 2 sides × 60 / 6.714 s (6.67 s = 47 ticks) × 0.08 (8% fire chance) = 5.7. Per side: the barrels that bear on one broadside target (mounts × barrels / 2). A ceiling: assumes every shell hits and ignores the four-fire cap and Fire Prevention.

5.7

HE Pen22 mm

Secondary dispersion type

Max dispersion = range (km) × 57 + 30. Each dispersion type sets its own slope; this is not a percentage applied to a standard baseline.

Standard

Max secondary dispersion @ 5 km

5 km × 57 + 30 = 315 m.

315 m

Maneuverability

Engine power120,000 hp

Maximum speed33.0 kt

Turning circle radius770 m

Rudder shift time12.7 s

Engine power-boost threshold31.2 kt

Engine spool-up time15.3 s

Reverse spool-up time7.7 s

Reverse speed

top speed / 4 + 4.9 = 33 / 4 + 4.9 = 13.2 kt. Base value; speed modifiers scale it.

13.2 kt

Crash stop

Seconds 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.

34.9 s

Engine boost threshold (reverse)

Speed below which the engine's built-in power boost applies in reverse.

11.0 kt

Acceleration 0-90%

Time to reach 90% of top speed (29.7 kt of 33.0 kt).

11 s

Acceleration 0-99%

Time 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.

28.2 s

Guns in a full turn

With the rudder hard over the hull turns 5.4°/s, so a target drifts across the bow at that rate. Turret traverse minus hull turn: 5 − 5.4 = -0.4°/s, so the guns fall behind and catch up once the turn eases. Main Battery Mod. 2 (+20% traverse) and Mod. 3 (−15%) move this line.

fall behind by 0.4°/s

See the full acceleration curve ↓

Concealment

Detectability by sea

Base value, no camouflage. With a Grade IV permanent camo (or any disposable camo): 12.59 km x 0.955 = 12.02 km. Camouflage does not change detectability by air.

12.59 km

With Grade IV camouflage (sea)

Detectability by sea 12.59 km x 0.955 (Grade IV permanent camo or any disposable camo) = 12.02 km.

12.02 km

Detectability by air7.55 km

Smoke firing penalty11 km

Detect when firing (sea)

max(main battery range, sea detectability 12.59 km) = 16 km. Equal to the ship's main battery range (never below base detectability): firing makes you visible to everyone you can reach.

16 km

Detect when firing (air)

Air detectability 7.55 km + gun-firing bloom 7.12 km = 14.67 km. The bloom tracks main-battery caliber 356 mm × 0.020 = 7.12 km.

14.67 km

Detect when on fire (sea)

Sea detectability 12.59 km + 2.0 km while burning = 14.59 km.

14.59 km

Detect when on fire (air)

Air detectability 7.55 km + 3.0 km while burning = 10.55 km.

10.55 km

Guaranteed Detect2 km

✦

Consumables

Damage Control Party∞ charges · 60 s reload · 5 s active

Repair Party2 charges · 80 s reload · 20 s active · 24,240 HP (40% of max HP) total heal (per charge)
ƒ
0.02 of max HP per second (2%) × 20 s effective active time = 0.4 of max HP × 60,600 HP = 24,240 HP: up to 40% of max HP restored per charge.
· 48,480 HP (80% of max HP) total heal (all charges)
ƒ
0.4 of max HP per charge × 2 charges = 0.8 × 60,600 HP = 48,480 HP: up to 80% of max HP if the whole Repair Party loadout is used.
· 1,212 HP/s (2% of max HP) heal per second
ƒ
0.02 (2% of max HP) × 60,600 HP = 1,212 HP/s. WoWS heals a flat percent of MAX HP each second, so this rate holds at any health level.

Sonar2 charges · 180 s reload · 100 s active · 5 km ship detect
ƒ
Derived from the consumable's 30 m grid-unit range (km = grid units x 30 / 1000): $\frac{167 \times 30}{1000} = 5 km$
· 3.5 km torpedo detect
ƒ
Derived from the consumable's 30 m grid-unit range (km = grid units x 30 / 1000): $\frac{117 \times 30}{1000} = 3.5 km$

Smoke Generator5 charges · 70 s reload · 20 s emit / 40 s cloud active · 600 m radius

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 cruiserStandard

The standard cruiser dispersion curve.

Shell scatter width @ 5 km67.5 m

(166.7 × (8 − 1.1) / 1000 + 1.1) × 30 = 67.5 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 km102 m

(333.3 × (8 − 1.1) / 1000 + 1.1) × 30 = 102 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 km136.5 m

(500 × (8 − 1.1) / 1000 + 1.1) × 30 = 136.5 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 km26.2 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  $delim \cdot R_{m a x} = 0.5 \cdot 16000 = 8000$  m, and  $radiusOnMax = 0.6$  at 16000 m. Below the kink:  $k = 0.2 + (0.5 - 0.2) \cdot \frac{5000}{8000} = 0.3875$ , so  $σ_{V} = σ_{H} \cdot k = 67.5 \cdot 0.3875 = 26.2 m$ .

Shell scatter height @ 10 km53.6 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  $delim \cdot R_{m a x} = 0.5 \cdot 16000 = 8000$  m, and  $radiusOnMax = 0.6$  at 16000 m. Above the kink:  $k = 0.5 + (0.6 - 0.5) \cdot \frac{10000 - 8000}{16000 - 8000} = 0.525$ , so  $σ_{V} = σ_{H} \cdot k = 102 \cdot 0.525 = 53.6 m$ .

Shell scatter height @ 15 km80.2 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  $delim \cdot R_{m a x} = 0.5 \cdot 16000 = 8000$  m, and  $radiusOnMax = 0.6$  at 16000 m. Above the kink:  $k = 0.5 + (0.6 - 0.5) \cdot \frac{15000 - 8000}{16000 - 8000} = 0.5875$ , so  $σ_{V} = σ_{H} \cdot k = 136.5 \cdot 0.5875 = 80.2 m$ .

AP pen 5 km509 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  $P = 10^{- 7} \cdot K \cdot m^{0.69} \cdot d^{- 1.07} \cdot v^{1.38}$   $= 10^{- 7} \cdot 2295 \cdot 721^{0.69} \cdot {0.356}^{- 1.07} \cdot {663.2}^{1.38} = 509 mm$ , where 663.2 m/s is the shell's speed when it arrives at 5 km (from 757 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 km427 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  $P = 10^{- 7} \cdot K \cdot m^{0.69} \cdot d^{- 1.07} \cdot v^{1.38}$   $= 10^{- 7} \cdot 2295 \cdot 721^{0.69} \cdot {0.356}^{- 1.07} \cdot 584^{1.38} = 427 mm$ , where 584 m/s is the shell's speed when it arrives at 10 km (from 757 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 km365 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  $P = 10^{- 7} \cdot K \cdot m^{0.69} \cdot d^{- 1.07} \cdot v^{1.38}$   $= 10^{- 7} \cdot 2295 \cdot 721^{0.69} \cdot {0.356}^{- 1.07} \cdot {521.5}^{1.38} = 365 mm$ , where 521.5 m/s is the shell's speed when it arrives at 15 km (from 757 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 km5.48 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,  $a_{drag} = k ρ v^{2}$ , where  $ρ$  is air density from a standard-atmosphere profile and  $k$  bundles the shell's drag coefficient, caliber and mass:  $k = \frac{π C_{d} d^{2}}{8 m} = \frac{π \cdot 0.3142 \cdot {0.356}^{2}}{8 \cdot 721} = 2.17 \times 10^{- 5}$ . That runs from a 757 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 km5.48 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,  $a_{drag} = k ρ v^{2}$ , where  $ρ$  is air density from a standard-atmosphere profile and  $k$  bundles the shell's drag coefficient, caliber and mass:  $k = \frac{π C_{d} d^{2}}{8 m} = \frac{π \cdot 0.3142 \cdot {0.356}^{2}}{8 \cdot 721} = 2.17 \times 10^{- 5}$ . That runs from a 757 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.

Improved HE PenYes

This ship's HE shells use a 1/4 (~0.25) caliber-to-pen ratio instead of the standard 1/6 (~0.167) - 0.25 in this case. Lets HE pen ~89mm armor instead of ~59mm. Hits every German cruiser (150mm CL, 203mm CA) and BB (350mm+), British heavy cruisers / Lion / Nelson, a handful of other premiums.

Guns per full salvo (alpha, DPM)6

3 mounts × 2 barrels = 6; all 6 bear on the broadside.

Model inputs

Krupp (AP)2,295

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 mass721 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 coefficient0.3142

Air drag on the AP shell in flight; lower keeps velocity, and with it penetration, at long range.

AP muzzle velocity757 m/s

Starting speed of the AP shell; penetration scales with velocity^1.38.

HE muzzle velocity757 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.

minRadius1.1

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.

Torpedoes

Estimated torpedo reaction time9.4 s

1700 m / (67.0 kt × 2.6855) = 9.4 s. detectability / (speed kt x 2.6855 m/s per knot on the game clock).

Torpedo speed67.0 kt

Travel time to max range55.5 s

9990 m / (67.0 kt × 2.6855) = 55.5 s. range / (speed kt x 2.6855 m/s per knot on the game clock).

Tube count8

2 launchers × 4 tubes.

Per-side salvo4 torpedoes

8 wing tubes / 2 = 4: the launchers sit one per beam, so only half of them reach any one side. Each launcher reloads on its own, so she can fire one beam, turn, and fire the other without waiting.

Full-salvo damage156,536

All tubes hitting one target: tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 8 x 19,567 = 156,536. Each hit on the target's torpedo belt is reduced by its torpedo protection %.

AA defense

AA DPS at max range69

Only families that reach 4.5 km contribute at the outer edge of the AA bubble. In-game families: 40mm Bofors MK VI 8x6 -> 317 DPS @ 3.5 km; 40mm Bofors Mark IV Hazemeyer 6x2 -> 238 DPS @ 3.5 km; 5 25in 50 QF MK I 8x2 -> 69 DPS @ 4.5 km.

AA DPS layered by range69 DPS @ 4.5 km, 624 DPS @ 3.5 km

@ 4.5 km: 69 from one family; @ 3.5 km: 317 + 238 + 69 = 624. 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-blank624

317 + 238 + 69 = 624 DPS: the sum of every family's average DPS, achievable only inside the closest-range family (3.5 km).

AA threat index2253

317 × 3.5 + 238 × 3.5 + 69 × 4.5 = 2253. 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.

Secondary battery firepower

Max HE alpha1900

The only family (134 mm): 1900. Maximum HE damage per shell across secondary HE families. Best on this ship: 1900 from the 134 mm family.

Max HE fire chance8%

The only family (134 mm): 8%. Maximum per-shell fire chance across secondary HE families (before target fire resistance is applied). Best on this ship: 8% from the 134 mm family.

Max HE pen22 mm

The only family (134 mm): 22 mm. Maximum HE armor penetration across secondary HE families (caliber × 1/6 for most nations; 1/4 for German/UK BBs). Shells whose pen falls under a plate's armor thickness shatter for 0 hull damage though fire chance still applies. Best on this ship: 22 mm from the 134 mm family.

Open in Charting Tool

Ship Charts

Background

A hypothetical development of "big cruiser" designs created by British shipbuilders in the late 1930s, with the main battery gun caliber increased to 14 inches (356 mm). The ship was conceived in response to the strengthening of the Japanese Navy. Her main purpose was to counter enemy heavy cruisers.

Armor Beta

Hull HP 60,600, distributed across 5 hull zones, each with its own plate thicknesses, saturation cap, and pen thresholds.

Bow & stern25 mm

Overmatched by 54+ AP guns across the bracket. Can’t reliably bow-tank; gets bow-citadelled and overpenned.

Belt / citadel229 mm

AP can citadel a flat broadside even at range. Stay angled and avoid showing the full side.

Farming16 mm

Superstructure and extremities take HE pens and AP overpens from nearly any gun: steady chip damage. Fire resistance 40%, fires burn 45s. Range-by-range in the Compare tool →

Section	Plates	HP cap	Threats	Tactic
Bow	25 mm primary (range 25–51 mm)	3,700 (6% of HP)	Overmatched by 380mm+ AP (Alsace, Bourgogne)Angle bounces 356mm25 mm: HE pens from 150mm+	Bow-tank fits behind this exterior plate. Saturation is FAST here; the cap is often only a few thousand HP.
Hull (midship)	16 mm primary (range 16–210 mm)	45,500 (75% of HP)	Overmatched by 283mm+ AP (Gouden Leeuw)Angle bounces 203mm16 mm: HE pens from 127mm+	Largest HP pool. Citadel sits behind these plates; thinner deck and side plating absorb the rest.
Stern	25 mm primary (range 25–102 mm)	4,800 (8% of HP)	Overmatched by 380mm+ AP (Alsace, Bourgogne)Angle bounces 356mm25 mm: HE pens from 150mm+	Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel	229 mm primary (range 25–229 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.
Superstructure	16 mm primary (range 16–229 mm)	4,100 (7% 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 HP	30,300 magazine HP	Turret knocked out	Per-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.
Secondary mount (134 mm mount)	separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP	800 per-mount HP	Destroyed at 0 HP	Per-mount HP for the heaviest secondary on this ship. A mount destroyed at 0 HP is out for the rest of the battle; DCP does not repair destroyed mounts. Smaller (lighter-caliber) secondaries typically share the same HP value.
AA mount (40 mm mount)	separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP	200 per-mount HP	Destroyed at 0 HP	Per-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 HP	18,200 module HP	Incapacitated at 0 HP	When 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.

Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

Every custom exterior Defence can equip.

DefaultThe ship’s standard exterior

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.

2024-12-17 · Through the Spy Glass Through the Spy Glass: Defence Ship feature 2020-04-13 · Campaign breakdown "To tame a Dreadnought" campaign breakdown Campaign reward 2024-12-16 · Campaign breakdown "The Best Form of Offence" Campaign Breakdown Campaign reward 2024-12-12 · Patch notes Holiday Update: Glimpse Into the Future Patch notes 2026-01-15 · Patch notes January Update: Anchors Up! Patch notes

Defence

Defence Community Stats

Defence Community Stats

Defence Community Stats

Playstyle

Overview

Positioning

Potato Avoidance

Signature Traits →

How to get Defence

Best listed chance for this ship

Builds

Bruce Fraser

Cohort position

Peers in this cohort

Stats & specs

Under the hood

Main battery formulas

Model inputs

Torpedoes

AA defense

Secondary battery firepower

Ship Charts

Background

Armor Beta

Skins & permanent camouflages

Primary official WG sources

Signature Traits