GamingDiver / WoWs Legends Ships / Graf Zeppelin B
World of Warships: Legends ship guide

Graf Zeppelin B

Also called: 齐柏林伯爵 B Beta
Germany · Tier VII · Aircraft Carrier · Premium · Graf Zeppelin Variant
AP dive-bomber carrierAP bombs citadel broadside heavies; the torpedoes mop up everything else.
Playstyle
  • Hold the hull well back and pick the drop, not the target
  • AP bombs pay out on a broadside, so a patient second pass beats a rushed first one
  • Avoid: Dropping AP bombs on a bow-in target
Key characteristics
Big squadronsStrong secondaries (6 km)Fast torpedoesThick bow plateQuick acceleration
On this page
Community Data

Graf Zeppelin B Community Stats

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

Log in & upload to see Community Data

Playstyle

Overview

Graf Zeppelin B is a Tier VII German carrier built around AP dive bombers: armor-piercing bombs that citadel broadside battleships and heavy cruisers, with fast air torpedoes for destroyers and the angled targets those bombs glance off. Fourteen secondary mounts reach 5.5 km if something closes on her, and Automatic Fighter covers the hull while squadrons are away.

Positioning

Hold the hull well back and pick the drop, not the target. AP bombs pay out on a broadside, so a patient second pass beats a rushed first one.

Potato Avoidance

Dropping AP bombs on a bow-in target

Angled decks glance them, and that is what the torpedo squadron is for.

Signature Traits

ELITE AIRCRAFT ↗
  • Long air-torp range · 6 km
  • Fast air torpedoes · 60 kn
Punch-through secondaries ↗

38 mm best HE pen across secondary families, best of T7 CVs. Pens hull plates peers' secondaries shatter on.

Thick bow plate ↗

25 mm bow, best of T7 CVs. Harder for same-tier guns to overmatch.

ELITE MOBILITY ↗
  • Quick acceleration
  • Heavy powerplant · 200000 hp
  • Holds speed in turns · 175.4 hp
  • Nimble for the tonnage · 5.97 hp
Acquisition

How to get Graf Zeppelin B

Graf Zeppelin B is a Premium ship and not available to unlock in the Tech Tree. Acquisition path: 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.

Best listed chance for this ship

Official WG availability sources
  • Official WoWS Legends container odds Containers Official container drop rows linked below include direct and nested effective ship odds.
  • Through the Spy Glass: Graf Zeppelin Ship feature / release Start: 2022-07-27 · End: open/unknown end Official Through the Spy Glass feature for this ship; useful as a release/availability source, but not a guaranteed current-store listing.
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 Fleet Members, pack math personalized to your port.

Builds

Start with the standard aircraft carrier priorities: survivability, concealment or positioning control where relevant, and enough reload/accuracy pressure to keep the ship useful all match.

Open in Build Tool →

Have a build you swear by? Open it in the Build Tool and hit Save build to share it here.

Cohort position

Hide ▾

Where Graf Zeppelin B sits among Tier VII CVs (11 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.

BestSecondary dispersion bracket8.4 (1/10) BestSecondary HE pen38 mm (1/10) BestAcceleration31.8 s (1/11) BestSecondary range5.5 km (1/10) BestBow armor25 mm (1 of 2 tied) BestAir torpedo range6 km (1 of 3 tied) BestAir torpedo speed60 kn (1/10) Top 10%Engine power200,000 hp (2/11) Top 10%Turn-speed retention175.4 hp/m (2/11) Top 10%Power-to-weight5.97 hp/t (2/11) Top 25%Deck armor60 mm (3/10) Top 25%Squadron restore time32 s (3/11) Bottom 25%AA DPS426 (10/11) Bottom 25%AA threat1,478 (10/11) WorstMax armor100 mm (1 of 3 tied) WorstCitadel belt100 mm (1 of 3 tied)
See 18 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Graf Zeppelin B -- here's where she sits on every other ranked stat in the cohort.

Hit points52,600 HP(4/11) Max speed32 kt(7/11) Concealment14.31 km(8/11) Air detection10.02 km(7/11) Rudder shift13.7 s(7/11) Secondary DPM (per side)181,895(4/10) Secondary HE alpha1,700(8/10) Secondary fire chance8%(5/10) Displacement33,500 t(8/11) AA range4.5 km(9/11) Flak per wave (expected)1,890(4/10) Stern armor21 mm(4/10) Bomb damage4,000(9/11) Air torpedo damage5,100(5/10) Air torpedo stealth1.3 km(5/10) Squadron size18(5/11) Deck HP26,300 HP(5/11) Plane HP2,450 HP(5/11)

Stats & specs

Customize in the Build Tool →
Survivability
Hit Points52,600
Displacement33,500 t
Armor range9–100 mm
Plate armor thicknesses9, 13, 20, 21, 25, 40, 60, 80, 100 mm
Armor material/layer entries52
Fire resistance36.6%
Fire duration60 s
Torp Reduction0%
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.
15,800
Repairable: penetration50%
Repairable: citadel10%
Repairable: steering gear50%
✈
Squadrons
Total plane capacity72
Flight deck HP26,300
Hangar HP26,300
Dive bomber
Plane HP2,900
Cruising speed175 kt
OrdnanceAP bomb, 4,000 dmg
Hangar max16
Hangar restore+1 every 37 s, start 12
Recovery time37 s
Torpedo bomber
Plane HP2,450
Cruising speed175 kt
Ordnancetorpedo, 5,100 dmg
Flooding chance29%
Torpedo arming time3.5 s
Torpedo arming distance108 m
Hangar max18
Hangar restore+1 every 32 s, start 14
Recovery time32 s
Squadron consumables
Patrol Fighters
Charges3
Duration60 s
Reload10 s
Evasive Maneuver
Charges2
Duration10 s
Reload150 s
Damage reduction-50%
Return to Carrier
EffectAll aircraft return to carrier.
AA Defense
AA mount points18
Maximum AA range
ƒLongest-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
37 mm Flak LM/4211×2 37mm
20 mm Flakvierling 387×4 20mm
105 mm L/65 Dop. L. C/31 (DP)
ƒDual-purpose: your secondaries doing double duty against aircraft. The same mounts appear on the Secondary Battery card - shared guns, not extra hardware.
6×2 105mm
Far aura
Guns105 mm L/65 Dop. L. C/31 (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 126 from dual-purpose secondaries firing as AA in this range band.
126
Range4.5 km
Medium aura
Guns37 mm Flak LM/42
Continuous DPS
ƒEffective DPS: 59 raw aura damage × 3.5 × 1 hit probability = 206 - the same in-game units as the Close-range AA DPS headline.
206
Range3.5 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒFar 126 + Medium 206 = 332
332
Near aura
Guns20 mm Flakvierling 38
Continuous DPS
ƒEffective DPS: 28 raw aura damage × 3.5 × 0.95 hit probability = 93 - the same in-game units as the Close-range AA DPS headline.
93
Range2 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒFar 126 + Medium 206 + Near 93 = 425
425
Flak bursts
Bursts
ƒEach ~2 s wave fires 2 quick salvos of 4 clouds ahead of the attacking squadron, plus 1 stray cloud farther out that appear off-beat between waves - up to 9 clouds per wave × 210 damage each. Planes that fly into a cloud take its damage; clouds dissipate before the next wave lands. Defensive AA Fire, where fitted, multiplies the salvo repeats within each wave.
2 salvos × 4 clouds + 1 outer
Cloud damage
ƒDamage a plane takes for flying into one flak cloud, before any reductions.
210
Cloud spawn chance
ƒEvery potential cloud spawns - the full pattern, every wave. Often called flak 'hit chance', but spawned clouds always damage planes that fly into them - the roll is on spawning.
100%
Wave rate
ƒA flak wave spawns roughly every 2 s - timed frame-by-frame from gameplay footage and consistent across ships.
every ~2 s
Fired by
ƒFlak keeps firing while at least one secondary battery mount is operational - even losing every other AA mount does not stop it.
Secondary battery
Flak zone
ƒThe activation band: flak fires while attacking planes are inside it. Clouds are placed ahead of the planes' path, so bursts can land short of 2.5 km or past 4.5 km - once planes get inside the band, new waves stop.
2.5-4.5 km
See the AA layers diagram ↓
S
Secondary Battery
Mounts14
Firing range5.5 km
Shell Grouping (σ)1
Secondary dispersion type
ƒMax dispersion = range (km) × 8.4 + 48. Each dispersion type sets its own slope; this is not a percentage applied to a standard baseline.
Arkansas / Graf Zeppelin (unique formula)
Max secondary dispersion @ 5.5 km
ƒ5.5 km × 8.4 + 48 = 94.2 m.
94.2 m
105 mm L/65 Dop. L. C/31 (×6) (DP)
ƒDual-purpose: the same mounts also fire at aircraft, so they appear on the AA Defense card too - shared guns, not extra hardware.
Caliber105 mm
Reload time4.5 s
HE Damage1,200
Muzzle Velocity900 m/s
Fire Chance5%
Armor Pen20 mm
Show 1 more gun family
150 mm L/55 MLC/36 (×8)
Caliber150 mm
Reload time9.5 s
HE Damage1,700
Muzzle Velocity875 m/s
Fire Chance8%
Armor Pen38 mm
Maneuverability
Engine power200,000 hp
Maximum speed32 kt
Turning circle radius1140 m
Rudder shift time13.7 s
Engine power-boost threshold7 kt
Engine spool-up time23 s
Reverse spool-up time11.5 s
Acceleration 0-90%
ƒTime to reach 90% of top speed (28.8 kt of 32 kt), from our in-house acceleration model.
31.8 s
Acceleration 0-99%
ƒTime to reach 99% of top speed (31.7 kt of 32 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.
49.6 s
See the full acceleration curve ↓
Concealment
Detectability by sea14.31 km
Detectability by air10.02 km
Detect after firing main guns
ƒmax(base sea detectability, gun-firing bloom range). Firing never pulls your detection closer than base concealment.
14.31 km
Detect Fire Sea16.31 km
Detect Fire Air13.02 km
Guaranteed Detect2 km
✦
Consumables
Automatic Damage Control Party∞ charges · 90 s reload · 60 s active
Automatic Fighter4 charges · 40 s reload · 150 s active · 5 km patrol radius
ƒDerived from the consumable's 30 m grid-unit range (km = grid units x 30 / 1000): 167×301000=5 km
· 4 squadron size

See all derived stats

Show ▾

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

Numbers the spec table cannot show directly: alpha-strike math, DPM, dispersion, AP penetration. Click the formula chip on any row to reveal how it is calculated.

AA defense

AA DPS at max range126
Only families that reach 4.5 km contribute at the outer edge of the AA bubble. In-game families: 37mm Flak M42 Zwilling 11x2 -> 207 DPS @ 3.5 km; 20mm Flak 38 C35 7x4 -> 93 DPS @ 2 km; 105 mm SKC 33 6x2 -> 126 DPS @ 4.5 km.
Maximum AA range4.5 km
Longest-reaching family on the in-game AA card. Base AirDefense aura max range is 3.5 km; dual-purpose mount auras extend it.
AA DPS layered by range126 DPS @ 4.5 km, 333 DPS @ 3.5 km, 426 DPS @ 2 km
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-blank426
Sum of every family's average DPS, achievable only inside the closest-range family (2 km).
AA threat index1478
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.
Near aura range2 km

Secondary battery dispersion

Secondary dispersion typeArkansas / Graf Zeppelin (unique formula)
Max dispersion = range (km) × 8.4 + 48. Each dispersion type sets its own slope; this is not a percentage applied to a standard baseline.
Max secondary dispersion @ 5.5 km94.2 m
5.5 km × 8.4 + 48 = 94.2 m.
Secondary dispersion @ 5 km90 m
Same per-type line evaluated at a fixed 5 km: 5 km × 8.4 + 48 = 90 m.

Secondary battery firepower

Secondary DPM (per side)181,895
Sum across all secondary families of (per-side barrels × 60 / reload_s × alpha), where per-side barrels = mounts × barrels-per-mount / 2 (the guns that bear on one broadside target). Per-family: 6×2 105 mm (6/side) × 60/4.5 × 1200 = 96,000 + 8×2 150 mm (8/side) × 60/9.5 × 1700 = 85,895. Assumes every shell hits (real hit rate is lower; the Brawl matchup tool on the Compare page folds in dispersion + target armor).
Max HE alpha1700
Maximum HE damage per shell across secondary HE families. Best on this ship: 1700 from the 150 mm family.
Max HE fire chance8%
Maximum per-shell fire chance across secondary HE families (before target fire resistance is applied). Best on this ship: 8% from the 150 mm family.
Max HE pen38 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: 38 mm from the 150 mm family.

Armor Beta

Hull HP 52,600, distributed across 5 hull zones, each with its own plate thicknesses, saturation cap, and pen thresholds. HP caps are estimated from the standard WoWs damage-allocation model.

Bow & stern25 mm

Overmatched by 102+ guns across the bracket. Can’t reliably bow-tank; gets bow-citadelled and overpenned.

Belt / citadel100 mm

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

Farming9 mm

Superstructure and extremities take HE pens and AP overpens from nearly any gun: steady chip damage. Fire resistance 37%, fires burn 60s. Range-by-range in the Compare tool →

Section Plates HP cap Threats Tactic
Bow25 mm primary (range 21–40 mm)≈ 2,630 (~5% of HP)
Overmatched by 380mm+ (Gneisenau, Richelieu)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)21 mm primary (range 20–80 mm)≈ 39,450 (~75% of HP)
Overmatched by 305mm+ (Toulon, Cherbourg)Angle bounces 283mm21 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Largest HP pool. Citadel sits behind these plates; thinner deck and side plating absorb the rest.
Stern21 mm primary (range 21–80 mm)≈ 2,630 (~5% of HP)
Overmatched by 305mm+ (Toulon, Cherbourg)Angle bounces 283mm21 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel100 mm primary (range 20–100 mm)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.
Superstructure9 mm primary (range 9–60 mm)no cap
Any HE ≥16 mm pens at full damage
Any HE ≥16 mm pens at full damage. HE-spam target, and the section saturates fast (often only a few thousand HP).

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.

Open in Charting Tool

Ship Charts

Balance History

Balance updates affecting Graf Zeppelin B. Cards are condensed; use each source link for full context.

Nerf ×11Buff ×12Rework ×3Airstrike ×2Main Battery ×3
2025-07-31

Ministry of Balance: Back to the Naval Academy

  • Replaced the High Octane Fuel ship trait with Fast Aircraft.
Read the full official post
2024-06-27

Ministry of Balance: Aerial Adjustments

  • Torpedo.
  • Torpedo bomber restoration time increased from 25 to 37 s.
  • Dive bomber restoration time increased from 30 to 37 s.
Read the full official post
2024-05-31

Ministry of Balance: Carriers 2.0 – First Update

  • Base speed reduced from 195 to 175 knots.
  • Torpedo bombers:
  • Torpedo damage reduced from 6,700 to 6,200.
  • Base speed reduced from 199 to 175 knots.
Read the full official post
2024-05-24

Ministry of Balance: Carriers 2.0 – First Wave

  • Bombs per aircraft increased from 1 to 2.
  • Dive bomber accuracy (likelihood of an individual bomb hitting the inner circle) increased from 50 to 75%.
  • Maximum HP per aircraft reduced from 3,360 to 2,900 (squadron HP reduced from 26,880 to 23,200).
  • Base flight speed increased from 140 to 195 knots.
  • Maximum acceleration multiplier reduced from 135 to 122%.
  • Maximum flight range set to 31 kilometers.
  • Bomb damage reduced from 7,800 to 4,000.
  • AP bomb penetration multiplier reduced by 7.7%.
  • Maximum hangar aircraft increased from 15 to 16.
  • Starting hangar aircraft reduced from 15 to 12.
  • +4 more official change lines in the source post.
Read the full official post
2022-11-03

November Update: Under the Black Flag

  • AP bomb damage increased from 7,600 to 7,800.
  • Torpedo speed increased from 45 to 48 kts.
  • Torpedoes now arm quicker: 3.5 s, down from 4 s.
  • ATBA (secondaries!) range increased from 5 to 5.5 km.
  • 15 planes instead of 14.
  • Planes have been made more maneuverable.
  • We’ve been looking at the popularity and usability of our modernizations lately, and this is the first take. Main Battery Mod. 2 was severely lacking, so to make it more attractive, we've removed the tradeoff and buffed the traverse:
  • Main battery 180° turn time bonus increased from 15 to 20%.
  • Gun Fire Control System Mod.2 is receiving a substantial buff as well - main battery range bonus increased from 5 to 10%.
  • Adjusted ship traits.
Read the full official post
2022-09-29

Halloween Update: New Friends, Old Foes

  • Surface detectability range changed from 12.1 to 14.3 km; air detectability range changed from 8.5 km to 10 km.
  • Dive bomber HP changed from 3,200 to 3,360; torpedo bomber HP changed from 2,300 to 2,530.
Read the full official post
Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

Every custom exterior Graf Zeppelin B can equip, from in-game data.

  • Graf Zeppelin B default exterior
    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.

2025-11-03 · Official ship feature / stats Black Friday: New Black Ships and Discounts Variant source