World of Warships: Legends ship guide

Graf Zeppelin

Also called: 齐柏林伯爵 Beta
AP dive-bomber carrierCitadel broadside heavies with AP bombs; torpedoes handle the rest.
Playstyle
  • Stay a full map cell behind the brawl line, far enough back that a rotated DD or radar cruiser cannot threaten the hull
  • Launch from positions where the recall path stays inside your team's AA umbrella
  • Avoid: Trading a full squadron for one high-value kill
Key characteristics
Big squadronsStrong secondaries (5.5 km)Fast torpedoesThick end platesSecondary fire pressureThin armor
On this page
Community Data

Graf Zeppelin Community Stats

Across 25,000+ Standard battles from 190+ players, Graf Zeppelin averages a 66% win rate, 100,000 damage and 1.6 kills per battle, and survives 68% of them.

Community Data

Graf Zeppelin Community Stats

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

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Playstyle

Overview

Graf Zeppelin is the premium Tier VII German carrier built around AP dive bombers: armor-piercing bombs that citadel broadside battleships and heavy cruisers, with fast 60-kn air torpedoes for the destroyers and angled targets the bombs glance off. Per-bomb damage is low, so the payout is reliable citadels off target selection rather than raw volume. Each squadron flies 9 planes and they come back 32 s apiece, so losing a full wave costs 288 seconds of reserves.

Positioning

Stay a full map cell behind the brawl line, far enough back that a rotated DD or radar cruiser cannot threaten the hull. Launch from positions where the recall path stays inside your team's AA umbrella, not over open water where intercepting fighters can finish off limping squadrons. Longer trip back, fewer waves per match. You are spotted at 14.3 km and run at 32 kn, so that distance plus your speed is the whole margin for noticing a DD has slipped past and getting out. A 1,140 m turning circle is wide for her cohort, so a committed turn gives up a lot of water; plan course changes a salvo ahead.

Potato Avoidance

Trading a full squadron for one high-value kill

Match impact comes from cycling waves across multiple targets, not committing a dive into layered AA for one battleship. When a target's AA is heavy, route around and find a softer pick rather than burning planes through the wall. Replacing a lost aircraft takes 32 s at best, and your most fragile squadron flies at 2,450 HP, so a wave sent into a wall of AA thins the reserve for the rest of the match.

Signature Traits

ELITE ARMOR ↗
  • Thick end plates · 25 mm
  • Thick bow plate · 25 mm
ELITE AIRCRAFT ↗
  • Long air-torp range · 6 km
  • Fast air torpedoes · 60 kn
ELITE SECONDARIES ↗
  • Punch-through secondaries · 38 mm
  • Tighter secondary dispersion · 94.2 m
  • Tighter secondary dispersion
  • Secondary fire pressure · 7.95 secondary
Thin armor ↗

100 mm max plate, bottom quartile of T7 CVs. Citadel windows open against peer-tier guns.

Acquisition

How to get Graf Zeppelin

Graf Zeppelin 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.

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

Best listed chance for this ship

  • Super VII crate 4% One of the Tier VII Premium ships Event · Super VII crate · 1 of 25 ships
  • Spectral Vault 5.0 0.384615% Tier VII Premium ship Archived · Spectral Vault 5.0 · 1 of 39 ships
  • Spectral Vault 4.0 0.160256% Tier VII Premium ship Archived · Spectral Vault 4.0 · 2 paths combined · 1 of 39 ships
    Show 2 paths
    • Spectral Vault 4.00.102564%
    • Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.057692%
Show all 7 containers (4 more)
  • Spectral Vault 3.0 0.080449% Tier VII Premium ship Archived · Spectral Vault 3.0 · 4 paths combined · 1 of 39 ships
    Show 4 paths
    • Spectral Vault 3.00.051282%
    • Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.011538%
    • Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.011282%
    • Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.006346%
  • Mystic Lantern 0.07619% Tier VII Premium ship Event · Mystic Lantern · 1 of 42 ships
  • Spectral Vault 2.0 0.013814% Tier VII Premium ship Archived · Spectral Vault 2.0 · 7 paths combined · 1 of 39 ships
    Show 7 paths
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.00.005128%
    • Spectral Vault 2.00.002564%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.002051%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.001154%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.001154%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.001128%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000635%
  • Spectral Vault 1.0 0.002048% Tier VII Premium ship Archived · Spectral Vault 1.0 · 11 paths combined · 1 of 39 ships
    Show 11 paths
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.00.000513%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.00.000462%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.00.000231%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.000185%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000115%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.000113%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000104%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000104%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.000102%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000063%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000057%
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.

Hans Geisler

WG official

WG official build from Through the Spy Glass: Graf Zeppelin.

Source: Through the Spy Glass: Graf Zeppelin

Open in Build Tool →

Commanders frequently paired with this ship Hans Geisler

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 Graf Zeppelin 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 (1/11) BestSecondary HE pen38 mm (1/11) BestTime to 90% speed30.3 s (1/12) BestSecondary range5.5 km (1/11) BestBow armor25 mm (1 of 2 tied) BestAir torpedo range6 km (1 of 3 tied) BestAir torpedo speed60 kn (1/10) Top 10%Acceleration (0-12 kt)11.7 s (2/12) Top 10%Engine power200,000 hp (2/12) Top 10%Power / turn radius175.4 hp/m (2/12) Top 10%Power-to-weight5.97 hp/t (2/12) Top 25%Hit points52,600 HP (4/12) Top 25%Stern armor21 mm (3/11) Top 25%Squadron size9 (4/12) Top 25%Squadron HP23,200 HP (3/12) Top 25%Squadron restore time32 s (3/12) Bottom 25%Turning circle1,140 m (11/12) Bottom 25%AA DPS426 (11/12) Bottom 25%AA range4.5 km (11/12) Bottom 25%AA threat1,478 (11/12) Bottom 25%Bomb alpha4,000 (10/12) WorstMax armor100 mm (1 of 3 tied) WorstCitadel belt100 mm (1 of 3 tied)
See 14 mid-pack stats

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

Max speed32 kt(7/12) Concealment14.31 km(9/12) Air detection10.02 km(8/12) Rudder shift13.7 s(8/12) Secondary DPM (per side)179,754(4/11) Secondary HE alpha1,700(9/11) Secondary fire chance8%(5/11) Displacement33,500 t(9/12) Flak damage per salvo (expected)1,890(5/11) Air torpedo alpha5,100(5/10) Air torpedo stealth1.3 km(5/10) Hangar capacity18(5/12) Deck HP26,300 HP(5/12) Plane HP2,450 HP(5/12)
Survivability
Hit Points52,600
Displacement33,500 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.
262.5 x 31.5 m
Armor range9–100 mm
Plate armor thicknesses9, 13, 20, 21, 25, 40, 60, 80, 100 mm
Armor material/layer entries52
Fire resistance
ƒtop hull: 1 − 0.6337 fire coefficient = 36.6%. 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.
36.6%
Fire duration60 s
Fire damage
ƒOne unattended fire: 0.004 of max HP per second (0.4%) × 60 s = 0.24 of the pool; 0.24 × 52,600 HP = 12,624 HP on this ship. 4 fire points can burn at once.
0.4% of HP per second
Flood duration30 s
Flood damage
ƒOne unattended flood: 0.0025 of max HP per second (0.25%) × 30 s = 0.075 of the pool; 0.075 × 52,600 HP = 3,945 HP on this ship.
0.25% of HP per second
Torp Reduction
ƒ1 − 0.333 hull torpedo-damage coefficient / 0.333 unprotected baseline = 0%. Reduces torpedo hit damage. It does not affect flooding: floods start as often and tick at the full rate.
0%
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%
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 × 1,600 = 3,200), 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.
1,600
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 × 12,900 = 25,800), 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.
12,900
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 × 39,500 = 79,000), 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.
39,500
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 × 300 = 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 ×. 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.
300
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 × 900 = 1,800), 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.
900
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
✈
Squadrons
Total plane capacity72
Flight deck HP26,300
Hangar HP26,300
Dive bomber
Plane HP2,900
Cruising speed175.0 kt
OrdnanceAP bomb, 4,000 alpha
Squadron size8 planes
Planes per drop2
Bombs per plane2
Bombs per drop
ƒ2 planes per drop x 2 bombs each = 4.
4
Alpha per drop
ƒ4 bombs x 4,000 alpha = 16,000, if every bomb hits. Before armor, saturation and the target's damage reduction; a real drop lands a share of it.
16,000
Hangar max16
Hangar restore+1 every 37 s, start 12
Recovery time37 s
Torpedo bomber
Plane HP2,450
Cruising speed175.0 kt
Ordnancetorpedo, 5,100 alpha
Squadron size9 planes
Planes per drop3
Torpedoes per plane1
Torpedoes per drop
ƒ3 planes per drop x 1 torpedo each = 3.
3
Alpha per drop
ƒ3 torpedoes x 5,100 alpha = 15,300, if every torpedo hits. Before armor, saturation and the target's damage reduction; a real drop lands a share of it.
15,300
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
AA explosions
ƒEach ~2 s salvo fires 2 AA explosions in quick succession, each leaving 4 clouds ahead of the attacking squadron, plus 1 stray cloud farther out that appear off-beat between salvos - up to 9 clouds per salvo × 210 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, 4 clouds each + 1 outer cloud
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 salvo. Often called flak 'hit chance', but spawned clouds always damage planes that fly into them - the roll is on spawning.
100%
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 secondary battery mount is operational - even losing every dedicated 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 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
S
Secondary Battery
Mounts14
Firing range5.5 km
Shell Grouping (σ)1
Total secondary fires/min (per side)
ƒSum of each gun family's fires/min (per side): 3.9 + 4 = 7.9. 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.
7.9
Secondary DPM (per side)
ƒSum 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: 6×2 105 mm (6/side) × 60/4.571 s (4.5 s = 32 ticks) × 1200 = 94,500 + 8×2 150 mm (8/side) × 60/9.571 s (9.5 s = 67 ticks) × 1700 = 85,254. Assumes every shell hits (real hit rate is lower; the Brawl matchup tool on the Compare page folds in dispersion + target armor).
179,754
Secondary fire DPM vs T7 BB (per side)
ƒFires/min (per side) 7.9 × (1 − 0.366 fire resistance) × 60 s × 0.003 of max HP per second × 65,000 HP = 58,967. 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.
58,967
Total secondary DPM vs T7 BB (per side)
ƒSecondary DPM (per side) 179,754 + secondary fire DPM 58,967 = 238,721: shell damage plus fire damage against one T7 battleship, every shell hitting.
238,721
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 (6×2) (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 alpha1,200
Muzzle Velocity900 m/s
Fire Chance5%
Secondary fires/min (per side)
ƒ6×2 barrels / 2 sides × 60 / 4.571 s (4.5 s = 32 ticks) × 0.05 (5% fire chance) = 3.9. 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.
3.9
HE Pen20 mm
Show 1 more gun family
150 mm L/55 MLC/36 (8×2)
Caliber150 mm
Reload time9.5 s
HE alpha1,700
Muzzle Velocity875 m/s
Fire Chance8%
Secondary fires/min (per side)
ƒ8×2 barrels / 2 sides × 60 / 9.571 s (9.5 s = 67 ticks) × 0.08 (8% fire chance) = 4. 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.
4
HE Pen38 mm
Maneuverability
Engine power200,000 hp
Maximum speed32.0 kt
Turning circle radius1140 m
Rudder shift time13.7 s
Engine power-boost threshold7.0 kt
Engine spool-up time23 s
Reverse spool-up time11.5 s
Reverse speed
ƒtop speed / 4 + 4.9 = 32 / 4 + 4.9 = 12.9 kt. Base value; speed modifiers scale it.
12.9 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.
36.8 s
Engine boost threshold (reverse)
ƒSpeed below which the engine's built-in power boost applies in reverse.
10.6 kt
Acceleration 0-90%
ƒTime to reach 90% of top speed (28.8 kt of 32.0 kt).
30.3 s
Acceleration 0-99%
ƒTime to reach 99% of top speed (31.7 kt of 32.0 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.
46.1 s
Concealment
Detectability by sea
ƒBase value, no camouflage. With a Grade IV permanent camo (or any disposable camo): 14.31 km x 0.955 = 13.67 km. Camouflage does not change detectability by air.
14.31 km
With Grade IV camouflage (sea)
ƒDetectability by sea 14.31 km x 0.955 (Grade IV permanent camo or any disposable camo) = 13.67 km.
13.67 km
Detectability by air10.02 km
Detect when firing (air)
ƒAir detectability 10.02 km + gun-firing bloom 0 km = 10.02 km. The bloom tracks main-battery caliber x 0.020.
10.02 km
Detect when on fire (sea)
ƒSea detectability 14.31 km + 2.0 km while burning = 16.31 km.
16.31 km
Detect when on fire (air)
ƒAir detectability 10.02 km + 3.0 km while burning = 13.02 km.
13.02 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

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.

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.
AA DPS layered by range126 DPS @ 4.5 km, 333 DPS @ 3.5 km, 426 DPS @ 2 km
@ 4.5 km: 126 from one family; @ 3.5 km: 207 + 126 = 333; @ 2 km: 207 + 93 + 126 = 426. 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
207 + 93 + 126 = 426 DPS: the sum of every family's average DPS, achievable only inside the closest-range family (2 km).
AA threat index1478
207 × 3.5 + 93 × 2 + 126 × 4.5 = 1478. 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 @ 5 km90 m
Same per-type line evaluated at a fixed 5 km: 5 km × 8.4 + 48 = 90 m.

Secondary battery firepower

Max HE alpha1700
max(1200 (105 mm), 1700 (150 mm)) = 1700. Maximum HE damage per shell across secondary HE families. Best on this ship: 1700 from the 150 mm family.
Max HE fire chance8%
max(5% (105 mm), 8% (150 mm)) = 8%. 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
max(20 mm (105 mm), 38 mm (150 mm)) = 38 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.
Open in Charting Tool

Ship Charts

Background

A high-speed aircraft carrier armed with numerous secondary- and dual-purpose guns. She had the most powerful propulsion among all German Navy ships. The carrier was never completed due to Germany's shipbuilding program priorities changing during the course of World War II.

Armor Beta

Hull HP 52,600, distributed across 5 hull zones, each with its own plate thicknesses, saturation cap, and pen thresholds.

Bow & stern25 mm

Overmatched by 103+ AP 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)1,600 (3% of HP)
Overmatched by 380mm+ AP (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)39,500 (75% of HP)
Overmatched by 305mm+ AP (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)900 (2% of HP)
Overmatched by 305mm+ AP (Toulon, Cherbourg)Angle bounces 283mm21 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel100 mm primary (range 20–100 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.
Superstructure9 mm primary (range 9–60 mm)300 (1% of HP)
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).
Secondary mount (150 mm mount)separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP800 per-mount HPDestroyed at 0 HPPer-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 (37 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 HP15,800 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

Latest 6 of 7 indexed balance updates affecting Graf Zeppelin. Cards are condensed; use each source link for full context.

Nerf ×13Buff ×13Rework ×4Airstrike ×2Torpedo ×9
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
2025-07-31

Anniversary Update: Operation Piñata

  • Graf Zeppelin's High Octane Fuel trait was replaced with Fast Aircraft.
Read the full official post
2024-06-27

Ministry of Balance: Aerial Adjustments

  • Torpedo bombers:
  • Torpedo bomber restoration time increased from 25 to 37 s.
  • Dive bombers:
  • 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

  • Dive bombers:
  • 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

  • Dive Bombers:
  • 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.
  • Aircraft restoration time reduced from 80 to 30 seconds.
  • Torpedo Bombers:
  • Maximum HP per aircraft reduced from 2,575 to 2,450 (squadron HP reduced from 22,770 to 22,050).
  • Base speed increased from 140 to 199 knots.
  • Max speed under acceleration reduced from 135 to 125%.
  • Maximum flight range set to 29 kilometers.
  • Torpedo damage increased from 5,933 to 6,700.
  • Torpedo speed increased from 48 to 60 knots.
  • Maximum hangar aircraft increased from 15 to 18.
  • Starting hangar aircraft reduced from 15 to 14.
  • Aircraft restoration time reduced from 80 to 25 seconds.
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.
  • Her hangar now holds 15 planes instead of 14.
  • Planes have been made more maneuverable.
Read the full official post
Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

Every custom exterior Graf Zeppelin can equip.

  • Graf Zeppelin 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.