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World of Warships: Legends ship guide

Kagerō

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Japan · Tier VII · Destroyer · Tech Tree: Torpedo Destroyers

Stealth torpedo destroyerSpot and ambush with torps; avoid open gunfights.

Playstyle

Hold concealment edges on the contested cap at 6.6 km detection
Avoid: Burning the 6.6 km concealment advantage on guns

Key characteristics

Long torps (10 km)Stealthy (6.6 km)SmokeTorp Reload BoosterFragile

Community Data

Kagerō Community Stats

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Playstyle

Overview

Kagerō is a Tier VII Japanese stealth-leaning destroyer with strong surface detection (6.6 km). The kit opens detection windows most peer DDs cannot match, so her value is contesting caps from concealment edges where the detection band holds. Standout traits: top-decile AP shell velocity in T7 DDs (915) and end-plate armor (20 mm).

Positioning

Hold concealment edges on the contested cap at 6.6 km detection. The band opens windows for unspotted torpedo drops and clean repositions; lean into the gaps your peer DDs cannot read, and back out before detection closes.

Potato Avoidance

Burning the 6.6 km concealment advantage on guns

Every salvo lights you up and gives back the detection edge that makes the kit work; reserve guns for finishing damage on already-spotted ships, and prioritize torpedo drops you can fire while undetected.

Signature Traits

Flat AP shells

915.0 m/s AP muzzle velocity, top decile of T7 DDs. Flatter trajectory, less lead, harder to dodge.

Flat HE shells

915.0 m/s HE muzzle velocity, top decile of T7 DDs. Flatter trajectory, easier to land at range.

Sharp rudder

3.5 s rudder shift, top decile of T7 DDs. Snappy weave.

Tight dispersion

87.6 m max horizontal dispersion, top decile of T7 DDs. Accurate at range.

Slow reload

6.1 s reload, bottom decile of T7 DDs. Salvos punish more, but cycle is slower than peers.

Low AP DPM

129836 AP DPM, bottom decile of T7 DDs. Citadel windows matter more than spam.

Acquisition

How to get Kagerō

Kagerō is available in the Torpedo Destroyers branch of the Japan Tech Tree for 18,000,000 credits after researching it in the branch. Known module upgrades cost up to 4,500,000 credits.

Show Japan tech-tree branch diagram

Japan Tech Tree

Kagerō sits in the Torpedo Destroyers branch. The highlighted path shows the local branch context inside the full Japan tree.

8 ships in highlighted branch · scroll to inspect all Japan lines.

JapanIIIIIIIVVVIVIIVIII★

Destroyer

Destroyer Split

Cruiser

Cruiser Split

Battleship

Hybrid Battleship

Carrier

Tier VIIsePJSB527 Tier VIIIDewaPJSB309 Tier VIISuwoPJSB308 Tier VIIIKitakazePJSD219 Tier VIIIYūgumoPJSD209 Tier VIIITakahashiPJSC209 Tier VIIKagerōPJSD208 Tier VIIShimantoPJSC208 Tier VIShiratsuyuPJSD207 Tier VIOmonoPJSC207 Tier VHatsuharuPJSD206 Tier VGokasePJSC206 Tier IVMinekazePJSD205 Tier IVAganoPJSC205 Tier VIIAkizukiPJSD108 Tier VIIShōkakuPJSA108 Tier VIAkatsukiPJSD107 Tier VFubukiPJSD106 Tier IVMutsukiPJSD105 Tier IChikumaPJSC035 Tier IIWakatakePJSD024 Tier VIIIIzumoPJSB021 Tier ★YamatoPJSB018 Tier IITenryūPJSC015 Tier IIIKumaPJSC013 Tier VIIAmagiPJSB013 Tier ★ShimakazePJSD012 Tier VIIIIbukiPJSC012 Tier VINagatoPJSB010 Tier VIIMogamiPJSC009 Tier VRyūjōPJSA009 Tier VIMyōkōPJSC008 Tier IIIIshizuchiPJSB008 Tier VAobaPJSC007 Tier IVKongōPJSB007 Tier VFusōPJSB006 Tier IVFurutakaPJSC005 Tier IIIIsokazePJSD003 Tier IIIHōshōPJSA002

Builds Beta

Build for concealment, torpedo reload/damage, speed, and survivability. Guns are emergency tools: defensive fire, finishing shots, or rare late-game safe farming after the torpedo/spotting job is secure.

Open in Build Tool →

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Cohort position

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Where Kagerō sits among Tier VII DDs (30 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.

BestRudder shift3.5 s (1 of 2 tied) Top 10%Stealth profile6.6 km / 3.3 km (3/30 / 3/30) Top 10%Main dispersion87.6 m (3/30) Top 10%AP velocity915 m/s (3/28) Top 10%HE velocity915 m/s (4/30) Top 10%Acceleration9.7 s (3/30) Top 10%Displacement2,540 t (3/30) Top 25%Torpedo damage20,967 (5/29) Bottom 25%Max speed35 kt (25/30) Bottom 25%Main battery reload6.1 s (27/30) Bottom 25%Fires per minute4.13 (27/30) Bottom 25%HE DPM106,230 (24/30) Bottom 25%AA DPS102 (25/30) Bottom 25%AA range3.1 km (25/30) Bottom 25%AA threat315 (24/30) Bottom 10%Hit points15,100 HP (28/30) Bottom 10%Main battery range10.64 km (28/30) Bottom 10%AP DPM129,836 (27/28) WorstDeck armor6 mm (1 of 2 tied)

See 19 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Kagerō -- 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.

Traverse-to-turn ratio7.45 ×(17/30) Main battery caliber127 mm(19/30) HE shell damage1,800(18/30) HE fire chance7%(19/30) AP shell damage2,200(18/28) AP arming threshold21 mm(12/28) Engine power52,000 hp(20/30) Turn-speed retention81.2 hp/m(23/30) Power-to-weight20.47 hp/t(11/30) Torpedo range9.99 km(11/29) Torpedo speed67 kt(9/29) Torpedo reload91 s(12/29) Max armor20 mm(17/30) Citadel belt20 mm(16/29) Bow armor20 mm(14/29) Stern armor20 mm(14/29) NormAP fuse timer0.01 s(23 of 28 tied at this value) NormAP ricochet start45°(23 of 28 tied at this value) NormAP auto-bounce angle60°(23 of 28 tied at this value)

Peers in this cohort

Show all 28 peers

Karl von Schönberg vs

Vittorio Cuniberti vs

Stats & specs

Customize in the Build Tool →Shell ballistics chart More tools in the WoWS Legends Data Lab

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

TRBSmokeEngine Boost

Survivability

Hit PointsInitial: 13,300 → 15,100

Displacement2,540 t

Armor range6–20 mm

Plate armor thicknesses6, 13, 15, 19, 20 mm

Armor material/layer entries23

Fire resistanceInitial: 33.3% → 36.6%

Fire duration30 s

Torp Reduction0%

Magazine HP

The magazine is the module a detonation comes from. Penetrating hits to it raise the detonation chance from 1% toward 30% as its HP is worn down, so a larger magazine pool rides out citadel hits longer before a detonation becomes likely.

7,600

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.

4,500

Main Battery

ModuleArtillery: 127 mm/50 Type3

Mounts / barrels3 mounts / 6 barrels

Reload time6.8 s

Firing range (base)9.7 km

Firing range (top fire control)10.6 km

Turret traverse12 °/s

Shell Grouping (σ)

Shell grouping (sigma); shown in-game as Shell Grouping.

Max Horiz Disp

Horizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range. (R/30·(idealRadius−minRadius)/idealDistance + minRadius)·30 = (9677/30·(8−0.5)/1000 + 0.5)·30 = 87.6 m

87.6 m

Max Vert Disp

Vertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 87.6 × 0.6 = 52.5 m

52.5 m

Med Horiz Disp

50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 87.6 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 28 m

28 m

Med Vert Disp

50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 52.5 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 16.8 m

16.8 m

Turret turn time

180 degrees / 12 deg/s traverse speed = 15 s.

15 s

Base shells/min

6 broadside guns x 60 / 6.8 s base reload = 52.9.

52.9

HE shells

HE Damage1,800

HE Velocity915 m/s

Fire Chance7%

HE penetration

21 mm ≈ 127 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).

21 mm

HE full-salvo alpha

1,800 HE damage x 6 broadside guns = 10,800.

10,800

Base HE DPM

10,800 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6.8 s base reload = 95,294.

95,294

Installed HE DPM

10,800 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6.1 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 106,230.

106,230

Base fires/min

6 HE shells x 60 / 6.8 s reload x 7% fire chance = 3.71.

3.71

AP shells

AP Damage2,200

AP Velocity915 m/s

Min Ricochet45 deg

Guaranteed Ricochet60 deg

Fuse Timer0.01 s

Fuse Threshold21 mm

AP overmatch

floor(127 mm caliber / 14.3) = 8 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).

8 mm

AP Pen Close

Canonical community AP formula (jcw780/wows_shell), evaluated at muzzle velocity: 1e-7 × Krupp × mass^0.69 × caliber_m^-1.07 × v0^1.38 = 1e-7 × 2266 × 23^0.69 × 0.127^-1.07 × 915^1.38 = 219 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.

219 mm

AP Pen Far

Same formula at the ship's max firing range (13.3 km), where the shell has slowed to 255.5 m/s: 1e-7 × 2266 × 23^0.69 × 0.127^-1.07 × 255.5^1.38 = 37.7 mm.

37.7 mm

AP full-salvo alpha

2,200 AP damage x 6 broadside guns = 13,200.

13,200

Base AP DPM

13,200 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6.8 s base reload = 116,471.

116,471

Installed AP DPM

13,200 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6.1 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 129,836.

129,836

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.

◇

Torpedoes

ModuleTorpedoes: Type93 mod. 2

Launchers / tubes2 launchers × 4 tubes = 8 tubes

Reload time91 s

Projectile speed67 kt

Range9.99 km

Maximum simulated damage19,567 (est.)

Alpha damage58,700

Torpedo detectability1.7 km

Torpedo launcher traverse25 °/s

Torp Turn7.2 s

Torp Arming517 m

Per-side salvo damage

per-side salvo x per-torpedo simulated damage.

156,536

AA Defense

AA mount pointsInitial: 7 → 13

Close-range AA DPS

Sum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (29×3.5×1) = 102. Covers AA-only mounts plus dual-purpose secondaries (Bismarck 105mm, USN 5"/38 cruiser secondaries) and dual-purpose main batteries (Sumner-class 5"/38, Akizuki-line 100mm). Formula validated against in-game captures on California, Sumner, Manfred von Richthofen, Dante Alighieri (exact) and within +/-17% on the remaining verified ships.

102

Maximum AA range

Longest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.

3.1 km

25 mm Type96 mod. 13×3 25mm

25 mm/60 Type96 mod. 1Initial: 4×1 → 10×1 25mm

DPSInitial: 21 → 29

Range3.1 km

Maneuverability

Engine moduleEngine: 52,000 hp

Engine power52,000 hp

Maximum speed35 kt

Turning circle radius640 m

Engine power multiplier speed threshold7 kt

Traverse-to-turn ratio7.4× ok

Concealment

Detectability by sea6.6 km

Detectability by air3.3 km

Smoke firing penalty2.47 km

Detect after firing main guns6.6 km

Detect Fire Sea8.6 km

Detect Fire Air6.3 km

Guaranteed Detect2 km

✦

Consumables

Damage Control Party∞ charges · 40 s reload · 5 s active

Choose one

Smoke Generator2 charges · 240 s reload · 15 s emit / 89 s cloud active

Torpedo Reload Booster1 charges · 360 s reload · 8 s active · Rapid torpedo reload

Engine Boost2 charges · 180 s reload · 120 s active · +8% speed bonus

Module options (3)

Stats above use the fully-upgraded modules. These are the research-tree alternatives; trade-offs are flagged.

HullUpgrade

Hit points13,300 → 15,100
Rudder shift5.2 → 3.5 s
AA mounts7 → 13
Close-range AA DPS21 → 29

Fire controlUpgrade

Main battery range9,677 → 10644.7 m

TorpedoesUpgrade

Alpha damage47,800 → 58,700
Display damage15,933 → 19,567
Speed62 → 67 kt

See all derived stats

Show ▾

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.

Main battery formulas

Shell Grouping (σ)2

Shell grouping (sigma); shown in-game as Shell Grouping.

Max Horiz Disp87.6 m

Horizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range. (R/30·(idealRadius−minRadius)/idealDistance + minRadius)·30 = (9677/30·(8−0.5)/1000 + 0.5)·30 = 87.6 m

Max Vert Disp52.5 m

Vertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 87.6 × 0.6 = 52.5 m

Med Horiz Disp28 m

50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 87.6 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 28 m

Med Vert Disp16.8 m

50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 52.5 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 16.8 m

AP Pen Close219 mm

Canonical community AP formula (jcw780/wows_shell), evaluated at muzzle velocity: 1e-7 × Krupp × mass^0.69 × caliber_m^-1.07 × v0^1.38 = 1e-7 × 2266 × 23^0.69 × 0.127^-1.07 × 915^1.38 = 219 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.

AP Pen Far37.7 mm

Same formula at the ship's max firing range (13.3 km), where the shell has slowed to 255.5 m/s: 1e-7 × 2266 × 23^0.69 × 0.127^-1.07 × 255.5^1.38 = 37.7 mm.

HE penetration21 mm

21 mm ≈ 127 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).

AP overmatch8 mm

floor(127 mm caliber / 14.3) = 8 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).

AP AOE Radius10

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.

Broadside guns used for alpha6

All 6 barrels bear on the broadside.

Turret turn time15 s

180 degrees / 12 deg/s traverse speed = 15 s.

HE full-salvo alpha10,800

1,800 HE damage x 6 broadside guns = 10,800.

AP full-salvo alpha13,200

2,200 AP damage x 6 broadside guns = 13,200.

Base HE DPM95,294

10,800 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6.8 s base reload = 95,294.

Base AP DPM116,471

13,200 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6.8 s base reload = 116,471.

Installed HE DPM106,230

10,800 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6.1 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 106,230.

Installed AP DPM129,836

13,200 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6.1 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 129,836.

Base shells/min52.9

6 broadside guns x 60 / 6.8 s base reload = 52.9.

Installed shells/min59

6 broadside guns x 60 / 6.1 s installed Artillery reload = 59.

Base fires/min3.71

6 HE shells x 60 / 6.8 s reload x 7% fire chance = 3.71.

Installed fires/min4.13

6 HE shells x 60 / 6.1 s installed reload x 7% fire chance = 4.13.

Torpedoes

Torpedo detectability1.7 km

Estimated torpedo reaction time9.8 s

detectability / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).

Torpedo speed67 kt

Travel time to max range57.3 s

range / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).

Tube count8

2 launchers x 4 tubes.

Per-side salvo8 torpedoes

8 (centerline launchers train across - full salvo to either side).

Full-salvo damage156,536

tube count x per-torpedo simulated damage (all torpedoes hitting).

Per-side salvo damage156,536

per-side salvo x per-torpedo simulated damage.

AA defense

Close-range AA DPS102

Sum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (29×3.5×1) = 102. Covers AA-only mounts plus dual-purpose secondaries (Bismarck 105mm, USN 5"/38 cruiser secondaries) and dual-purpose main batteries (Sumner-class 5"/38, Akizuki-line 100mm). Formula validated against in-game captures on California, Sumner, Manfred von Richthofen, Dante Alighieri (exact) and within +/-17% on the remaining verified ships.

Maximum AA range3.1 km

Longest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.

AA threat index315

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.

Armor

Hull HP 13,300 → 15,100 with hull upgrade, distributed across 5 hull zones, each with its own plate thicknesses, saturation cap, and pen thresholds. HP caps are the exact in-game values, not estimated.

Section	Plates	HP cap	Threats	Tactic
Bow	20 mm primary (range 19–20 mm)	2,000 (13% of HP)	Overmatched by 305mm+ (Toulon, Cherbourg)Angle bounces 283mm20 mm: HE pens from 127mm+	Bow-tank fits behind this exterior plate. Saturation is FAST here; the cap is often only a few thousand HP.
Hull (midship)	15 mm	11,300 (75% of HP)	Overmatched by 283mm+ (Scharnhorst, Scharnhorst '43)Angle bounces 203mm15 mm: HE pens from 127mm+	Largest HP pool. Citadel sits behind these plates; thinner deck and side plating absorb the rest.
Stern	20 mm primary (range 15–20 mm)	1,700 (11% of HP)	Overmatched by 305mm+ (Toulon, Cherbourg)Angle bounces 283mm20 mm: HE pens from 127mm+	Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel	20 mm primary (range 13–20 mm)	≈ 165,500 (effectively no cap)	Citadel pen ×0.50 damageOver-pen: ×0.10 damage	Effectively no cap; citadel pool sits at ~165k HP on every ship. Damage is gated by pen/over-pen multipliers instead (×0.50 direct pen, ×0.10 over-pen).
Superstructure	6 mm	800 (5% 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).
Turret (module, per magazine)	separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP	7,600 magazine HP	Magazine detonation1–30% chance · below ~75% HP	Per-turret powder-magazine HP. Detonation chance scales from 1% (no mag damage) to 30% (full mag damage); this range is the in-game value. Detonation can't roll while the ship is above ~75% HP (the standard detonation-protection threshold, not a per-ship stat). Smaller magazines saturate to the 30% ceiling faster.
AA mount (25 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	4,500 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.

Shell ballistics chart

AP penetration, impact velocity, flight time and impact angle vs range. Click to load the interactive chart.

Balance History

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

Buff ×2Main Battery ×2

2021-08-26

September update: the Redinforcements

Reload time of torpedo tubes decreased from 101s to 91s.

Read the full official post

2021-05-13

May Update: Things Are Heating Up!

For upgraded torpedoes, reload time decreased from 112 to 101 seconds.

Read the full official post

Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

Every custom exterior Kagerō can equip, from in-game data.

DefaultThe ship’s standard exterior
Kagero H2017Halloween

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.

2022-07-14 · Official ship feature / stats Strive for Greatness: Tier VIII development blog Official source 2026-05-01 · Official ship feature / stats Golden Week '26: Special Skins and New Calendar Official source 2021-05-13 · Patch notes May Update: Things Are Heating Up! Patch notes 2021-08-26 · Patch notes September update: the Redinforcements Patch notes 2021-09-30 · Patch notes Halloween Update: Double the Fun, Double the Trouble Patch notes 2021-12-16 · Patch notes Holiday Update: Chilling With the Beasts Patch notes