World of Warships: Legends ship guide

Kotovsky

Also called: 科托夫斯基 · Котовский · Kotowski Beta
AP citadel cruiserGuns earn citadels on broadsides; Sonar contests islands and smoke without exposing the hull.
Playstyle
  • Work the islands rather than a firing line
  • Avoid: Pushing in blind because the kit says brawler
Key characteristics
14.1 km gun rangeSonarThickest plateFast for the classEasily spotted
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Community Data

Kotovsky Community Stats

Across 3,600+ Standard battles from 300+ players, Kotovsky averages a 57% win rate, 34,300 damage and 0.9 kills per battle, and survives 26% of them.

Community Data

Kotovsky Community Stats

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Playstyle

Overview

Kotovsky is a Tier IV Soviet light cruiser whose 152mm guns earn citadels on broadsides at 3,150 AP alpha (8th of 23), with Sonar as her vision tool: it lets her contest islands and smoke without exposing the hull. Standout traits: best armor plate in T4 CAs (150 mm, 2nd of 23) and top speed in T4 CAs (35.5 kt, 4th of 23). The trade is surface detection in T4 CAs (11.9 km, 20th of 23).

Positioning

Work the islands rather than a firing line. Sonar (3.7 km on ships, 2.7 km on torpedoes) is the whole kit, and it only pays inside that radius, so hold the cover beside a contested cap and use it to catch destroyers and torpedoes coming around the corner: HE into the destroyer, AP into any cruiser that shows you a broadside while it sits in smoke. Firing from a friendly smoke reveals you at 5.7 km, so pick the salvo rather than holding the trigger. A 850 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

Pushing in blind because the kit says brawler

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

Signature Traits

ELITE ARMOR ↗
  • Thickest plate · 150 mm
  • Thick end plates · 16 mm
  • Heavy citadel belt · 100 mm
  • Thick bow plate · 16 mm
Fast for the class ↗

35.5 kt, top decile of T4 CAs. Lets you rotate flanks or escape disengagements.

Long gun range ↗

14.1 km main battery reach, top quartile of T4 CAs.

Fast torpedoes ↗

64 kt torpedo speed, top decile of T4 CAs. Shorter run to the target and less lead to hold; how much warning they get depends on torpedo detectability too.

Easily spotted ↗

11.9 km surface detect, bottom quartile of T4 CAs. Visible before you can react; position early.

Short torp range ↗

4 km torpedo range, bottom quartile of T4 CAs. Must close to deliver.

Acquisition

How to get Kotovsky

Kotovsky is available in the Piercing Heavy Cruisers branch of the U.S.S.R. Tech Tree for 500,000 credits after researching it in the branch. Known module upgrades cost up to 125,000 credits. Official source cards below may also show its temporary Early Access window before it became a normal Tech Tree unlock. 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.

History: Early Access Sep 2021 (temporary crate drops, now ended).

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

Show U.S.S.R. tech-tree branch diagram

Best listed chance for this ship

Official WG availability sources
  • Halloween Update: Double the Fun, Double the Trouble Early Access Start: 2021-09-30
    • Prepare to welcome more Early Access ships: Russian cruisers Kotovsky at Tier IV, Gorky at Tier V, and Tallinn at Tier VI are available inside Soviet Cruiser crates and Soviet Cruiser Big Crates (the latter of which offer better chances of getting one of the Early Access warships and an opportunity to get Tier V Premium cruiser Molotov).
  • November update: Fury on the wings of wisdom Tech tree line Start: 2021-11-04
    • Soviet Cruisers Leave Early Access
    • Kotovsky, which will give you a taste of the new line, was named after a Russian Civil War Red commander.
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.

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Cohort position

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Where Kotovsky sits among Tier IV CAs (22 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.

BestMax armor150 mm (1 of 3 tied) BestEnd plates16 mm (1 of 2 tied / 3/23) Top 10%Acceleration (0-12 kt)7.8 s (3/23) Top 10%Engine power120,000 hp (3/23) Top 10%Power-to-weight14.05 hp/t (2/23) Top 10%Torpedo speed64 kt (3/21) Top 10%Citadel belt100 mm (2/23) Top 25%Max speed35.5 kt (4/23) Top 25%Main battery range14.05 km (4/23) Top 25%Time to 90% speed22.2 s (4/23) Top 25%AP pen at 10 km147 mm (6/23) Bottom 25%Stealth profile11.94 km / 7.16 km (20/23 / 20/23) Bottom 25%Main dispersion129.9 m (20/23) Bottom 10%Turning circle850 m (22/23) Bottom 10%Fires per minute4.27 (19/20) WorstTorpedo range4.02 km (1 of 3 tied)
See 32 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Kotovsky -- 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.

Hit points25,700 HP(17/23) Smoke fire bloom5.68 km(18/23) Rudder shift7.4 s(15/23) Main battery caliber152 mm(13/23) Main battery reload9 s(14/23) HE shell damage2,150(15/20) HE DPM114,667(11/20) AP shell damage3,150(8/23) AP DPM168,000(9/23) Secondary DPM (per side)63,000(7/16) Secondary HE alpha1,400(11/16) Secondary fire chance6%(7/16) Secondary HE pen17 mm(7/16) AP velocity880 m/s(11/23) HE velocity880 m/s(10/20) AP fuse timer0.025 s(13/23) AP arming threshold25 mm(10/23) Power / turn radius141.2 hp/m(11/23) Displacement8,540 t(8/23) Effective HE DPM (incl. fire)145,564(13/20) AA DPS149(15/23) AA range3.5 km(17/23) AA threat407(15/23) Flak damage per salvo (expected)252(11/17) Torpedo damage≈13,400(11/21) Torpedo reaction time7.6 s(11/21) Torpedo reload70 s(11/21) NormSigma2(21 of 23 tied at this value) NormAP ricochet start45°(21 of 23 tied at this value) NormAP auto-bounce angle60°(21 of 23 tied at this value) NormTurn speed retained81%(22 of 23 tied at this value) NormSecondary range4 km(12 of 16 tied at this value)
Survivability
Hit PointsInitial: 22,700 → 25,700
Displacement8,540 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.
190.4 x 17.4 m (ship-model figure)
Armor range6–150 mm
Plate armor thicknesses6, 10, 16, 20, 35, 50, 100, 150 mm
Armor material/layer entries32
Fire resistance
ƒstock hull: 1 − 0.8668 fire coefficient = 13.3%; top hull: 1 − 0.8335 fire coefficient = 16.6%. 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.
Initial: 13.3% → 16.6%
Fire duration30 s
Fire damage
ƒOne unattended fire: 0.003 of max HP per second (0.3%) × 30 s = 0.09 of the pool; 0.09 × 25,700 HP = 2,313 HP on this ship. 4 fire points can burn at once.
0.3% of HP per second
Flood duration40 s
Flood damage
ƒOne unattended flood: 0.0025 of max HP per second (0.25%) × 40 s = 0.1 of the pool; 0.1 × 25,700 HP = 2,570 HP on this ship.
0.25% of HP per second
Torp Reduction
ƒ1 − 0.3 hull torpedo-damage coefficient / 0.333 unprotected baseline = 10%. Reduces torpedo hit damage. It does not affect flooding: floods start as often and tick at the full rate.
10%
Magazine HP
ƒPer-turret powder-magazine HP, a separate pool from the ship's. Penetrating hits wear it down and the turret is likelier to be knocked out as it falls, so a larger pool keeps the guns firing through punishment that silences a peer's.
12,900
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.
7,700
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 × 1,900 = 3,800), 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.
1,900
Auxiliary section HP
ƒDamage saturation pool for the auxiliary room: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 3,500 = 7,000), 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.
3,500
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 × 19,300 = 38,600), 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.
19,300
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 × 1,300 = 2,600), 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.
1,300
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 × 1,000 = 2,000), 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.
1,000
Citadel section HP
ƒThis section has no practical saturation cap: every hit here keeps dealing its normal share of damage (on most ships the citadel; on many destroyers the casemate).
No saturation cap
Main Battery
ModuleArtillery: 152 mm/52 MK-2
Mounts / barrels4 mounts / 8 barrels
Reload timeInitial: 10 s → 9 s
Firing range (base)12.8 km
Firing range (top fire control)14.1 km
Turret traverseInitial: 7 °/s → 8 °/s
Turret armor100 mm
Turret traverse arcs
ƒHow far each mount can train, in degrees to either side of the mount's own facing. A rear turret with ±150° leaves a 60° blind wedge over the bow; one-sided arcs are wing mounts that cover a single side. The data does not say which way each mount faces, so the arcs are listed per mount without bow/stern angles.
2x ±155°, 2x ±146°
Guns to bear
ƒ180° − 146° (the most restricted aft-facing mount's arc) = 34° 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.
34° off bow / 25° off stern
Shell Grouping (σ)2
Dispersion type
ƒIn practice: the baseline curve for a standard cruiser -- at max range (14.1 km) shells land in an ellipse about 130 m wide and 78 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
ƒHorizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range, from the dispersion model: σH=(R30·idealRadius−minRadiusidealDistance+minRadius)·30 =(14050.330·8−1.11000+1.1)·30=129.9m
129.9 m at 14.1 km
Max Vert Disp
ƒVertical dispersion ellipse height at max range: σV=σH·radiusOnMax =129.9·0.6=78m
78 m at 14.1 km
Med Horiz Disp
ƒ50%-hit horizontal radius: σH,50=σH·0.6σ =129.9·0.62=39m
39 m at 14.1 km
Med Vert Disp
ƒ50%-hit vertical radius: σV,50=σV·0.6σ =78·0.62=23.4m
23.4 m at 14.1 km
Turret turn time
ƒ180 degrees / 7 deg/s traverse speed = 25.7 s.
25.7 s
Shells/min
ƒZero upgrades: 8 broadside guns x 60 / 10 s base reload = 48. All upgrades (top gun): 8 broadside guns x 60 / 9 s all-upgrades reload = 53.3.
Initial: 48 → 53.3
HE shells
HE alpha2,150
HE Velocity880 m/s
Fire Chance8%
HE fire DPM vs T4 BB30873
Effective HE DPM vs T4 BB145539
HE penetration
ƒ25 mm ≈ 152 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
25 mm
HE full-salvo alpha
ƒ2,150 HE damage x 8 broadside guns = 17,200.
17,200
HE DPM
ƒZero upgrades: 17,200 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 10 s base reload = 103,200. All upgrades (top gun): 17,200 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 9 s all-upgrades reload = 114,667.
Initial: 103,200 → 114,667
Fires/min
ƒZero upgrades: 48 shells/min × 0.08 (8% fire chance) = 3.84. All upgrades (top gun): 53.3 shells/min × 0.08 (8% fire chance) = 4.27.
Initial: 3.84 → 4.27
AP shells
AP alpha3,150
AP Velocity880 m/s
Min Ricochet45 deg
Guaranteed Ricochet60 deg
Fuse Timer0.025 s
Fuse Threshold25 mm
AP overmatch
ƒfloor(152 mm caliber / 14.3) = 10 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
10 mm
AP Pen Close
ƒAP formula evaluated at muzzle velocity: P=10−7·K·m0.69·d−1.07·v01.38 =10−7·2300·51.50.69·0.152−1.07·8801.38=303.2mm.
303.2 mm point-blank
AP Pen Far
ƒSame formula at the ship's max firing range (14.1 km), where the shell has slowed to 433.4 m/s: P=10−7·2300·51.50.69·0.152−1.07·433.41.38=114.1mm.
114.1 mm at 14.1 km
AP full-salvo alpha
ƒ3,150 AP damage x 8 broadside guns = 25,200.
25,200
AP DPM
ƒZero upgrades: 25,200 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 10 s base reload = 151,200. All upgrades (top gun): 25,200 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 9 s all-upgrades reload = 168,000.
Initial: 151,200 → 168,000
AP AOE Radius
ƒAP shell over-penetration splash radius; scales with shell mass. Wickes 102mm = 3, standard 152mm CL ~ 20, Iowa 406mm ~ 270, Yamato 460mm = 400, Incomparable 650mm = 550 (max). Larger value = bigger splash damage area when AP over-pens.
12
Torpedoes
ModuleTorpedoes: 533 mm Triple 39-U
Launchers / tubes2 launchers × 3 tubes = 6 tubes
Reload time70 s
Projectile speed64.0 kt
Range4.02 km
Maximum simulated damage
ƒMost 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: Dsim=α·c=40,200·0.333=13,400. 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.
≈ 13,400
Maximum damage (ammunition)
ƒ40,200 warhead alpha / 3 + 1,000 blast = 14,400. 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.
14,400
Torpedo module damage
ƒPer-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.
1,000
Torpedo detectability1.3 km
Reaction time
ƒHow long a target has to dodge after your torpedo is spotted at its detectability range (lower means less warning): treact=1.3 km64 kt×2.6855=7.6 s. 2.6855 converts knots to m/s on the game clock. Base value; commander torpedo-concealment skills lower it further.
7.6 s
Flooding chance
ƒThis torpedo carries a flooding-chance value of 2.4 per hit, shown as 2.4×100=240%. 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.
240%
Torpedo launcher traverse25 °/s
Launch arcswing 150° (one launcher per beam)
Torp Turn
ƒTime to rotate the launchers 180 deg: tturn=180°25°/s=7.2s.
7.2 s
Torp Arming202 m
Per-side salvo damage
ƒOne side firing, all torpedoes hitting: per-side tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 3 x 13,400 = 40,200. Each hit on the target's torpedo belt is reduced by its torpedo protection %.
40,200
AA Defense
AA mount points10
Maximum AA range
ƒLongest-reaching family on the in-game AA card. Base AirDefense aura max range is 2.5 km; dual-purpose mount auras extend it.
3.5 km
37 mm 70-K (upgraded hull only)6×1 37mm
12.7 mm DShK4×1 13mm
45 mm 21-K (stock hull only)6×1 45mm
100 mm/56 B-34 (DP)
ƒDual-purpose: your secondaries doing double duty against aircraft. The same mounts appear on the Secondary Battery card - shared guns, not extra hardware.
6×1 100mm
Far aura
Guns100 mm/56 B-34 (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 28 from dual-purpose secondaries firing as AA in this range band.
28
Range3.5 km
Medium aura
Guns37 mm 70-K
Continuous DPS
ƒEffective DPS: 26 raw aura damage × 3.5 × 0.9 hit probability = 82 - the same in-game units as the Close-range AA DPS headline.
82
Range3.2 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒFar 28 + Medium 82 = 110
110
Near aura
Guns12.7 mm DShK
Continuous DPS
ƒInitial: 16 × 3.5 × 0.85 = 48 → 13 × 3.5 × 0.85 = 39. Raw aura damage × 3.5 × hit probability, the same in-game units as the Close-range AA DPS headline.
Initial: 48 → 39
Range1.2 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒFar 28 + Medium 82 + Near 39 = 149
149
Flak
AA explosions
ƒEach ~2 s salvo fires 2 AA explosions in quick succession, each leaving 1 cloud ahead of the attacking squadron - up to 2 clouds per salvo × 140 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, 1 cloud each
Cloud damage
ƒDamage a plane takes for flying into one flak cloud, before any reductions.
140
Cloud spawn chance
ƒEach cloud in the pattern rolls this chance to spawn, so salvos average fewer clouds than the maximum. Often called flak 'hit chance', but spawned clouds always damage planes that fly into them - the roll is on spawning.
90%
Salvo interval
ƒA new flak salvo (the AA explosions above) fires roughly every 2 s.
every ~2 s
Fired by
ƒFlak keeps firing while at least one 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 3.5 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.
2.5-3.5 km
S
Secondary Battery
Mounts6
Firing range4.0 km
Shell Grouping (σ)1
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: 6×1 100 mm (3/side) × 60/4 s × 1400 = 63,000. Assumes every shell hits (real hit rate is lower; the Brawl matchup tool on the Compare page folds in dispersion + target armor).
63,000
Secondary fire DPM vs T4 BB (per side)
ƒFires/min (per side) 2.7 × (1 − 0.166 fire resistance) × 60 s × 0.003 of max HP per second × 48,200 HP = 19,537. 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.
19,537
Total secondary DPM vs T4 BB (per side)
ƒSecondary DPM (per side) 63,000 + secondary fire DPM 19,537 = 82,537: shell damage plus fire damage against one T4 battleship, every shell hitting.
82,537
100 mm/56 B-34 (DP)
ƒDual-purpose: the same mounts also fire at aircraft, so they appear on the AA Defense card too - shared guns, not extra hardware.
6×1 100mm
Caliber100 mm
Reload time4 s
HE alpha1,400
Muzzle Velocity895 m/s
Fire Chance6%
Secondary fires/min (per side)
ƒ6×1 barrels / 2 sides × 60 / 4 s × 0.06 (6% fire chance) = 2.7. 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.
2.7
HE Pen17 mm
Secondary dispersion type
ƒMax 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 @ 4 km
ƒ4 km × 57 + 30 = 258 m.
258 m
Maneuverability
Engine power120,000 hp
Maximum speed35.5 kt
Turning circle radius850 m
Rudder shift timeInitial: 10.4 s → 7.4 s
Engine power-boost threshold7.0 kt
Engine spool-up time15.3 s
Reverse spool-up time7.7 s
Reverse speed
ƒtop speed / 4 + 4.9 = 35.5 / 4 + 4.9 = 13.8 kt. Base value; speed modifiers scale it.
13.8 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.
23.5 s
Engine boost threshold (reverse)
ƒSpeed below which the engine's built-in power boost applies in reverse.
9.7 kt
Acceleration 0-90%
ƒTime to reach 90% of top speed (31.9 kt of 35.5 kt).
22.2 s
Acceleration 0-99%
ƒTime to reach 99% of top speed (35.1 kt of 35.5 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.
34.4 s
Guns in a full turn
ƒWith the rudder hard over the hull turns 5.2°/s, so a target drifts across the bow at that rate. Turret traverse minus hull turn: 7 − 5.2 = +1.8°/s, so the guns hold the target through the turn. Main Battery Mod. 2 (+20% traverse) and Mod. 3 (−15%) move this line.
hold target (+1.8°/s spare)
Concealment
Detectability by sea
ƒBase value, no camouflage. With a Grade IV permanent camo (or any disposable camo): 11.94 km x 0.955 = 11.4 km. Camouflage does not change detectability by air.
11.94 km
With Grade IV camouflage (sea)
ƒDetectability by sea 11.94 km x 0.955 (Grade IV permanent camo or any disposable camo) = 11.4 km.
11.4 km
Detectability by air7.16 km
Smoke firing penalty5.68 km
Detect when firing (sea)
ƒmax(main battery range, sea detectability 11.94 km) = 14.05 km. Equal to the ship's main battery range (never below base detectability): firing makes you visible to everyone you can reach.
14.05 km
Detect when firing (air)
ƒAir detectability 7.16 km + gun-firing bloom 3.04 km = 10.2 km. The bloom tracks main-battery caliber 152 mm × 0.020 = 3.04 km.
10.2 km
Detect when on fire (sea)
ƒSea detectability 11.94 km + 2.0 km while burning = 13.94 km.
13.94 km
Detect when on fire (air)
ƒAir detectability 7.16 km + 3.0 km while burning = 10.16 km.
10.16 km
Guaranteed Detect2 km
✦
Consumables
Damage Control Party∞ charges · 60 s reload · 5 s active
Sonar2 charges · 180 s reload · 90 s active · 3.72 km ship detect
ƒDerived from the consumable's 30 m grid-unit range (km = grid units x 30 / 1000): 124×301000=3.72 km
· 2.67 km torpedo detect
ƒDerived from the consumable's 30 m grid-unit range (km = grid units x 30 / 1000): 89×301000=2.67 km
Catapult Fighter3 charges · 80 s reload · 70 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
· 1 squadron size
Module options (3)

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

HullUpgrade
  • Hit points22,700 → 25,700
  • Rudder shift10.4 → 7.4 s
  • Close-range AA DPS27 → 39
  • Maximum AA range2.5 → 3.2 km
  • Turret traverse7 → 8 °/s
Fire controlUpgrade
  • Main battery range12,773 → 14050.3 m
ArtilleryUpgrade
  • Base reload10 → 9 s

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 height @ 5 km27.9 m
How tall the scatter ellipse is at a fixed 5 km, from the same model, comparable from ship to ship. The height/width ratio is a piecewise-linear curve through three points from the ship's own dispersion data: radiusOnZero=0.2 at 0 m, radiusOnDelim=0.5 at delim·Rmax=0.5·14050.3=7025 m, and radiusOnMax=0.6 at 14050.3 m. Below the kink: k=0.2+(0.5−0.2)·50007025=0.4135, so σV=σH·k=67.5·0.4135=27.9m.
Shell scatter height @ 10 km55.3 m
How tall the same scatter ellipse is at 10 km. Comparable from ship to ship for the same reason as the width value above. The height/width ratio is a piecewise-linear curve through three points from the ship's own dispersion data: radiusOnZero=0.2 at 0 m, radiusOnDelim=0.5 at delim·Rmax=0.5·14050.3=7025 m, and radiusOnMax=0.6 at 14050.3 m. Above the kink: k=0.5+(0.6−0.5)·10000−702514050.3−7025=0.5423, so σV=σH·k=102·0.5423=55.3m.
AP pen 5 km209 mm
AP penetration at a fixed 5 km, from the same ballistic curve as AP Pen Close/Far: the shell's impact velocity at that range fed through the AP formula P=10−7·K·m0.69·d−1.07·v1.38 =10−7·2300·51.50.69·0.152−1.07·673.11.38=209mm, where 673.1 m/s is the shell's speed when it arrives at 5 km (from 880 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 km147 mm
AP penetration at a fixed 10 km, from the same ballistic curve as AP Pen Close/Far: the shell's impact velocity at that range fed through the AP formula P=10−7·K·m0.69·d−1.07·v1.38 =10−7·2300·51.50.69·0.152−1.07·521.11.38=147mm, where 521.1 m/s is the shell's speed when it arrives at 10 km (from 880 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 km5.43 s
How long an HE shell takes to reach a target at a fixed 10 km, from the same numerically integrated trajectory the Charts card plots. The shell slows under quadratic air drag, adrag=kρv2, where ρ is air density from a standard-atmosphere profile and k bundles the shell's drag coefficient, caliber and mass: k=πCdd28m=π·0.2488·0.15228·51.5=4.38×10−5. That runs from a 880 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 km5.43 s
How long an AP shell takes to reach a target at a fixed 10 km, from the same numerically integrated trajectory the Charts card plots. The shell slows under quadratic air drag, adrag=kρv2, where ρ is air density from a standard-atmosphere profile and k bundles the shell's drag coefficient, caliber and mass: k=πCdd28m=π·0.2488·0.15228·51.5=4.38×10−5. That runs from a 880 m/s muzzle velocity in 0.02 s steps under gravity 9.8 m/s² until the shell lands, then divides by 2.77 because the game clock runs faster than real time. Lower is better, since a faster shell is harder to dodge and needs less lead.
Guns per full salvo (alpha, DPM)8
4 mounts × 2 barrels = 8; all 8 bear on the broadside.

Model inputs

Krupp (AP)2,300
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 mass51.5 kg
Enters penetration as mass^0.69 and slows the shell's drag deceleration, so a heavier shell keeps more velocity at range.
AP drag coefficient0.2488
Air drag on the AP shell in flight; lower keeps velocity, and with it penetration, at long range.
AP muzzle velocity880 m/s
Starting speed of the AP shell; penetration scales with velocity^1.38.
HE muzzle velocity880 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 time7.6 s
1300 m / (64.0 kt × 2.6855) = 7.6 s. detectability / (speed kt x 2.6855 m/s per knot on the game clock).
Torpedo speed64.0 kt
Travel time to max range23.4 s
4020 m / (64.0 kt × 2.6855) = 23.4 s. range / (speed kt x 2.6855 m/s per knot on the game clock).
Tube count6
2 launchers × 3 tubes.
Per-side salvo3 torpedoes
6 wing tubes / 2 = 3: 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 damage80,400
All tubes hitting one target: tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 6 x 13,400 = 80,400. Each hit on the target's torpedo belt is reduced by its torpedo protection %.

AA defense

AA DPS at max range28
Only families that reach 3.5 km contribute at the outer edge of the AA bubble. In-game families: 37mm70K 6x1 -> 82 DPS @ 3.2 km; 12 DShK 4x1 -> 39 DPS @ 1.2 km; 100mm B 34 6x1 -> 28 DPS @ 3.5 km.
AA DPS layered by range28 DPS @ 3.5 km, 110 DPS @ 3.2 km, 149 DPS @ 1.2 km
@ 3.5 km: 28 from one family; @ 3.2 km: 82 + 28 = 110; @ 1.2 km: 82 + 39 + 28 = 149. 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-blank149
82 + 39 + 28 = 149 DPS: the sum of every family's average DPS, achievable only inside the closest-range family (1.2 km).
AA threat index407
82 × 3.2 + 39 × 1.2 + 28 × 3.5 = 407. 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 range1.2 km

Secondary battery firepower

Max HE alpha1400
The only family (100 mm): 1400. Maximum HE damage per shell across secondary HE families. Best on this ship: 1400 from the 100 mm family.
Max HE fire chance6%
The only family (100 mm): 6%. Maximum per-shell fire chance across secondary HE families (before target fire resistance is applied). Best on this ship: 6% from the 100 mm family.
Max HE pen17 mm
The only family (100 mm): 17 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: 17 mm from the 100 mm family.
Open in Charting Tool

Ship Charts

Background

One of the first projects of a Soviet light cruiser armed with 152 mm guns. It was a conceptual step forward in comparison to the Svietlana-class ships in terms of her speed, gunfire control system, the arrangement of her main battery artillery, and the strength of her AA defenses.

Armor Beta

Hull HP 22,700 → 25,700 with hull upgrade, distributed across 5 hull zones, each with its own plate thicknesses, saturation cap, and pen thresholds.

Bow & stern16 mm

Overmatched by 77+ AP guns across the bracket. Can’t reliably bow-tank; gets bow-citadelled and overpenned.

Belt / citadel50 mm

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

Farming10 mm

Superstructure and extremities take HE pens and AP overpens from nearly any gun: steady chip damage. Fire resistance 17%, fires burn 30s. Range-by-range in the Compare tool →

Section Plates HP cap Threats Tactic
Bow16 mm primary (range 16–20 mm)1,900 (7% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ AP (Nassau, Von Der Tann)Angle bounces 203mm16 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)16 mm primary (range 6–35 mm)19,300 (75% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ AP (Nassau, Von Der Tann)Angle bounces 203mm16 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Largest HP pool. Citadel sits behind these plates; thinner deck and side plating absorb the rest.
Stern16 mm primary (range 10–20 mm)1,000 (4% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ AP (Nassau, Von Der Tann)Angle bounces 203mm16 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel50 mm primary (range 10–100 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.
Superstructure10 mm primary (range 10–150 mm)1,300 (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 HP12,900 magazine HPTurret knocked outPer-turret powder-magazine HP, a separate pool that does not drain ship HP. As it is worn down the turret is likelier to be knocked out, and a smaller pool gets there faster.
Secondary mount (100 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 HP7,700 module HPIncapacitated at 0 HPWhen module HP reaches 0 the rudder locks at its current angle until DCP repairs it. Repair via Damage Control Party.

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

Balance History

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

Buff ×2
2026-03-26

Ministry of Balance: Spring Renewal

  • Thickness of stock hull plating of the bow side, bow deck, stern side, and stern deck increased from 13 to 16 mm.
  • Thickness of upgraded hull plating of the bow side, bow deck, stern side, and stern deck increased from 13 to 16 mm.
Read the full official post
Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

Every custom exterior Kotovsky can equip.

  • Kotovsky 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.