World of Warships: Legends ship guide

Rochester

Beta
Smoke farming cruiserFarm from smoke; lean on team or radar for spotting.
Playstyle
  • Hold 12-15 km where rotated focus can find island cover within one heal cycle
  • Avoid: Trading the super-heal advantage in open water
Key characteristics
2 sigma accuracyStrong secondaries (5 km)Smoke + SonarDefensive AASlow AP shells
Community Data

Rochester Community Stats

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Playstyle

Overview

Rochester is a Tier VII American cruiser built around the super-heal: each Repair Party charge returns dramatically more HP than a standard heal, so her durability comes from sustain rather than armor. Sonar (4.9 km on ships and 3.5 km on torpedoes, 96 s active, 180 s reload, long uptime) lights up DDs and torpedoes inside its bubble, which lets her contest the cap edge without taking the spotting cycle. Standout traits: best AP always-pen window in T7 CAs (60°).

Positioning

Hold 12-15 km where rotated focus can find island cover within one heal cycle. The super-heal (~0.6%/s, roughly twice a standard heal) makes sustained trades profitable that would not be on a standard cruiser, but only if you finish the trade behind cover; open-water sustain just feeds shells.

Potato Avoidance

Trading the super-heal advantage in open water

The kit rewards finishing the trade behind cover so the heal recovers what the salvo took; sustained open-water exposure burns through all 2 charges before the cooldown completes.

Signature Traits

Wide always-pen zone

60.0° AP min ricochet angle, best of T7 CAs. Larger impact-angle window where shells always penetrate.

Heavy citadel belt

160.0 mm citadel belt, top decile of T7 CAs. Citadels through angle are rare.

Hardened superstructure

38.0 mm superstructure, top decile of T7 CAs. HE farms less.

Smoke cruiser

Smoke on a cruiser is rare. Fight from concealment, then disengage.

Overmatch specialist

Caliber-driven overmatch reaches armor thicknesses most cohort peers can't crack. Punish bow-tankers.

Slow AP shells

762.0 m/s AP muzzle velocity, bottom decile of T7 CAs. Lobby trajectory, more lead, easier to dodge at range.

Acquisition

How to get Rochester

Rochester 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

  • Santa Level 5 0.428571% Tier VII Premium ship Event containers · Santa Level 5 · 1 of 35 ships
  • Spectral Vault 5.0 0.375% Tier VII Premium ship Event containers · Spectral Vault 5.0 · 1 of 40 ships
  • Santa Level 4 0.157143% Tier VII Premium ship Event containers · Santa Level 4 · 2 paths combined · 1 of 35 ships
    Show 2 paths
    • Santa Level 40.114286%
    • Santa Level 4 → Santa Level 50.042857%
Show all 13 containers (10 more)
  • Spectral Vault 4.0 0.15625% Tier VII Premium ship Event containers · Spectral Vault 4.0 · 2 paths combined · 1 of 40 ships
    Show 2 paths
    • Spectral Vault 4.00.1%
    • Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.05625%
  • Santa Level 3 0.102143% Tier VII Premium ship Event containers · Santa Level 3 · 4 paths combined · 1 of 35 ships
    Show 4 paths
    • Santa Level 30.057143%
    • Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 50.021429%
    • Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 40.017143%
    • Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 4 → Santa Level 50.006429%
  • Fall Big Crate 0.1% Tier VII Premium ship Common containers · Fall Big Crate
  • Spectral Vault 3.0 0.078437% Tier VII Premium ship Event containers · Spectral Vault 3.0 · 4 paths combined · 1 of 40 ships
    Show 4 paths
    • Spectral Vault 3.00.05%
    • Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.01125%
    • Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.011%
    • Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.006188%
  • Mystic Lantern 0.074419% Tier VII Premium ship Event containers · Mystic Lantern · 1 of 43 ships
  • Santa Level 2 0.026036% Tier VII Premium ship Event containers · Santa Level 2 · 7 paths combined · 1 of 35 ships
    Show 7 paths
    • Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 30.008571%
    • Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 40.005714%
    • Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 50.003214%
    • Santa Level 20.002857%
    • Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 40.002571%
    • Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 4 → Santa Level 50.002143%
    • Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 4 → Santa Level 50.000964%
  • Champion's Box 0.020429% Tier VII Premium ship Event containers · Champion's Box · 4 paths combined · 1 of 35 ships
    Show 4 paths
    • Champion's Box → Santa Level 30.011429%
    • Champion's Box → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 50.004286%
    • Champion's Box → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 40.003429%
    • Champion's Box → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 4 → Santa Level 50.001286%
  • Spectral Vault 2.0 0.013469% Tier VII Premium ship Event containers · Spectral Vault 2.0 · 7 paths combined · 1 of 40 ships
    Show 7 paths
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.00.005%
    • Spectral Vault 2.00.0025%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.002%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.001125%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.001125%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.0011%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000619%
  • Santa Level 1 0.007834% Tier VII Premium ship Event containers · Santa Level 1 · 9 paths combined · 1 of 35 ships
    Show 9 paths
    • Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 30.002857%
    • Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 30.001286%
    • Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 50.001071%
    • Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 40.000857%
    • Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 50.000482%
    • Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 20.000429%
    • Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 40.000386%
    • Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 4 → Santa Level 50.000321%
    • Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 4 → Santa Level 50.000145%
  • Spectral Vault 1.0 0.001997% Tier VII Premium ship Event containers · Spectral Vault 1.0 · 11 paths combined · 1 of 40 ships
    Show 11 paths
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.00.0005%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.00.00045%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.00.000225%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.00018%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000112%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.00011%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000101%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000101%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.000099%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000062%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000056%
Official WG availability sources
  • Official WoWS Legends container odds Containers Official container drop rows linked below include direct and nested effective ship odds.
  • 5 Years Strong: Loyalty Reward for All Captains! Event/store source Start: 2024-03-25 · End: open/unknown end Official ship/event post that can indicate store, collaboration, event, return, or limited availability.
  • Through the Spy Glass: Rochester Ship feature / release Start: 2023-01-17 · 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.
  • Through the Spy Glass: Tulsa Ship feature / release Start: 2023-06-21 · 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

Builds Beta

Build for reload, concealment, and smoke-firing comfort. Official inspiration guidance points to Francesco Mimbelli for reload and Harold B. Farncomb for reducing the smoke-firing penalty on her 8-inch guns.

Open in Build Tool →

Commanders frequently paired with this ship Francesco MimbelliHarold B. Farncomb

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

Cohort position

Hide

Where Rochester sits among Tier VII CAs (46 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.

BestAP fuse timer0.03 s (1 of 20 tied) BestAP ricochet start60° (1 of 10 tied) Top 10%AA threat2,488 (3/46) Top 25%AP shell damage5,000 (11/46) Top 25%HE alpha1,800 (9/40) Top 25%AP auto-bounce angle67.5° (9/46) Top 25%AA DPS498 (10/46) Top 25%Max armor160 mm (12/46) Top 25%Citadel belt160 mm (7/45) Top 25%Bow armor27 mm (11/45) WorstSecondary fire chance5% (1 of 19 tied) WorstAP velocity762 m/s (1 of 4 tied) WorstNo torpedoes (13 of 46 in cohort)
See 32 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Rochester -- 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 points41,900 HP(18/46) Max speed33 kt(23/46) Concealment12.56 km(23/46) Air detection7.54 km(23/46) Rudder shift12.3 s(25/46) Traverse-to-turn ratio5.4 ×(30/46) Main battery caliber203 mm(16/46) Main battery range15.75 km(17/46) Main battery reload9.9 s(25/46) Sigma2(25/46) HE shell damage2,800(19/41) HE fire chance14%(18/41) Fires per minute7.64(23/41) HE DPM152,727(23/41) AP DPM272,727(21/46) Main dispersion141.7 m(34/46) Secondary DPM (per side)108,000(27/40) Secondary HE pen21 mm(13/40) HE velocity823 m/s(31/41) Acceleration9.9 s(23/46) AP arming threshold34 mm(31/46) Engine power120,000 hp(25/45) Turn-speed retention160 hp/m(22/45) Displacement17,070 t(28/46) Power-to-weight7.03 hp/t(23/45) AA range5 km(23/46) Repair heal rate0.6 %/s(18/45) Stern armor27 mm(21/45) Deck armor76 mm(29/44) NormSecondary dispersion bracket57(37 of 40 tied at this value) NormSecondary range5 km(36 of 40 tied at this value) NormRepair charges2(40 of 45 tied at this value)

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

Sonar 4.93 kmRepair 2Def-AASmoke
Survivability
Hit Points41,900
Displacement17,070 t
Armor range16–160 mm
Plate armor thicknesses16, 27, 38, 40, 57, 64, 76, 127, 140, 152, 160 mm
Armor material/layer entries56
Fire resistance36.6%
Fire duration30 s
Torp Reduction4%
Magazine HP
ƒThe 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.
21,000
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.
12,600
Main Battery
ModuleArtillery: 203 mm/55 Mk.15
Mounts / barrels3 mounts / 9 barrels
Reload time11 s
Firing range15.8 km
Turret traverse7 °/s
Shell Grouping (σ)
ƒShell grouping (sigma); shown in-game as Shell Grouping.
2
Max Horiz Disp
ƒHorizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range. (R/30·(idealRadius−minRadius)/idealDistance + minRadius)·30 = (15750/30·(8−1.1)/1000 + 1.1)·30 = 141.7 m
141.7 m
Max Vert Disp
ƒVertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 141.7 × 0.6 = 85 m
85 m
Med Horiz Disp
ƒ50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 141.7 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 45.3 m
45.3 m
Med Vert Disp
ƒ50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 85 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 27.2 m
27.2 m
Turret turn time
ƒ180 degrees / 7 deg/s traverse speed = 25.7 s.
25.7 s
Base shells/min
ƒ9 broadside guns x 60 / 11 s base reload = 49.1.
49.1
HE shells
HE Damage2,800
HE Velocity823 m/s
Fire Chance14%
HE penetration
ƒ34 mm ≈ 203 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
34 mm
HE full-salvo alpha
ƒ2,800 HE damage x 9 broadside guns = 25,200.
25,200
Base HE DPM
ƒ25,200 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 11 s base reload = 137,455.
137,455
Installed HE DPM
ƒ25,200 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 9.9 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 152,727.
152,727
Base fires/min
ƒ9 HE shells x 60 / 11 s reload x 14% fire chance = 6.87.
6.87
AP shells
AP Damage5,000
AP Velocity762 m/s
Min Ricochet60 deg
Guaranteed Ricochet67.5 deg
Fuse Timer0.033 s
Fuse Threshold34 mm
AP overmatch
ƒfloor(203 mm caliber / 14.3) = 14 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
14 mm
AP Pen Close
ƒCanonical 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 × 2919 × 152^0.69 × 0.203^-1.07 × 762^1.38 = 488.4 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.
488.4 mm
AP Pen Far
ƒSame formula at the ship's max firing range (19.7 km), where the shell has slowed to 366.8 m/s: 1e-7 × 2919 × 152^0.69 × 0.203^-1.07 × 366.8^1.38 = 178.1 mm.
178.1 mm
AP full-salvo alpha
ƒ5,000 AP damage x 9 broadside guns = 45,000.
45,000
Base AP DPM
ƒ45,000 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 11 s base reload = 245,455.
245,455
Installed AP DPM
ƒ45,000 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 9.9 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 272,727.
272,727
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.
30
AA Defense
AA mount points10
Close-range AA DPS
ƒSum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (129×3.5×0.9) + (29×3.5×0.9) = 498. 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.
498
Maximum AA range
ƒLongest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.
5 km
76.2 mm Mk3310×2 76mm
127 mm Mk32 (DP)6×2 127mm
Far + Medium aura
Far DPS
ƒIncludes 29 continuous AA damage from dual-purpose secondaries firing as AA in this range band.
29
Medium DPS129
Range5 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒFar 29 + Medium 129 = 158
158
S
Secondary Battery
Mounts6
Firing range5.0 km
Shell Grouping (σ)1
Caliber127 mm
Reload time6 s
HE Damage1,800
Muzzle Velocity792 m/s
Fire Chance5%
Armor Pen21 mm
Min Ricochet91°
Max Ricochet60°
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 @ 5 km
ƒ5 km × 57 + 30 = 315 m.
315 m
Maneuverability
Engine moduleEngine: 120,000 hp
Engine power120,000 hp
Maximum speed33 kt
Turning circle radius750 m
Engine power multiplier speed threshold7 kt
Traverse-to-turn ratio5.4× slow
Concealment
Detectability by sea12.56 km
Detectability by air7.54 km
Smoke firing penalty7.15 km
Detect after firing main guns12.56 km
Detect Fire Sea14.56 km
Detect Fire Air10.54 km
Guaranteed Detect2 km
Consumables
Damage Control Party∞ charges · 60 s reload · 5 s active
Defensive AA Fire3 charges · 140 s reload · 25 s active · +100% flak burst boost
Sonar2 charges · 180 s reload · 96 s active · 4.93 km ship detect · 3.47 km torpedo detect
Choose one
Smoke Generator2 charges · 160 s reload · 15 s emit / 104 s cloud active
Repair Party2 charges · 60 s reload · 28 s active · 0.6% heal per second · 16.8% of max HP total heal
Module options (1)

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

HullUpgrade
  • Turret traverse7 → 6 °/s

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 Disp141.7 m
Horizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range. (R/30·(idealRadius−minRadius)/idealDistance + minRadius)·30 = (15750/30·(8−1.1)/1000 + 1.1)·30 = 141.7 m
Max Vert Disp85 m
Vertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 141.7 × 0.6 = 85 m
Med Horiz Disp45.3 m
50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 141.7 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 45.3 m
Med Vert Disp27.2 m
50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 85 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 27.2 m
AP Pen Close488.4 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 × 2919 × 152^0.69 × 0.203^-1.07 × 762^1.38 = 488.4 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.
AP Pen Far178.1 mm
Same formula at the ship's max firing range (19.7 km), where the shell has slowed to 366.8 m/s: 1e-7 × 2919 × 152^0.69 × 0.203^-1.07 × 366.8^1.38 = 178.1 mm.
HE penetration34 mm
34 mm ≈ 203 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
AP overmatch14 mm
floor(203 mm caliber / 14.3) = 14 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
AP AOE Radius30
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 alpha9
All 9 barrels bear on the broadside.
Turret turn time25.7 s
180 degrees / 7 deg/s traverse speed = 25.7 s.
HE full-salvo alpha25,200
2,800 HE damage x 9 broadside guns = 25,200.
AP full-salvo alpha45,000
5,000 AP damage x 9 broadside guns = 45,000.
Base HE DPM137,455
25,200 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 11 s base reload = 137,455.
Base AP DPM245,455
45,000 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 11 s base reload = 245,455.
Installed HE DPM152,727
25,200 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 9.9 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 152,727.
Installed AP DPM272,727
45,000 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 9.9 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 272,727.
Base shells/min49.1
9 broadside guns x 60 / 11 s base reload = 49.1.
Installed shells/min54.5
9 broadside guns x 60 / 9.9 s installed Artillery reload = 54.5.
Base fires/min6.87
9 HE shells x 60 / 11 s reload x 14% fire chance = 6.87.
Installed fires/min7.64
9 HE shells x 60 / 9.9 s installed reload x 14% fire chance = 7.64.

AA defense

Close-range AA DPS498
Sum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (129×3.5×0.9) + (29×3.5×0.9) = 498. 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 range5 km
Longest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.
AA threat index2488
SUM over AA auras of (aura DPS x aura range km). A plane crossing the AA bubble is exposed to each aura for a time proportional to that aura's range, so long-reach DPS is worth more than the same DPS in a short bubble. Units: DPS*km; used to rank overall AA threat across the cohort.

Secondary battery dispersion

Secondary dispersion typeStandard
Max dispersion = range (km) × 57 + 30. Each dispersion type sets its own slope; this is not a percentage applied to a standard baseline.
Max secondary dispersion @ 5 km315 m
5 km × 57 + 30 = 315 m.

Secondary battery firepower

Secondary DPM (per side)108,000
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: 6×2 127 mm (6/side) × 60/6 × 1800 = 108,000. Assumes every shell hits (real hit rate is lower; the Brawl matchup tool on the Compare page folds in dispersion + target armor).
Max HE alpha1800
Maximum HE damage per shell across secondary HE families. Best on this ship: 1800 from the 127 mm family.
Max HE fire chance5%
Maximum per-shell fire chance across secondary HE families (before target fire resistance is applied). Best on this ship: 5% from the 127 mm family.
Max HE pen21 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: 21 mm from the 127 mm family.

Armor

Hull HP 41,900, 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
Bow27 mm primary (range 27–40 mm)1,400 (3% of HP)
Overmatched by 406mm+ (Colorado, Sinop)Angle bounces 380mm27 mm: HE pens from 203mm+
Bow-tank fits behind this exterior plate. Saturation is FAST here; the cap is often only a few thousand HP.
Hull (midship)16 mm primary (range 16–152 mm)31,400 (75% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Scharnhorst, Scharnhorst '43)Angle bounces 203mm16 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Largest HP pool. Citadel sits behind these plates; thinner deck and side plating absorb the rest.
Stern27 mm primary (range 27–152 mm)2,900 (7% of HP)
Overmatched by 406mm+ (Colorado, Sinop)Angle bounces 380mm27 mm: HE pens from 203mm+
Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel160 mm primary (range 27–160 mm)≈ 165,500 (effectively no cap)
Citadel pen ×0.10 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 (×0.10 direct pen, ×0.10 over-pen).
Superstructure38 mm primary (range 38–152 mm)1,900 (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 HP21,000 magazine HPMagazine detonation1–30% chance · below ~75% HPPer-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.
Secondary mount (127 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 (76 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 HP12,600 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.

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 Rochester. Cards are condensed; use each source link for full context.

Buff ×4Main Battery ×3
2025-06-26

Ministry of Balance: Declaration of Changes

  • Main battery firing range increased from 15.37 to 15.75 km.
  • Main battery reload time reduced from 12 to 11 seconds.
  • Main battery 180 turn time reduced from 30 to 25.7 seconds.
  • Rudder-shift time reduced from 10.5 to 9.4 seconds.
Read the full official post
Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

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

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.