World of Warships: Legends ship guide

Scharnhorst '43

Also called: 沙恩霍斯特43 · Scharnhorst ’43 Beta
Germany · Tier VII · Battleship · Premium · Scharnhorst Variant
Fast battleshipSpeed lets it rotate flanks like no other battleship and open fights on its terms.
Playstyle
  • Anchor a flank at 14-17 km with bow toward the closest threat, then use the speed advantage at 30 kn to rotate to the cap that needs a second battleship rather than the one your team already has
  • Avoid: Using the 30-kn speed to push rather than to rotate
Key characteristics
2 sigma accuracyStrong secondaries (7 km)Improved HE penStealthy (14.8 km)Engine BoostWeak AA
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Community Data

Scharnhorst '43 Community Stats

Across 4,500+ Standard battles from 190+ players, Scharnhorst '43 averages a 57% win rate, 73,400 damage and 1.1 kills per battle, and survives 25% of them.

Community Data

Scharnhorst '43 Community Stats

Log in to GamingDiver and upload your data to see Community Data for Scharnhorst '43: community win rate, damage, survival, spotting, and your own comparison.

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Playstyle

Overview

Scharnhorst '43 is a Tier VII German fast battleship at 30 kn with Engine Boost on the consumable slot. Mobility lets her rotate flanks battleship-fast and pick fights where her guns get the first salvo. HE pen sits at the 1/4 caliber ratio instead of the standard 1/6. Her main-battery HE volume is low on its own, but inside 7 km the secondaries join in: 22.2 fires/min combined (2nd of 53 T7 BBs). In a brawl, HE keeps fires burning on the target while she works into position for an AP finish. Standout traits: surface detection in T7 BBs (14.8 km, 2nd of 49) and sigma in T7 BBs (2, 7th of 49). The trade is AA DPS in T7 BBs (248, 48th of 49).

Positioning

Anchor a flank at 14-17 km with bow toward the closest threat, then use the speed advantage at 30 kn to rotate to the cap that needs a second battleship rather than the one your team already has. Mobility means you can pick which fight you are in; do not waste it by holding center the whole match. She is genuinely evasive in both phases of a turn, answering the helm in 14.6 s and carving a 800 m circle, so you can break a salvo and still be where you meant to go.

Potato Avoidance

Using the 30-kn speed to push rather than to rotate

The mobility advantage is about picking which cap fight you arrive at, not about leading the brawl line; a fast BB that overextends loses HP that the kit cannot trade back.

Signature Traits

Turtleback armor

Deck armor angled downward over the citadel, forming a roof outside it. Deflects shells arriving at a low angle up and away, so flat-trajectory fire from close range struggles to reach the citadel.

Improved HE penetration

HE pen at the 1/4 caliber ratio instead of the standard 1/6. HE-spam is a real damage option here, not just a fire-starter, shared by 15/49 T7 BBs.

Engine Boost

+8% speed (about +2.4 kt), 180 s duration. Engine Boost consumable gives a small speed nudge - useful for closing a gap or steadying a torpedo run, not for running anything down. Uncommon in T7 BBs.

Best-in-class stealth ↗

14.8 km surface detect, top decile of T7 BBs. Stays dark longer.

Weak AA ↗

248 AA DPS, bottom decile of T7 BBs. Aircraft chew through with impunity; lean on positioning over AA.

Low fire chance ↗

20% fire chance per HE shell, bottom decile of T7 BBs. AP carries more weight.

Acquisition

How to get Scharnhorst '43

Scharnhorst '43 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

Show all 6 containers (3 more)
  • Chest of Rarities 0.2% Tier VII Premium ship Event · Chest of Rarities · 1 of 15 ships
  • Mystic Lantern 0.07619% Tier VII Premium ship Event · Mystic Lantern · 1 of 42 ships
  • Piñata Chest 0.02% Tier VII Premium ship Event · Piñata Chest → Chest of Rarities · 1 of 15 ships
Official WG availability sources
  • Halloween Update: Crimson Tale Crates Start: 2024-10-10
    • As for the Halloween '24 crate, it can drop the event's main characters as Commander guises, cool ship skins, and new German Tier VII battleship Scharnhorst '43.
  • Halloween 2025: Journey to the Underworld Sale Start: 2025-10-03
    • 1x Ominous Coupon, granting 30% off these Premium ships: Rasputin, Leviathan, Blazing Dread, Scharnhorst '43, or Perth
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.

Open in Build Tool →

Commanders frequently paired with this ship AL BismarckAL Prinz HeinrichAL Scharnhorst

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

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Where Scharnhorst '43 sits among Tier VII BBs (48 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 velocity890 m/s (1/49) BestAP arming threshold47 mm (1/49) Top 10%Concealment14.8 km (2/49) Top 10%Smoke fire bloom10.9 km (5/49) Top 10%Main battery reload22 s (3/49) Top 10%HE velocity890 m/s (2/48) Top 10%Displacement38,703 t (4/49) Top 10%Torpedo reload45 s (2/16) Top 25%Rudder shift14.6 s (13/49) Top 25%Turning circle800 m (11/49) Top 25%Sigma2 (7/49) Top 25%Secondary dispersion bracket43.5 (13/49) Top 25%Secondary fire chance12% (9/46) Top 25%Secondary HE pen38 mm (7/46) Top 25%Time to 90% speed31.7 s (9/49) Top 25%Power-to-weight4.13 hp/t (11/49) Top 25%Secondary range7 km (9/49) Bottom 25%Fires per minute4.91 (41/48) Bottom 25%HE DPM82,473 (40/48) Bottom 25%AP DPM195,873 (38/49) Bottom 25%Effective HE DPM (incl. fire)118,894 (43/48) Bottom 25%AA range4.5 km (39/49) Bottom 25%End plates26 mm (43/48 / 42/48) Bottom 10%AP pen at 10 km367 mm (47/49) Bottom 10%AA DPS248 (48/49) WorstMain battery caliber283 mm (49/49) WorstSecondary HE alpha1,600 (46/46) WorstAA threat839 (49/49) WorstTorpedo range6 km (1 of 5 tied)
See 21 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Scharnhorst '43 -- 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 points65,000 HP(25/49) Max speed30 kt(29/49) Air detection12.2 km(19/49) Main battery range17 km(29/49) Main dispersion232.6 m(33/49) Secondary DPM (per side)248,016(16/49) Acceleration (0-12 kt)12.8 s(16/49) Engine power160,000 hp(21/49) Power / turn radius200 hp/m(18/49) Flak damage per salvo (expected)1,575(17/49) Torpedo damage≈13,333(11/16) Torpedo speed64 kt(7/16) Torpedo reaction time7.6 s(7/16) Repair charges3(23/49) Max armor350 mm(35/49) Citadel belt350 mm(19/48) NormSecondary sigma1(48 of 49 tied at this value) NormAP fuse timer0.033 s(40 of 49 tied at this value) NormAP ricochet start45°(47 of 49 tied at this value) NormAP auto-bounce angle60°(46 of 49 tied at this value) NormRepair heal rate0.5 %/s(35 of 49 tied at this value)
Survivability
Hit Points65,000
Displacement38,703 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.
235.4 x 30 m
Armor range13–350 mm
Plate armor thicknesses13, 16, 20, 26, 32, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 150, 200, 260, 350 mm
Armor material/layer entries60
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: 0.003 of max HP per second (0.3%) × 60 s = 0.18 of the pool; 0.18 × 65,000 HP = 11,700 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: 0.005 of max HP per second (0.5%) × 40 s = 0.2 of the pool; 0.2 × 65,000 HP = 13,000 HP on this ship.
0.5% of HP per second
Torp Reduction
ƒ1 − 0.26 hull torpedo-damage coefficient / 0.333 unprotected baseline = 22%. Reduces torpedo hit damage. It does not affect flooding: floods start as often and tick at the full rate.
22%
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.
32,500
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.
19,500
Effective HP
ƒBase 65,000 HP plus everything Repair Party can restore: 0.005 of max HP per second (0.5%) × 28 s × 65,000 HP = 9,100 HP per charge, × 3 charges = 27,300 HP. Ceiling, not a prediction: a charge only restores damage actually taken, and only the regeneratable share of it. In practice ships realize about half of this, mostly because half the charges go unspent; a charge that is used returns about 97% of the per-charge figure above.
72,222–92,300
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 × 2,300 = 4,600), 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.
2,300
Casemate section HP
ƒDamage saturation pool for the casemate: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 11,900 = 23,800), 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.
11,900
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 × 48,800 = 97,600), 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.
48,800
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 × 3,600 = 7,200), 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 ×. 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.
3,600
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 × 1,700 = 3,400), 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.
1,700
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: 283 mm L/54.5 Drh LC/34
Mounts / barrels3 mounts / 9 barrels
Reload time22 s
Firing range17 km
Turret traverse7.2 °/s
Turret armor360 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 ±150°, ±144.5°
Guns to bear
ƒ180° − 150° (the most restricted aft-facing mount's arc) = 30° off bow; 180° − 144.5° (the most restricted forward-facing mount's arc) = 35.5° 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.
30° off bow / 35.5° off stern
Shell Grouping (σ)2
Dispersion type
ƒIn practice: 1% wider (worse) horizontal dispersion and 1% more vertical spread at max range (17.0 km) than a standard battleship: about 233 m wide × 140 m tall, against 230 m × 138 m. Also on this curve (55): AL Vittorio Veneto, Alsace, Andrea Doria, BA Binah, BA Tirpitz, Bayern, Bismarck, Bismarck B, Brandenburg, Bretagne, Cavour, Cristoforo Colombo and 43 more.
European battleship
Max Horiz Disp
ƒHorizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range, from the dispersion model: σH=(R30·idealRadius−minRadiusidealDistance+minRadius)·30 =(1700030·12−2.21000+2.2)·30=232.6m
232.6 m at 17 km
Max Vert Disp
ƒVertical dispersion ellipse height at max range: σV=σH·radiusOnMax =232.6·0.6=139.6m
139.6 m at 17 km
Med Horiz Disp
ƒ50%-hit horizontal radius: σH,50=σH·0.6σ =232.6·0.62=69.8m
69.8 m at 17 km
Med Vert Disp
ƒ50%-hit vertical radius: σV,50=σV·0.6σ =139.6·0.62=41.9m
41.9 m at 17 km
Turret turn time
ƒ180 degrees / 7.2 deg/s traverse speed = 25 s.
25 s
Shells/min
ƒZero upgrades: 9 broadside guns x 60 / 22 s base reload = 24.5. All upgrades (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10% reload): 9 broadside guns x 60 / 19.857 s (19.8 s = 139 ticks) all-upgrades reload (22 s × 0.9 Main Battery Mod. 3 = 19.8 s) = 27.2.
Initial: 24.5 → 27.2
HE shells
HE alpha3,360
HE Velocity890 m/s
Fire Chance20%
HE fire DPM vs T7 BB36415
Effective HE DPM vs T7 BB118887
HE penetration
ƒ71 mm ≈ 283 mm caliber / 4 (improved HE penetration: German BBs, Yamato-class, and a handful of others).
71 mm
HE full-salvo alpha
ƒ3,360 HE damage x 9 broadside guns = 30,240.
30,240
HE DPM
ƒZero upgrades: 30,240 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 22 s base reload = 82,473. All upgrades (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10% reload): 30,240 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 19.857 s (19.8 s = 139 ticks) all-upgrades reload (22 s × 0.9 Main Battery Mod. 3 = 19.8 s) = 91,373.
Initial: 82,473 → 91,373
Fires/min
ƒZero upgrades: 24.5 shells/min × 0.2 (20% fire chance) = 4.91. All upgrades (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10% reload): 27.2 shells/min × 0.2 (20% fire chance) = 5.44.
Initial: 4.91 → 5.44
AP shells
AP alpha7,980
AP Velocity890 m/s
Min Ricochet45 deg
Guaranteed Ricochet60 deg
Fuse Timer0.033 s
Fuse Threshold47 mm
AP pen max range279 mm
AP overmatch
ƒfloor(283 mm caliber / 14.3) = 19 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
19 mm
AP Pen Close
ƒAP formula evaluated at muzzle velocity: P=10−7·K·m0.69·d−1.07·v01.38 =10−7·2312·3300.69·0.283−1.07·8901.38=573.5mm.
573.5 mm point-blank
AP Pen Far
ƒSame formula at the ship's max firing range (17 km), where the shell has slowed to 527 m/s: P=10−7·2312·3300.69·0.283−1.07·5271.38=278.3mm.
278.3 mm at 17 km
AP full-salvo alpha
ƒ7,980 AP damage x 9 broadside guns = 71,820.
71,820
AP DPM
ƒZero upgrades: 71,820 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 22 s base reload = 195,873. All upgrades (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10% reload): 71,820 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 19.857 s (19.8 s = 139 ticks) all-upgrades reload (22 s × 0.9 Main Battery Mod. 3 = 19.8 s) = 217,010.
Initial: 195,873 → 217,010
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.
70
Torpedoes
ModuleTorpedoes: 533 mm Drilling
Launchers / tubes2 launchers × 3 tubes = 6 tubes
Reload time45 s
Projectile speed64.0 kt
Range6 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=40,000·0.333=13,333. 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.
≈ 13,333
Maximum damage (ammunition)
ƒ40,000 warhead alpha / 3 + 1,000 blast = 14,333. 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.
14,333
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 2.27 per hit, shown as 2.27×100=227%. 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.
227%
Torpedo launcher traverse25 °/s
Launch arcswing 155° (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 13,333 = 39,999. Each hit on the target's torpedo belt is reduced by its torpedo protection %.
39,999
AA Defense
AA mount points23
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 Flakzwilling 308×2 37mm
20 mm Flak 3810×1 20mm
20 mm Flakvierling 385×4 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.
7×2 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 118 from dual-purpose secondaries firing as AA in this range band.
118
Range4.5 km
Medium aura
Guns37 mm Flakzwilling 30
Continuous DPS
ƒEffective DPS: 12 raw aura damage × 3.5 × 0.75 hit probability = 32 - the same in-game units as the Close-range AA DPS headline.
32
Range3.5 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒFar 118 + Medium 32 = 150
150
Near aura
Guns20 mm Flak 38 + 20 mm Flakvierling 38
Continuous DPS
ƒEffective DPS: 40 raw aura damage × 3.5 × 0.7 hit probability = 98 - the same in-game units as the Close-range AA DPS headline.
98
Range2 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒFar 118 + Medium 32 + Near 98 = 248
248
Flak
AA explosions
ƒEach ~2 s salvo fires 2 AA explosions in quick succession, each leaving 4 clouds ahead of the attacking squadron, plus 2 stray clouds farther out that appear off-beat between salvos - up to 10 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 + 2 outer clouds
Cloud damage
ƒDamage a plane takes for flying into one flak cloud, before any reductions.
210
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.
75%
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
Mounts15
Firing range7.0 km
Shell Grouping (σ)1
Total secondary fires/min (per side)
ƒSum of each gun family's fires/min (per side): 10.7 + 4.4 + 2.2 = 17.3. 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.
17.3
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: 7×2 105 mm (7/side) × 60/3.143 s (3.12 s = 22 ticks) × 1200 = 160,364 + 4×2 150 mm (4/side) × 60/6.571 s (6.5 s = 46 ticks) × 1600 = 58,435 + 4×1 150 mm (2/side) × 60/6.571 s (6.5 s = 46 ticks) × 1600 = 29,217. Assumes every shell hits (real hit rate is lower; the Brawl matchup tool on the Compare page folds in dispersion + target armor).
248,016
Secondary fire DPM vs T7 BB (per side)
ƒFires/min (per side) 17.3 × (1 − 0.366 fire resistance) × 60 s × 0.003 of max HP per second × 65,000 HP = 128,067. 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.
128,067
Total secondary DPM vs T7 BB (per side)
ƒSecondary DPM (per side) 248,016 + secondary fire DPM 128,067 = 376,083: shell damage plus fire damage against one T7 battleship, every shell hitting.
376,083
Secondary dispersion type
ƒMax dispersion = range (km) × 43.5 + 30. Each dispersion type sets its own slope; this is not a percentage applied to a standard baseline.
Improved (22.5%)
Max secondary dispersion @ 7 km
ƒ7 km × 43.5 + 30 = 334.5 m.
334.5 m
105 mm L/65 Dop. L. C/31 (7×2) (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 time3.12 s
HE alpha1,200
Muzzle Velocity900 m/s
Fire Chance8%
Secondary fires/min (per side)
ƒ7×2 barrels / 2 sides × 60 / 3.143 s (3.12 s = 22 ticks) × 0.08 (8% fire chance) = 10.7. 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.
10.7
HE Pen26 mm
Show 2 more gun families
150 mm L/55 SK C/28 (4×2)
Caliber150 mm
Reload time6.5 s
HE alpha1,600
Muzzle Velocity875 m/s
Fire Chance12%
Secondary fires/min (per side)
ƒ4×2 barrels / 2 sides × 60 / 6.571 s (6.5 s = 46 ticks) × 0.12 (12% fire chance) = 4.4. 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.
4.4
HE Pen38 mm
150 mm L/55 MPL C/35 (4×1)
Caliber150 mm
Reload time6.5 s
HE alpha1,600
Muzzle Velocity875 m/s
Fire Chance12%
Secondary fires/min (per side)
ƒ4×1 barrels / 2 sides × 60 / 6.571 s (6.5 s = 46 ticks) × 0.12 (12% fire chance) = 2.2. 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.
2.2
HE Pen38 mm
Maneuverability
Engine power160,000 hp
Maximum speed30.0 kt
Turning circle radius800 m
Rudder shift time14.6 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 = 30 / 4 + 4.9 = 12.4 kt. Base value; speed modifiers scale it.
12.4 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.
33.3 s
Engine boost threshold (reverse)
ƒSpeed below which the engine's built-in power boost applies in reverse.
8.8 kt
Acceleration 0-90%
ƒTime to reach 90% of top speed (27.0 kt of 30.0 kt).
31.7 s
Acceleration 0-99%
ƒTime to reach 99% of top speed (29.7 kt of 30.0 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.
49 s
Guns in a full turn
ƒWith the rudder hard over the hull turns 4.3°/s, so a target drifts across the bow at that rate. Turret traverse minus hull turn: 7.2 − 4.3 = +2.9°/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 (+2.9°/s spare)
Concealment
Detectability by sea
ƒBase value, no camouflage. With a Grade IV permanent camo (or any disposable camo): 14.8 km x 0.955 = 14.13 km. Camouflage does not change detectability by air.
14.8 km
With Grade IV camouflage (sea)
ƒDetectability by sea 14.8 km x 0.955 (Grade IV permanent camo or any disposable camo) = 14.13 km.
14.13 km
Detectability by air12.2 km
Smoke firing penalty10.9 km
Detect when firing (sea)
ƒmax(main battery range, sea detectability 14.8 km) = 17 km. Equal to the ship's main battery range (never below base detectability): firing makes you visible to everyone you can reach.
17 km
Detect when firing (air)
ƒAir detectability 12.2 km + gun-firing bloom 5.66 km = 17.86 km. The bloom tracks main-battery caliber 283 mm × 0.020 = 5.66 km.
17.86 km
Detect when on fire (sea)
ƒSea detectability 14.8 km + 2.0 km while burning = 16.8 km.
16.8 km
Detect when on fire (air)
ƒAir detectability 12.2 km + 3.0 km while burning = 15.2 km.
15.2 km
Guaranteed Detect2 km
✦
Consumables
Damage Control Party∞ charges · 80 s reload · 15 s active
Repair Party3 charges · 80 s reload · 28 s active · 9,100 HP (14% of max HP) total heal (per charge)
ƒ0.005 of max HP per second (0.5%) × 28 s effective active time = 0.14 of max HP × 65,000 HP = 9,100 HP: up to 14% of max HP restored per charge.
· 27,300 HP (42% of max HP) total heal (all charges)
ƒ0.14 of max HP per charge × 3 charges = 0.42 × 65,000 HP = 27,300 HP: up to 42% of max HP if the whole Repair Party loadout is used.
· 325 HP/s (0.5% of max HP) heal per second
ƒ0.005 (0.5% of max HP) × 65,000 HP = 325 HP/s. WoWS heals a flat percent of MAX HP each second, so this rate holds at any health level.
Choose one
Catapult Fighter3 charges · 80 s reload · 60 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
Enhanced Secondary Targeting3 charges · 160 s reload · 30 s active · +100% grouping · -50% dispersion
Engine Boost2 charges · 180 s reload · 180 s active · +8% speed bonus

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 BB1% wider H · 1% taller V
H = horizontal, V = vertical spread. This ship's curve against the standard battleship curve, both evaluated at this ship's max range (17.0 km) with the same model as Max Horiz/Vert Disp: horizontal 233 / 230 m − 1 = +1%, vertical 140 / 138 m − 1 = +1%. Shell grouping (σ) is separate: it sets how shells bunch toward the centre of this ellipse.
Shell scatter width @ 5 km115 m
(166.7 × (12 − 2.2) / 1000 + 2.2) × 30 = 115 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 km164 m
(333.3 × (12 − 2.2) / 1000 + 2.2) × 30 = 164 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 width @ 15 km213 m
(500 × (12 − 2.2) / 1000 + 2.2) × 30 = 213 m. Horizontal scatter at a fixed 15 km, from the same dispersion model - the long-range anchor. Only shown when the ship's guns reach 15 km.
Shell scatter height @ 5 km43.3 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=0.5·17000=8500 m, and radiusOnMax=0.6 at 17000 m. Below the kink: k=0.2+(0.5−0.2)·50008500=0.3765, so σV=σH·k=115·0.3765=43.3m.
Shell scatter height @ 10 km84.9 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=0.5·17000=8500 m, and radiusOnMax=0.6 at 17000 m. Above the kink: k=0.5+(0.6−0.5)·10000−850017000−8500=0.5176, so σV=σH·k=164·0.5176=84.9m.
Shell scatter height @ 15 km122.8 m
How tall the scatter ellipse is at a fixed 15 km, from the same model. Only shown when the ship's guns reach 15 km. 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=0.5·17000=8500 m, and radiusOnMax=0.6 at 17000 m. Above the kink: k=0.5+(0.6−0.5)·15000−850017000−8500=0.5765, so σV=σH·k=213·0.5765=122.8m.
AP pen 5 km457 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 =10−7·2312·3300.69·0.283−1.07·754.71.38=457mm, where 754.7 m/s is the shell's speed when it arrives at 5 km (from 890 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 km367 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 =10−7·2312·3300.69·0.283−1.07·643.51.38=367mm, where 643.5 m/s is the shell's speed when it arrives at 10 km (from 890 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 15 km299 mm
AP penetration at a fixed 15 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 =10−7·2312·3300.69·0.283−1.07·555.81.38=299mm, where 555.8 m/s is the shell's speed when it arrives at 15 km (from 890 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 km4.85 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·0.2827·0.28328·315=2.82×10−5. That runs from a 890 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 km4.81 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·0.2827·0.28328·330=2.69×10−5. That runs from a 890 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.
Improved HE PenYes
This ship's HE shells use a 1/4 (~0.25) caliber-to-pen ratio instead of the standard 1/6 (~0.167) - 0.251 in this case. Lets HE pen ~70mm armor instead of ~47mm. Hits every German cruiser (150mm CL, 203mm CA) and BB (350mm+), British heavy cruisers / Lion / Nelson, a handful of other premiums.
Guns per full salvo (alpha, DPM)9
3 mounts × 3 barrels = 9; all 9 bear on the broadside.

Model inputs

Krupp (AP)2,312
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 mass330 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 coefficient0.2827
Air drag on the AP shell in flight; lower keeps velocity, and with it penetration, at long range.
AP muzzle velocity890 m/s
Starting speed of the AP shell; penetration scales with velocity^1.38.
HE muzzle velocity890 m/s
Starting speed of the HE shell; sets its flight time and lead.
idealRadius12
Horizontal dispersion growth per idealDistance of range, in 30 m units; the slope of the scatter-width line.
minRadius2.2
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 range34.9 s
6000 m / (64.0 kt × 2.6855) = 34.9 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 damage79,998
All tubes hitting one target: tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 6 x 13,333 = 79,998. Each hit on the target's torpedo belt is reduced by its torpedo protection %.

AA defense

AA DPS at max range118
Only families that reach 4.5 km contribute at the outer edge of the AA bubble. In-game families: 37mm SKC 30 twin 8x2 -> 32 DPS @ 3.5 km; 20mm Flak 38 10x1 -> 65 DPS @ 2 km; 20mm Flack 38 quad 5x4 -> 33 DPS @ 2 km; 105 mm SKC 33 7x2 -> 118 DPS @ 4.5 km.
AA DPS layered by range118 DPS @ 4.5 km, 150 DPS @ 3.5 km, 248 DPS @ 2 km
@ 4.5 km: 118 from one family; @ 3.5 km: 32 + 118 = 150; @ 2 km: 32 + 65 + 33 + 118 = 248. 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-blank248
32 + 65 + 33 + 118 = 248 DPS: the sum of every family's average DPS, achievable only inside the closest-range family (2 km).
AA threat index839
32 × 3.5 + 65 × 2 + 33 × 2 + 118 × 4.5 = 839. 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 km247.5 m
Same per-type line evaluated at a fixed 5 km: 5 km × 43.5 + 30 = 247.5 m.

Secondary battery firepower

Max HE alpha1600
max(1200 (105 mm), 1600 (150 mm), 1600 (150 mm)) = 1600. Maximum HE damage per shell across secondary HE families. Best on this ship: 1600 from the 150 mm family.
Max HE fire chance12%
max(8% (105 mm), 12% (150 mm), 12% (150 mm)) = 12%. Maximum per-shell fire chance across secondary HE families (before target fire resistance is applied). Best on this ship: 12% from the 150 mm family.
Max HE pen38 mm
max(26 mm (105 mm), 38 mm (150 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

The lead ship in a series of two battleships designed for raiding operations entered service a few months before the outbreak of World War II. Scharnhorst conducted her first battle raid in November 1939. It was followed by support for troop landings in Norway, a raid into the Atlantic Ocean, and a breakthrough across the English Channel. In 1943, the battleship was transferred to Norway to attack enemy Arctic convoys. On December 26, 1943, Scharnhorst, flying Rear Admiral Erich Bey's flag, was sunk in battle by an Allied squadron off North Cape.

Armor Beta

Hull HP 65,000, distributed across 5 hull zones, each with its own plate thicknesses, saturation cap, and pen thresholds.

Bow & stern26 mm

Overmatched by 103+ AP guns across the bracket. Can’t reliably bow-tank; gets bow-citadelled and overpenned.

Belt / citadel350 mm

Citadels come from a flat broadside at close range; held past ~30° of angle, AP shatters or bounces.

Farming16 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
Bow26 mm primary (range 26–70 mm)2,300 (4% of HP)
Overmatched by 380mm+ AP (Gneisenau, Richelieu)Angle bounces 356mm26 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)150 mm primary (range 20–350 mm)48,800 (75% of HP)
No common AP caliber overmatches150 mm: no common HE pens
Largest HP pool. Citadel sits behind these plates; thinner deck and side plating absorb the rest.
Stern26 mm primary (range 26–90 mm)1,700 (3% of HP)
Overmatched by 380mm+ AP (Gneisenau, Richelieu)Angle bounces 356mm26 mm: HE pens from 203mm+
Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel350 mm primary (range 13–350 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.
Superstructure16 mm primary (range 16–350 mm)3,600 (6% 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 HP32,500 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 (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 HP19,500 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 Scharnhorst '43. Cards are condensed; use each source link for full context.

Rework ×1
2025-10-02

Halloween Update: Misty Voyage

  • Updated Scharnhorst '43's ship trait: Ironclad replaced with Superior HE Pen.
Read the full official post
Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

Every custom exterior Scharnhorst '43 can equip.

  • Scharnhorst '43 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.