Scharnhorst
Also called: 沙恩霍斯特 Beta- Push to within secondary range (~5 km) so the auto-fire battery starts contributing
- Avoid: Sniping from the back line
On this page
Scharnhorst Community Stats
Across 15,000+ Standard battles from 240+ players, Scharnhorst averages a 56% win rate, 56,500 damage and 1.0 kills per battle, and survives 32% of them.
Scharnhorst Community Stats
Log in to GamingDiver and upload your data to see Community Data for Scharnhorst: community win rate, damage, survival, spotting, and your own comparison.
Scharnhorst Community Stats
Record History
Playstyle
Overview
Scharnhorst is a Tier VI German turtleback brawler: her angled deck armor roofs the citadel and deflects low-angle fire up and away, so the citadel is safer inside secondary range than at long-line trades. The kit is brawl-positive with secondaries out to 5 km that punish anyone who closes. 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 5 km the secondaries join in: 15.3 fires/min combined (10th of 33 T6 BBs). In a brawl, HE keeps fires burning on the target while she works into position for an AP finish. Standout traits: best main battery range in T6 BBs (17.9 km, 1st of 32) and sigma in T6 BBs (2, 5th of 32). The trade is HE fire chance in T6 BBs (20, 31st of 31).
Positioning
Push to within secondary range (~5 km) so the auto-fire battery starts contributing. The turtleback bounces plunging shells, so close range protects the citadel better than long-line trades do; let peers think you are overextending while the kit's brawl angle eats their AP. Bow on between salvos still matters; the bow plate handles overmatch where the turtleback handles plunge.
Potato Avoidance
Sniping from the back line
The turtleback advantage exists only at close range; sitting 17 km out means the kit's defining trait is doing nothing for you, and peer BBs that should be losing the trade are not. If the team will not support the push, pick the cap that does. Your own secondaries reach 5 km, which is the distance the whole kit is built around; outside it you are a worse version of a standard battleship.
Signature Traits
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.
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 9/32 T6 BBs.
- Long gun range · 17.9 km
- Tight grouping
- Fast reload · 20 s
- Sensitive AP fuse · arms on 47 mm+ plate
30 kt, top quartile of T6 BBs. Lets you rotate flanks or escape disengagements.
- Low fire chance · 20%
- Quick-fuse AP · 0.01 s
How to get Scharnhorst
Scharnhorst 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
-
German Eagle Crate
4%
VI Scharnhorst
Event · German Eagle Crate
-
Super VI crate
4%
One of the Tier VI Premium ships
Event · Super VI crate · 1 of 25 ships
-
Santa Level 5
0.5%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Santa Level 5 · 1 of 35 ships
Show all 22 containers (19 more)
-
Spectral Vault 5.0
0.448718%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Spectral Vault 5.0 · 1 of 39 ships
-
Anniversary '23 German crate
0.25%
VI Scharnhorst
Event · Anniversary '23 German crate
-
Spectral Vault 4.0
0.195513%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Spectral Vault 4.0 · 2 paths combined · 1 of 39 ships
Show 2 paths
- Spectral Vault 4.00.128205%
- Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.067308%
-
Santa Level 4
0.192857%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Santa Level 4 · 2 paths combined · 1 of 35 ships
Show 2 paths
- Santa Level 40.142857%
- Santa Level 4 → Santa Level 50.05%
-
Santa Level 3
0.139643%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Santa Level 3 · 4 paths combined · 1 of 35 ships
Show 4 paths
- Santa Level 30.085714%
- Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 50.025%
- Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 40.021429%
- Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 4 → Santa Level 50.0075%
-
Winter Big Crate '23
0.133333%
Tier VI Premium ship
Common · Winter Big Crate '23 · 1 of 3 ships
-
Mega Santa '23
0.125%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Mega Santa '23 · 1 of 32 ships
-
Spectral Vault 3.0
0.111891%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Spectral Vault 3.0 · 4 paths combined · 1 of 39 ships
Show 4 paths
- Spectral Vault 3.00.076923%
- Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.014103%
- Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.013462%
- Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.007404%
-
Super Santa '22
0.111111%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Super Santa '22 · 1 of 27 ships
-
Super Santa '23
0.109375%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Super Santa '23 · 1 of 32 ships
-
Mystic Lantern
0.104651%
Tier VI Premium ship
Event · Mystic Lantern · 1 of 43 ships
-
Santa Level 2
0.059161%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Santa Level 2 · 7 paths combined · 1 of 35 ships
Show 7 paths
- Santa Level 20.028571%
- Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 30.012857%
- Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 40.007143%
- Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 50.00375%
- Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 40.003214%
- Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 4 → Santa Level 50.0025%
- Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 4 → Santa Level 50.001125%
-
Spectral Vault 2.0
0.04074%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Spectral Vault 2.0 · 7 paths combined · 1 of 39 ships
Show 7 paths
- Spectral Vault 2.00.025641%
- Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.00.007692%
- Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.002564%
- Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.00141%
- Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.001346%
- Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.001346%
- Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.00074%
-
Champion's Box
0.027929%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Champion's Box · 4 paths combined · 1 of 35 ships
Show 4 paths
- Champion's Box → Santa Level 30.017143%
- Champion's Box → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 50.005%
- Champion's Box → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 40.004286%
- Champion's Box → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 4 → Santa Level 50.0015%
-
Ultimate Crate
0.010938%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Ultimate Crate → Super Santa '23 · 1 of 32 ships
-
Santa Level 1
0.010181%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Santa Level 1 · 9 paths combined · 1 of 35 ships
Show 9 paths
- Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 20.004286%
- Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 30.001929%
- Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 50.00125%
- Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 40.001071%
- Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 50.000562%
- Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 40.000482%
- Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 4 → Santa Level 50.000375%
- Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 4 → Santa Level 50.000169%
- Santa Level 10.000057%
-
Spectral Vault 1.0
0.004837%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Spectral Vault 1.0 · 12 paths combined · 1 of 39 ships
Show 12 paths
- Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.00.002308%
- Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.00.000769%
- Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.00.000692%
- Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.000231%
- Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.000141%
- Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000135%
- Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.000127%
- Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000121%
- Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000121%
- Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000074%
- Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.0 → Spectral Vault 5.00.000067%
- Spectral Vault 1.00.000051%
-
Mystic Box
0.002326%
Tier VI Premium ship
Event · Mystic Box · 1 of 43 ships
-
Secret Santa '23
0.000063%
Tier VI Premium ship
Archived · Secret Santa '23 · 1 of 32 ships
Official WG availability sources
-
December Update: The Most Wonderful Tide of the Year
Crates
Start: 2022-12-08
- Big season—big crates! A revamped version of our seasonal crate, called Winter Big Crate '23, has chances of dropping a wider selection of ships than any of the big crates before!
- you can get one of the following Premium ships (ships you own are excluded from possible drops):
- German Tier VI battleship Scharnhorst
-
4 Years on the Waves: Birthday Content
Crates
Start: 2023-07-24
- Here's the list of goods you can obtain with Quadrans:
- Super VI crate: For the first time, the Super V crate is getting a twin! This crate is guaranteed to drop a Tier VI Premium ship, with the likes of Belfast, Scharnhorst, and Yukikaze among the possible drops.
-
Holiday Update: Glimpse Into the Future
Store / event post
Start: 2024-12-12
- several famous ships that served in northern waters during World War II will feature in the Store with their commemorative flags: Tirpitz, Duke of York, Scharnhorst, London, and Cossack '38.
-
February update: fortes fortuna adiuvat
12,500 Doubloons
Start: 2022-01-27
- Additionally, we have permanently set the cost of all existing and upcoming Tier VI Premium ships to 12,500 doubloons, thus decreasing it from the cost of 15,000 doubloons that was in place for some earlier released ships.
- The following ships currently available in the Store were subject to that change:
-
German Eagles: Celebrating German Unity Day
Crates
Start: 2026-09-21
- The new German Eagle Crate offers you a chance to receive one of the German Eagle skins or a German Premium ship: Tier VI Premium battleship Scharnhorst, Tier VII Premium cruiser Siegfried, Tier VII Premium cruiser Weimar, or Legendary Tier battleship Großer Kurfürst.
Show direct source rows
- Anniversary '23 German crate 0.25% · VI Scharnhorst
- German Eagle Crate 4% · VI Scharnhorst
- Mega Santa '23 0.125% · Tier VI Premium ship
- Mystic Box 0.002326% · Tier VI Premium ship
- Mystic Lantern 0.104651% · Tier VI Premium ship
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.
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 sits among Tier VI BBs (31 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.
See 21 mid-pack stats
Not standouts for Scharnhorst -- 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.
Peers in this cohort
Compare Tier VI BattleshipsShow all 31 peers
Stats & specs
Customize in the Build Tool →ƒ
How 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.ƒ
180° − 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.ƒ
In practice: 1% wider (worse) horizontal dispersion and 1% more vertical spread at max range (17.9 km) than a standard battleship: about 241 m wide × 145 m tall, against 239 m × 143 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.ƒ
Horizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range, from the dispersion model:ƒ
Vertical dispersion ellipse height at max range:ƒ
50%-hit horizontal radius:ƒ
50%-hit vertical radius:ƒ
180 degrees / 7.2 deg/s traverse speed = 25 s.ƒ
9 broadside guns x 60 / 20 s base reload = 27.HE shells
ƒ
71 mm ≈ 283 mm caliber / 4 (improved HE penetration: German BBs, Yamato-class, and a handful of others).ƒ
3,200 HE damage x 9 broadside guns = 28,800.ƒ
28,800 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 20 s base reload = 86,400.ƒ
27 shells/min × 0.2 (20% fire chance) = 5.4.AP shells
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floor(283 mm caliber / 14.3) = 19 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).ƒ
AP formula evaluated at muzzle velocity: .ƒ
Same formula at the ship's max firing range (17.9 km), where the shell has slowed to 515.8 m/s: .ƒ
7,600 AP damage x 9 broadside guns = 68,400.ƒ
68,400 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 20 s base reload = 205,200.ƒ
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.ƒ
Most 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: . 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.ƒ
38,100 warhead alpha / 3 + 1,000 blast = 13,700. 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.ƒ
Per-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.ƒ
How long a target has to dodge after your torpedo is spotted at its detectability range (lower means less warning): . 2.6855 converts knots to m/s on the game clock. Base value; commander torpedo-concealment skills lower it further.ƒ
This torpedo carries a flooding-chance value of 2.27 per hit, shown as . 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.ƒ
Time to rotate the launchers 180 deg: .ƒ
One side firing, all torpedoes hitting: per-side tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 3 x 12,700 = 38,100. Each hit on the target's torpedo belt is reduced by its torpedo protection %.ƒ
Longest-reaching family on the in-game AA card. Base AirDefense aura max range is 3.5 km; dual-purpose mount auras extend it.ƒ
Dual-purpose: your secondaries doing double duty against aircraft. The same mounts appear on the Secondary Battery card - shared guns, not extra hardware.ƒ
Effective 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.ƒ
Effective DPS: 12 raw aura damage × 3.5 × 0.75 hit probability = 32 - the same in-game units as the Close-range AA DPS headline.ƒ
Far 118 + Medium 32 = 150ƒ
Effective DPS: 40 raw aura damage × 3.5 × 0.7 hit probability = 98 - the same in-game units as the Close-range AA DPS headline.ƒ
Far 118 + Medium 32 + Near 98 = 248ƒ
Each ~2 s salvo fires 2 AA explosions in quick succession, each leaving 4 clouds ahead of the attacking squadron, plus 1 stray cloud farther out that appear off-beat between salvos - up to 9 clouds per salvo × 200 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.ƒ
Damage a plane takes for flying into one flak cloud, before any reductions.ƒ
Each 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.ƒ
A new flak salvo (the AA explosions above) fires roughly every 2 s.ƒ
Flak keeps firing while at least one secondary battery mount is operational - even losing every dedicated AA mount does not stop it.ƒ
The 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.ƒ
Sum of each gun family's fires/min (per side): 6.1 + 2.5 + 1.3 = 9.9. Per side: the barrels that bear on one broadside target (mounts × barrels / 2). A ceiling: assumes every shell hits and ignores the four-fire cap and Fire Prevention.ƒ
Sum 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) × 60/3.429 s (3.35 s = 24 ticks) × 1200 = 147,000 + 4×2 150 mm (4/side) × 60/7.571 s (7.5 s = 53 ticks) × 1700 = 53,887 + 4×1 150 mm (2/side) × 60/7.571 s (7.5 s = 53 ticks) × 1700 = 26,943. Assumes every shell hits (real hit rate is lower; the Brawl matchup tool on the Compare page folds in dispersion + target armor).ƒ
Fires/min (per side) 9.9 × (1 − 0.3 fire resistance) × 60 s × 0.003 of max HP per second × 59,350 HP = 74,248. 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.ƒ
Secondary DPM (per side) 227,830 + secondary fire DPM 74,248 = 302,079: shell damage plus fire damage against one T6 battleship, every shell hitting.ƒ
Max dispersion = range (km) × 57 + 30. Each dispersion type sets its own slope; this is not a percentage applied to a standard baseline.ƒ
5 km × 57 + 30 = 315 m.ƒ
Dual-purpose: the same mounts also fire at aircraft, so they appear on the AA Defense card too - shared guns, not extra hardware.ƒ
7×2 barrels / 2 sides × 60 / 3.429 s (3.35 s = 24 ticks) × 0.05 (5% fire chance) = 6.1. 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.Show 2 more gun families
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4×2 barrels / 2 sides × 60 / 7.571 s (7.5 s = 53 ticks) × 0.08 (8% fire chance) = 2.5. 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.ƒ
4×1 barrels / 2 sides × 60 / 7.571 s (7.5 s = 53 ticks) × 0.08 (8% fire chance) = 1.3. 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.ƒ
top speed / 4 + 4.9 = 30 / 4 + 4.9 = 12.4 kt. Base value; speed modifiers scale it.ƒ
Seconds 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.ƒ
Speed below which the engine's built-in power boost applies in reverse.ƒ
Time to reach 90% of top speed (27.0 kt of 30.0 kt).ƒ
Time 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.ƒ
With the rudder hard over the hull turns 4.4°/s, so a target drifts across the bow at that rate. Turret traverse minus hull turn: 7.2 − 4.4 = +2.8°/s, so the guns hold the target through the turn. Main Battery Mod. 2 (+20% traverse) and Mod. 3 (−15%) move this line.ƒ
Base value, no camouflage. With a Grade IV permanent camo (or any disposable camo): 14.64 km x 0.955 = 13.98 km. Camouflage does not change detectability by air.ƒ
Detectability by sea 14.64 km x 0.955 (Grade IV permanent camo or any disposable camo) = 13.98 km.ƒ
max(main battery range, sea detectability 14.64 km) = 17.88 km. Equal to the ship's main battery range (never below base detectability): firing makes you visible to everyone you can reach.ƒ
Air detectability 11.71 km + gun-firing bloom 5.66 km = 17.37 km. The bloom tracks main-battery caliber 283 mm × 0.020 = 5.66 km.ƒ
Sea detectability 14.64 km + 2.0 km while burning = 16.64 km.ƒ
Air detectability 11.71 km + 3.0 km while burning = 14.71 km.
Damage Control Party∞ charges · 80 s reload · 15 s active
Repair Party3 charges · 80 s reload · 28 s active · 7,882 HP (14% of max HP) total heal (per charge) ƒ
0.005 of max HP per second (0.5%) × 28 s effective active time = 0.14 of max HP × 56,300 HP = 7,882 HP: up to 14% of max HP restored per charge.ƒ
0.14 of max HP per charge × 3 charges = 0.42 × 56,300 HP = 23,646 HP: up to 42% of max HP if the whole Repair Party loadout is used.ƒ
0.005 (0.5% of max HP) × 56,300 HP = 282 HP/s. WoWS heals a flat percent of MAX HP each second, so this rate holds at any health level.
Catapult Fighter3 charges · 80 s reload · 60 s active · 5 km patrol radius ƒ
Derived from the consumable's 30 m grid-unit range (km = grid units x 30 / 1000):
Observation Seaplane3 charges · 200 s reload · 30 s active · 1 squadron size · Tightens main-battery shell grouping
Enhanced Secondary Targeting3 charges · 160 s reload · 30 s active · +100% grouping · -50% dispersion
Under the hood
Show
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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
H = horizontal, V = vertical spread. This ship's curve against the standard battleship curve, both evaluated at this ship's max range (17.9 km) with the same model as Max Horiz/Vert Disp: horizontal 241 / 239 m − 1 = +1%, vertical 145 / 143 m − 1 = +1%. Shell grouping (σ) is separate: it sets how shells bunch toward the centre of this ellipse.(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.(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.(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.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: at 0 m, at m, and at 17883 m. Below the kink: , so .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: at 0 m, at m, and at 17883 m. Above the kink: , so .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: at 0 m, at m, and at 17883 m. Above the kink: , so .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 , 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 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 , 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 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 , 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.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, , where is air density from a standard-atmosphere profile and bundles the shell's drag coefficient, caliber and mass: . 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.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, , where is air density from a standard-atmosphere profile and bundles the shell's drag coefficient, caliber and mass: . 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.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.3 mounts × 3 barrels = 9; all 9 bear on the broadside.Model inputs
Armor-penetration constant of the AP shell; penetration scales straight with it, so a 10% higher Krupp is 10% more penetration at every range.Enters penetration as mass^0.69 and slows the shell's drag deceleration, so a heavier shell keeps more velocity at range.Air drag on the AP shell in flight; lower keeps velocity, and with it penetration, at long range.Starting speed of the AP shell; penetration scales with velocity^1.38.Starting speed of the HE shell; sets its flight time and lead.Horizontal dispersion growth per idealDistance of range, in 30 m units; the slope of the scatter-width line.Horizontal dispersion at zero range, in 30 m units; the intercept of the scatter-width line.Range step over which horizontal dispersion grows by idealRadius.Inside this range the scatter width tapers toward minRadius instead of following the line.Vertical scatter as a share of horizontal at zero range.Vertical scatter as a share of horizontal at the delim point.Vertical scatter as a share of horizontal at maximum range.Where the vertical-scatter curve bends, as a share of maximum range.Torpedoes
1300 m / (64.0 kt × 2.6855) = 7.6 s. detectability / (speed kt x 2.6855 m/s per knot on the game clock).6000 m / (64.0 kt × 2.6855) = 34.9 s. range / (speed kt x 2.6855 m/s per knot on the game clock).2 launchers × 3 tubes.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.All tubes hitting one target: tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 6 x 12,700 = 76,200. Each hit on the target's torpedo belt is reduced by its torpedo protection %.AA defense
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.@ 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.32 + 65 + 33 + 118 = 248 DPS: the sum of every family's average DPS, achievable only inside the closest-range family (2 km).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.Secondary battery firepower
max(1200 (105 mm), 1700 (150 mm), 1700 (150 mm)) = 1700. Maximum HE damage per shell across secondary HE families. Best on this ship: 1700 from the 150 mm family.max(5% (105 mm), 8% (150 mm), 8% (150 mm)) = 8%. Maximum per-shell fire chance across secondary HE families (before target fire resistance is applied). Best on this ship: 8% from the 150 mm family.max(20 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.Ship Charts
Historical context
The real Scharnhorst that gave this ship her name. Facts cross-checked against the linked Wikipedia article.
Background
A German battleship designed for raider operations and fighting cruisers, including battlecruisers. When Scharnhorst was built, she was faster than any ship of her type. The rather small caliber of her main battery guns was her main drawback, but that was offset by her higher rate of fire.
Notable engagements
- Operation Weserübung (April 1940) - Norwegian campaign; sank carrier HMS Glorious and destroyers Acasta and Ardent in a surface action.
- Operation Berlin (January–March 1941) - Two-month Atlantic raid with sister ship Gneisenau, sinking 22 Allied merchant ships.
- Channel Dash (February 1942) - Escaped from Brest through the English Channel to German ports under fierce Allied attack.
- Battle of the North Cape (26 December 1943) - Lured into an ambush while attacking an Arctic convoy; sunk by HMS Duke of York and supporting forces.
Fate
Sunk 26 December 1943 at the Battle of the North Cape, off Norway. Roughly 1,927 dead; only 36 survivors picked up by Royal Navy destroyers in freezing Arctic waters.
Armor Beta
Hull HP 56,300, distributed across 5 hull zones, each with its own plate thicknesses, saturation cap, and pen thresholds.
Overmatched by 81+ AP guns across the bracket. Can’t reliably bow-tank; gets bow-citadelled and overpenned.
Citadels come from a flat broadside at close range; held past ~30° of angle, AP shatters or bounces.
Superstructure and extremities take HE pens and AP overpens from nearly any gun: steady chip damage. Fire resistance 30%, fires burn 60s. Range-by-range in the Compare tool →
| Section | Plates | HP cap | Threats | Tactic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bow | 25 mm primary (range 25–70 mm) | 2,000 (4% of HP) | Overmatched by 380mm+ AP (Bayern, Richelieu)Angle bounces 356mm25 mm: HE pens from 150mm+ | Bow-tank fits behind this exterior plate. Saturation is FAST here; the cap is often only a few thousand HP. |
| Hull (midship) | 150 mm primary (range 20–350 mm) | 42,200 (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. |
| Stern | 25 mm primary (range 25–90 mm) | 1,500 (3% of HP) | Overmatched by 380mm+ AP (Bayern, Richelieu)Angle bounces 356mm25 mm: HE pens from 150mm+ | Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation. |
| Citadel | 350 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. |
| Superstructure | 16 mm | 5,100 (9% of HP) | Any HE ≥16 mm pens at full damage | Any HE ≥16 mm pens at full damage. HE-spam target, and the section saturates fast (often only a few thousand HP). |
| Turret (module, per magazine) | separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP | 28,200 magazine HP | Turret knocked out | Per-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 HP | 800 per-mount HP | Destroyed at 0 HP | Per-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 HP | 200 per-mount HP | Destroyed at 0 HP | Per-mount HP for the heaviest AA on this ship. An AA mount destroyed at 0 HP stops shooting down planes for the rest of the battle; DCP does not repair destroyed mounts. HE shells specifically target AA mounts since the small-caliber HP pool falls fast. |
| Rudder (module) | separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP | 16,900 module HP | Incapacitated at 0 HP | When module HP reaches 0 the rudder locks at its current angle until DCP repairs it. Repair via Damage Control Party. |
Saturation cap = HP a section can absorb before further damage to it is reduced (the "bow-tank" effect). Citadel pool is ~165k on every ship (effectively no cap); damage is gated by pen/over-pen multipliers instead. Superstructure saturates fast but HE always pens regardless of the plate thickness. Rudder (and other module HPs) are a separate pool from ship HP: damaging a module doesn't drain ship HP. Incapacitated modules like the rudder and engine are restored by DCP, but secondary and AA mounts destroyed at 0 HP stay out for the rest of the battle.
Skins & permanent camouflages
Every custom exterior Scharnhorst can equip.
DefaultThe ship’s standard exterior
Arctic (Scharnhorst)
Azur Lane (Scharnhorst)Azur Lane
German Eagle (Scharnhorst)Decorative
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.
