GamingDiver / WoWs Legends Ships / Shimakaze
World of Warships: Legends ship guide

Shimakaze

Beta
Japan · Tier ★ · Destroyer
Stealth torpedo destroyerSpot and ambush with torps; avoid open gunfights.
Playstyle
  • Push deep into caps with 6.9 km detection - closer than peer DDs can match
  • Avoid: Burning the 6.9 km concealment advantage on guns
Key characteristics
Torpedoes (11 km)Stealthy (6.9 km)SmokeFragileWeak AA
Community Data

Shimakaze Community Stats

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Playstyle

Overview

Shimakaze is a Legendary Japanese stealth destroyer with cohort-best surface detection (6.9 km). The kit opens detection windows other DDs cannot, so her value is contesting caps her peer DDs cannot reach unspotted. Standout traits: best AP shell velocity in Legendary DDs (915) and best flat HE shells in Legendary DDs (915).

Positioning

Push deep into caps with 6.9 km detection - closer than peer DDs can match. The advantage opens windows for free torpedo drops and unspotted reposition; treat the cap as yours to take rather than yours to contest.

Potato Avoidance

Burning the 6.9 km concealment advantage on guns

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

Signature Traits

Flat AP shells

915.0 m/s AP muzzle velocity, best of Legendary DDs. Flatter trajectory, less lead, harder to dodge.

Flat HE shells

915.0 m/s HE muzzle velocity, best of Legendary DDs. Flatter trajectory, easier to land at range.

High-arc AP shells

33.7° impact angle at max range, best of Legendary DDs. Lobs over island cover.

High-arc HE shells

33.7° HE impact angle at max range, best of Legendary DDs. Lobs over cover.

Slow torp reload

153.0 s torpedo reload, worst of Legendary DDs. Long wait between drops.

Fragile HP pool

17900.0 HP, bottom decile of Legendary DDs. Trade hits sparingly.

Acquisition

How to get Shimakaze

Shimakaze is a Premium ship and not available to unlock in the Tech Tree. Acquisition path: Premium/Event.

Official WG availability sources
  • Through the Spy Glass: Iwami Ship feature / release Start: 2023-04-12 · 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.
  • April Update: Blossom in Gold Store price varies 2023-04-06

Builds Beta

Build for concealment, torpedo reload/damage, speed, and survivability. Guns are emergency tools: use HE when already spotted or forced by an enemy destroyer, and only farm battleships late when it is genuinely safe. Torpedo pressure and spotting are the primary job.

Open in Build Tool →

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Cohort position

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Where Shimakaze sits among Legendary DDs (11 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.

BestConcealment6.9 km (1/11) BestRudder shift3.9 s (1/11) BestMain dispersion95.3 m (1/11) BestAP velocity915 m/s (1/9) BestHE velocity915 m/s (1/11) BestDisplacement3,048 t (1/11) Top 10%Power-to-weight24.61 hp/t (2/10) Top 10%Torpedo damage23,767 (2/11) Top 25%Air detection3.5 km (3/11) Top 25%Deck armor20 mm (2/8) WorstHit points17,900 HP (11/11) WorstTraverse-to-turn ratio4.74 × (11/11) WorstMain battery range10.7 km (11/11) WorstFires per minute4.27 (11/11) WorstHE DPM109,831 (11/11) WorstAP DPM134,237 (9/9) WorstAA DPS147 (11/11) WorstAA threat549 (11/11) WorstTorpedo reload153 s (11/11)
See 21 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Shimakaze -- 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.

Max speed39 kt(5/11) Main battery caliber127 mm(7/11) Main battery reload5.9 s(9/11) HE shell damage1,800(7/11) HE fire chance7%(9/11) AP shell damage2,200(6/9) Acceleration13 s(7/11) AP arming threshold21 mm(5/9) Engine power75,000 hp(6/10) Turn-speed retention108.7 hp/m(5/10) AA range5 km(5/11) Torpedo range11.01 km(5/11) Torpedo speed67 kt(5/11) NormSigma2(10 of 11 tied at this value) NormAP fuse timer0.01 s(8 of 9 tied at this value) NormAP ricochet start45°(6 of 9 tied at this value) NormAP auto-bounce angle60°(6 of 9 tied at this value) NormMax armor20 mm(9 of 11 tied at this value) NormCitadel belt20 mm(8 of 10 tied at this value) NormBow armor20 mm(9 of 10 tied at this value) NormStern armor20 mm(9 of 10 tied at this value)

Stats & specs

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

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

SmokeEngine Boost
Survivability
Hit Points17,900
Displacement3,048 t
Armor range6–20 mm
Plate armor thicknesses6, 13, 19, 20 mm
Armor material/layer entries28
Fire resistance40%
Fire duration30 s
Torp Reduction0%
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.
9,000
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.
5,400
Main Battery
ModuleArtillery: 127 mm 3rd Year Type mod. D
Mounts / barrels3 mounts / 6 barrels
Reload time6.5 s
Firing range10.7 km
Turret traverse7.9 °/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 = (10704/30·(8−0.5)/1000 + 0.5)·30 = 95.3 m
95.3 m
Max Vert Disp
ƒVertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 95.3 × 0.6 = 57.2 m
57.2 m
Med Horiz Disp
ƒ50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 95.3 × 0.319 (σ=2) = 30.4 m
30.4 m
Med Vert Disp
ƒ50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 57.2 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 18.3 m
18.3 m
Turret turn time
ƒ180 degrees / 7.9 deg/s traverse speed = 22.8 s.
22.8 s
Base shells/min
ƒ6 broadside guns x 60 / 6.5 s base reload = 55.4.
55.4
HE shells
HE Damage1,800
HE Velocity915 m/s
Fire Chance7%
HE penetration
ƒ21 mm ≈ 127 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
21 mm
HE full-salvo alpha
ƒ1,800 HE damage x 6 broadside guns = 10,800.
10,800
Base HE DPM
ƒ10,800 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6.5 s base reload = 99,692.
99,692
Installed HE DPM
ƒ10,800 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5.9 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 109,831.
109,831
Base fires/min
ƒ6 HE shells x 60 / 6.5 s reload x 7% fire chance = 3.88.
3.88
AP shells
AP Damage2,200
AP Velocity915 m/s
Min Ricochet45 deg
Guaranteed Ricochet60 deg
Fuse Timer0.01 s
Fuse Threshold21 mm
AP overmatch
ƒfloor(127 mm caliber / 14.3) = 8 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
8 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 × 2266 × 23^0.69 × 0.127^-1.07 × 915^1.38 = 219 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.
219 mm
AP Pen Far
ƒSame formula at the ship's max firing range (13.4 km), where the shell has slowed to 254.8 m/s: 1e-7 × 2266 × 23^0.69 × 0.127^-1.07 × 254.8^1.38 = 37.5 mm.
37.5 mm
AP full-salvo alpha
ƒ2,200 AP damage x 6 broadside guns = 13,200.
13,200
Base AP DPM
ƒ13,200 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6.5 s base reload = 121,846.
121,846
Installed AP DPM
ƒ13,200 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5.9 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 134,237.
134,237
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.
10
◇
Torpedoes
ModuleTorpedoes: 610 mm quintuple
Launchers / tubes3 launchers × 5 tubes = 15 tubes
Reload time153 s
Projectile speed67 kt
Range11.01 km
Maximum simulated damage22,267 (est.)
Alpha damage66,800
Torpedo detectability1.7 km
Torpedo launcher traverse25 °/s
Torp Turn7.2 s
Torp Arming517 m
Per-side salvo damage
ƒper-side salvo x per-torpedo simulated damage.
334,005
AA Defense
AA mount points17
Close-range AA DPS
ƒSum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (28×3.5×1) + (14×3.5×1) = 147. 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.
147
Maximum AA range
ƒLongest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.
5 km
25 mm Type96 mod. 12×3 25mm
25 mm/60 Type96 mod. 114×1 25mm
25 mm Type96 mod. 11×2 25mm
Far aura
DPS
ƒIncludes 14 continuous AA damage from dual-purpose main battery firing as AA in this range band.
14
Range5 km
Medium aura
DPS28
Range3.1 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒFar 14 + Medium 28 = 42
42
Maneuverability
Engine moduleEngine: 75,000 hp
Engine power75,000 hp
Maximum speed39 kt
Turning circle radius690 m
Engine power multiplier speed threshold7 kt
Traverse-to-turn ratio4.7× drags
Concealment
Detectability by sea6.9 km
Detectability by air3.5 km
Smoke firing penalty2.6 km
Detect after firing main guns6.9 km
Detect Fire Sea8.9 km
Detect Fire Air6.5 km
Guaranteed Detect2 km
✦
Consumables
Damage Control Party∞ charges · 40 s reload · 5 s active
Smoke Generator2 charges · 240 s reload · 15 s emit / 89 s cloud active
Engine Boost2 charges · 180 s reload · 120 s active · +8% speed bonus
Module options (2)

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

HullUpgrade
  • Turret traverse7.9 → 12 °/s
TorpedoesTrade-off
  • Range8.01 → 11.01 km
  • Reload131 → 153 s
  • Alpha damage59,600 → 66,800
  • Display damage19,867 → 22,267
  • Speed76 → 67 kt

See all derived stats

Show ▾

Numbers the spec table cannot show directly: alpha-strike math, DPM, dispersion, AP penetration. Click the formula chip on any row to reveal how it is calculated.

Main battery formulas

Shell Grouping (σ)2
Shell grouping (sigma); shown in-game as Shell Grouping.
Max Horiz Disp95.3 m
Horizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range. (R/30·(idealRadius−minRadius)/idealDistance + minRadius)·30 = (10704/30·(8−0.5)/1000 + 0.5)·30 = 95.3 m
Max Vert Disp57.2 m
Vertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 95.3 × 0.6 = 57.2 m
Med Horiz Disp30.4 m
50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 95.3 × 0.319 (σ=2) = 30.4 m
Med Vert Disp18.3 m
50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 57.2 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 18.3 m
Dispersion familyDD Disp.
Standard destroyer dispersion baseline.
AP Pen Close219 mm
Canonical community AP formula (jcw780/wows_shell), evaluated at muzzle velocity: 1e-7 × Krupp × mass^0.69 × caliber_m^-1.07 × v0^1.38 = 1e-7 × 2266 × 23^0.69 × 0.127^-1.07 × 915^1.38 = 219 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.
AP Pen Far37.5 mm
Same formula at the ship's max firing range (13.4 km), where the shell has slowed to 254.8 m/s: 1e-7 × 2266 × 23^0.69 × 0.127^-1.07 × 254.8^1.38 = 37.5 mm.
HE penetration21 mm
21 mm ≈ 127 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
AP overmatch8 mm
floor(127 mm caliber / 14.3) = 8 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
AP AOE Radius10
AP shell over-penetration splash radius; scales with shell mass. Wickes 102mm = 3, standard 152mm CL ~ 20, Iowa 406mm ~ 270, Yamato 460mm = 400, Incomparable 650mm = 550 (max). Larger value = bigger splash damage area when AP over-pens.
Broadside guns used for alpha6
All 6 barrels bear on the broadside.
Turret turn time22.8 s
180 degrees / 7.9 deg/s traverse speed = 22.8 s.
HE full-salvo alpha10,800
1,800 HE damage x 6 broadside guns = 10,800.
AP full-salvo alpha13,200
2,200 AP damage x 6 broadside guns = 13,200.
Base HE DPM99,692
10,800 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6.5 s base reload = 99,692.
Base AP DPM121,846
13,200 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6.5 s base reload = 121,846.
Installed HE DPM109,831
10,800 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5.9 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 109,831.
Installed AP DPM134,237
13,200 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5.9 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 134,237.
Base shells/min55.4
6 broadside guns x 60 / 6.5 s base reload = 55.4.
Installed shells/min61
6 broadside guns x 60 / 5.9 s installed Artillery reload = 61.
Base fires/min3.88
6 HE shells x 60 / 6.5 s reload x 7% fire chance = 3.88.
Installed fires/min4.27
6 HE shells x 60 / 5.9 s installed reload x 7% fire chance = 4.27.

Torpedoes

Torpedo detectability1.7 km
Estimated torpedo reaction time9.8 s
detectability / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).
Torpedo speed67 kt
Travel time to max range63.2 s
range / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).
Tube count15
3 launchers x 5 tubes.
Per-side salvo15 torpedoes
15 (centerline launchers train across - full salvo to either side).
Full-salvo damage334,005
tube count x per-torpedo simulated damage (all torpedoes hitting).
Per-side salvo damage334,005
per-side salvo x per-torpedo simulated damage.

AA defense

Close-range AA DPS147
Sum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (28×3.5×1) + (14×3.5×1) = 147. 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 index549
SUM over AA auras of (aura DPS x aura range km). A plane crossing the AA bubble is exposed to each aura for a time proportional to that aura's range, so long-reach DPS is worth more than the same DPS in a short bubble. Units: DPS*km; used to rank overall AA threat across the cohort.

Armor

Hull HP 17,900, 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
Bow20 mm primary (range 19–20 mm)2,600 (15% of HP)
Overmatched by 305mm+ (Cherbourg, Brandenburg)Angle bounces 283mm20 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Bow-tank fits behind this exterior plate. Saturation is FAST here; the cap is often only a few thousand HP.
Hull (midship)20 mm13,400 (75% of HP)
Overmatched by 305mm+ (Cherbourg, Brandenburg)Angle bounces 283mm20 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Largest HP pool. Citadel sits behind these plates; thinner deck and side plating absorb the rest.
Stern20 mm primary (range 19–20 mm)2,000 (11% of HP)
Overmatched by 305mm+ (Cherbourg, Brandenburg)Angle bounces 283mm20 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel20 mm primary (range 13–20 mm)≈ 165,500 (effectively no cap)
Citadel pen ×0.50 damageOver-pen: ×0.10 damage
Effectively no cap; citadel pool sits at ~165k HP on every ship. Damage is gated by pen/over-pen multipliers instead (×0.50 direct pen, ×0.10 over-pen).
Superstructure6 mm primary (range 6–20 mm)800 (4% 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 HP9,000 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.
AA mount (25 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 HP5,400 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.
Streamer videos

Watch Shimakaze in live play
YouTube · bigB2ohgaming Stream Highlight: Shimakaze the "S Tier" Destroyer- World of Warships Legends Watch gameplay ↗ YouTube · Speedy_whoppa Shimakaze met CV that doesn't hunt DDs in World of Warships Legends Watch gameplay ↗ YouTube · Spartan Elite43 Shimakaze Is Still A Menace In World of Warships Legends Watch gameplay ↗

Balance History

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

Nerf ×3Concealment ×3
2023-11-02

MINISTRY OF BALANCE REPORTS: A FLURRY OF CHANGES

  • Detectability range by sea increased from 6.7 to 6.9 km.
  • Detectability range by air increased from 3.35 to 3.5 km.
  • Detectability while firing in smoke increased from 2.5 to 2.6 km.
Read the full official post
Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

Every custom exterior Shimakaze 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.

2021-05-13 · Patch notes May Update: Things Are Heating Up! Patch notes 2021-12-16 · Patch notes Holiday Update: Chilling With the Beasts Patch notes 2023-04-06 · Patch notes April Update: Blossom in Gold Patch notes 2023-11-02 · Patch notes November Update: All In Black Patch notes