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

Shōkaku

Also called: 翔鹤 Beta
Japan · Tier VII · Aircraft Carrier · Tech Tree: Offensive Strike Carriers
Strike carrierRepeated squadron strikes: cycle bombers and torpedoes, and manage your plane reserves.
Playstyle
  • Stay a full map cell behind the brawl line, far enough back that a rotated DD or radar cruiser cannot threaten the hull
  • Launch from positions where the recall path stays inside your team's AA umbrella
  • Avoid: Trading a full squadron for one high-value kill
Key characteristics
Big squadronsTorpedo bombersFast torpedoesFast for the classThickest plateHeavy secondary DPM
On this page
Community Data

Shōkaku Community Stats

Across 7,500+ Standard battles from 140+ players, Shōkaku averages a 61% win rate, 78,400 damage and 1.2 kills per battle, and survives 68% of them.

Community Data

Shōkaku Community Stats

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

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Playstyle

Overview

Shōkaku is the Tier VII Japanese carrier: a balanced strike kit across dive bombers and air torpedoes without a single dominant weapon. The kit rewards reading the enemy AA and picking the squadron that fits the next target. Her air-torpedo alpha is among the heaviest in the cohort. Each squadron flies 9 planes and they come back 35.3 s apiece, so losing a full wave costs 318 seconds of reserves.

Positioning

Stay a full map cell behind the brawl line, far enough back that a rotated DD or radar cruiser cannot threaten the hull. Launch from positions where the recall path stays inside your team's AA umbrella, not over open water where intercepting fighters can finish off limping squadrons. Longer trip back, fewer waves per match. You are spotted at 13.8 km and run at 34 kn, so that distance plus your speed is the whole margin for noticing a DD has slipped past and getting out. The helm answers quickly (13.1 s), so she can break an incoming salvo that slower hulls have to eat.

Potato Avoidance

Trading a full squadron for one high-value kill

Match impact comes from cycling waves across multiple targets, not committing a dive into layered AA for one battleship. When a target's AA is heavy, route around and find a softer pick rather than burning planes through the wall. Replacing a lost aircraft takes 80 s at best, and your most fragile squadron flies at 2,300 HP, so a wave sent into a wall of AA thins the reserve for the rest of the match.

Signature Traits

Fast for the class ↗

34 kt, best of T7 CVs. Lets you rotate flanks or escape disengagements.

ELITE ARMOR ↗
  • Thickest plate · 215 mm
  • Heavy citadel belt · 215 mm
  • Heavy belt
Heavy air torpedoes ↗

5400 damage per air-dropped torpedo, top decile of T7 CVs. Each torp delete-strike hits harder.

ELITE SECONDARIES ↗
  • Heavy secondary DPM · 193200 secondary
  • Punchy HE · 2100 max
All-Weather

No stat falls into the cohort's bottom decile across T7 CVs. Stable baseline in every category, no glaring weakness to play around.

Acquisition

How to get Shōkaku

Shōkaku is available in the Offensive Strike Carriers branch of the Japan Tech Tree for 23,000,000 credits after researching it in the branch. Known module upgrades cost up to 5,810,000 credits.

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

Show Japan tech-tree branch diagram
Japan Tech Tree

Shōkaku sits in the Offensive Strike Carriers branch. The highlighted path shows the local branch context inside the full Japan tree.

3 ships in highlighted branch · scroll to inspect all Japan lines.
JapanIIIIIIIVVVIVIIVIII★
Destroyer
Destroyer Split
Cruiser
Cruiser Split
Battleship
Hybrid Battleship
Carrier
Tier VIIsePJSB527 Tier ★AkiPJSB310 Tier VIIIDewaPJSB309 Tier VIISuwoPJSB308 Tier VIIIKitakazePJSD219 Tier VIIIYūgumoPJSD209 Tier VIIITakahashiPJSC209 Tier VIIKagerōPJSD208 Tier VIIShimantoPJSC208 Tier VIShiratsuyuPJSD207 Tier VIOmonoPJSC207 Tier VHatsuharuPJSD206 Tier VGokasePJSC206 Tier IVMinekazePJSD205 Tier IVAganoPJSC205 Tier VIIAkizukiPJSD108 Tier VIIShōkakuPJSA108 Tier VIAkatsukiPJSD107 Tier VFubukiPJSD106 Tier IVMutsukiPJSD105 Tier IChikumaPJSC035 Tier IIWakatakePJSD024 Tier VIIIIzumoPJSB021 Tier ★YamatoPJSB018 Tier IITenryūPJSC015 Tier IIIKumaPJSC013 Tier VIIAmagiPJSB013 Tier ★ShimakazePJSD012 Tier VIIIIbukiPJSC012 Tier VINagatoPJSB010 Tier VIIMogamiPJSC009 Tier VRyūjōPJSA009 Tier VIMyōkōPJSC008 Tier IIIIshizuchiPJSB008 Tier VAobaPJSC007 Tier IVKongōPJSB007 Tier VFusōPJSB006 Tier IVFurutakaPJSC005 Tier IIIIsokazePJSD003 Tier IIIHōshōPJSA002

Builds

Pair with a commander whose unique skill complements her main armament; check the build tool for current recommendations.

Open in Build Tool →

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

Hide ▾

Where Shōkaku sits among Tier VII CVs (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.

BestMax speed34 kt (1/12) BestRudder shift13.1 s (1 of 5 tied) BestMax armor215 mm (1/12) BestCitadel belt215 mm (1/11) Top 10%Stealth profile13.77 km / 9.64 km (2/12 / 2/12) Top 10%Secondary DPM (per side)193,200 (2/11) Top 10%Secondary HE alpha2,100 (2/11) Top 10%Air torpedo alpha5,400 (2/10) Top 25%Secondary dispersion bracket45 (3/11) Top 25%Acceleration (0-12 kt)11.8 s (3/12) Top 25%Engine power160,000 hp (4/12) Top 25%Power-to-weight5.37 hp/t (4/12) Top 25%Bomb fire chance38% (3/9) Top 25%Squadron size9 (4/12) Top 25%Squadron HP22,950 HP (4/12)
See 23 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Shōkaku -- 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 points51,400 HP(9/12) Turning circle1,130 m(9/12) Secondary fire chance8%(5/11) Secondary HE pen21 mm(6/11) Time to 90% speed32.3 s(8/12) Power / turn radius141.6 hp/m(6/12) Displacement29,800 t(5/12) AA DPS474(9/12) AA range5 km(5/12) AA threat1,682(9/12) Flak damage per salvo (expected)1,540(7/11) Bomb alpha6,000(8/12) Bomb penetration43.6 mm(5/9) Air torpedo range5.5 km(4/10) Air torpedo speed47 kn(4/10) Air torpedo stealth1.3 km(5/10) Hangar capacity18(5/12) Squadron restore time80 s(5/12) Deck HP25,700 HP(9/12) Plane HP2,300 HP(8/12) NormSecondary range4.5 km(7 of 11 tied at this value) NormBow armor19 mm(6 of 11 tied at this value) NormStern armor19 mm(6 of 11 tied at this value)

Stats & specs

Customize in the Build Tool →
Survivability
Hit PointsInitial: 50,100 → 51,400
Displacement29,800 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.
257.5 x 26 m
Armor range6–215 mm
Plate armor thicknesses6, 13, 19, 21, 25, 38, 40, 51, 75, 90, 102, 127, 152, 165, 215 mm
Armor material/layer entries62
Fire resistance
ƒstock hull: 1 − 0.667 fire coefficient = 33.3%; top 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.
Initial: 33.3% → 36.6%
Fire duration60 s
Fire damage
ƒOne unattended fire: 0.004 of max HP per second (0.4%) × 60 s = 0.24 of the pool; 0.24 × 51,400 HP = 12,336 HP on this ship. 4 fire points can burn at once.
0.4% of HP per second
Flood duration30 s
Flood damage
ƒOne unattended flood: 0.0025 of max HP per second (0.25%) × 30 s = 0.075 of the pool; 0.075 × 51,400 HP = 3,855 HP on this ship.
0.25% of HP per second
Torp Reduction
ƒ1 − 0.25 hull torpedo-damage coefficient / 0.333 unprotected baseline = 25%. Reduces torpedo hit damage. It does not affect flooding: floods start as often and tick at the full rate.
25%
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.
15,400
Repairable: penetration50%
Repairable: citadel10%
Repairable: steering gear50%
Section HP
Bow section HP
ƒDamage saturation pool for the bow: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 1,600 = 3,200), 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 ×. 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.
1,600
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 × 900 = 1,800), 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.
900
Auxiliary section HP
ƒDamage saturation pool for the auxiliary room: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 11,500 = 23,000), then further hits on it deal half damage. A penetration deals 0.33 × the shell's max damage; once the section is saturated it deals exactly half of that (0.5 × 0.33 = 0.165 × max damage), so a 3,000-damage shell's pen goes from 990 to 495. Overpens (0.1 × max damage) and citadels (1.0 ×) ignore saturation. Pens on the ship's other, unsaturated sections still deal the normal 0.33 ×. A larger pool keeps that part of the ship taking full damage for longer; a small one saturates fast and protects the ship's HP.
11,500
Hull section HP
ƒDamage saturation pool for the hull: penetrations here deal their normal share until twice this much penetration damage has landed on the section (2 × 38,600 = 77,200), 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 ×. 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.
38,600
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 × 100 = 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.
100
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 × 1,300 = 2,600), then further hits on it deal half damage. A penetration deals 0.33 × the shell's max damage; once the section is saturated it deals exactly half of that (0.5 × 0.33 = 0.165 × max damage), so a 3,000-damage shell's pen goes from 990 to 495. Overpens (0.1 × max damage) and citadels (1.0 ×) ignore saturation. Pens on the ship's other, unsaturated sections still deal the normal 0.33 ×. A larger pool keeps that part of the ship taking full damage for longer; a small one saturates fast and protects the ship's HP.
1,300
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
✈
Squadrons
Total plane capacity72
Flight deck HP25,700
Hangar HP25,700
Dive bomber
Plane HPInitial: 2,300 → 2,550
Cruising speedInitial: 136.0 → 142.0 kt
OrdnanceInitial: HE bomb, 5,500 → 6,000 alpha
Squadron size9 planes
Planes per drop3
Bombs per plane2
Bombs per drop
ƒ3 planes per drop x 2 bombs each = 6.
6
Alpha per drop
ƒInitial: 6 bombs x 5,500 alpha = 33,000 → 6 bombs x 6,000 alpha = 36,000. If every bomb hits. Before armor, saturation and the target's damage reduction; a real drop lands a share of it.
Initial: 33,000 → 36,000
Fire chanceInitial: 35% → 38%
Bomb penetration43.6 mm
Hangar max18
Hangar restore+3 every 106 s, start 18
Recovery time106 s
Torpedo bomber
Plane HP2,500
Cruising speedInitial: 130.0 → 136.0 kt
Ordnancetorpedo, 5,400 alpha
Squadron sizeInitial: 8 → 9 planes
Planes per dropInitial: 2 → 3
Torpedoes per plane1
Torpedoes per drop
ƒInitial: 2 planes per drop x 1 torpedo each = 2 → 3 planes per drop x 1 torpedo each = 3.
Initial: 2 → 3
Alpha per drop
ƒInitial: 2 torpedoes x 5,400 alpha = 10,800 → 3 torpedoes x 5,400 alpha = 16,200. If every torpedo hits. Before armor, saturation and the target's damage reduction; a real drop lands a share of it.
Initial: 10,800 → 16,200
Flooding chance40%
Torpedo arming time4 s
Torpedo arming distance97 m
Hangar maxInitial: 16 → 18
Hangar restoreInitial: +2 every 80 s, start 16 → +3 every 106 s, start 18
Recovery timeInitial: 80 → 106 s
Squadron consumables
Patrol Fighters
Charges3
Duration60 s
Reload10 s
Evasive Maneuver
Charges2
Duration10 s
Reload150 s
Damage reduction-50%
Return to Carrier
EffectAll aircraft return to carrier.
AA Defense
AA mount pointsInitial: 36 → 52
Maximum AA range
ƒLongest-reaching family on the in-game AA card. Base AirDefense aura max range is 3.1 km; dual-purpose mount auras extend it.
5 km
25 mm Type96 mod. 2 (upgraded hull only)2×3 25mm
25 mm Type96 mod. 1 (upgraded hull only)18×3 25mm
25 mm/60 Type96 mod. 1Initial: 36×1 → 32×1 25mm
127 mm Type89 mod. 2 (DP)
ƒDual-purpose: your secondaries doing double duty against aircraft. The same mounts appear on the Secondary Battery card - shared guns, not extra hardware.
2×2 127mm
127 mm Type89 A1 (DP)
ƒDual-purpose: your secondaries doing double duty against aircraft. The same mounts appear on the Secondary Battery card - shared guns, not extra hardware.
6×2 127mm
Far aura
Guns127 mm Type89 A1 (DP) + 127 mm Type89 mod. 2 (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 112 from dual-purpose secondaries firing as AA in this range band.
112
Range5 km
Near aura
Guns25 mm Type96 mod. 1 + 25 mm Type96 mod. 2 + 25 mm/60 Type96 mod. 1
Continuous DPS
ƒInitial: 44 × 3.5 × 0.95 = 146 → 109 × 3.5 × 0.95 = 362. Raw aura damage × 3.5 × hit probability, the same in-game units as the Close-range AA DPS headline.
Initial: 146 → 362
Range3.1 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒFar 112 + Near 362 = 474
474
Flak
AA explosions
ƒEach ~2 s salvo fires 2 AA explosions in quick succession, each leaving 3 clouds ahead of the attacking squadron, plus 1 stray cloud farther out that appear off-beat between salvos - up to 7 clouds per salvo × 220 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, 3 clouds each + 1 outer cloud
Cloud damage
ƒDamage a plane takes for flying into one flak cloud, before any reductions.
220
Cloud spawn chance
ƒEvery potential cloud spawns - the full pattern, every salvo. Often called flak 'hit chance', but spawned clouds always damage planes that fly into them - the roll is on spawning.
100%
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 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.
2.5-5 km
See the AA layers diagram ↓
S
Secondary Battery
Mounts8
Firing range4.5 km
Shell Grouping (σ)1
Total secondary fires/min (per side)
ƒSum of each gun family's fires/min (per side): 1.6 + 5.8 = 7.4. 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.
7.4
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: 2×2 127 mm (2/side) × 60/6 s × 2100 = 42,000 + 6×2 127 mm (6/side) × 60/5 s × 2100 = 151,200. Assumes every shell hits (real hit rate is lower; the Brawl matchup tool on the Compare page folds in dispersion + target armor).
193,200
Secondary fire DPM vs T7 BB (per side)
ƒFires/min (per side) 7.4 × (1 − 0.366 fire resistance) × 60 s × 0.003 of max HP per second × 65,000 HP = 54,595. 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.
54,595
Total secondary DPM vs T7 BB (per side)
ƒSecondary DPM (per side) 193,200 + secondary fire DPM 54,595 = 247,795: shell damage plus fire damage against one T7 battleship, every shell hitting.
247,795
Secondary dispersion type
ƒMax dispersion = range (km) × 45 + 30. Each dispersion type sets its own slope; this is not a percentage applied to a standard baseline.
Improved (~20%)
Max secondary dispersion @ 4.5 km
ƒ4.5 km × 45 + 30 = 232.5 m.
232.5 m
127 mm Type89 mod. 2 (2×2) (DP)
ƒDual-purpose: the same mounts also fire at aircraft, so they appear on the AA Defense card too - shared guns, not extra hardware.
Caliber127 mm
Reload time6 s
HE alpha2,100
Muzzle Velocity725 m/s
Fire Chance8%
Secondary fires/min (per side)
ƒ2×2 barrels / 2 sides × 60 / 6 s × 0.08 (8% fire chance) = 1.6. 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.
1.6
HE Pen21 mm
Show 1 more gun family
127 mm Type89 A1 (6×2) (DP)
ƒDual-purpose: the same mounts also fire at aircraft, so they appear on the AA Defense card too - shared guns, not extra hardware.
Caliber127 mm
Reload time5 s
HE alpha2,100
Muzzle Velocity725 m/s
Fire Chance8%
Secondary fires/min (per side)
ƒ6×2 barrels / 2 sides × 60 / 5 s × 0.08 (8% fire chance) = 5.8. 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.
5.8
HE Pen21 mm
Maneuverability
Engine power160,000 hp
Maximum speed34.0 kt
Turning circle radius1130 m
Rudder shift timeInitial: 18.4 s → 13.1 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 = 34 / 4 + 4.9 = 13.4 kt. Base value; speed modifiers scale it.
13.4 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.
40.7 s
Engine boost threshold (reverse)
ƒSpeed below which the engine's built-in power boost applies in reverse.
10.2 kt
Acceleration 0-90%
ƒTime to reach 90% of top speed (30.6 kt of 34.0 kt).
32.3 s
Acceleration 0-99%
ƒTime to reach 99% of top speed (33.7 kt of 34.0 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.
49.9 s
See the full acceleration curve ↓
Concealment
Detectability by sea
ƒBase value, no camouflage. With a Grade IV permanent camo (or any disposable camo): 13.77 km x 0.955 = 13.15 km. Camouflage does not change detectability by air.
13.77 km
With Grade IV camouflage (sea)
ƒDetectability by sea 13.77 km x 0.955 (Grade IV permanent camo or any disposable camo) = 13.15 km.
13.15 km
Detectability by air9.64 km
Detect when firing (air)
ƒAir detectability 9.64 km + gun-firing bloom 0 km = 9.64 km. The bloom tracks main-battery caliber x 0.020.
9.64 km
Detect when on fire (sea)
ƒSea detectability 13.77 km + 2.0 km while burning = 15.77 km.
15.77 km
Detect when on fire (air)
ƒAir detectability 9.64 km + 3.0 km while burning = 12.64 km.
12.64 km
Guaranteed Detect2 km
✦
Consumables
Automatic Damage Control Party∞ charges · 90 s reload · 60 s active
Automatic Fighter4 charges · 40 s reload · 150 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
· 4 squadron size
Module options (1)

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

HullUpgrade
  • Hit points50,100 → 51,400
  • Rudder shift18.4 → 13.1 s
  • AA mounts36 → 52
  • Close-range AA DPS44 → 109

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.

AA defense

AA DPS at max range112
Only families that reach 5 km contribute at the outer edge of the AA bubble. In-game families: 25mm Type96 Triple 1 2x3 -> 14 DPS @ 3.1 km; 25mm Type96 18x3 -> 125 DPS @ 3.1 km; 25mm Type96 single 32x1 -> 223 DPS @ 3.1 km; 127mm40 Type89 Mod A 2x2 -> 28 DPS @ 5 km; 127mm40 Type 89 6x2 -> 84 DPS @ 5 km.
AA DPS layered by range112 DPS @ 5 km, 474 DPS @ 3.1 km
@ 5 km: 28 + 84 = 112; @ 3.1 km: 14 + 125 + 223 + 28 + 84 = 474. 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-blank474
14 + 125 + 223 + 28 + 84 = 474 DPS: the sum of every family's average DPS, achievable only inside the closest-range family (3.1 km).
AA threat index1682
14 × 3.1 + 125 × 3.1 + 223 × 3.1 + 28 × 5 + 84 × 5 = 1682. 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 range3.1 km

Secondary battery firepower

Max HE alpha2100
max(2100 (127 mm), 2100 (127 mm)) = 2100. Maximum HE damage per shell across secondary HE families. Best on this ship: 2100 from the 127 mm family.
Max HE fire chance8%
max(8% (127 mm), 8% (127 mm)) = 8%. Maximum per-shell fire chance across secondary HE families (before target fire resistance is applied). Best on this ship: 8% from the 127 mm family.
Max HE pen21 mm
max(21 mm (127 mm), 21 mm (127 mm)) = 21 mm. Maximum HE armor penetration across secondary HE families (caliber × 1/6 for most nations; 1/4 for German/UK BBs). Shells whose pen falls under a plate's armor thickness shatter for 0 hull damage though fire chance still applies. Best on this ship: 21 mm from the 127 mm family.
Open in Charting Tool

Ship Charts

Background

This heavy aircraft carrier was designed on the basis of the Hiryū class using the experience gained in building ships of the same type. Compared to her predecessor, she was larger and boasted superior armor and AA armament. During World War II, the ship's AA capabilities were significantly enhanced.

Armor Beta

Hull HP 50,100 → 51,400 with hull upgrade, distributed across 5 hull zones, each with its own plate thicknesses, saturation cap, and pen thresholds.

Bow & stern19 mm

Overmatched by 137+ AP guns across the bracket. Can’t reliably bow-tank; gets bow-citadelled and overpenned.

Belt / citadel215 mm

AP can citadel a flat broadside even at range. Stay angled and avoid showing the full side.

Farming6 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
Bow19 mm primary (range 6–19 mm)1,600 (3% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ AP (Scharnhorst, Scharnhorst '43)Angle bounces 203mm19 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)19 mm primary (range 19–215 mm)38,600 (75% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ AP (Scharnhorst, Scharnhorst '43)Angle bounces 203mm19 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Largest HP pool. Citadel sits behind these plates; thinner deck and side plating absorb the rest.
Stern19 mm primary (range 6–51 mm)1,300 (3% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ AP (Scharnhorst, Scharnhorst '43)Angle bounces 203mm19 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel215 mm primary (range 19–215 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.
Superstructure6 mm primary (range 6–38 mm)100 (0% 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).
Secondary mount (127 mm mount)separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP800 per-mount HPDestroyed at 0 HPPer-mount HP for the heaviest secondary on this ship. A mount destroyed at 0 HP is out for the rest of the battle; DCP does not repair destroyed mounts. Smaller (lighter-caliber) secondaries typically share the same HP value.
AA mount (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 HP15,400 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.

Balance History

Latest 6 of 8 indexed balance updates affecting Shōkaku. Cards are condensed; use each source link for full context.

Nerf ×27Buff ×20Rework ×3Airstrike ×7Torpedo ×16
2024-06-27

Ministry of Balance: Aerial Adjustments

  • Torpedo bombers:
  • Stock torpedo bomber restoration time increased from 57 to 80 s.
  • Stock torpedo bomber maximum HP per aircraft reduced from 2,800 to 2,500.
  • Stock torpedo bomber base speed reduced from 140 to 130 kts.
  • Upgraded torpedo bomber restoration time increased from 76 to 106 s.
  • Upgraded torpedo bomber maximum HP per aircraft reduced from 2,600 to 2,500.
  • Upgraded torpedo bomber base speed reduced from 145 to 136 kts.
  • Dive bombers:
  • Stock dive bomber restoration time increased from 76 to 106 s.
  • Upgraded dive bomber base speed reduced from 150 to 136 kts.
  • Upgraded dive bomber restoration time increased from 76 to 106 s.
  • Upgraded dive bomber base speed reduced from 159 to 142 kts.
Read the full official post
2024-05-31

Ministry of Balance: Carriers 2.0 – First Update

  • Stock torpedo bombers:
  • Base speed reduced from 146 to 140 knots.
  • Torpedo speed reduced from 50 to 47 knots.
  • Torpedo damage reduced from 7,567 to 6,100.
  • Upgraded torpedo bombers:
  • Base speed reduced from 150 to 145 knots.
  • Torpedo speed reduced from 50 to 47 knots.
  • Torpedo damage reduced from 7,567 to 6,100.
Read the full official post
2024-05-24

Ministry of Balance: Carriers 2.0 – First Wave

  • Stock Dive Bombers:
  • Aiming speed increased (aiming circle shrinks faster).
  • Bombs per aircraft increased from 1 to 2.
  • Dive bomber accuracy (likelihood of an individual bomb hitting the inner circle) reduced from 75 to 60%.
  • Maximum HP per aircraft reduced from 2,550 to 2,300 (squadron HP reduced from 22,950 to 20,700).
  • Base speed increased from 129 to 150 knots.
  • Maximum flight range set to 32 kilometers.
  • Bomb damage reduced from 10,600 to 5,500.
  • HE bomb penetration reduced from 53.4 to 43.6 mm.
  • Bomb fire-setting chances reduced from 55 to 35%.
  • Bomb splash radius reduced.
  • Maximum & starting hangar aircraft increased from 15 to 18.
  • Aircraft restoration time increased from 70 to 76 seconds.
  • Aircraft restored increased from 1 to 3.
  • Upgraded Dive Bombers:
  • Aiming speed increased (aiming circle shrinks faster).
  • Bombs per aircraft increased from 1 to 2.
  • Dive bomber accuracy (likelihood of an individual bomb hitting the inner circle) reduced from 75 to 60%.
  • Maximum HP per aircraft reduced from 2,750 to 2,550 (squadron HP reduced from 24,750 to 22,950).
  • Base speed increased from 130 to 159 knots.
  • Maximum flight range set to 34 kilometers.
  • Bomb damage reduced from 10,600 to 6,000.
  • HE bomb penetration reduced from 53.4 to 43.6 mm.
  • Bomb fire-setting chances reduced from 55 to 38%.
  • Bomb splash radius reduced.
  • Maximum & starting hangar aircraft increased from 15 to 18.
  • Aircraft restoration time increased from 65 to 76 seconds.
  • Aircraft restored increased from 1 to 3.
  • Stock Torpedo Bombers:
  • Number of aircraft in squadron reduced from 9 to 8.
  • Number of attacking aircraft per strike reduced from 3 to 2.
  • Maximum HP per aircraft increased from 2,625 to 2,800 (squadron HP reduced from 23,625 to 22,400).
  • Base speed increased from 120 to 146 knots.
  • Maximum flight range set to 31 kilometers.
  • Maximum & starting hangar aircraft increased from 15 to 16.
  • Aircraft restoration time reduced from 86 to 57 seconds.
  • Aircraft restored increased from 1 to 2.
  • Upgraded Torpedo Bombers:
  • Maximum HP per aircraft reduced from 2,830 to 2,600 (squadron HP reduced from 25,470 to 23,400).
  • Base speed increased from 123 to 150 knots.
  • Maximum flight range set to 32 kilometers.
  • Maximum & starting hangar aircraft increased from 15 to 18.
  • Aircraft restoration time increased from 72 to 76 seconds.
  • Aircraft restored increased from 1 to 3.
Read the full official post
2022-09-29

Halloween Update: New Friends, Old Foes

  • Surface detectability range changed from 12.1 to 13.8 km; air detectability range changed from 8.5 to 9.6 km.
  • Stock dive bomber HP changed from 2,500 to 2,550; stock torpedo bomber HP changed from 2,500 to 2,625.
  • Upgraded dive bomber HP changed from 2,600 to 2,750; upgraded torpedo bomber HP changed from 2,750 to 2,830.
Read the full official post
2022-07-21

Anniversary Update: New Horizons

  • First and foremost, the planes now have more HP, about 150 on average. This change affects the following ships, with more buffs included:
  • Tier VII Shōkaku (stock and upgraded dive and torpedo bombers); Shōkaku's squadrons were increased from 8 to 9 aircraft with attack unit size going to 3 instead of 2 for both stock and upgraded torpedo bombers; hangar size for stock version increased from 12 to 15 aircraft, maximum bomb damage was increased from 10,100 to 10,600 for both stock and upgraded dive bombers.
Read the full official post
2022-03-03

March update: All That is Gold Does Not Glitter

  • Concealment for dive bombers improved, from 10 to 7.5 km.
  • Aircraft restoration time for stock dive bombers increased from 66 to 70 s.
  • Aircraft restoration time for upgraded dive bombers decreased from 76 to 65 s.
Read the full official post
Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

Every custom exterior Shōkaku can equip.

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.

2021-09-30 · Patch notes Halloween Update: Double the Fun, Double the Trouble Patch notes 2022-03-03 · Patch notes March update: All That is Gold Does Not Glitter Patch notes 2022-07-21 · Patch notes Anniversary Update: New Horizons Patch notes 2022-09-29 · Patch notes Halloween Update: New Friends, Old Foes Patch notes