GamingDiver / WoWs Legends Ships / South Carolina
World of Warships: Legends ship guide

South Carolina

Beta
U.S.A. · Tier III · Battleship
Long-range battleshipMax-range AP sniper: trade from open water and bow-tank between salvos.
Playstyle
  • Anchor a flank at 12-15 km where the team can rotate behind you and where island cover is within one he…
  • Avoid: Treating the super-heal as a license to push
Key characteristics
305 mm overmatch1.8 sigma accuracy14 km gun rangeSlowNo AA
Community Data

South Carolina Community Stats

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Playstyle

Overview

South Carolina is a Tier III American battleship built around the super-heal: her Repair Party returns more HP per charge than any peer in the cohort, so her sustain is what lets her hold trades that other battleships would have to disengage from. Standout traits: best AP fuse timer in T3 BBs (0.033 s) and best DCP duration in T3 BBs (20 s).

Positioning

Anchor a flank at 12-15 km where the team can rotate behind you and where island cover is within one heal cycle. The super-heal lets you hold mid-range trades that a standard BB would lose, but only if you finish each trade before the next focus volley arrives; open-water trades faster than the heal cycles still drain HP net-negative.

Potato Avoidance

Treating the super-heal as a license to push

The Repair Party out-cycles what a standard BB can recover, but it does not out-cycle two flanks of focus fire at once. Spend the heal on absorbed damage from a trade you won, not on damage you took because you led the push alone.

Signature Traits

Deep-fuse AP

0.03 s AP fuse timer, best of T3 BBs. Shells travel deeper before detonating; citadels through belt armor more reliably.

Long DCP window

20.0 s Damage Control duration, best of T3 BBs. Stays fire / flood immune longer per activation.

Fast acceleration

~5.4 s to max forward speed, top decile of T3 BBs. Rebuilds speed quickly after a turn or stop. (Acceleration decode is validated in-game but not yet confirmed across every ship.)

Heavy citadel belt

305.0 mm citadel belt, top decile of T3 BBs. Citadels through angle are rare.

Slow for the class

18.0 kt, bottom decile of T3 BBs. Hard to rotate flanks or disengage; commit positioning early.

Wide dispersion

202.6 m max horizontal dispersion, bottom decile of T3 BBs. Long-range salvos are noticeably wider than peers'.

Acquisition

How to get South Carolina

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

Official WG availability sources

Builds Beta

Build for main-battery accuracy/reload, survivability, and fire resistance. The ship rewards steady salvo discipline.

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Cohort position

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Where South Carolina sits among Tier III BBs (17 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.

BestAcceleration5.4 s (1/17) BestAP fuse timer0.03 s (1 of 2 tied) BestDisplacement17,900 t (1/17) Top 25%Main battery range14.26 km (3/17) Top 25%Sigma1.8 (5/17) Top 25%Max armor305 mm (5/17) Top 25%Citadel belt305 mm (3/17) Top 25%Deck armor127 mm (4/17) Bottom 25%Hit points35,000 HP (15/17) Bottom 25%Rudder shift19.5 s (16/17) Bottom 25%AP DPM161,905 (14/17) Bottom 25%Main dispersion202.6 m (16/17) Bottom 25%HE velocity823 m/s (14/17) WorstMax speed18 kt (17/17) WorstHE alpha1,100 (16/16) WorstSecondary fire chance4% (1 of 2 tied) WorstSecondary HE pen13 mm (16/16) WorstEngine power16,000 hp (16/16) WorstTurn-speed retention33.3 hp/m (16/16) WorstPower-to-weight0.89 hp/t (16/16) WorstNo AA (3 of 17 in cohort) WorstEnd plates25 mm (1 of 5 tied / 1 of 5 tied)
See 15 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for South Carolina -- 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.

Concealment12.48 km(10/17) Air detection9.98 km(11/17) Traverse-to-turn ratio3.62 ×(6/17) Main battery caliber305 mm(9/17) Main battery reload25.2 s(6/17) HE shell damage4,500(6/17) HE fire chance28%(8/17) Fires per minute5.33(11/17) HE DPM85,714(13/17) Secondary DPM (per side)121,000(10/17) AP velocity823 m/s(12/17) AP arming threshold51 mm(9/17) Secondary range4.5 km(7/17) Repair charges3(9/17) NormSecondary dispersion bracket57(14 of 17 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.

Repair 3
Survivability
Hit Points35,000
Displacement17,900 t
Armor range10–305 mm
Plate armor thicknesses10, 16, 19, 25, 38, 51, 76, 127, 203, 254, 279, 305 mm
Armor material/layer entries45
Fire resistance10%
Fire duration60 s
Torp Reduction13%
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.
14,500
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.
10,500
Main Battery
ModuleArtillery: 305 mm Mk5
Mounts / barrels4 mounts / 8 barrels
Reload time28 s
Firing range14.3 km
Turret traverse4 °/s
Shell Grouping (σ)
ƒShell grouping (sigma); shown in-game as Shell Grouping.
1.8
Max Horiz Disp
ƒHorizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range. (R/30·(idealRadius−minRadius)/idealDistance + minRadius)·30 = (14255/30·(12−2)/1000 + 2)·30 = 202.6 m
202.6 m
Max Vert Disp
ƒVertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 202.6 × 0.6 = 121.5 m
121.5 m
Med Horiz Disp
ƒ50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 202.6 × 0.344 (σ=1.8) = 69.7 m
69.7 m
Med Vert Disp
ƒ50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 121.5 × 0.344 (σ=1.8) = 41.8 m
41.8 m
Turret turn time
ƒ180 degrees / 4 deg/s traverse speed = 45 s.
45 s
Base shells/min
ƒ8 broadside guns x 60 / 28 s base reload = 17.1.
17.1
HE shells
HE Damage4,500
HE Velocity823 m/s
Fire Chance28%
HE penetration
ƒ51 mm ≈ 305 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
51 mm
HE full-salvo alpha
ƒ4,500 HE damage x 8 broadside guns = 36,000.
36,000
Base HE DPM
ƒ36,000 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 28 s base reload = 77,143.
77,143
Base fires/min
ƒ8 HE shells x 60 / 28 s reload x 28% fire chance = 4.8.
4.8
AP shells
AP Damage8,500
AP Velocity823 m/s
Min Ricochet45 deg
Guaranteed Ricochet60 deg
Fuse Timer0.033 s
Fuse Threshold51 mm
AP overmatch
ƒfloor(305 mm caliber / 14.3) = 21 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
21 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 × 2408 × 394.6^0.69 × 0.305^-1.07 × 823^1.38 = 559.8 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.
559.8 mm
AP Pen Far
ƒSame formula at the ship's max firing range (17.8 km), where the shell has slowed to 384.1 m/s: 1e-7 × 2408 × 394.6^0.69 × 0.305^-1.07 × 384.1^1.38 = 195.6 mm.
195.6 mm
AP full-salvo alpha
ƒ8,500 AP damage x 8 broadside guns = 68,000.
68,000
Base AP DPM
ƒ68,000 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 28 s base reload = 145,714.
145,714
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.
40
S
Secondary Battery
Mounts22
Firing range4.5 km
Shell Grouping (σ)1
Caliber76.2 mm
Reload time6 s
HE Damage1,100
Muzzle Velocity823 m/s
Fire Chance4%
Armor Pen13 mm
Min Ricochet91°
Max Ricochet60°
Secondary dispersion type
ƒMax dispersion = range (km) × 57 + 30. Each dispersion type sets its own slope; this is not a percentage applied to a standard baseline.
Standard
Max secondary dispersion @ 4.5 km
ƒ4.5 km × 57 + 30 = 286.5 m.
286.5 m
Maneuverability
Engine moduleEngine: 16,000 hp
Engine power16,000 hp
Maximum speed18 kt
Turning circle radius480 m
Engine power multiplier speed threshold7 kt
Traverse-to-turn ratio3.6× drags
Concealment
Detectability by sea12.48 km
Detectability by air9.98 km
Smoke firing penalty9.53 km
Detect after firing main guns12.48 km
Detect Fire Sea14.48 km
Detect Fire Air12.98 km
Guaranteed Detect2 km
✦
Consumables
Damage Control Party∞ charges · 80 s reload · 20 s active
Repair Party3 charges · 80 s reload · 28 s active · 0.5% heal per second · 14% of max HP total heal
Secondary Battery Booster3 charges · 160 s reload · 30 s active · +100% damage boost · +50% reload boost
Module options (1)

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

HullUpgrade
  • Turret traverse4 → 6 °/s

See all derived stats

Show ▾

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

Main battery formulas

Shell Grouping (σ)1.8
Shell grouping (sigma); shown in-game as Shell Grouping.
Max Horiz Disp202.6 m
Horizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range. (R/30·(idealRadius−minRadius)/idealDistance + minRadius)·30 = (14255/30·(12−2)/1000 + 2)·30 = 202.6 m
Max Vert Disp121.5 m
Vertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 202.6 × 0.6 = 121.5 m
Med Horiz Disp69.7 m
50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 202.6 × 0.344 (σ=1.8) = 69.7 m
Med Vert Disp41.8 m
50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 121.5 × 0.344 (σ=1.8) = 41.8 m
AP Pen Close559.8 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 × 2408 × 394.6^0.69 × 0.305^-1.07 × 823^1.38 = 559.8 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.
AP Pen Far195.6 mm
Same formula at the ship's max firing range (17.8 km), where the shell has slowed to 384.1 m/s: 1e-7 × 2408 × 394.6^0.69 × 0.305^-1.07 × 384.1^1.38 = 195.6 mm.
HE penetration51 mm
51 mm ≈ 305 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
AP overmatch21 mm
floor(305 mm caliber / 14.3) = 21 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
AP AOE Radius40
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 alpha8
All 8 barrels bear on the broadside.
Turret turn time45 s
180 degrees / 4 deg/s traverse speed = 45 s.
HE full-salvo alpha36,000
4,500 HE damage x 8 broadside guns = 36,000.
AP full-salvo alpha68,000
8,500 AP damage x 8 broadside guns = 68,000.
Base HE DPM77,143
36,000 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 28 s base reload = 77,143.
Base AP DPM145,714
68,000 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 28 s base reload = 145,714.
Base shells/min17.1
8 broadside guns x 60 / 28 s base reload = 17.1.
Base fires/min4.8
8 HE shells x 60 / 28 s reload x 28% fire chance = 4.8.

AA defense

Close-range AA DPS0
Continuous AA damage summed across AirDefense module auras (no usable per-aura data available, so the formula prediction couldn't be applied on this ship).
Maximum AA range0 km
Longest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.

Secondary battery dispersion

Secondary dispersion typeStandard
Max dispersion = range (km) × 57 + 30. Each dispersion type sets its own slope; this is not a percentage applied to a standard baseline.
Max secondary dispersion @ 4.5 km286.5 m
4.5 km × 57 + 30 = 286.5 m.

Secondary battery firepower

Secondary DPM (per side)121,000
Sum across all secondary families of (per-side barrels × 60 / reload_s × alpha), where per-side barrels = mounts × barrels-per-mount / 2 (the guns that bear on one broadside target). Per-family: 22×1 76.2 mm (11/side) × 60/6 × 1100 = 121,000. Assumes every shell hits (real hit rate is lower; the Brawl matchup tool on the Compare page folds in dispersion + target armor).
Max HE alpha1100
Maximum HE damage per shell across secondary HE families. Best on this ship: 1100 from the 76.2 mm family.
Max HE fire chance4%
Maximum per-shell fire chance across secondary HE families (before target fire resistance is applied). Best on this ship: 4% from the 76.2 mm family.
Max HE pen13 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: 13 mm from the 76.2 mm family.

Armor

Hull HP 35,000, 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
Bow25 mm primary (range 16–38 mm)1,600 (5% of HP)
Overmatch not possible at T IVAngle 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)19 mm primary (range 16–203 mm)26,300 (75% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Nassau, Von Der Tann)Angle bounces 203mm19 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Largest HP pool. Citadel sits behind these plates; thinner deck and side plating absorb the rest.
Stern25 mm primary (range 16–76 mm)800 (2% of HP)
Overmatch not possible at T IVAngle bounces 356mm25 mm: HE pens from 150mm+
Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel305 mm primary (range 16–305 mm)≈ 165,500 (effectively no cap)
Citadel pen ×0.10 damageOver-pen: ×0.10 damage
Effectively no cap; citadel pool sits at ~165k HP on every ship. Damage is gated by pen/over-pen multipliers instead (×0.10 direct pen, ×0.10 over-pen).
Superstructure10 mm primary (range 10–305 mm)1,100 (3% 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 HP14,500 magazine HPMagazine detonation1–30% chance · below ~75% HPPer-turret powder-magazine HP. Detonation chance scales from 1% (no mag damage) to 30% (full mag damage); this range is the in-game value. Detonation can't roll while the ship is above ~75% HP (the standard detonation-protection threshold, not a per-ship stat). Smaller magazines saturate to the 30% ceiling faster.
Secondary mount (76.2 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.
Engine (module, research)engine coefficient (unconfirmed)-0.120 research estimateLargest on BB/BC; zero on destroyersEngine durability isn't a per-ship HP field in the binary. This small negative coefficient is non-zero only on battleships, battlecruisers, and the heaviest cruisers, and is exactly zero on every destroyer, so it scales with hull displacement rather than any commander skill. Most likely an engine drag or power term in the same family as the decoded deceleration fields; exact meaning unconfirmed in the current decoder.
Rudder (module)separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP10,500 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.

Shell ballistics chart

AP penetration, impact velocity, flight time and impact angle vs range. Click to load the interactive chart.

Balance History

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

Buff ×7Main Battery ×5
2025-07-31

Ministry of Balance: Back to the Naval Academy

  • Ship HP increased from 29,000 to 35,000.
  • Main battery firing range increased from 13.1 to 14.25 km.
  • Main battery reload time reduced from 30 to 28 seconds.
  • Main battery HE shell damage increased from 4,100 to 4,500.
  • Main battery HE fire-setting chances increased from 20 to 28%.
  • Main battery maximum AP shell damage increased from 8,100 to 8,500.
  • Added the Reloader ship trait.
Read the full official post
Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

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

  • South Carolina 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.

2022-06-21 · Through the Spy Glass Through the Spy Glass: USS Black, Independence, South Carolina Ship feature 2022-06-16 · Patch notes Summer Update: The High Roll Patch notes 2024-10-10 · Patch notes Halloween Update: Crimson Tale Patch notes 2025-07-31 · Patch notes Anniversary Update: Operation Piñata Patch notes