World of Warships: Legends ship guide

T-61

Beta
Destroyer gunboatWin DD duels and cap fights with gun DPM.
Playstyle
  • Hold concealment edges on the contested cap at 6.3 km detection
  • Avoid: Burning the 6.3 km concealment advantage on guns
Key characteristics
2 sigma accuracyHigh AP DPMStrong AASmoke + SonarSluggish for the tonnage
Community Data

T-61 Community Stats

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Playstyle

Overview

T-61 is a Tier V German stealth-leaning destroyer with strong surface detection (6.3 km). The kit opens detection windows most peer DDs cannot match, so her value is contesting caps from concealment edges where the detection band holds. AA (132 AA DPS at 3.5 km) is heavy enough to make her the team's air-defense anchor on top of the lead role; CV strikes route around her, not through. Standout traits: best AP DPM in T5 DDs (200,000).

Positioning

Hold concealment edges on the contested cap at 6.3 km detection. The band opens windows for unspotted torpedo drops and clean repositions; lean into the gaps your peer DDs cannot read, and back out before detection closes.

Potato Avoidance

Burning the 6.3 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

AP DPM machine

200000 AP DPM, best of T5 DDs. Punishes broadsides.

Top-tier AA

132.0 AA DPS, top decile of T5 DDs (median 84.0).

Fast acceleration

~9.7 s to max forward speed, top quartile of T5 DDs. Rebuilds speed quickly after a turn or stop. (Acceleration decode is validated in-game but not yet confirmed across every ship.)

AA specialist

AA DPS in the top bracket. Sanctuary for friendly DDs against carriers; dangerous airspace for airstrikes.

Bow-tanker

Bow plate thicker than the cohort overmatch threshold. Angle straight on and shrug off same-tier guns.

Sluggish for the tonnage

17.54 hp per ton, bottom decile of T5 DDs. Engine struggles to overcome the hull's mass, so the ship bleeds speed harder than peers in sustained turns.

Acquisition

How to get T-61

T-61 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.

Best listed chance for this ship

  • Super V Crate 4.166667% One of the Tier V Premium ships Event containers · Super V Crate · 1 of 24 ships
  • Anniversary German Crate 2.5% V Graf Spee or V T-61* Event containers · Anniversary German Crate · 1 of 2 ships
  • Winter Big Crate 0.45% V T-61 Common containers · Winter Big Crate
Show all 19 containers (16 more)
  • Spectral Vault 4.0 0.26087% Tier V Premium ship Event containers · Spectral Vault 4.0 · 1 of 23 ships
  • Santa Level 4 0.25% Tier V Premium ship Event containers · Santa Level 4 · 1 of 24 ships
  • Super Santa '23 0.242273% Tier V Premium ship Event containers · Super Santa '23 · 1 of 22 ships
  • Santa Level 3 0.239583% Tier V Premium ship Event containers · Santa Level 3 · 2 paths combined · 1 of 24 ships
    Show 2 paths
    • Santa Level 30.202083%
    • Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 40.0375%
  • Spectral Vault 3.0 0.239565% Tier V Premium ship Event containers · Spectral Vault 3.0 · 2 paths combined · 1 of 23 ships
    Show 2 paths
    • Spectral Vault 3.00.21087%
    • Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.028696%
  • Mystic Lantern 0.2% Tier V Premium ship Event containers · Mystic Lantern · 1 of 25 ships
  • Mega Santa '23 0.143955% Tier V Premium ship Event containers · Mega Santa '23 · 1 of 22 ships
  • Santa Level 2 0.106771% Tier V Premium ship Event containers · Santa Level 2 · 4 paths combined · 1 of 24 ships
    Show 4 paths
    • Santa Level 20.058333%
    • Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 30.030312%
    • Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 40.0125%
    • Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 40.005625%
  • Spectral Vault 2.0 0.090043% Tier V Premium ship Event containers · Spectral Vault 2.0 · 4 paths combined · 1 of 23 ships
    Show 4 paths
    • Spectral Vault 2.00.06087%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.00.021087%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.005217%
    • Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.00287%
  • Champion's Box 0.047917% Tier V Premium ship Event containers · Champion's Box · 2 paths combined · 1 of 24 ships
    Show 2 paths
    • Champion's Box → Santa Level 30.040417%
    • Champion's Box → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 40.0075%
  • Santa Level 1 0.03437% Tier V Premium ship Event containers · Santa Level 1 · 6 paths combined · 1 of 24 ships
    Show 6 paths
    • Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 30.010104%
    • Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 20.00875%
    • Santa Level 10.00825%
    • Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 30.004547%
    • Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 40.001875%
    • Santa Level 1 → Santa Level 2 → Santa Level 3 → Santa Level 40.000844%
  • Ultimate Crate 0.024227% Tier V Premium ship Event containers · Ultimate Crate → Super Santa '23 · 1 of 22 ships
  • Spectral Vault 1.0 0.019108% Tier V Premium ship Event containers · Spectral Vault 1.0 · 7 paths combined · 1 of 23 ships
    Show 7 paths
    • Spectral Vault 1.00.008609%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.00.005478%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.00.002109%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.00.001898%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.00047%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.000287%
    • Spectral Vault 1.0 → Spectral Vault 2.0 → Spectral Vault 3.0 → Spectral Vault 4.00.000258%
  • Mystic Box 0.012% Tier V Premium ship Event containers · Mystic Box · 1 of 25 ships
  • French Cruisers and German Destroyers crate 0.005% Tier V Premium ship Early access containers · French Cruisers and German Destroyers crate · 1 of 2 ships
  • Secret Santa '23 0.0009% Tier V Premium ship Event containers · Secret Santa '23 · 1 of 22 ships
Official WG availability sources
Show direct source rows

Builds Beta

Build for concealment, Sonar utility, torpedo reload, gun reload, and survivability.

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Cohort position

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Where T-61 sits among Tier V DDs (21 ships). Notable standouts are shown first; the rest of the cohort-ranked stats are in the expand below. Acquisition variants (Black Friday, Founders Edition) are counted once with their base ship, not as separate peers.

BestAP DPM200,000 (1/19) BestAcceleration9.7 s (1 of 5 tied) Top 10%Stealth profile6.31 km / 3.16 km (3/21 / 3/21) Top 10%AA DPS132 (3/21) Top 10%AA threat349 (3/21) Top 25%Main battery reload3.6 s (5/21) Top 25%Torpedo speed65 kt (6/21) Top 25%Torpedo reload68 s (4/21) Bottom 25%Max speed35 kt (18/21) Bottom 25%HE fire chance6% (18/21) Bottom 25%Displacement2,566 t (18/21) Bottom 25%Deck armor10 mm (15/16) Bottom 10%Power-to-weight17.54 hp/t (20/21) WorstHE shell damage1,500 (1 of 2 tied)
See 23 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for T-61 -- 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 points14,700 HP(7/21) Rudder shift4.8 s(16/21) Traverse-to-turn ratio4.65 ×(14/21) Main battery caliber128 mm(7/21) Main battery range10.34 km(14/21) Fires per minute4(12/21) HE DPM100,000(11/21) Main dispersion92.5 m(16/21) AP velocity830 m/s(11/19) HE velocity830 m/s(11/21) AP arming threshold21 mm(11/19) Engine power45,000 hp(11/21) Turn-speed retention75 hp/m(12/21) AA range3.5 km(7/21) Torpedo range8.01 km(11/21) Torpedo damage13,700(13/21) Max armor16 mm(13/21) Bow armor16 mm(11/20) Stern armor16 mm(11/20) NormAP fuse timer0.01 s(17 of 19 tied at this value) NormAP ricochet start45°(18 of 19 tied at this value) NormAP auto-bounce angle60°(18 of 19 tied at this value) NormCitadel belt16 mm(19 of 20 tied at this value)

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

Sonar 4.4 kmSmokeEngine Boost
Survivability
Hit Points14,700
Displacement2,566 t
Armor range10–16 mm
Plate armor thicknesses10, 15, 16 mm
Armor material/layer entries24
Fire resistance23.3%
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.
7,400
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.
4,400
Main Battery
ModuleArtillery: 128 mm L/45 LC/34
Mounts / barrels4 mounts / 4 barrels
Reload time4 s
Firing range10.3 km
Turret traverse8 °/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 = (10340/30·(8−0.5)/1000 + 0.5)·30 = 92.5 m
92.5 m
Max Vert Disp
ƒVertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 92.5 × 0.6 = 55.5 m
55.5 m
Med Horiz Disp
ƒ50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 92.5 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 29.6 m
29.6 m
Med Vert Disp
ƒ50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 55.5 × 0.319 (σ=2) = 17.7 m
17.7 m
Turret turn time
ƒ180 degrees / 8 deg/s traverse speed = 22.5 s.
22.5 s
Base shells/min
ƒ4 broadside guns x 60 / 4 s base reload = 60.
60
HE shells
HE Damage1,500
HE Velocity830 m/s
Fire Chance6%
HE penetration
ƒ21 mm ≈ 128 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
21 mm
HE full-salvo alpha
ƒ1,500 HE damage x 4 broadside guns = 6,000.
6,000
Base HE DPM
ƒ6,000 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 4 s base reload = 90,000.
90,000
Base fires/min
ƒ4 HE shells x 60 / 4 s reload x 6% fire chance = 3.6.
3.6
AP shells
AP Damage3,000
AP Velocity830 m/s
Min Ricochet45 deg
Guaranteed Ricochet60 deg
Fuse Timer0.01 s
Fuse Threshold21 mm
AP overmatch
ƒfloor(128 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 × 1640 × 28^0.69 × 0.128^-1.07 × 830^1.38 = 157.4 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.
157.4 mm
AP Pen Far
ƒSame formula at the ship's max firing range (12.9 km), where the shell has slowed to 277.8 m/s: 1e-7 × 1640 × 28^0.69 × 0.128^-1.07 × 277.8^1.38 = 34.8 mm.
34.8 mm
AP full-salvo alpha
ƒ3,000 AP damage x 4 broadside guns = 12,000.
12,000
Base AP DPM
ƒ12,000 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 4 s base reload = 180,000.
180,000
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.
9
Torpedoes
ModuleTorpedoes: G7 Steinbutt
Launchers / tubes2 launchers × 4 tubes = 8 tubes
Reload time68 s
Projectile speed65 kt
Range8.01 km
Maximum simulated damage12,700 (est.)
Alpha damage38,100
Torpedo detectability1.3 km
Torpedo launcher traverse25 °/s
Torp Turn7.2 s
Torp Arming201 m
Per-side salvo damage
ƒper-side salvo x per-torpedo simulated damage.
101,600
AA Defense
AA mount points6
Close-range AA DPS
ƒSum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (16×3.5×1) + (23×3.5×0.95) = 132. 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.
132
Maximum AA range
ƒLongest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.
3.5 km
37 mm Flak LM/422×2 37mm
20 mm Flakvierling 384×4 20mm
Medium aura
DPS16
Range3.5 km
Near aura
DPS23
Range2 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒMedium 16 + Near 23 = 39
39
Maneuverability
Engine moduleEngine: 45,000 hp
Engine power45,000 hp
Maximum speed35 kt
Turning circle radius600 m
Engine power multiplier speed threshold7 kt
Traverse-to-turn ratio4.7× drags
Concealment
Detectability by sea6.31 km
Detectability by air3.16 km
Smoke firing penalty2.38 km
Detect after firing main guns6.31 km
Detect Fire Sea8.31 km
Detect Fire Air6.16 km
Guaranteed Detect2 km
Consumables
Damage Control Party∞ charges · 40 s reload · 5 s active
Smoke Generator2 charges · 240 s reload · 15 s emit / 61 s cloud active
Engine Boost2 charges · 180 s reload · 120 s active · +8% speed bonus
Sonar2 charges · 180 s reload · 92 s active · 4.4 km ship detect · 3.13 km torpedo detect
Module options (1)

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

HullUpgrade
  • Turret traverse8 → 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)2
Shell grouping (sigma); shown in-game as Shell Grouping.
Max Horiz Disp92.5 m
Horizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range. (R/30·(idealRadius−minRadius)/idealDistance + minRadius)·30 = (10340/30·(8−0.5)/1000 + 0.5)·30 = 92.5 m
Max Vert Disp55.5 m
Vertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 92.5 × 0.6 = 55.5 m
Med Horiz Disp29.6 m
50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 92.5 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 29.6 m
Med Vert Disp17.7 m
50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 55.5 × 0.319 (σ=2) = 17.7 m
AP Pen Close157.4 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 × 1640 × 28^0.69 × 0.128^-1.07 × 830^1.38 = 157.4 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.
AP Pen Far34.8 mm
Same formula at the ship's max firing range (12.9 km), where the shell has slowed to 277.8 m/s: 1e-7 × 1640 × 28^0.69 × 0.128^-1.07 × 277.8^1.38 = 34.8 mm.
HE penetration21 mm
21 mm ≈ 128 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
AP overmatch8 mm
floor(128 mm caliber / 14.3) = 8 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
AP AOE Radius9
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 alpha4
All 4 barrels bear on the broadside.
Turret turn time22.5 s
180 degrees / 8 deg/s traverse speed = 22.5 s.
HE full-salvo alpha6,000
1,500 HE damage x 4 broadside guns = 6,000.
AP full-salvo alpha12,000
3,000 AP damage x 4 broadside guns = 12,000.
Base HE DPM90,000
6,000 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 4 s base reload = 90,000.
Base AP DPM180,000
12,000 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 4 s base reload = 180,000.
Base shells/min60
4 broadside guns x 60 / 4 s base reload = 60.
Base fires/min3.6
4 HE shells x 60 / 4 s reload x 6% fire chance = 3.6.

Torpedoes

Torpedo detectability1.3 km
Estimated torpedo reaction time7.7 s
detectability / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).
Torpedo speed65 kt
Travel time to max range47.4 s
range / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).
Tube count8
2 launchers x 4 tubes.
Per-side salvo8 torpedoes
8 (centerline launchers train across - full salvo to either side).
Full-salvo damage101,600
tube count x per-torpedo simulated damage (all torpedoes hitting).
Per-side salvo damage101,600
per-side salvo x per-torpedo simulated damage.

AA defense

Close-range AA DPS132
Sum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (16×3.5×1) + (23×3.5×0.95) = 132. 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 range3.5 km
Longest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.
AA threat index349
SUM over AA auras of (aura DPS x aura range km). A plane crossing the AA bubble is exposed to each aura for a time proportional to that aura's range, so long-reach DPS is worth more than the same DPS in a short bubble. Units: DPS*km; used to rank overall AA threat across the cohort.
Near aura range2 km

Armor

Hull HP 14,700, 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
Bow16 mm primary (range 15–16 mm)2,000 (14% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Moltke, Graf Spee)Angle bounces 203mm16 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)16 mm11,000 (75% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Moltke, Graf Spee)Angle bounces 203mm16 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Largest HP pool. Citadel sits behind these plates; thinner deck and side plating absorb the rest.
Stern16 mm primary (range 15–16 mm)1,400 (10% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Moltke, Graf Spee)Angle bounces 203mm16 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel16 mm primary (range 10–16 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).
Superstructure10 mm1,000 (7% 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 HP7,400 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 (37 mm mount)separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP200 per-mount HPDestroyed at 0 HPPer-mount HP for the heaviest AA on this ship. An AA mount destroyed at 0 HP stops shooting down planes for the rest of the battle; DCP does not repair destroyed mounts. HE shells specifically target AA mounts since the small-caliber HP pool falls fast.
Rudder (module)separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP4,400 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.
Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

Every custom exterior T-61 can equip, from in-game data.

  • T-61 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.