Tenryū Build & Guide | WoWs Legends

Playstyle

Overview

Tenryu is a Tier II Japanese light cruiser with a long-range torpedo battery reaching 7 km. The torpedoes are the threat tool; the guns are how she earns damage between drops. Standout traits: best top speed in T2 CAs (32.5 kt) and best nimble for the tonnage in T2 CAs (10.6 HP).

Positioning

Sit under 10 km on a lane that the torpedoes can reach without exposing the hull. Drop on choke points and predictable rotations rather than direct lines; the torps are the threat tool, the guns are how you earn damage between waves.

Potato Avoidance

Holding torpedoes for a perfect drop

The torps are a threat tool: putting them into a lane forces rotations even when they miss. Drops on probable lanes are worth more than waiting for a guaranteed broadside that never appears.

Signature Traits

Fast for the class

32.5 kt, best of T2 CAs. Lets you rotate flanks or escape disengagements.

Nimble for the tonnage

10.56 hp per ton, best of T2 CAs. Engine punch outclasses the hull's mass, so the ship retains speed through sustained turns better than peers.

Heavy magazine armor

15.0 mm magazine protection, best of T2 CAs. Detonation-resistant.

Thick citadel floor

15.0 mm citadel bottom, best of T2 CAs. Deep-water torps and underwater pen do less.

Fragile HP pool

17700.0 HP, bottom decile of T2 CAs. Trade hits sparingly.

Thin deck

6.0 mm armor deck, bottom quartile of T2 CAs. Plunging fire and HE eat through.

Acquisition

How to get Tenryū

Tenryū is available in the Early Japanese Cruisers branch of the Japan Tech Tree for 13,000 credits after researching it in the branch. Known module upgrades cost up to 2,600 credits.

Show Japan tech-tree branch diagram

Japan Tech Tree

Tenryū sits in the Early Japanese Cruisers branch. The highlighted path shows the local branch context inside the full Japan tree.

2 ships in highlighted branch · scroll to inspect all Japan lines.

JapanIIIIIIIVVVIVIIVIII★

Destroyer

Destroyer Split

Cruiser

Cruiser Split

Battleship

Hybrid Battleship

Carrier

Tier VIIsePJSB527 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 Beta

Use a Japan cruiser commander focused on reload, range, agility, and survivability. Inspirations that improve dispersion, rudder/steering, concealment, or damage consistency fit the safe mid-range cruiser plan.

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Cohort position

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Where Tenryū sits among Tier II CAs (19 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 speed32.5 kt (1/19) BestPower-to-weight10.56 hp/t (1/19) Top 10%Rudder shift5.2 s (2/19) Top 25%Stealth profile8.54 km / 5.12 km (4/19 / 4/19) Top 25%Main battery reload5.4 s (4/19) Top 25%HE shell damage2,400 (3/18) Top 25%HE fire chance10% (5/18) Top 25%AP arming threshold23 mm (4/18) Top 25%Engine power51,000 hp (3/19) Top 25%Turn-speed retention91.1 hp/m (3/19) Top 25%Displacement4,828 t (3/19) Top 25%Bow armor25 mm (5/19) Bottom 25%Acceleration9.2 s (16/19) Bottom 25%Max armor63 mm (17/19) WorstHit points17,700 HP (19/19) WorstNo secondaries (8 of 19 in cohort) WorstDeck armor6 mm (1 of 3 tied)

See 23 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Tenryū -- 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.

Traverse-to-turn ratio4.97 ×(10/19) Main battery caliber140 mm(15/19) Main battery range11.14 km(12/19) Sigma2(9/19) Fires per minute4.44(6/18) HE DPM106,667(6/18) AP shell damage2,700(11/18) AP DPM120,000(13/18) Main dispersion102.9 m(8/19) AP velocity850 m/s(9/18) HE velocity850 m/s(9/18) AA DPS15(10/19) AA range3 km(8/19) AA threat24(9/13) Torpedo range6.99 km(3/5) Torpedo reload58 s(4/5) Citadel belt63 mm(14/19) Stern armor15 mm(9/19) NormAP fuse timer0.03 s(11 of 18 tied at this value) NormAP ricochet start45°(17 of 18 tied at this value) NormAP auto-bounce angle60°(17 of 18 tied at this value) NormTorpedo damage9,067(3 of 5 tied at this value) NormTorpedo speed57 kt(3 of 5 tied at this value)

Peers in this cohort

Show all 18 peers

Stats & specs

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

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

Survivability

Hit PointsInitial: 15,100 → 17,700

Displacement4,828 t

Armor range6–63 mm

Plate armor thicknesses6, 7, 10, 15, 19, 25, 38, 51, 63 mm

Armor material/layer entries29

Fire resistanceInitial: 0% → 3.3%

Fire duration30 s

Torp Reduction0%

Magazine HP

ƒ

The 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.

8,900

Steering gear HP

ƒ

Durability 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.

5,300

Main Battery

ModuleArtillery: 140 mm/50 Type3

Mounts / barrels4 mounts / 4 barrels

Reload time6 s

Firing range (base)10.1 km

Firing range (top fire control)11.1 km

Turret traverse8.5 °/s

Shell Grouping (σ)

ƒ

Shell grouping (sigma); shown in-game as Shell Grouping.

2

Max Horiz Disp

ƒ

Horizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range. (R/30·(idealRadius−minRadius)/idealDistance + minRadius)·30 = (10131/30·(8−1.1)/1000 + 1.1)·30 = 102.9 m

102.9 m

Max Vert Disp

ƒ

Vertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 102.9 × 0.6 = 61.7 m

61.7 m

Med Horiz Disp

ƒ

50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 102.9 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 32.9 m

32.9 m

Med Vert Disp

ƒ

50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 61.7 × 0.319 (σ=2) = 19.7 m

19.7 m

Turret turn time

ƒ

180 degrees / 8.5 deg/s traverse speed = 21.2 s.

21.2 s

Base shells/min

ƒ

4 broadside guns x 60 / 6 s base reload = 40.

40

HE shells

HE Damage2,400

HE Velocity850 m/s

Fire Chance10%

HE penetration

ƒ

23 mm ≈ 140 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).

23 mm

HE full-salvo alpha

ƒ

2,400 HE damage x 4 broadside guns = 9,600.

9,600

Base HE DPM

ƒ

9,600 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6 s base reload = 96,000.

96,000

Base fires/min

ƒ

4 HE shells x 60 / 6 s reload x 10% fire chance = 4.

4

AP shells

AP Damage2,700

AP Velocity850 m/s

Min Ricochet45 deg

Guaranteed Ricochet60 deg

Fuse Timer0.025 s

Fuse Threshold23 mm

AP overmatch

ƒ

floor(140 mm caliber / 14.3) = 9 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).

9 mm

AP Pen Close

ƒ

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 × 1794 × 38^0.69 × 0.14^-1.07 × 850^1.38 = 199.6 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.

199.6 mm

AP Pen Far

ƒ

Same formula at the ship's max firing range (13.9 km), where the shell has slowed to 283.3 m/s: 1e-7 × 1794 × 38^0.69 × 0.14^-1.07 × 283.3^1.38 = 43.8 mm.

43.8 mm

AP full-salvo alpha

ƒ

2,700 AP damage x 4 broadside guns = 10,800.

10,800

Base AP DPM

ƒ

10,800 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6 s base reload = 108,000.

108,000

AP AOE Radius

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.

8

◇

Torpedoes

ModuleTorpedoes: Type44 mod. 2

Launchers / tubes2 launchers × 3 tubes = 6 tubes

Reload time58 s

Projectile speed57 kt

Range6.99 km

Maximum simulated damage8,267 (est.)

Alpha damage24,800

Torpedo detectability1.2 km

Torpedo launcher traverse25 °/s

Torp Turn7.2 s

Torp Arming176 m

Per-side salvo damage

ƒ

per-side salvo x per-torpedo simulated damage.

24,801

AA Defense

AA mount points3

Close-range AA DPS

ƒ

Sum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (1×3.5×0.9) + (4×3.5×0.85) = 15. 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.

15

Maximum AA range

ƒ

Longest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.

3 km

76.2 mm 3rd Year Type1×1 76mm

13 mm Type93 (upgraded hull only)2×1 13mm

6.5 mm 3rd Year Type (stock hull only)2×1 7mm

DPS1

Range3 km

DPS4

Range1.2 km

Total DPS in Aura

ƒ

Far 1 + Near 4 = 5

5

Maneuverability

Engine moduleEngine: 51,000 hp

Engine power51,000 hp

Maximum speed32.5 kt

Turning circle radius560 m

Engine power multiplier speed threshold7 kt

Traverse-to-turn ratio5.0× drags

Concealment

Detectability by sea8.54 km

Detectability by air5.12 km

Smoke firing penalty3.48 km

Detect after firing main guns8.54 km

Detect Fire Sea10.54 km

Detect Fire Air8.12 km

Guaranteed Detect2 km

✦

Consumables

Damage Control Party∞ charges · 60 s reload · 5 s active

Module options (2)

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

HullTrade-off

Hit points15,100 → 17,700
Rudder shift6.8 → 5.2 s
Close-range AA DPS3 → 5
Turret traverse8.5 → 8 °/s

Fire controlUpgrade

Main battery range10,131 → 11144.1 m

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 Disp102.9 m

Horizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range. (R/30·(idealRadius−minRadius)/idealDistance + minRadius)·30 = (10131/30·(8−1.1)/1000 + 1.1)·30 = 102.9 m

Max Vert Disp61.7 m

Vertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 102.9 × 0.6 = 61.7 m

Med Horiz Disp32.9 m

50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 102.9 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 32.9 m

Med Vert Disp19.7 m

50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 61.7 × 0.319 (σ=2) = 19.7 m

Dispersion familyCruiser Disp.

Standard cruiser dispersion baseline.

AP Pen Close199.6 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 × 1794 × 38^0.69 × 0.14^-1.07 × 850^1.38 = 199.6 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.

AP Pen Far43.8 mm

Same formula at the ship's max firing range (13.9 km), where the shell has slowed to 283.3 m/s: 1e-7 × 1794 × 38^0.69 × 0.14^-1.07 × 283.3^1.38 = 43.8 mm.

HE penetration23 mm

23 mm ≈ 140 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).

AP overmatch9 mm

floor(140 mm caliber / 14.3) = 9 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).

AP AOE Radius8

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 time21.2 s

180 degrees / 8.5 deg/s traverse speed = 21.2 s.

HE full-salvo alpha9,600

2,400 HE damage x 4 broadside guns = 9,600.

AP full-salvo alpha10,800

2,700 AP damage x 4 broadside guns = 10,800.

Base HE DPM96,000

9,600 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6 s base reload = 96,000.

Base AP DPM108,000

10,800 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 6 s base reload = 108,000.

Base shells/min40

4 broadside guns x 60 / 6 s base reload = 40.

Base fires/min4

4 HE shells x 60 / 6 s reload x 10% fire chance = 4.

Torpedoes

Torpedo detectability1.2 km

Estimated torpedo reaction time8.1 s

detectability / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).

Torpedo speed57 kt

Travel time to max range47.2 s

range / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).

Tube count6

2 launchers x 3 tubes.

Per-side salvo3 torpedoes

tube count / 2 (symmetric port/starboard launcher layout; common on cruisers and battleships with deck torpedoes).

Full-salvo damage49,602

tube count x per-torpedo simulated damage (all torpedoes hitting).

Per-side salvo damage24,801

per-side salvo x per-torpedo simulated damage.

AA defense

Close-range AA DPS15

Sum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (1×3.5×0.9) + (4×3.5×0.85) = 15. 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 km

Longest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.

AA threat index24

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 range1.2 km

Armor

Hull HP 15,100 → 17,700 with hull upgrade, 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
Bow	25 mm primary (range 6–25 mm)	2,800 (16% of HP)	Overmatch not possible at T IIIAngle 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)	15 mm	13,300 (75% of HP)	Overmatched by 283mm+ (Nassau, Von Der Tann)Angle bounces 203mm15 mm: HE pens from 127mm+	Largest HP pool. Citadel sits behind these plates; thinner deck and side plating absorb the rest.
Stern	15 mm primary (range 6–15 mm)	1,700 (10% of HP)	Overmatched by 283mm+ (Nassau, Von Der Tann)Angle bounces 203mm15 mm: HE pens from 127mm+	Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel	63 mm primary (range 6–63 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).
Superstructure	6 mm primary (range 6–51 mm)	800 (5% 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	8,900 magazine HP	Magazine detonation1–30% chance · below ~75% HP	Per-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 (76 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	5,300 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.

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 Tenryū can equip, from in-game data.

DefaultThe ship’s standard exterior

Tenryū

Tenryū Community Stats