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

Vauquelin

Beta
France · Tier VI · Destroyer · Tech Tree: Ambush Destroyers
Destroyer gunboatWin DD duels and cap fights with gun DPM.
Playstyle
  • Hold concealment edges on the contested cap at 7 km detection
  • Avoid: Burning the 7 km concealment advantage on guns
Key characteristics
Heavy AP pen2 sigma accuracyEngine BoostHigh fire chanceSlow AP shells
Community Data

Vauquelin Community Stats

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Playstyle

Overview

Vauquelin is a Tier VI French stealth-leaning destroyer with strong surface detection (7 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. Standout traits: best HE alpha in T6 DDs (2,200) and best AP fuse timer in T6 DDs (0.025 s).

Positioning

Hold concealment edges on the contested cap at 7 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 7 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

Big-caliber overmatch

9.7 mm overmatch threshold, top decile of T6 DDs. Punishes bow-tanking ships peers can't crack.

Heavy HE shells

2200.0 damage per HE shell, best of T6 DDs. Punishes superstructure and modules harder than peers.

Deep-fuse AP

0.03 s AP fuse timer, best of T6 DDs. Shells travel deeper before detonating; citadels through belt armor more reliably.

Flat AP trajectory

Retains 44.7% of muzzle velocity at max range, top decile of T6 DDs. Flatter shots, less lead.

Slow AP shells

700.0 m/s AP muzzle velocity, bottom decile of T6 DDs. Lobby trajectory, more lead, easier to dodge at range.

Slow HE shells

700.0 m/s HE muzzle velocity, bottom decile of T6 DDs. Lobby trajectory, harder to land at range.

Acquisition

How to get Vauquelin

Vauquelin is available in the Ambush Destroyers branch of the France Tech Tree for 9,000,000 credits after researching it in the branch. Known module upgrades cost up to 2,250,000 credits.

Show France tech-tree branch diagram
France Tech Tree

Vauquelin sits in the Ambush Destroyers branch. The highlighted path shows the local branch context inside the full France tree.

8 ships in highlighted branch · scroll to inspect all France lines.
FranceIIIIIIIVVVIVIIVIII★
Destroyer
Destroyer Split
Cruiser
Cruiser Split
Battleship
Tier ★BourgognePFSB510 Tier VIIIBrestPFSC209 Tier VIICherbourgPFSC208 Tier VIToulonPFSC207 Tier ★KléberPFSD110 Tier ★Henri IVPFSC110 Tier VIIIMogadorPFSD109 Tier VIIISaint-LouisPFSC109 Tier VIIIAlsacePFSB109 Tier VIILe FantasquePFSD108 Tier VIICharles MartelPFSC108 Tier VIIRichelieuPFSB108 Tier VIVauquelinPFSD107 Tier VIAlgériePFSC107 Tier VILyonPFSB107 Tier VGuépardPFSD106 Tier VLa GalissonnièrePFSC106 Tier VNormandiePFSB106 Tier IVJaguarPFSD105 Tier IVÉmile BertinPFSC105 Tier IVBretagnePFSB105 Tier IIIBourrasquePFSD104 Tier IIIDuguay-TrouinPFSC104 Tier IIICourbetPFSB104 Tier IIFusilierPFSD103 Tier IIFriantPFSC103 Tier IJurienPFSC102 Tier VIIIOragePFSD019 Tier VIIL'AventurierPFSD018 Tier VILe HardiPFSD017 Tier VDuchaffaultPFSD016 Tier IVL'AdroitPFSD015

Builds Beta

Charles Bléry, Louis Violette, and Philippe Auboyneau are useful French destroyer commander directions. Inspirations usually start with concealment, then add HP, torpedo reload, gun performance, or speed depending on whether you want safer scouting or harder cap fights.

Open in Build Tool →

Commanders frequently paired with this ship Louis ViolettePhilippe Auboyneau

Have a build you swear by? Open it in the Build Tool and hit Save build to share it here.

Cohort position

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Where Vauquelin sits among Tier VI DDs (33 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 fuse timer0.03 s (1 of 4 tied) Top 10%Main battery caliber139 mm (4/33) Top 25%Hit points18,100 HP (8/33) Top 25%Main battery range10.8 km (8/33) Top 25%HE fire chance9% (7/33) Top 25%HE DPM146,667 (9/33) Top 25%AP shell damage2,850 (6/30) Top 25%Torpedo speed68 kt (7/33) Bottom 25%AP arming threshold23 mm (27/30) Bottom 25%AA range3 km (29/33) Bottom 25%AA threat213 (30/33) Bottom 25%Torpedo range6.99 km (29/33) WorstNo secondaries (30 of 33 in cohort) WorstAP velocity700 m/s (30/30) WorstHE velocity700 m/s (1 of 2 tied)
See 24 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Vauquelin -- 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 speed36 kt(23/33) Concealment6.98 km(21/33) Air detection3.49 km(20/33) Rudder shift5.3 s(22/33) Traverse-to-turn ratio6.31 ×(10/33) Main battery reload4.5 s(17/33) Fires per minute6(11/33) AP DPM190,000(9/30) Main dispersion88.6 m(12/33) Acceleration10.8 s(21/33) Engine power64,000 hp(11/33) Turn-speed retention95.5 hp/m(13/33) Displacement3,062 t(23/33) Power-to-weight20.9 hp/t(13/33) AA DPS125(24/33) Torpedo damage14,833(19/33) Torpedo reload90 s(19/33) Deck armor16 mm(11/22) NormAP ricochet start45°(27 of 30 tied at this value) NormAP auto-bounce angle60°(27 of 30 tied at this value) NormMax armor16 mm(20 of 33 tied at this value) NormCitadel belt16 mm(22 of 32 tied at this value) NormBow armor16 mm(20 of 32 tied at this value) NormStern armor16 mm(21 of 32 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.

MBRBEngine Boost
Survivability
Hit PointsInitial: 15,100 → 18,100
Displacement3,062 t
Armor range10–16 mm
Plate armor thicknesses10, 15, 16 mm
Armor material/layer entries24
Fire resistanceInitial: 26.6% → 30%
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.
9,100
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: 139 mm/40 Mle 1927
Mounts / barrels5 mounts / 5 barrels
Reload time5 s
Firing range (base)9.8 km
Firing range (top fire control)10.8 km
Turret traverse10 °/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 = (9815/30·(8−0.5)/1000 + 0.5)·30 = 88.6 m
88.6 m
Max Vert Disp
ƒVertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 88.6 × 0.6 = 53.2 m
53.2 m
Med Horiz Disp
ƒ50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 88.6 × 0.319 (σ=2) = 28.3 m
28.3 m
Med Vert Disp
ƒ50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 53.2 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 17 m
17 m
Turret turn time
ƒ180 degrees / 10 deg/s traverse speed = 18 s.
18 s
Base shells/min
ƒ5 broadside guns x 60 / 5 s base reload = 60.
60
HE shells
HE Damage2,200
HE Velocity700 m/s
Fire Chance9%
HE penetration
ƒ23 mm ≈ 139 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
23 mm
HE full-salvo alpha
ƒ2,200 HE damage x 5 broadside guns = 11,000.
11,000
Base HE DPM
ƒ11,000 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5 s base reload = 132,000.
132,000
Base fires/min
ƒ5 HE shells x 60 / 5 s reload x 9% fire chance = 5.4.
5.4
AP shells
AP Damage2,850
AP Velocity700 m/s
Min Ricochet45 deg
Guaranteed Ricochet60 deg
Fuse Timer0.025 s
Fuse Threshold23 mm
AP overmatch
ƒfloor(139 mm caliber / 14.3) = 9 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
9 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 × 2124 × 40.4^0.69 × 0.139^-1.07 × 700^1.38 = 190 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.
190 mm
AP Pen Far
ƒSame formula at the ship's max firing range (13.5 km), where the shell has slowed to 312.6 m/s: 1e-7 × 2124 × 40.4^0.69 × 0.139^-1.07 × 312.6^1.38 = 62.5 mm.
62.5 mm
AP full-salvo alpha
ƒ2,850 AP damage x 5 broadside guns = 14,250.
14,250
Base AP DPM
ƒ14,250 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5 s base reload = 171,000.
171,000
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.
12
◇
Torpedoes
ModuleTorpedoes: 550 mm lance-torpilles
Launchers / tubes3 launchers × 3 tubes = 9 tubes
Reload time90 s
Projectile speed68 kt
Range6.99 km
Maximum simulated damage13,733 (est.)
Alpha damage41,200
Torpedo detectability1.4 km
Torpedo launcher traverse25 °/s
Torp Turn7.2 s
Torp Arming210 m
Per-side salvo damage
ƒper-side salvo x per-torpedo simulated damage.
123,597
AA Defense
AA mount pointsInitial: 6 → 10
Close-range AA DPS
ƒSum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (10×3.5×1) + (27×3.5×0.95) = 125. 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.
125
Maximum AA range
ƒLongest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.
3 km
37 mm/50 Mle 1933Initial: 37 mm/50 CA Mle 1925 (4×1) → 37 mm/50 Mle 1933 (4×2)
13.2 mm/76 CAD Mle 1929Initial: 2×2 → 6×2 13mm
Medium aura
DPSInitial: 5 → 10
Range3 km
Near aura
DPSInitial: 6 → 27
Range1.2 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒMedium 10 + Near 27 = 37
37
Maneuverability
Engine moduleEngine: 64,000 hp
Engine power64,000 hp
Maximum speed36 kt
Turning circle radius670 m
Engine power multiplier speed threshold7 kt
Traverse-to-turn ratio6.3× slow
Concealment
Detectability by sea6.98 km
Detectability by air3.49 km
Smoke firing penalty2.81 km
Detect after firing main guns6.98 km
Detect Fire Sea8.98 km
Detect Fire Air6.49 km
Guaranteed Detect2 km
✦
Consumables
Damage Control Party∞ charges · 40 s reload · 5 s active
Main Battery Reload Booster2 charges · 120 s reload · 15 s active · +50% reload boost
Engine Boost2 charges · 180 s reload · 120 s active · +20% speed bonus
Module options (3)

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

HullTrade-off
  • Hit points15,100 → 18,100
  • Rudder shift7.4 → 5.3 s
  • AA mounts6 → 10
  • Close-range AA DPS11 → 37
  • Turret traverse10 → 8 °/s
Fire controlUpgrade
  • Main battery range9,815 → 10796.5 m
TorpedoesUpgrade
  • Reload95 → 90 s
  • Speed66 → 68 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 Disp88.6 m
Horizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range. (R/30·(idealRadius−minRadius)/idealDistance + minRadius)·30 = (9815/30·(8−0.5)/1000 + 0.5)·30 = 88.6 m
Max Vert Disp53.2 m
Vertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 88.6 × 0.6 = 53.2 m
Med Horiz Disp28.3 m
50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 88.6 × 0.319 (σ=2) = 28.3 m
Med Vert Disp17 m
50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 53.2 × 0.32 (σ=2) = 17 m
Dispersion familyDD Disp.
Standard destroyer dispersion baseline.
AP Pen Close190 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 × 2124 × 40.4^0.69 × 0.139^-1.07 × 700^1.38 = 190 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.
AP Pen Far62.5 mm
Same formula at the ship's max firing range (13.5 km), where the shell has slowed to 312.6 m/s: 1e-7 × 2124 × 40.4^0.69 × 0.139^-1.07 × 312.6^1.38 = 62.5 mm.
HE penetration23 mm
23 mm ≈ 139 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
AP overmatch9 mm
floor(139 mm caliber / 14.3) = 9 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
AP AOE Radius12
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 alpha5
All 5 barrels bear on the broadside.
Turret turn time18 s
180 degrees / 10 deg/s traverse speed = 18 s.
HE full-salvo alpha11,000
2,200 HE damage x 5 broadside guns = 11,000.
AP full-salvo alpha14,250
2,850 AP damage x 5 broadside guns = 14,250.
Base HE DPM132,000
11,000 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5 s base reload = 132,000.
Base AP DPM171,000
14,250 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5 s base reload = 171,000.
Base shells/min60
5 broadside guns x 60 / 5 s base reload = 60.
Base fires/min5.4
5 HE shells x 60 / 5 s reload x 9% fire chance = 5.4.

Torpedoes

Torpedo detectability1.4 km
Estimated torpedo reaction time7.9 s
detectability / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).
Torpedo speed68 kt
Travel time to max range39.5 s
range / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).
Tube count9
3 launchers x 3 tubes.
Per-side salvo9 torpedoes
9 (centerline launchers train across - full salvo to either side).
Full-salvo damage123,597
tube count x per-torpedo simulated damage (all torpedoes hitting).
Per-side salvo damage123,597
per-side salvo x per-torpedo simulated damage.

AA defense

Close-range AA DPS125
Sum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (10×3.5×1) + (27×3.5×0.95) = 125. 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 index213
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 → 18,100 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
Bow16 mm primary (range 15–16 mm)1,500 (8% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Graf Spee, Scharnhorst)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 mm13,600 (75% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Graf Spee, Scharnhorst)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)900 (5% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Graf Spee, Scharnhorst)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).
Superstructure16 mm600 (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 HP9,100 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 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.

Balance History

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

Nerf ×2Buff ×8Main Battery ×5Torpedo ×2Concealment ×1
2023-01-12

Ministry of Balance Reports: Big Small Changes!

  • Main battery armament.
  • HE shell damage increased from 2,000 to 2,200.
  • AP shell damage increased from 2,600 to 2,850.
  • Main Battery Reload Booster charges increased from 1 to 2.
  • Main Battery Reload Booster cooldown time decreased from 150 to 120 s.
  • Torpedo armament.
  • Reload speed reduced from 90 to 95 s.
  • Speed increased from 59 to 66 knots.
  • Torpedo detectability range increased from 1.2 to 1.4 km.
  • Torpedo damage decreased from 18,400 to 14,833.
  • +2 more official change lines in the source post.
Read the full official post
Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

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

  • Vauquelin 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.

2020-07-23 · Patch notes Update: July 2020 Patch notes