GamingDiver / WoWs Legends Ships / Z-52
World of Warships: Legends ship guide

Z-52

Beta
Germany · Tier ★ · Destroyer
Torpedo destroyerSpot and strike with torps; trade guns only when ahead.
Playstyle
  • Hold concealment edges on the contested cap at 7.1 km detection
  • Avoid: Burning the 7.1 km concealment advantage on guns
Key characteristics
Torpedoes (10 km)Smoke + SonarEngine Boost
Community Data

Z-52 Community Stats

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Playstyle

Overview

Z-52 is a Legendary German stealth-leaning destroyer with strong surface detection (7.1 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 Sonar ship range in Legendary DDs (6.4 km) and best Sonar torpedo range in Legendary DDs (4.4 km).

Positioning

Hold concealment edges on the contested cap at 7.1 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 7.1 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

Improved HE penetration

HE pen at the 1/4 caliber ratio instead of the standard 1/6. HE-spam is a real damage option here, not just a fire-starter; pens roughly 1.5x more armor than a same-caliber peer's HE, shared by 2/11 Legendary DDs.

Long-range sonar

6.37 km Sonar ship-detection range, best of Legendary DDs. Lights DDs and torpedoes inside the bubble.

Wide torpedo sonar

4.37 km Sonar torpedo-detection range, best of Legendary DDs. More reaction time on incoming torps.

Bow-tanker

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

Acquisition

How to get Z-52

Z-52 is a Premium ship and not available to unlock in the Tech Tree. Acquisition path: Premium/Event.

Builds Beta

Build for concealment, survivability, gun reload, torpedo reload, and utility control. The ship wins by information advantage.

Open in Build Tool →

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Cohort position

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Where Z-52 sits among Legendary DDs (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.

Top 10%Main dispersion96.1 m (2/11) Top 25%Air detection3.5 km (3/11) Top 25%AP shell damage3,000 (2/9) Top 25%AA DPS284 (3/11) Top 25%AA threat1,171 (3/11) Top 25%Torpedo reload90 s (3/11) Bottom 25%Main battery range10.81 km (10/11) WorstHE shell damage1,500 (11/11)
See 32 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Z-52 -- 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 points20,800 HP(7/11) Max speed37.5 kt(6/11) Concealment7.1 km(5/11) Rudder shift5.9 s(6/11) Traverse-to-turn ratio11.4 ×(6/11) Main battery caliber128 mm(6/11) Main battery reload3.7 s(5/11) HE fire chance7%(9/11) Fires per minute6.81(7/11) HE DPM145,946(8/11) AP DPM291,892(5/9) AP velocity830 m/s(5/9) HE velocity830 m/s(7/11) Acceleration13 s(7/11) AP arming threshold21 mm(5/9) Engine power76,000 hp(5/10) Turn-speed retention108.6 hp/m(6/10) Displacement3,703 t(5/11) Power-to-weight20.52 hp/t(4/10) AA range5 km(5/11) Torpedo range10.5 km(6/11) Torpedo damage14,400(8/11) Torpedo speed69 kt(4/11) NormSigma2(10 of 11 tied at this value) NormAP fuse timer0.01 s(8 of 9 tied at this value) NormAP ricochet start45°(6 of 9 tied at this value) NormAP auto-bounce angle60°(6 of 9 tied at this value) NormMax armor20 mm(9 of 11 tied at this value) NormCitadel belt20 mm(8 of 10 tied at this value) NormBow armor20 mm(9 of 10 tied at this value) NormStern armor20 mm(9 of 10 tied at this value) NormDeck armor19 mm(6 of 8 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.

Sonar 6.37 kmSmokeEngine Boost
Survivability
Hit Points20,800
Displacement3,703 t
Armor range13–20 mm
Plate armor thicknesses13, 19, 20 mm
Armor material/layer entries25
Fire resistance40%
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.
10,400
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.
6,200
Main Battery
ModuleArtillery: 6×128 mm
Mounts / barrels3 mounts / 6 barrels
Reload time4.1 s
Firing range10.8 km
Turret traverse18 °/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 = (10810/30·(8−0.5)/1000 + 0.5)·30 = 96.1 m
96.1 m
Max Vert Disp
ƒVertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 96.1 × 0.6 = 57.6 m
57.6 m
Med Horiz Disp
ƒ50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 96.1 × 0.319 (σ=2) = 30.7 m
30.7 m
Med Vert Disp
ƒ50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 57.6 × 0.319 (σ=2) = 18.4 m
18.4 m
Turret turn time
ƒ180 degrees / 18 deg/s traverse speed = 10 s.
10 s
Base shells/min
ƒ6 broadside guns x 60 / 4.1 s base reload = 87.8.
87.8
HE shells
HE Damage1,500
HE Velocity830 m/s
Fire Chance7%
HE penetration
ƒ32 mm ≈ 128 mm caliber / 4 (improved HE penetration: German BBs, Yamato-class, and a handful of others).
32 mm
HE full-salvo alpha
ƒ1,500 HE damage x 6 broadside guns = 9,000.
9,000
Base HE DPM
ƒ9,000 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 4.1 s base reload = 131,707.
131,707
Installed HE DPM
ƒ9,000 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 3.7 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 145,946.
145,946
Base fires/min
ƒ6 HE shells x 60 / 4.1 s reload x 7% fire chance = 6.15.
6.15
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 × 1647 × 28^0.69 × 0.128^-1.07 × 830^1.38 = 158.1 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.
158.1 mm
AP Pen Far
ƒSame formula at the ship's max firing range (13.5 km), where the shell has slowed to 323.9 m/s: 1e-7 × 1647 × 28^0.69 × 0.128^-1.07 × 323.9^1.38 = 43.1 mm.
43.1 mm
AP full-salvo alpha
ƒ3,000 AP damage x 6 broadside guns = 18,000.
18,000
Base AP DPM
ƒ18,000 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 4.1 s base reload = 263,415.
263,415
Installed AP DPM
ƒ18,000 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 3.7 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 291,892.
291,892
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.
10
◇
Torpedoes
ModuleTorpedoes: 533 mm Vierling
Launchers / tubes2 launchers × 4 tubes = 8 tubes
Reload time90 s
Projectile speed69 kt
Range10.5 km
Maximum simulated damage13,400 (est.)
Alpha damage40,200
Torpedo detectability1.4 km
Torpedo launcher traverse25 °/s
Torp Turn7.2 s
Torp Arming213 m
Per-side salvo damage
ƒper-side salvo x per-torpedo simulated damage.
107,200
AA Defense
AA mount points10
Close-range AA DPS
ƒSum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (38×3.5×1) + (27×3.5×1) + (16×3.5×1) = 284. 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.
284
Maximum AA range
ƒLongest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.
5 km
55 mm L/77 Gerät 583×1 55mm
37 mm Flak LM/427×2 37mm
Far aura
DPS
ƒIncludes 16 continuous AA damage from dual-purpose main battery firing as AA in this range band.
16
Range5 km
Outer Medium aura
DPS27
Range4.5 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒFar 16 + Outer Medium 27 = 43
43
Inner Medium aura
DPS38
Range3.5 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒFar 16 + Outer Medium 27 + Inner Medium 38 = 81
81
Maneuverability
Engine moduleEngine: 76,000 hp
Engine power76,000 hp
Maximum speed37.5 kt
Turning circle radius700 m
Engine power multiplier speed threshold7 kt
Traverse-to-turn ratio11.4× ok
Concealment
Detectability by sea7.1 km
Detectability by air3.5 km
Smoke firing penalty2.6 km
Detect after firing main guns7.1 km
Detect Fire Sea9.1 km
Detect Fire Air6.5 km
Guaranteed Detect2 km
✦
Consumables
Damage Control Party∞ charges · 40 s reload · 5 s active
Smoke Generator2 charges · 240 s reload · 15 s emit / 77 s cloud active
Engine Boost2 charges · 180 s reload · 120 s active · +8% speed bonus
Sonar2 charges · 180 s reload · 120 s active · 6.37 km ship detect · 4.37 km torpedo detect

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 Disp96.1 m
Horizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range. (R/30·(idealRadius−minRadius)/idealDistance + minRadius)·30 = (10810/30·(8−0.5)/1000 + 0.5)·30 = 96.1 m
Max Vert Disp57.6 m
Vertical dispersion ellipse height at max range = max horizontal × radiusOnMax = 96.1 × 0.6 = 57.6 m
Med Horiz Disp30.7 m
50%-hit horizontal radius = max horizontal × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 96.1 × 0.319 (σ=2) = 30.7 m
Med Vert Disp18.4 m
50%-hit vertical radius = max vertical × GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) = 57.6 × 0.319 (σ=2) = 18.4 m
Dispersion familyDD Disp.
Standard destroyer dispersion baseline.
AP Pen Close158.1 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 × 1647 × 28^0.69 × 0.128^-1.07 × 830^1.38 = 158.1 mm. Matches the in-game spec card.
AP Pen Far43.1 mm
Same formula at the ship's max firing range (13.5 km), where the shell has slowed to 323.9 m/s: 1e-7 × 1647 × 28^0.69 × 0.128^-1.07 × 323.9^1.38 = 43.1 mm.
HE penetration32 mm
32 mm ≈ 128 mm caliber / 4 (improved HE penetration: German BBs, Yamato-class, and a handful of others).
Improved HE PenYes
This ship's HE shells use a 1/4 (~0.25) caliber-to-pen ratio instead of the standard 1/6 (~0.167) - 0.25 in this case. Lets HE pen ~32mm armor instead of ~21mm. Hits every German cruiser (150mm CL, 203mm CA) and BB (350mm+), British heavy cruisers / Lion / Nelson, a handful of other premiums.
AP overmatch8 mm
floor(128 mm caliber / 14.3) = 8 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
AP AOE Radius10
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 alpha6
All 6 barrels bear on the broadside.
Turret turn time10 s
180 degrees / 18 deg/s traverse speed = 10 s.
HE full-salvo alpha9,000
1,500 HE damage x 6 broadside guns = 9,000.
AP full-salvo alpha18,000
3,000 AP damage x 6 broadside guns = 18,000.
Base HE DPM131,707
9,000 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 4.1 s base reload = 131,707.
Base AP DPM263,415
18,000 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 4.1 s base reload = 263,415.
Installed HE DPM145,946
9,000 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 3.7 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 145,946.
Installed AP DPM291,892
18,000 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 3.7 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 291,892.
Base shells/min87.8
6 broadside guns x 60 / 4.1 s base reload = 87.8.
Installed shells/min97.3
6 broadside guns x 60 / 3.7 s installed Artillery reload = 97.3.
Base fires/min6.15
6 HE shells x 60 / 4.1 s reload x 7% fire chance = 6.15.
Installed fires/min6.81
6 HE shells x 60 / 3.7 s installed reload x 7% fire chance = 6.81.

Torpedoes

Torpedo detectability1.4 km
Estimated torpedo reaction time7.8 s
detectability / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).
Torpedo speed69 kt
Travel time to max range58.5 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 damage107,200
tube count x per-torpedo simulated damage (all torpedoes hitting).
Per-side salvo damage107,200
per-side salvo x per-torpedo simulated damage.

AA defense

Close-range AA DPS284
Sum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (38×3.5×1) + (27×3.5×1) + (16×3.5×1) = 284. 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 range5 km
Longest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.
AA threat index1171
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.

Armor

Hull HP 20,800, 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
Bow20 mm primary (range 19–20 mm)2,800 (13% of HP)
Overmatched by 305mm+ (Cherbourg, Brandenburg)Angle bounces 283mm20 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 mm15,600 (75% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Scharnhorst '43, Schill)Angle bounces 203mm19 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Largest HP pool. Citadel sits behind these plates; thinner deck and side plating absorb the rest.
Stern20 mm primary (range 19–20 mm)1,600 (8% of HP)
Overmatched by 305mm+ (Cherbourg, Brandenburg)Angle bounces 283mm20 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel20 mm primary (range 19–20 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).
Superstructure13 mm primary (range 13–19 mm)1,900 (9% 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 HP10,400 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 (55 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 HP6,200 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 Z-52. Cards are condensed; use each source link for full context.

Nerf ×7Buff ×1Commander Skill ×2Main Battery ×2Concealment ×4
2024-09-05

Ministry of Balance: Season of Change

  • Main battery reload time increased from 3.9 to 4.1 seconds.
  • Torpedo reload time increased from 85 to 90 seconds.
  • Detectability range by sea increased from 6.9 to 7.1 km.
  • Detectability range by air increased from 3.4 to 3.5 km.
  • Detectability range by sea while firing in smoke increased from 2.5 to 2.6 km.
  • Detectability range by air while firing main battery increased from 2.56 to 2.6 km.
  • Sonar range reduced from 5.9 to 5.7 km.
Read the full official post
2024-09-05

September Update: Breeze of Inspiration

  • Buffs to Harold B. Farncomb: the "Careful" base trait and "Shell From the Ghost" unique skill have been improved.
  • New row 4 skill for Jerzy Świrski: Fox Flair. Increases the duration of Radar to match that of Smoke Generator while the latter is active, and reduces main battery reload time by up to 10% while Radar is active.
Read the full official post
Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

Every custom exterior Z-52 can equip, from in-game data.

  • Z-52 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.

2024-03-19 · Official ship feature / stats Bureau Overview: Vermont and Z-52 Official source 2024-02-15 · Patch notes March Update: Tides of Spring Patch notes 2024-09-05 · Patch notes September Update: Breeze of Inspiration Patch notes