Des Moines
Revision as of 04:46, 19 February 2019 The effects of AA Guns Modification 1 | Revision as of 04:51, 19 February 2019 The effects of AA Guns Modification 1 | |||
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? | [[Image:Icon_modernization_PCM018_AirDefense_Mod_III.png|left]]'''Anti-air Build:''' Captains | + | [[Image:Icon_modernization_PCM018_AirDefense_Mod_III.png|left]]'''Anti-air Build:''' Captains wishing to focus the role of ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' on air defense will opt for {{Auxiliary Armaments Modification 1}} for '''Slot 1''' to increase anti-aircraft armament durability, {{AA Guns Modification 1}} for '''Slot 3''' to increase her medium- and long-range AA power, and {{AA Guns Modification 2}} for '''Slot 6''' to increase her overall AA power. If rather than maximum AA defense a more balanced build is desired, consider replacing AA Guns Modification 2 with {{Gun Fire Control System Modification 2}} for range or {{Main Battery Modification 3}} for faster reload. | |
Revision as of 04:51, 19 February 2019
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[[Ship:|]] — N/A special premium Tier N/A.
One of the best heavy cruisers in the world. The ship was designed using the experience gained in World War II, resulting in excellent protection and very powerful AA armament. The key distinctive feature of cruisers of this type was auto-loading main guns that had a very high rate of fire.
Modules
Compatible Upgrades
Slot 1 |
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Slot 2 |
Damage Control System Modification 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Slot 3 |
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Slot 4 |
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Slot 5 |
Torpedo Tubes Modification 3 |
Reinforced Bulkheads | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Slot 6 |
Player Opinion
Performance
Only a handful of high tier cruisers are known to have absurd firing rates: Neptune, Minotaur, Worcester, and this heavy cruiser. It is no surprise that due to her being the last all-gun cruiser made, she has all the lessons learned from her cruiser predecessors in the Second World War incorporated in her design. A very noticeable trait on Des Moines is her absurd rate of fire for a heavy cruiser, with each turret reloading at 5.5 seconds, making her extremely deadly to destroyers within radar range and other cruisers. She also can whittle down battleships quickly and, with her impressive AA suite, wipe out carrier strike squadrons with ease. However, she is extremely fragile: her thin armor makes her susceptible to penetration from most Tier IX and Tier X battleships at all ranges.
While ' has impressive firepower and AA, her maneuverability is mediocre and her armor is terrible. With a standard cruiser speed of 33 kts and fast base rudder shift time of 8.6 seconds, ' can evade incoming shells and torpedoes relatively well. However, while she can turn well, the speed loss on turning is massive enough to make her an easy target for any other ship with their guns loaded and ready. Additionally, with her 27mm armor belt (as opposed to Zao and Hindenburg’s 30mm or Moskva’s 50mm) this makes her very susceptible to most battleship AP shells at most ranges. Additionally, because of how flat her bow is designed in comparison to the other Tier X heavy cruisers, this makes her extremely susceptible to enemy battleship AP shells being able to penetrate her citadel through her bow.
In contrast to her weak points, the ' high shell arc and gun layout gives her a unique advantage that her cruiser colleagues at her tier lack and as such she is capable of weighing anchor behind an island and lob shells over the island at distant targets with relative safety. Should the island be too tall, one can also park the ship around the corner of an island while bow on to act as a deterrent to advancing enemy ships, while presenting a relatively small profile. Exploiting this technique allows one to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Additionally, firing AP shells at bigger targets such as battleships can deal a surprising amount of damage in such a short time. However, it is recommended to do so only when she is close enough to have the rounds deal maximum penetration or if the target is broadside. Furthermore, given her rate of fire and decent fire chance, this makes ' a deadly flamethrower to battleships within reach.
Pros:
- Fast reload - fastest out of all heavy cruisers of Tier X, which also makes up for relatively low fire chance.
- Great shell penetration - can basically fire her AP shells at any (broadside) ship with great efficiency.
- Good AP shell angles - the higher autobounce angles for the AP shells means they can easily pen at angles where other cruiser's AP shells will bounce, making for a devastating combination with the high shell penetration.
- Powerful anti-aircraft armament - rivaled only by Hindenburg, Minotaur, and Worcester, ' can easily shoot down any carrier strike aircraft without Defensive AA Fire .
- High shell arc - allows firing from behind island cover and consistent citadel hits on other cruisers from long range due to plunging fire.
- Medium ranged and long-lasting Surveillance Radar .
Cons:
- Easily damaged by HE shells.
- Low main battery survivability - easily incapacitated / destroyed by other 203mm AP shells after sufficient time.
- Slow shell velocity and high arc - enemies have time to maneuver and evade the shells.
- High citadel - plunging fire from other ships will easily penetrate the citadel.
- Poorly armoured - Almost all battleships will be able to overmatch the plating, and, in conjunction with the high citadel, deal devastating damage.
- Anti-aircraft armament very easily destroyed - can quickly be rendered useless against aerial attacks.
Research
Optimal Configuration
Upgrades
The recommended upgrades for ' are as follows:
- Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1 keeps the guns active and firing.
- Slot 2: Damage Control System Modification 1 lessen the fire damage taken, or Surveillance Radar Modification 1 if it is available.
- Slot 3: See below.
- Slot 4: Steering Gears Modification 2 allows for a faster rudder shift to dodge incoming fire.
- Slot 5: Concealment System Modification 1 stay concealed.
- Slot 6: See below.
' also has access to chain of missions that will grant a Unique Upgrade: Enhanced Propulsion Plant () for Slot 6, which decreases her rudder shift and also halves the time taken to accelerate to full power, while shortening her Surveillance Radar duration by 10%. With this upgrade and Propulsion Modification 1 (), ' can accelerate from 0-27kts in about 8 seconds. It is also recommended to equip Surveillance Radar Modification 1 in Slot 2 to negate the negative effects of the Unique Upgrade.
Commander Skills
Recommended Commander Skills | ||||||||
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Cost (points) |
Endurance | Attack | Support | Versatility | ||||
1 |
★★★ |
★★ |
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★ |
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2 |
★ |
★★★ |
★★ |
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★★★ |
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3 |
★★ |
★ |
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★★ |
★★★ |
★★ |
★★ |
4 |
|
★ |
★ |
|
★★★ |
|
★★ |
★★★ |
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful ★★ - Frequently Useful ★ - Occasionally Useful No stars - Meh Χ - Not recommended |
Consumables
' can equip the following consumables:
- Slot 1: Damage Control Party
- Slot 2: Defensive AA Fire or Hydroacoustic Search
- Slot 3: Catapult Fighter , Spotting Aircraft , or Surveillance Radar
- Slot 4: Repair Party
Captain focusing ' on AA build will equip Defensive AA Fire II () for the Slot 2, especially when in a division with a carrier. Although for solo playing, Hydroacoustic Search II () is more recommended if there is no carrier around.
' captains should use Surveillance Radar II () on Slot 3 to increase their in-game impact (hunting the extremely stealthy destroyers of Tier X), as Catapult Fighter and Spotting Aircraft are not at all useful in hunting stealthy or smoke-covered enemy ships.
Camouflage
Type 1, 2, or 5 camouflage can be equipped for Credits; Types 1 or 5 are recommended at a minimum to reduce detection range.
Players who wish to spend doubloons can equip ' with Type 20 camouflage that lowers her detection range, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, reduces her repair costs, increases her credit earnings, and increases the amount of experience she earns.
Signals
Recommended Signal Flags | |||||
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Combat | |||||
★★ |
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★★ |
★ |
★★★ |
★★★ |
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★★★ |
★★ |
★★★ |
★★★ |
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Note: Use of the Juliet Charlie signal makes detonation impossible.
Gallery
Historical Info
Historical Gallery
Video
Destroyers | |
Cruisers | |
Battleships | |
Aircraft Carriers |
Japan | |
U.K. | |
France | |
U.S.S.R. | |
U.S.A. | |
Germany | |
Pan-Asia | |
Spain | |
Europe | |
Netherlands | |
Italy | |
Commonwealth | |
Pan-America |