Neptune
152 mm/50 BL Mk.XXIII on a Mk.XXV mount4 х 3 pcs. |
Rate of Fire12.5 shots/min. |
Reload Time4.8 sec. |
Rotation Speed10 deg./sec. |
180 Degree Turn Time18 sec. |
Firing Range15.04 km. |
Maximum Dispersion147 m. |
Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell0 % |
AP Shell152 mm AP Mk V |
Maximum AP Shell Damage3,200 |
Initial AP Shell Velocity768 m./s. |
AP Shell Weight58.85 kg. |
113 mm/45 QF Mk.V on an RP41 Mk.VI mount6 х 2 pcs. |
Firing Range6.95 km. |
Rate of Fire20 shots/min. |
Reload Time3 sec. |
HE Shell113 mm HE Mk XVI |
Maximum HE Shell Damage1,600 |
Initial HE Shell Velocity746 m./s. |
Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell7 % |
533 mm QR Mk II4 х 4 pcs. |
Rate of Fire0.63 shots/min. |
Reload Time96 sec. |
Rotation Speed25 deg./sec. |
180 Degree Turn Time7.2 sec. |
Torpedo533 mm Mk IX** |
Maximum Damage15,533 |
Torpedo Speed62 knot |
Torpedo Range9.99 km. |
152 mm/50 BL Mk.XXIII on a Mk.XXV mount4 х 3 pcs. |
. . . Average Damage per Second86.4 |
. . . Firing Range6 km. |
113 mm/45 QF Mk.V on an RP41 Mk.VI mount6 х 2 pcs. |
. . . Average Damage per Second106.8 |
. . . Firing Range5.01 km. |
20 mm Oerlikon Mk.I on a Mk.IIA mount14 х 1 pcs. |
. . . Average Damage per Second50.4 |
. . . Firing Range2.01 km. |
40 mm/56 OQF Mk.XI on a Mk.V mount10 х 2 pcs. |
. . . Average Damage per Second123 |
. . . Firing Range3.51 km. |
Maximum Speed33.5 knot |
Turning Circle Radius790 m. |
Rudder Shift Time15.1 sec. |
Surface Detectability Range12.76 km. |
Air Detectability Range8.52 km. |
Neptune — British Tier IX cruiser.
Work on a new-generation light cruiser started in February 1944. The designers used the Edinburgh-class and U.S. Cleveland-class cruisers as a basis. The first draft designs were completed in March; the result of their development was Project Y. The lead ship of this series was to be named Neptune; however, the construction of the Worcester-class cruisers in the U.S. showed that light cruisers with high gun-elevation angles were no longer seen as cutting-edge, so British designers resumed their search for new solutions.
Modules
Compatible Upgrades
Slot 1 |
||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Slot 2 |
||||||
Slot 3 |
||||||
Slot 4 |
||||||
Slot 5 |
||||||
Slot 6 |
Player Opinion
Performance
Neptune represents the pinnacle of evolution for the Royal Navy's twelve-gun cruisers and is the last ship in the British cruiser line to sport the triple-barreled, quadruple turret configuration that captains of Fiji and Edinburgh are well-acquainted with by this point.
Luckily for veterans of the line, Neptune improves upon Edinburgh in most respects. She upgrades from the Mk XXIII 152mm rifle of her immediate predecessors to the Mk XXV, improving her main battery reload time by a third and dropping it to 5.0 seconds. The range of her fancy new guns is a respectable 16.5 km when fully upgraded; they do lose some initial shell velocity, but it's barely noticeable and translates to only an extra 0.25 seconds of flight time at maximum range. Neptune’s anti-aircraft suite is one of the most punishing in the game — especially with a commander who has the Level 4 skill Manual Fire Control for AA Armament — as her new Mk XXV main battery guns also function as dual-purpose guns and provide a significant contribution to her AA. Her stock torpedoes have a 10.0 km range, and she has a lot of them: two quadruple-tube launchers per side.
She retains both Edinburgh’s greatly improved Repair Party and access to Surveillance Radar, but her detection range is notably higher; indeed, Neptune has the highest detection radius of all British cruisers. While this impairs her ability to close with and actively hunt enemy destroyers, it isn't a serious handicap as long as her commander has the Concealment Expert skill.
On the downside, she has slightly less armor protection than Edinburgh, so Neptune captains under fire from battleships or caught broadside to enemy cruisers with armor-piercing rounds loaded should expect to be punished severely. Her weak protection makes the decision between equipping Surveillance Radar and Smoke Generator a challenging one. Her maneuverability is also comparable to Edinburgh — her turning radius and rudder shift time are very similar — but Neptune is a bulkier, longer ship and will have a difficult time evading incoming rounds.
Neptune is capable of performing well as long as her captain keeps her guns pumping rounds at enemy cruisers and destroyers and keeps her far away from enemy battleships.Pros:
- Outstanding main battery armament: her twelve 152mm rifles have an excellent rate of fire and turret traverse time, as well as contributing to her anti-aircraft defenses.
- Lots of long range torpedoes (10.0 km) with better reload times than most other torpedo-armed cruisers at her tier.
- First-rate anti-aircraft suite; wrecks planes if her commander has the Manual Fire Control for AA Armament skill.
- Has access to an enhanced version of Repair Party that allows her to regenerate large amounts health.
- Can equip either Smoke Generator or Surveillance Radar.
Cons:
- Large detection radius. Concealment Expert and Concealment System Modification 1 are virtually required to play Neptune to her fullest.
- Very weak armor; she can bounce 152mm rounds at certain angles, but will be easily penetrated by shells larger than that.
- Citadel rides quite high above the waterline.
Research
Optimal Configuration
Unlike Edinburgh, Neptune can't get her detection radius low enough to match her Surveillance Radar range. She's still best when fully rigged for stealth; the question becomes how many points her captain is willing to sink into her anti-aircraft suite.
Upgrades
Neptune really only has two upgrades that could be considered captain's choice: Upgrade Slot 2 and Upgrade Slot 3. Nearly every other slot will likely be filled with an obvious choice — such as Main Armaments Modification 1 in Upgrade Slot 1 — or a required one, like Concealment Systems Modification 1 in Upgrade Slot 6. Damage Control System Modification 1 is the recommended pick for Upgrade Slot 4, and Steering Gears Modification 2 is the best choice for Upgrade Slot 5.
Anti-Aircraft Build: As good as Neptune’s anti-aircraft armament is, she doesn't have access to the Defensive AA Fire consumable. With the right set of skills and upgrades, however, captains will barely notice. Her air detection range drops to 7.2 km at maximum stealth, while her anti-aircraft guns can be pushed to a maximum range of 8.6 km by equipping AA Guns Modification 2 in Upgrade Slot 2 and taking Advanced Firing Training on her commander. While this sounds advantageous, Neptune cannot detect planes on her own at that range, making stacking the range upgrades less than optimal. Rather than Advanced Firing Training, captains wishing to max out their Neptune’s AA capabilities should keep AA Guns Modification 2, then invest in Manual Fire Control for AA Armament as a Level 4 commander skill and combine it with AA Guns Modification 3 in Upgrade Slot 3. This mix of upgrades and skills gives Neptune one of the most punishing AA bubbles available to any ship in the game — even without Defensive AA Fire — and optimizes it so that her AA bubble matches her air detection radius.
Generalist Build: Captains who are less concerned about filling an air defense role with their Neptune are better off equipping Aiming Systems Modification 1 in Upgrade Slot 2 and Main Battery Modification 3 in Upgrade Slot 3.
Commander Skills
Recommended Commander Skills | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost (points) |
Endurance | Attack | Support | Versatility | ||||
1 |
★★★ |
★ |
|
|
|
|
★ |
|
2 |
★ |
★★ |
★★★ |
★ |
★★★ |
|
★★★ |
★ |
3 |
★ |
★★ |
★ |
|
|
★★★ |
|
★★ |
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
★★ |
★★★ |
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful ★★ - Frequently Useful ★ - Occasionally Useful No stars - Meh Χ - Not recommended |
Consumables
Players can equip the following consumables on this cruiser: Damage Control Party, Repair Party, Hydroacoustic Search, and a choice between Smoke Generator or Surveillance Radar.
Regardless of how her upgrades and commander skills are organized, Neptune lives and dies by intelligent usage of her available consumables. Premium versions are recommended of ALL consumables, but priority should be given to Repair Party II, Hydroacoustic Search, and Smoke Generator II which directly impact her survivability.
Camouflage
Type 1, 2, or 5 camouflage can be equipped for credits; Types 2 or 5 are recommended at a minimum to reduce the accuracy of incoming shells.
Players who wish to spend doubloons can equip Neptune with Type 19 camouflage that lowers her detection radius, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, reduces her repair costs, and increases the amount of experience she earns.
Signals
Captains who opted for the Anti-Aircraft Build recommended above are encouraged to equip a November Echo Setteseven signal in order to maximize Neptune’s AA output. Regardless of configuration, India Delta and November Foxtrot signals are also recommended for use.Gallery
Neptune takes several hits from an enemy North Carolina.
Historical Info
Historical Gallery
References
- British Cruisers, Two world wars and after by Norman Friedman
- Information on the 6-inch guns that were to be mounted on the Minotaur, and were later mounted on the post-war Tiger-class cruisers
- Discussion on the origin of the designs of the Minotaur