Shokaku

13.3

Aircraft Carrier | Japan | Tier VIII

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Battle Levels

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VIII

11,500,000

Shōkaku — Japanese Tier VIII aircraft сarrier.

The Hiryu-class heavy aircraft carrier whose design stemmed from the experience gained in building ships of the same type. Compared to her predecessor, Shokaku came with reinforced anti-aircraft armament, a larger air group and somewhat improved armor. During the course of World War II, the ship's AA capabilities were significantly enhanced.

Modules

	Hit Points (HP)	Armor (mm)	Armor (mm)	Main Turrets (pcs.)	Secondary Gun Turrets (pcs.)	AA Mounts (pcs.)	Torpedo Tubes (pcs.)	Hangar Capacity (pcs.)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Shōkaku (A)	50,100	6	215		2/6	36/2/6				0	1,200,000
Shōkaku (B)	51,400	6	215		2/6	32/20/2/6				27,000	3,000,000

	Speed (knot)	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SQUADRON_MED_DAMAGE (HP/min)	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SQUADRON_AMMO_AMOUNT	Hit Points (HP)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
A6M5 Zero	144			1,330		0	600,000
N1K2-J Shiden-Kai	151			1,390		18,000	1,500,000

	Maximum Torpedo Damage (HP)	Speed (knot)	Hit Points (HP)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
B6N Tenzan	7,233	133	1,600		0	600,000
B7A Ryūsei	7,233	137	1,670		18,000	1,500,000

	Maximum Bomb Damage (HP)	Speed (knot)	Hit Points (HP)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
D4Y3 Suisei		142	1,580		0	600,000
B7A Ryūsei		145	1,650		18,000	1,500,000

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 152,000 hp	34		0	500,000

Compatible Upgrades

Slot 1
Slot 2
Slot 3
Slot 4
Slot 5

Player Opinion

Performance

Just like Hiryu, Shokaku almost has the same play style as its predecessor. Again 72 planes means you can inflict heavy damage to any enemies you encounter. This carrier is also a lot tougher and armored compared to her predecessor, although you will still rely for protection from other ships.

Pros:

Same play style as predecessor Hiryu.
Large hangar capacity, 72 planes in total.
More armored than her predecessor.
Fully-upgraded can deal huge amounts of damage to enemy ships in a single attack run.
Excellent AA protection.
Difficult to Citadel, the box is located well below the waterline.
34 knot top speed means easier relocation when necessary.

Cons:

Expensive maintenance, especially if you are not fully upgraded.
Poor concealment (Although purchasing the Concealment upgrade can negate the problem somewhat).
Painful grind, expensive XP and expensive upgrades.
Stock torpedo bomber (the Tier VI Nakajima B5N2) is highly vulnerable to the level of anti-aircraft fire she will find aboard ships in her tier.
Loses a lot of speed during turns.
Very vulnerable to dive bomb attacks.

Research

This is a suggested research path:

Type 8 mod. 2 or mod. 3 Flight Control
Kawanishi N1K5-A fighters
Nakajima B6N torpedo bombers
Shōkaku (B) Hull

Researching mod. 2 or mod. 3 Flight Control depends on the player's preference.

Optimal Configuration

Upgrades

The recommended upgrades for Shōkaku are as follows:

Slot 1: Air Groups Modification 1
Slot 2: Damage Control System Modification 1 
Slot 3: Air Groups Modification 2
Slot 4: Propulsion Modification 1 ()
Slot 5: Concealment System Modification 1

Upgrade Slot 3 is the main choice of upgrades with Shōkaku. For players looking to improve their fighter's capabilities, Air Groups Modification 2 is highly recommended, especially when using the Type 8 mod. 3 flight control system. Otherwise, the Flight Control Modification 1 helps players land and launch Shōkaku`s multiple flight squadrons, as Shōkaku has six separate plane squadrons to manage.

Upgrade Slot 5 offers players Concealment System Modification 1 , which stacks with Concealment Expert and Camouflage to bring Shōkaku`s surface detection down to a tiny range of 9.1km.

Commander Skills

Shōkaku uses the standard IJN CV captain skill setup. Emphasis should be on skills that boost fighter and bomber effectiveness and AA protection. Aircraft Servicing Expert, Torpedo Acceleration, Torpedo Armament Expertise, and Air Supremacy are "must have" skills. Dogfighting Expert is also useful if Shōkaku faces a higher tier carrier, and the bonus to ammunition allows her fighters to remain airborne longer before returning to rearm.

For AA defense, Shōkaku has large-caliber 127mm guns that benefit greatly from Manual Fire Control for AA Armament. Basic Firing Training is also a good choice to boost all AA guns' DPS by 20%. And as Shōkaku is a Tier VIII carrier, the player has access to the special IJN carrier Defensive Fire consumable, which lasts for two minutes and increases the ship's AA DPS by a factor of 1.75. Coupled with Basic Firing Training and Manual Fire Control for AA Armament, the player can significantly increase the ship's AA DPS to shoot down enemy planes effectively and greatly reduce the damage taken from an enemy carrier's attack. Evasive Maneuvers is recommended as it increases the bombers' survivability when returning to the carrier, and is especially useful when the enemy targets have activated Defensive Fire.

Any skills that are related to an enemy vessel firing on your carrier are not useful, as the cost-benefit of investing in survivability skills is not worth the minimal benefit they offer. Shōkaku is large and unarmored, and will not survive an attack by any ship larger than a destroyer. Shōkaku captains must position their ship near friendlies and far back from the enemy fleet. Concealment Expert may be taken to further reduce detection range if the captain so desires.

ATTENTION

Due to dive bombers having over 100% chance of causing fires, Demolition Expert is not recommended.

Recommended Commander Skills
Cost (points)	Endurance		Attack		Support		Versatility
1	Priority Target Situational Awareness indicator will show the number of opponents currently aiming at you with main battery guns.	Preventative Maintenance -30% to the risk of incapacitation of main turrets, torpedo tubes, steering gear, engines.	Expert Loader -50% to reload time when shell type is switched.	Air Supremacy -5% aircraft restoration time. ★★★	Direction Center for Fighters +1 fighter to carrier fighter squadrons or catapult fighters.	Improved Engine Boost +10% Aircraft engine boost time.	Incoming Fire Alert Indicator of long-range enemy artillery fire.	Last Gasp Completely restores the engine boost for the last attack flight of the carrier's planes.
2	High Alert -10% to reload time of Damage Control Party consumable.	Jack of All Trades -5% to reload time of all consumables.	Expert Marksman +2.5 deg/sec to traverse speed of guns with a caliber up to 139mm. +0.7 deg/sec to traverse speed of guns with a caliber above 139mm.	Torpedo Acceleration +5 knots to torpedo speed. -20% to torpedo range. ★★★	Smoke Screen Expert +20% to the radius of the smoke screen.	Improved Engines +2.5% Squadron speed.	Adrenaline Rush -0.2% to reload times of all types of armament for each 1% of total health lost. +0.2% squadron speed for each 1% of total health lost.	Last Stand The ship remains able to move and maneuver while the engine or steering gears are incapacitated.
3	Basics of Survivability -15% to time of repair, fire extinguishing, and recovery from flooding.	Survivability Expert +350 ship HP for each ship tier. +15 aircraft HP for each ship tier.	Torpedo Armament Expertise -10% to reload time of torpedo tubes. ★★★	Aircraft Armor Reduces continuous damage to aircraft in all AA defense zones. -10% continuous damage.	Basic Firing Training -10% to reload time of main battery guns with a caliber up to and including 139mm and all secondary battery guns. +10% to continuous damage from AA guns. ★	Superintendent +1 additional charge to all consumables mounted on a ship.	Demolition Expert +2% chance of HE shells causing a fire on target. +1% chance of rockets causing a fire on target. +5% chance of HE bombs causing a fire on target.	Vigilance +25% to detection range of enemy torpedoes.
4	Manual Fire Control for Secondary Armament Tightens dispersion of shells from secondary batteries. -15% for Tier I-VI ships. -60% for Tier VII-X ships. Manually selected target only.	Fire Prevention -10% to the risk of fire. The maximum number of fires on a ship is reduced to three.	Inertia Fuse for HE Shells +30% to the armor penetration capacity of HE shells. -1% chance of fire on target caused by shells <=139mm. -3% chance of fire on target caused by shells >139mm.	Sight Stabilization Speeds up the aiming of a carrier's aircraft. +5% attack aircraft aiming speed. +5% torpedo bomber aiming speed. +10% dive bomber aiming speed.	Advanced Firing Training +20% to firing range of main battery guns with a caliber up to 139mm and all secondary battery guns. +15% damage/sec. within the explosion radius of shells fired from long-range AA defenses. ★	Massive AA Fire Instantaneous Damage +100%. Priority AA sector cooldown +50%.	Radio Position Finding Shows the direction to the nearest enemy ship. The enemy is alerted that a bearing has been taken.	Concealment Expert -10% to the detection radius of all ships and aircraft. ★★
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful ★★ - Frequently Useful ★ - Occasionally Useful No stars - Meh Χ - Not recommended

Consumables

As a Tier VIII carrier, Shōkaku has access to the following consumables:

Damage Control Party 
Defensive AA Fire

Premium Defensive AA Fire II is recommended to counter any enemy carrier's attempts to "snipe" the player (that is, by having all bombers bypass allied ships undetected and attempting to sink the player in one hit). Premium Damage Control Party II is not recommended as it is only needed in dire moments, or when the player is the last one alive.

Camouflage

Type 1, 2, or 5 camouflage can be equipped for credits; Types 1 or 5 are recommended at a minimum to reduce detectibility range. She also has a alternate camouflage known as "The Great Gorgon" a variant of the Shokaku the camouflage as avaliable from Halloween crates which could be earned in the operation "A Sunray in the Darkness" where you will be given one halloween crate per star or you could buy them from the Premium Shop.

Players who wish to spend doubloons can equip Shōkaku with Type 18 camouflage that lowers her detection radius, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, reduces cost of post-battle service, and increases the amount of experience she earns.

Signals

As a carrier, Shōkaku can only mount at most four signals at a time and has no risk of detonating. Players should mount Equal Speed Charlie London (for faster XP grinding / increased XP gain per battle), Zulu Hotel (when coupled with Equal Speed Charlie London greatly helps increase commander (re)training), and, for the last two / pair, November Echo Setteseven (for better bomber self-defense against fighters) and Juliet Whiskey Unaone (to have a better chance at causing flooding and dealing damage via flooding).

ATTENTION

Due to dive bombers having over 100% chance of causing fires, Victor Lima and India X-Ray are not recommended.

Recommended Signal Flags
Combat
Juliet Charlie -100% to the risk of magazine detonation.	Juliet Yankee Bissotwo -20% to flooding duration.	India Yankee -20% to fire duration.	Hotel Yankee -20% to damage received when ramming the enemy. +50% to damage dealt when ramming the enemy.	Victor Lima +1% chance for HE bombs and shells with a caliber above 160mm causing a fire. +0.5% chance for bombs and smaller shells causing a fire. +4% chance of torpedoes causing flooding.	India X-Ray +1% chance for HE bombs and shells with a caliber above 160mm causing a fire. +0.5% chance for bombs and smaller shells causing a fire. +5% to the risk of your ship's magazine detonating.
Juliet Whiskey Unaone +15% chance of causing flooding. +5% to the risk of your ship's magazine detonating. ★★★	Mike Yankee Soxisix +5% to secondary battery maximum firing range. -5% to maximum dispersion of secondary battery shells. -5% to secondary battery loading time.	November Echo Setteseven +5% continuous AA damage at all ranges. +5% damage from flak bursts. ★★★	Sierra Mike +5% to the ship's maximum speed. ★	November Foxtrot -5% reload time on all consumables.	India Delta +20% to the amount of HP recovered when Repair Party  is used.
X-Ray Papa Unaone +10% action time of a Smoke Generator .	Sierra Bravo +10% action time of Hydroacoustic Search  -10% reload time of Defensive AA Fire .

Note: Use of the Juliet Charlie signal makes detonation impossible.

Gallery

The flight deck is packed with aircraft prepared to sortie.
A fighter departs the Shokaku.
Fire alarm.

Ships of Japan

Destroyers	II Tachibana • II Umikaze • II Tachibana Lima • III Wakatake • IV Isokaze • V Minekaze • V Fūjin • V Kamikaze • V Kamikaze R • V Mutsuki • VI Fubuki • VI Hatsuharu • VI Shinonome B • VI Shinonome • VII Akatsuki • VII Shiratsuyu • VII Yūdachi • VIII Akizuki • VIII Kagerō • VIII Asashio • VIII HSF Harekaze II • VIII Asashio B • VIII HSF Harekaze • VIII AL Yukikaze • IX Yūgumo • IX Kitakaze • IX Minegumo • IX STAR Kitakaze • X Shimakaze • X Harugumo • X Hayate • ★ Yamagiri
Cruisers	I Hashidate • II Chikuma • III Tenryū • III Katori • IV Yūbari • IV Kuma • IV Iwaki Alpha • V Furutaka • V Agano • V Yahagi • VI Aoba • VI Gokase • VII Myōkō • VII Omono • VII Tokachi • VII Maya • VII ARP Myōkō • VII ARP Ashigara • VII ARP Haguro • VII Southern Dragon • VII Eastern Dragon • VII ARP Nachi • VIII Mogami • VIII Tone • VIII Atago • VIII Shimanto • VIII Atago B • VIII ARP Takao • VIII ARP Maya • IX Ibuki • IX Takahashi • IX Azuma • IX AL Azuma • IX Chikuma II • X Zaō • X Yodo • X Yoshino • X Yoshino B • X Kitakami
Battleships	II Mikasa • III Kawachi • IV Myōgi • IV Ishizuchi • V Kongō • V ARP Kongō • V ARP Kirishima • V ARP Haruna • V ARP Hiei • V HSF Hiei • VI Fusō • VI Mutsu • VI Ise • VII Nagato • VII Ashitaka • VII Hyūga • VIII Amagi • VIII Yumihari • VIII Kii • VIII Ignis Purgatio • VIII Ragnarok • IX Izumo • IX Adatara • IX Musashi • IX Hizen • IX Iwami • IX Daisen • IX Tsurugi • IX Iwami B • X Yamato • X Bungo • X Shikishima • X ARP Yamato • ★ Satsuma
Aircraft Carriers	IV Hōshō • VI Ryūjō • VIII Shōkaku • VIII Kaga • VIII Kaga B • X Hakuryū • ★ Sekiryu

Aircraft Carriers

Japan	IV Hōshō • VI Ryūjō • VIII Shōkaku • VIII Kaga • VIII Kaga B • X Hakuryū • ★ Sekiryu
U.K.	IV Hermes • VI Furious • VI Ark Royal • VIII Implacable • VIII Indomitable • VIII Colossus • X Audacious • X Malta • ★ Eagle
France	VI Béarn
U.S.S.R.	IV Komsomolets • VI Serov • VIII Pobeda • VIII Chkalov • VIII Chkalov B • X Admiral Nakhimov
U.S.A.	IV Langley • VI Independence • VI Ranger • VIII Yorktown • VIII Lexington • VIII Enterprise • VIII Saipan • VIII Hornet • VIII Saipan B • X Essex • X Midway • X Franklin D. Roosevelt • ★ United States
Germany	IV Rhein • VI Weser • VI Erich Loewenhardt • VIII August von Parseval • VIII Graf Zeppelin • VIII Graf Zeppelin B • X Manfred von Richthofen • X Max Immelmann
Pan-Asia	VIII Sanzang
Spain
Europe
Netherlands
Italy	VIII Aquila
Commonwealth
Pan-America

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Shokaku

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Compatible Upgrades