Buffalo
| Tier VIII | Type: Cruiser | |
| Preceded by | Succeeded by |
| Baltimore | none |
| Cost | 25 000 000 |
| XP Required | 300 000 |
| Hitpoints47 800 |
| Armor6 - 229 |
| Torpedo Damage Reduction19 % |
| 203mm Mk154x3 |
| Firing Range15.6 km |
| Reload Time10 s |
| 180 Turn Time25.7 s |
| HE Max Damage2800 |
| HE Fire Chance14 % |
| HE Penetration34 mm |
| AP Max Damage5000 |
| 127mm Mk326x2 |
| Firing Range5 km |
| Reload Time6 s |
| HE Max Damage1800 |
| HE Fire Chance5 % |
| HE Penetration21 mm |
| 20mm Oerlikon Mk2016x2 |
| DPS98 |
| Range2 km |
| 40mm Bofors Mk14x2 |
| DPS45 |
| Range3.5 km |
| 40mm Bofors Mk211x4 |
| DPS175 |
| Range3.5 km |
| 127mm Mk326x2 |
| DPS91 |
| Range5 km |
| Maximum Speed33 kn |
| Turning Circle Radius800 m |
| Rudder Shift Time11.2 s |
| Detectability by Sea13 km |
| Detectability by Air7.8 km |
| Detectability firing in smoke7.5 km |
Modules
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Hit Points | Min Armor (mm) | Max Armor (mm) | Torpedo Damage Reduction (%) | Main Battery Turrets | Rudder Shift (s) | Purchase Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | 42 500 | 6 | 229 | 19 | 4x3 | 15.7 | 0 |
| Hull B | 47 800 | 6 | 229 | 19 | 4x3 | 11.2 | 5 000 000 |
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Turret Arrangement | Reload Time (s) | 180° Turn Time (s) | Max HE Damage | HE Fire Chance (%) | Max AP Damage | Purchase Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 203mm Mk15 | 4x3 | 11.5 | 30 | 2800 | 14 | 5000 | 0 |
| 203mm Mk15 | 4x3 | 10 | 25.7 | 2800 | 14 | 5000 | 625 000 |
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Firing Range Increase (%) | Main Battery Firing Range | Purchase Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | 0 % | 14.1 km | 0 |
| Targeting System Mk9 mod. 2 | 10 % | 15.6 km | 625 000 |
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Maximum Speed |
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| Stock | 33 kn |
Modifications
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| SLOT 2 |
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| SLOT 3 |
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| SLOT 4 |
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Consumables
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| Accelerates repairs to damage modules, firefighting efforts and recovery from flooding. |
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| Increases the range of guaranteed acquisition of enemy ships and torpedoes, including those within smoke screens. |
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| Significantly increases the range of guaranteed acquisition of enemy ships, including those within a smoke screen. |
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| Partially restores the ship's HP by repairing light damage. |
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| Increases the efficiency of AA fire. |
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| Follows the ship and automatically attacks enemy aircraft. |
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| Temporarily tightens main battery shell grouping. |
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Player Opinion
Pros:
- Boasts superior firepower to most of her contemporaries.
- Excellent all-around survivability for a cruiser.
- Powerful AA suite, as is standard with American ships.
Cons:
- Large size makes her an easier target.
- Relatively sluggish compared to its predecessor and contemporaries, with a larger turning circle and significantly longer rudder shift time when stock.
Performance
History
Buffalo is based on a US Navy proposal for a 8-inch cruiser study - Scheme CA-B dated from 1940, and was a continuation of the precedent design of the Baltimore class. CA-B was heavier than her prototype, displacing 17 000 standard tons (ship at maximum capacity for war, but without water or oil) in contrast to Baltimore 14 700 standard tons. Accordingly, her main battery was enhanced by the addition of a fourth turret at the stern, creating a heavy broadside of 12 guns and by a ticker armor belt of 190mm (according to Wargaming historical article about CA-B) compared to Baltimore’s 150mm. The ship was planned to be able to reach 33 knots, the same speed as her prototype, and it would have allowed her to take part in the escort of the fast carrier of the Essex Class deployed at the time in the US Navy. It’s interesting to note that her aviation facility is amidships, in a similar fashion than the New Orleans class, Pensacola Class and Portland class (represented in-game by the premium ship Indianapolis). The project wasn’t continued and the commission of the large cruiser of the Alaska Class, scaled up Baltimore to fit 305mm guns, totally erased the need for these units as they were as fast, more armoured and with a bigger armament.
In World of Warships Legends, the ship is named after the city of Buffalo, following the US Navy tradition of naming cruisers after the capital city of states.
As she was never built, both hull AA suits are fictional. Hull A present her in a “as build” configuration, but it’s impossible to know if she would have looked like this since the preliminary drawing didn’t take AA armament into account. Hull B show her in a “modernised” AA suit, in a similar fashion most US vessels were refitted to counter aerial menace.
Sources :
- Photo # S-511-25, https://www.shipscribe.com/styles/S-511/images/s-file/s511-25c.htm
- Heavy Cruiser Buffalo (Project CA-B) : World of Warships Paper Ship, https://worldofwarships.com/en/news/history/paper-ships-buffalo/
Gallery
Legends Ship Map 