I-56

13.9

Submarine | Japan | Tier VIII

Tech Tree Position

Battle Levels

12345678910

VIII

10,500

I-56 — Japanese premium Tier VIII submarine.

A large "cruiser-type" submarine (Type B3). Her main armament comprises six torpedo launchers concentrated in the bow, and her additional armament consists of a 140 mm deck gun.

I-56 was first released for sale with the release of Update 0.11.9 on 05 October 2022, initially available in the Armory in random doubloon bundles. She was added to the Armory and Premium Shop permanently on 17 March 2023.

Modules

	Rate of Fire (shots/min)	180° Turn Time (sec)	Maximum Dispersion (m)	Maximum HE Shell Damage (HP)	Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell (%)	Maximum AP Shell Damage (HP)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
140 mm/40 11th Year Type	33.3	7.2	44					0	0

	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 ()
I-56	24,200	6	19	1			6			0	0

	Rate of Fire (shots/min)	Torpedo Tubes Reload Time (sec)	180° Turn Time (sec)	Maximum Damage (HP)	Torpedo Speed (knot)	Torpedo Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Type95 mod. 3	1.7	35	15	10,800	78	6		0	0

	Rate of Fire (m/s)	Torpedo Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 9,400 hp	29		0	0

Compatible Upgrades

Slot 1
Slot 2
Slot 3
Slot 4
Slot 5

Player Opinion

Performance

I-56 is the first Japanese premium submarine in the game. She is well equipped in terms of offense, having fast loading torpedoes and long range, high alpha conventional torpedoes. She is the first submarine introduced with a player controlled deck mounted gun.

Hull:

I-56’s survivability is high, with a high HP pool of 24,200. Her armor is nonexistent, with her exterior hull covered in 16mm and 19mm plates. Players should be careful not to be spotted on the surface for extended periods of time, as she will suffer heavy damage.

I-56’s maneuverability and concealment are very poor for a submarine. Her rudder shift and turning radius are comparable to that of a cruiser, at 9 seconds and 590 meters. Her surface concealment, at 7.12km, is very bad for her tier (outspotted by almost every destroyer in her matchmaking spread).

She has a good speed of 29 knots when surfaced. However, her underwater speed is slow at 13 knots. The poor underwater speed means she is not fast enough to outrun destroyers and her hull can be vulnerable to depth charges. Careful positioning is vital in order to not be stuck in bad situations where her speed will not bail her out.

I-56 has very bad diving plane shift time, taking 26 seconds to fully dive and to surface. This means diving after being spotted leaves a significant time for enemy capital ships and cruisers to drop depth charges accurately and deal damage. I-56’s Dive Capacity recharge time is improved at 2 units a second. However, she has a very low Dive Capacity reserve, at 120 units, allowing her to stay underwater for only 2 minutes.

Armament:

I-56’s sonar is a helpful tool for dealing damage using homing torpedoes. The velocity is decent at 600m/s and a fast reload time of 6.5 seconds is enough to double ping reliably. The biggest downside is the low range of 6km (same as the range of homing torpedoes) meaning the sonar should only be used as a last resort.

Homing Torpedoes

I-56’s homing torpedoes allow for short range torpedo attacks. The homing torpedoes have a very short range at 6km. They deal high damage at 10,800, travel fast at 78 knots, and have a 62% flooding chance. While her homing torpedoes are good at short range, I-56 is considerably more vulnerable at closer ranges due to having bad surface concealment and bad Dive Capacity (meaning she cannot surface to recharge her batteries without being spotted when in range of enemy ships). Due to having 6 bow torpedo tubes, these torpedoes can be used for shotgunning (with a maximum alpha strike of 64,800. Both homing and conventional torpedoes have the same reload time, 35 seconds. I-56’s homing torpedoes should only be used as a last resort, as its low range limits flexibility in dealing damage. Players should not look to shotgun targets unless isolated targets present themselves.

Conventional Torpedoes

I-56’s conventional torpedoes are the highlight of the submarine. The torpedoes have a high range of 12.5km, high damage at 16,367, and travel fast at 73 knots. The torpedoes also have a great flood chance at 99%. With 6 bow tubes, a full salvo can deal an alpha strike of 98,202, highest amongst Tier VIII submarines. She does not have any stern torpedo launchers.

Deck Armament

I-56 is unique as a submarine as it has a controllable 140mm deck gun. The singular gun has a range of 8.5km and a reload time of 1.8s. As with all submarines, it can only load and fire SAP ammunition. It is largely useless due to its poor range and that it exposes the hull while firing, usually leading to a quick trip back to port.

Consumables:

I-56 has a standard Damage Control Party, with three charges stock and a long 15 second duration. This makes her relatively safe from module and damage over time effects as long as players can go undetected within the 15 second period. Players should be careful not to exhaust their limited charges or she will rapidly lose HP to flood and fire damage.

I-56 has access to the Reserve Battery Unit consumable, found on German submarines. It stops the depletion of Dive Capacity for 30 seconds per consumable and has a 90 second reload time. I-56 comes with 2 base charges of the consumable, extending her time underwater for an extra minute.

She also has access to Hydrophone, allowing her to track the location of surface ships while underwater. It has a 7km range, 30 seconds action time, and a 80 second reload time.

Notably, She does not gain access to Submarine surveillance, meaning she is completely blind to enemy submarines.

Gameplay:

I-56 is a unique submarine that plays more as a Japanese Torpedo destroyer rather than a traditional submarine. She is much more offense oriented, equipped with hard hitting conventional torpedoes that can be fired every 35 seconds. This comes at a cost of bad concealment, short battery time, limited information consumables, and overall poor mobility.

I-56 is best played close to teammates, as her bad rudder shift time, turning radius, and diving plane shift time means being caught isolated will lead to a quick death. Alongside allies, I-56 can constantly fire long range torpedoes to harass and provide area denial in key areas. Afterwards, she can provide spotting on targets that cannot easily spot her back. I-56 cannot spot enemy submarines as she has no Submarine surveillance consumable. She must rely on allied ships to spot enemy submarines for her.

I-56, like all submarines, can resort to shotgun attacks but will end up heavily damaged or destroyed due to lackluster agility. Her worst in class diving capacity and concealment means surfacing deep in enemy lines will lead to death. Her best in class HP pool is useful for negating some damage, but it is not advised to be exposed to enemy ASW for long periods of time.

I-56 is an offense oriented submarine, and her playstyle mainly involves pumping torpedoes into enemy ships from a distance. Her strengths and weaknesses are shown through the emphasis on torpedo damage and reload while sacrificing utility, survivability, and agility.

Pros:

High HP pool
Long range conventional torpedoes with high damage
Best in tier torpedo reload time
All torpedo tubes are on her bow and reload at the same time
Controllable SAP deck gun
Fast surface speed
Access to the Reserve Battery Unit consumable

Cons:

Nonexistent armor
Short range homing torpedoes
Bad Turning Radius and Ruddershift time
Very bad Diving Plane Shift time
Bad concealment
Does not have access to Submarine surveillance
Slow underwater speed
Very poor battery capacity

Research

As a premium ship, I-56 has no module upgrades to research.

Optimal Configuration

Upgrades

The recommended upgrades are:

Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1 or Damage Control Party Modification 1
Slot 2: Damage Control System Modification 1 
Slot 3: Dive Capacity Modification 1
Slot 4: Propulsion Modification 1
Slot 5: Submarine Steering Gears Modification 3

Commander Skills

Recommended Commander Skills
Cost (points)	Attack			Defense
1	Enhanced Sonar -10% to sonar reload time when the boat is detected by an enemy.	Liquidator +30% chance of a torpedo strike causing flooding. ★★★	Helmsman Within 15 seconds of using the Hydrophone consumable: -10% to the shift times of the rudder and dive planes. ★	Priority Target The detection indicator additionally shows the number of opponents that are currently aiming at you with their main battery guns.	Incoming Fire Alert A warning about a salvo fired at your ship from a distance of more than 4.5 km.
2	Improved Battery Capacity +10% to the total Dive Capacity -20% Dive Capacity Recharge Rate per second. ★★★	Torpedo Crew Training -15% torpedo tubes reload time while detected by an enemy. ★★	Consumables Enhancements +5% to the action time of the boat's consumables.	Preventive Maintenance -30% to the risk of the main turrets [sic], torpedo tubes, steering gear, or engine becoming incapacitated. ★★	Last Stand The boat remains partially able to sustain speed and maneuverability with the engine and steering gears incapacitated.
3	Enhanced Impulse Generator If less than 33% of the maximum dive capacity remains: +15% sonar ping velocity.	Sonarman +25% to the duration of a ping effect on a sector highlighted once. -15% to the duration of a ping effect on a sector highlighted twice.	Consumables Specialist -15% to the preparation and reload time of the boat's consumables. ★★	Watchful If undetected, displays an indicator showing that the boat is within range of activated enemy Hydroacoustic Search, Surveillance Radar, or Submarine Surveillance consumables. If you change depth while the indicator is displayed, you may be detected.. ★★★	Superintendent +1 charge to all consumables. ★★★
4	Adrenaline Rush For every 1% of HP lost, –0.25% to each of: * Main battery reload time * Sonar cooldown time * Torpedo tube reload time * Airstrike armament reload time * Secondary battery reload time. ★★★	Torpedo Aiming Master When launching homing torpedoes at a ship with a sector that is highlighted twice, torpedo damage is increased. The sector highlighted twice needs to remain active until the torpedoes hit the ship. +15% to torpedo damage.	Sonarman Expert When a sector is highlighted within 30 seconds of using the Hydrophone consumable: +25% to ping effect duration.	Improved Battery Efficiency If less than 50% of the maximum dive capacity remains: +25% Dive Capacity Recharge Rate per second. ★★★	Enlarged Propeller Shaft While less than 50% of the maximum dive capacity remains: +18% to the boat's speed on the surface and at periscope depth. ★★★
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful ★★ - Frequently Useful ★ - Occasionally Useful No stars - Not Useful

Consumables

I-56 equips the following consumables:

Slot 1: Damage Control Party  – 3 charges
Slot 2: Hydrophone  – 4 charges
Slot 3: Reserve Battery Unit  – 2 charges

Camouflage

As a premium ship, I-56 comes with Default permanent camouflage and a set of permanent combat bonuses.

Signals

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

References

Ship Change Log

See here for links to Update notes.

Available for testing by supertesters in the game starting from Update 0.11.6.

Update 0.11.9:
- Available in random bundles in the Armory for doubloons.
- Main Battery Modification 2 added in upgrade slot 3.
- Aiming Systems Modification 1 added in upgrade slot 3.
- Readded the ping movement effect.
- Added a special indicator to notify players when there is little diving capacity remaining.
- Updated the set of sound effects for torpedo launching.
- Updated the icon for acoustic homing torpedoes.
Update 12.1:
- Fixed a bug that caused the main battery gun on the submarine to start rotating underwater when re-entering a battle.
Available in the Armory and Premium Shop permanently on 17 March 2023, during Update 12.1.
Update 13.1:
- Turning circle radius reduced from 670 to 590 m.
Update 13.2:
- Torpedoes now do 10% of maximum damage up to 2.9 km, and then scale to 100% damage from 2.9 to 3 km.
- Stock homing torpedoes changed:
  - Arming distance reduced from 419 to 21 m.
- Stock conventional torpedoes changed:
  - Maximum damage increased from 14,300 to 16,367.
  - Arming distance reduced from 902 to 20 m.
Update 13.7:
- Hydrophone consumable charges increased from 1 to 4.

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 [[Ship:Mutsuki (< 01.12.2016)\|Mutsuki (< 01.12.2016)]] • VI Fubuki • VI Hatsuharu • VI Shinonome B • VI Shinonome • VII [[Ship:Hatsuharu (< 01.12.2016)\|Hatsuharu (< 01.12.2016)]] • VII Akatsuki • VII Shiratsuyu • VII Yūdachi • VIII [[Ship:Fubuki (< 01.12.2016)\|Fubuki (< 01.12.2016)]] • VIII Akizuki • VIII Kagerō • VIII Asashio • VIII HSF Harekaze II • VIII Asashio B • VIII HSF Harekaze • VIII AL Yukikaze • IX [[Ship:Kagerō (< 01.12.2016)\|Kagerō (< 01.12.2016)]] • IX Yūgumo • IX Kitakaze • IX Minegumo • IX STAR Kitakaze • X Shimakaze • X Harugumo • X Hayate • X AL Shimakaze • X [[Ship:[Shimakaze]\|[Shimakaze]]] • ★ 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 • VIII Tone 2 • VIII Tone 3 • IX Ibuki • IX Takahashi • IX Azuma • IX AL Azuma • IX Chikuma II • IX Chikuma II Golden • IX BA Takahashi • X Zaō • X Yodo • X Yoshino • X Yoshino B • X Kitakami • X Zaō CLR • X [[Ship:[Zaō]\|[Zaō]]]
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 • VI Ise 2 • VI Ise 3 • 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 • X [[Ship:[Yamato]\|[Yamato]]] • ★ Satsuma
Aircraft Carriers	IV [[Ship:Hōshō (< 23.01.2019)\|Hōshō (< 23.01.2019)]] • IV Hōshō • V [[Ship:Zuihō (< 23.01.2019)\|Zuihō (< 23.01.2019)]] • VI [[Ship:Ryūjō (< 23.01.2019)\|Ryūjō (< 23.01.2019)]] • VI Ryūjō • VII [[Ship:Hiryū (< 23.01.2019)\|Hiryū (< 23.01.2019)]] • VII [[Ship:Kaga (< 23.01.2019)\|Kaga (< 23.01.2019)]] • VIII [[Ship:Shōkaku (< 23.01.2019)\|Shōkaku (< 23.01.2019)]] • VIII Shōkaku • VIII Kaga • VIII Kaga B • IX [[Ship:Taihō (< 23.01.2019)\|Taihō (< 23.01.2019)]] • X [[Ship:Hakuryū (< 23.01.2019)\|Hakuryū (< 23.01.2019)]] • X Hakuryū • X Shinano • X [[Ship:[Hakuryū]\|[Hakuryū]]] • ★ Sekiryu

Submarines

Netherlands
U.S.A.
Europe
Germany
U.S.S.R.
Italy
Pan-America
Japan
U.K.
France
Pan-Asia
Spain
Commonwealth

Games

Navigation

Tools

I-56

Modules

Compatible Upgrades