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Iowa
Iowa_wows_main.jpg
Battleship | U.S.A. | Tier IX
Tech Tree Position
North Carolina
Arrow_down.png
Iowa_icon_small.png
Arrow_down.png
Montana
stock
 top
General
Research price175000 exp
Purchase price15,500,000 Credits
Hit Points68,100 
Main Battery
406 mm/50 Mk.7 in a turret3 х 3 pcs.
Rate of Fireshots/min.
Reload Time30 sec.
Rotation Speeddeg./sec.
180 Degree Turn Time45 sec.
Firing Range21.23 km.
Maximum Dispersion272 m.
HE Shell406 mm HE/HC Mk13 
Maximum HE Shell Damage5,700 
Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell36 %
Initial HE Shell Velocity820 m./s.
HE Shell Weight862 kg.
AP Shell406 mm AP Mk8 
Maximum AP Shell Damage13,500 
Initial AP Shell Velocity762 m./s.
AP Shell Weight1225 kg.
Secondary Armament #1
127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount10 х 2 pcs.
Firing Range6.95 km.
Rate of Fire10 shots/min.
Reload Timesec.
HE Shell127 mm HE Mk32 
Maximum HE Shell Damage1,800 
Initial HE Shell Velocity792 m./s.
Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell%
AA Defense
127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount10 х 2 pcs.
. . . Average Damage per Second151 
. . . Firing Range5.01 km.
40 mm/56 Bofors on a Mk.1 mount19 х 2 pcs.
. . . Average Damage per Second214.7 
. . . Firing Range3.51 km.
20 mm Oerlikon on a Mk.4 mount32 х 1 pcs.
. . . Average Damage per Second115.2 
. . . Firing Range2.01 km.
Maneuverability
Maximum Speed28.78 knot
Turning Circle Radius920 m.
Rudder Shift Time22.5 sec.
Concealment
Surface Detectability Range15.71 km.
Air Detectability Range11.4 km.
Battle Levels
12345678910
Wows_anno_flag_usa.png
IX
Ship_PASB018_Iowa_1944.png
15,500,000

Iowa — American Tier IX battleship.

In the late 1930s, the U.S. Navy returned to the idea of creating a battleship capable of supporting high-speed aircraft carriers and defending them against heavy cruisers and battlecruisers. The removal of international restrictions allowed for the development of a ship with robust protection and powerful armament. USS Iowa joined campaigns for the Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands, and Mariana and Palau Islands. She took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, supported assault landings on Guam and Leyte, and was present during the signing of Japan's Instrument of Surrender in Tokyo Bay. In 2012, Iowa was permanently berthed in San Pedro as a museum ship.

All four Iowa-class ships built are now preserved as military museum ships: USS Iowa in San Pedro, California; USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; USS Wisconsin in Norfolk, Virginia; and USS New Jersey in Camden, New Jersey.

Modules

Main Battery Guns 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
(Credits)
406 mm/50 Mk.7 in a turret2452725,7003613,500 01,350,000
Hull 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
(Credits)
Iowa (A)68,1001643931032/19/10 01,750,000
Iowa (B)79,0001643931032/19/10 60,0005,000,000
Fire Control System IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SUO_INCREASE_DIST
(%)
Maximum Firing Range
(km)
Research price
(exp)
Purchase price
(Credits)
Mk9 mod. 10 01,000,000
Mk9 mod. 20 24,0002,100,000
Engine Maximum Speed
(knot)
Research price
(exp)
Purchase price
(Credits)
Propulsion: 172,000 hp28.8 0550,000
Propulsion: 212,000 hp33 19,0001,300,000

Compatible Upgrades

 Slot 1 
Main Armaments Modification 1
Auxiliary Armaments Modification 1
Magazine Modification 1
Spotting Aircraft Modification 1
Damage Control Party Modification 1
 Slot 2 
Damage Control System Modification 1
Engine Room Protection
 Slot 3 
Main Battery Modification 2
Secondary Battery Modification 1
AA Guns Modification 1
Artillery Plotting Room Modification 1
 Slot 4 
Damage Control System Modification 2
Propulsion Modification 1
Steering Gears Modification 1
Airstrike Modification 1
 Slot 5 
Torpedo Lookout System
Concealment System Modification 1
Ship Consumables Modification 1
 Slot 6 
Main Battery Modification 3
Artillery Plotting Room Modification 2
Auxiliary Armaments Modification 2

Player Opinion

Performance

Warning. The data presented in the AA Defense sidebar section may be incorrect.
Refer to the in-game Port screens for more useful data.

The historical counterpart of the famed battleship Yamato, Tier IX's Iowa is the pinnacle of the various fast battleship designs the United States commissioned into service before and during World War II.

Veterans of North Carolina will be well-familiar with how Iowa plays, as both ships are laid out in an identical AB-X turret arrangement. The key differences are found in Iowa’s handling — she is faster, with a larger turning circle and slower rudder shift speed — slightly improved AA suite, and longer main battery rifles. Iowa’s barrels are 50 caliber (as opposed to North Carolina’s 45 caliber barrels) and the improvement in the velocity of her armor-piercing shells is notable. Her AP shells get on target faster, and new Iowa captains should allow a few games to learn how to adjust leading their shots accordingly. Additionally, she gains access to Artillery Plotting Room Modification 2 : -11% main battery dispersion., which provides a significant reduction to her dispersion.

Exposing her flat broadside to enemies is as inadvisable in Iowa as it is in most battleships. Even though her citadel is at the ship's third deck at roughly waterline height, the third deck plating can be overmatched by every battleship in her matchmaking spread. Consequently, Iowa can be dealt catastrophic damage by well-aimed AP shells. Careful positioning and good situational awareness are required at all times to ensure she isn't removed from the game in a single enemy salvo, and this vulnerability makes fighting at close ranges very tricky as her overall length is more of a liability than an asset.

Once mastered, however, Iowa’s capabilities are unmatched by just about any battleship in game. She combines speed, firepower, and survivability in a way that is unrivaled by any other ship in her tier and below. Her mobility allows her to get to where she is needed, her powerful super-heavy shells allow her to inflict significant damage on whatever she encounters there, and her armor allows her to tank punishment provided she doesn't expose her broadside or get blindsided by incoming torpedoes.

Pros:

  • Same gun range as her predecessor and can go up to 27km when fully upgraded, which is the highest range for a battleship at her tier.
  • Powerful hard hitting AP shells that make citadel hits on enemy ships painfully felt.
  • Better penetration and shell velocity compared to North Carolina due to the 50 caliber gun.
  • Able to mount Artillery Plotting Room Modification 2 : -11% main battery dispersion. to improve accuracy.
  • Armor is more durable than her predecessor North Carolina
  • Incredible anti-aircraft suite makes her highly resistant to aerial assault.
  • Improved torpedo defense system with a torpedo damage reduction of 27% (compared to North Carolina’s 19%).
  • Decent ship speed of 33 knots which makes her among the fastest battleships in the game..
  • Good firing angles, meaning that not much board side is needed to fire all guns on a target.

Cons:

  • Weaker broadside armor than standard battleships, but still stronger than North Carolina.
  • Bad rudder shift time (over 20 sec) until Hull (B).
  • Iowa's dispersion is poor at range without Artillery Plotting Room Modification 2 : -11% main battery dispersion..
  • Overall length combined with her turning circle takes some getting used to when trying to dodge torpedoes.
  • While at waterline level, the citadel is very long and the deck plating can be overmatched by every battleship and large cruisers in her matchmaking spread.
  • Very tall superstructure makes her easier to hit.
  • Weak secondary armament with a very low range compared to Tier IX counterparts Izumo, Friedrich der Große, and Alsace.

Research

The researchable upgrades are, in priority order:

  1. Hull: Upgrade to Hull (B) for an additional 10,900 hit points, an improvement to her mid- and short-range AA bubbles and for faster rudder shift. Research of Hull (B) unlocks progression to Montana. With Iowa's poor turning performance, consider using Free XP FXP to acquire the B Hull immediately.
  2. Propulsion: The propulsion upgrade bumps Iowa's speed from 29 knots to her historical maximum of 33 knots.
  3. Gun Fire Control System: Upgrade to Mk9 mod. 2 for an extra 10% range on the main battery.
Investing experience into Hull (B) is a top priority; it brings additional hit points and a large bump to Iowa’s anti-aircraft capabilities. The Propulsion module upgrade should come next, with the Fire Control System upgrade saved for last.

Optimal Configuration

There are two ways to build to Iowa's strengths: a mid-range, support or anchor build, and a closer-range brawling or flanker build.

The anchor build is more suited to a play style that holds the ship in open water at mid-range where accuracy is valued over quick reaction. For this build, the two Artillery Plotting Room upgrades are paired. APRM1 provides longer main battery range plus a not-insignificant buff to her secondary battery; APRM2 significantly improves her main battery dispersion, increasing her effectiveness at the longer range shots that this play style generates. This build is usually preferred for Random Battles.

The flanker build takes advantage of Iowa's speed to establish her on a flank, often using terrain, while knocking off enemies as they attempt to cap or push the flank, and later possibly pushing to turn the flank and set up crossfires. For this build, the Main Battery upgrades are paired — MBM2 to offset the penalty of MBM3, and MBM3 to significantly boost her damage-per-minute. The base dispersion is accepted as most targets will be at relatively close range. This build is most appropriate to PvE modes and specialized situations.

Other builds, such as Pure Tank, Secondary, or AA builds, are not recommended as they offer less value for the investment.

Upgrades

The recommended upgrades for Iowa are as follows:

Re: Slot 4, neither Propulsion Modification 1 Reduces time to full speed: -50% to time for reaching full power. / Increases engine power when the ship starts moving. nor Steering Gears Modification 1 : -20% rudder shift time. are bad choices. Iowa doesn't turn or accelerate particularly well. PM1 will help her reposition when it's time to get out of Dodge,[1] and SGM1 will help to dodge incoming, usually torpedoes. So this slot is essentially Captain's Choice.
Re: Slot 5, maximizing stealth is never a bad choice. However, battleships are not invisible, especially when they open fire with those awesome rifles. Consider Torpedo Lookout System to a base value of 1.8 km. instead to partially counter Iowa's sluggish turning.

Commander Skills

Consumables

Iowa can equip the following consumables:

Signals

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

Gallery

Historical Info

Historical Gallery

Video

References

  1. "get out of Dodge [City]" is an Americanism for the need to go somewhere else quickly.
  1. USS Iowa (BB-61) - Wikipedia
  2. Iowa-class battleship - Wikipedia
  3. Naval Legends: Iowa - News - World of Warships
  4. Naval Legends: USS Iowa - World of Warships Official Channel - YouTube

Ship Change Log

See here for links to Update notes.

  • Added to the game in Update 0.1.1 as a Tier IX Battleship.
  • Update 0.1.2:
    • The horizontal aiming angles of the guns of the second and third turrets of the main battery were reduced (due to visualization errors).
    • Reduced maneuverability.
  • Update 0.1.3.2:
    • Iowa was moved to Tier X.
  • Update 0.1.5:
    • Iowa was moved to Tier IX.
  • Update 0.3.1.5:
    • Depending on the hull configuration, the AA defense efficiency of medium calibers was reduced to 40%, and their short-range aura was reduced to 18%.
  • Update 0.5.2:
    • Increased rudder shift times:
      • On the stock hull by +2.34s.
      • On the researchable hulls by +3.25s.
    • Credits and experience earnings ratios were changed:
      • Experience +12%.
      • Credits +11%.
  • Update 0.5.3.2:
    • The Type 14 camouflage was renamed to Type 16.
  • Update 0.5.6:
  • AA defenses were significantly reinforced. The secondary guns were also improved. Firing accuracy of the main guns was enhanced. Now the guns will be more comfortable to fire. Moreover, the ship's maximum speed was increased.
  • Hull (A): All 2x 20mm Bofors Mk1 AA mounts were replaced with 4x 20mm Bofors Mk2 mounts. As a result, the average AA damage within the 3.5km AA engagement area radius increased by 65 points (158 -> 223 points).
  • Hull (B): All 2x 20mm Bofors Mk1 AA mounts were replaced with 4x 20mm Bofors Mk2 mounts. As a result, the average AA damage within the 3.5km AA engagement area radius increased by 83 points (203 -> 286 points).
  • Hull (C): All 4x 20mm Oerlikon Mk20 AA mounts were replaced with 1x 20mm Oerlikon Mk4 mounts, and all 2x 20mm Bofors Mk1 AA mounts were replaced with 4x 20mm Bofors Mk2 mounts. One 4x 20mm Bofors Mk2 AA mount was added on top of the third main turret. As a result, average AA damage within the 2km AA engagement area radius increased by 30 points (from 165 to 195 points), and average AA damage within the 3.5km AA engagement area radius increased by 80 points (from 222 to 302 points).
  • Firing range of her secondary guns was increased by 1km (5km -> 6km).
  • Traverse angles were extended for the second and third main turrets (previously the traverse angles had been limited by obstructing AA mounts).
  • Firing accuracy of her main guns was increased by adjusting the distribution of shell impact points within the dispersion ellipse.
  • For the 172,000 hp propulsion module, her maximum speed was increased by 2.2 knots (from 26.6 knots to 28.8 knots).
  • For the 212,000 hp propulsion module, her maximum speed was increased by 2.5 knots (from 30.5 knots to 33 knots).
  • Update 0.5.9:
    • The armored model of the hull was refined.
  • Update 0.6.0:
    • Fixed the bug where the AA mount on the main turret disappeared if the turret had been destroyed.
  • Update 0.6.5:
    • Barrel jacket color corrected from light to dark for higher historical accuracy.
    • Improved the appearance of Tier IX ships with the use of a special technology for drawing thin elements (mainly rigging).
  • Update 0.6.6:
    • The citadel was lowered: now the roof is almost at waterline level. The vacant place where the citadel was was filled with casemates, which increased their volume. Therefore, there was a slight redistribution of HP: part of the HP was moved evenly from fore and aft ends and superstructures to the central part of the ship's casemates.
  • Update 0.6.12 :
    • Detectability when firing main guns in smoke changed to 15.64 km.
    • Detection range of the Vought OS2U Kingfisher aircraft was increased from 4 km to 7 km in air, and to 8 km by sea.
  • Update 0.6.13:
    • The survivability of air defense weapons was tested and brought to a single standard. The change affects 40mm guns.
  • Update 0.7.6:
    • Minor fixes to ship textures and geometry.
  • Update 0.7.12:
    • The rudder shift time for hulls (A) and (B) was reduced from 25.6 to 22.5 s.
    • The rudder shift time for hull (C) was reduced from 19.5 to 17.1 s.
    • HP recovery rate for the Repair Party consumable was increased from 0.5 to 0.66 % HP per second.
  • Update 0.9.6:
    • The value of the in-game turning circle radius was changed to 920 m to correct prior discrepancy.
  • Update 0.10.0:
    • The firing range of the secondary battery was increased to 6.95 km.
  • Update 0.10.3:
    • Hulls A and B were removed, Hull C was renamed to B. A new stock Hull was created on the basis of Hull C with a modified air defense composition.
  • Update 0.11.7:
    • Minor fixes to the model and textures of the ship.
    • Fixed the geometry and textures of the Freedom Fighter permanent camouflage.
  • Update 0.11.11:
    • Fixed the geometry and textures of the Azur Lane: New Jersey permanent camouflage.
  • Update 12.10:
    • Added fixes to the textures and other visuals of the ship.

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Netherlands  
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