Karlsruhe

13.8

Cruiser | Germany | Tier IV

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IV

684,000

Karlsruhe — German Tier IV cruiser.

One of the most powerful light cruisers of World War I. The ship's artillery and torpedo armament was powerful for her size. She had a decent speed and was as good as similar ships of rival navies in terms of armor.

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 ()
150 mm/45 SK L/45 on an MPL C/14 mount	9.2	25.7	113	1,800	10	3,700		0	48,000

	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 ()
Karlsruhe (A)	19,700	6	100	8	2	2	2			0	90,000
Karlsruhe (B)	22,700	6	100	8	3	3	4			1,900	280,000

	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 ()
G7 (H8)	1.1	53	7.2	11,200	57	6		0	30,000

	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SUO_INCREASE_DIST (%)	Maximum Firing Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
FKS Typ 4 Mod. 1		0		0	56,000
FKS Typ 4 Mod. 2		0		1,200	175,000

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 45,000 hp	27.5		0	39,000

Compatible Upgrades

Slot 1
Slot 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.

When she was released in Update 0.5.0.3, Karlsruhe was unquestionably the worst Tier IV cruiser in the game. She's had quite a number of buffs in the intervening patches, and has been beefed up enough that she is now competitive within the tier ranges she sees. She also benefits — like all Tier IV ships — from restrictive matchmaking that caps the ships they see at Tier V.

Karlsruhe is an improvement on Kolberg in nearly every way that matters. She is a touch faster than her predecessor, gains a moderately decent torpedo armament, has more health, and moves from 105mm guns to 150mm ones. However, while her guns are capable of sufficient damage, they still lack range. Even when fully researched, Karlsruhe’s main battery range is firmly behind all other Tier IV cruisers in the tech tree save Russian Svietlana. She has decent enough armor protection to fend off most lighter enemy units that she encounters when angled, but must still be wary of showing her broadside to enemy battleships (at all ranges) and cruisers (at medium and close range). Captains must also make sure not to draw attention early in a match where Karlsruhe can be punished by opposing battleships while in open water with no cover.

Her AP is quite good — a defining trait of the German cruiser line that will become more pronounced as captains continue playing these ships — and her HE is sufficient for killing enemy destroyers. Karlsruhe is best played as a cruiser and destroyer hunter. She is the first German cruiser to gain access to Hydroacoustic Search , which has a much longer range than other nations' hydro. This allows her to actively hunt destroyers who might be camping in smoke while trying to evade detection. Her rudder shift and turning radius give her excellent maneuverability in close quarters or when dodging incoming torpedo salvos, another trait that underscores her destroyer-hunting abilities.

Karlsruhe has come a long way since she was released, and the current iteration has risen above much of the well-deserved hate she drew in her original incarnation. Captains who remember the ship with disgust are encouraged to try her again... they'll be surprised at how playable she's become.

Pros:

First German cruiser with torpedoes.
Solid armor for a Tier IV cruiser, will shrug off AP rounds from same tier & lower tier destroyers and cruisers.
Main battery shell damage is vastly improved over Kolberg.
If it gets close enough, a skilled captain can land repeated citadels on other same tier cruisers.
Access to Hydroacoustic Search

Cons:

Shorter range than most Tier IV cruisers.
Top speed is still fairly low for a cruiser (27.5 knots).
Torpedoes are ineffective at long range due to the small quantity of them.
While armor can deflect armor piercing shells when angled, high explosive shells will still do sufficient damage.

Research

Availability of researchable upgrades for Karlsruhe is as follows:

Hull: Upgrade to Hull (B) to add an additional torpedo launcher on each side, extra health, fractionally more AA, and improved rudder shift time. Research of this module unlocks progression to Konigsberg.
Torpedoes: The H8 torpedoes hit harder and travel faster and farther, but reload 11 seconds slower; Hull (B) must be equipped before they can be installed.
Gun Fire Control System: Upgrade to FKS Type 4 mod. 2 for an extra 10% range on the main battery.

Unlock Hull (B) first — the extra torpedoes are a huge upgrade to her firepower, then invest in the H8 torpedoes. Save the range upgrade for last; Karlsruhe’s shell ballistics make long-range shots very difficult to land consistently against anything but slow-moving battleships.

Optimal Configuration

Upgrades

The recommended upgrades for Karlsruhe are as follows:

Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1
Slot 2: Damage Control System Modification 1

Commander Skills

Key skills for Karlsruhe commanders include Priority Target, Expert Marksman, Demolition Expert, and Concealment Expert.

Recommended Commander Skills
Cost (points)	Attack				Defense
1	Grease the Gears +15% main battery traverse speed. ★★	Swift Fish +5% torpedo speed.	Consumables Specialist −7.5% cooldown time of all Consumables except: Damage Control Party  Repair Party .	Gun Feeder -40% time to switch shell type. ★	Incoming Fire Alert Receive a warning of a salvo fired at your ship from more than 4.5km. ★	Last Stand The ship remains able to move and maneuver - slowly - while the engine or steering gears are incapacitated.
2	Demolition Expert +1% chance of main and secondary HE shells causing a fire. +15% to the fragmentation damage area of HE ordnance fired at submarines. ★★	Fill the Tubes -10% torpedo tubes reload time.	Consumables Enhancements +10% action time of Hydroacoustic Search, Surveillance Radar, Smoke Generator, & Engine Boost.	Eye in the Sky Spotting Aircraft: • +2 charges • -50% cooldown time.	Priority Target The detection indicator will show the number of enemies targeting you with main battery. ★★★	Focus Fire Training In an active priority AA sector: • +1.5% (to 5%) immediate damage. • +25% continuous damage. • +1 flak burst per salvo. −10% aircraft preparation time. −15% reload time of Airstrike armament..
3	Heavy HE and SAP Shells +10% HE and SAP shell damage. +15% ship detectability guns 149mm and up. ★	Pack a Punch +15% torpedo damage. +20% secondary battery range..	Adrenaline Rush -0.2% reload time of all armaments per 1% HP lost +0.2% AA continuous damage per 1% HP lost. ★★★	Heavy AP Shells +5% damage for AP shells 190mm and larger.	Superintendent +1 charge to all consumables.	Survivability Expert +450 HP per ship tier.
4	Top Grade Gunner -10% reload time of secondary batteries If enemy ship is spotted within detectability range, -8% reload time of main battery.	Outnumbered If there are fewer allies than visible enemies within the ship's base main caliber firing range: +8% ship speed -10% main battery dispersion.	Radio Location Shows the direction to the nearest enemy ship. The enemy is alerted that a bearing has been taken.. ★	Inertial Fuse for HE Shells +25% armor penetration of HE shells Base fire chance reduced by half.	Concealment Expert -10% detectability range of the ship. ★★★	AAA & ASW Expert +25% continuous AA and flak damage. +15% damage inflicted by depth charges. While AAA is active: −50% ship consumables reload time..
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful ★★ - Frequently Useful ★ - Occasionally Useful No stars - Not Useful

Consumables

Karlsruhe can equip the following consumables:

Slot 1: Damage Control Party 
Slot 2: Hydroacoustic Search

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 0.5.0.1.
Introduced into the game as a researchable ship in Update 0.5.0.3.
Update 0.5.1:
- AP shells armor penetration was increased.
- Engine protection against high-explosive shells was increased by three times.
Update 0.5.2:
- Main battery reload time reduced from 8.57 s to 6.5 s.
- Firing angles of the front turrets were changed from 25 degrees to 70 degrees.
- Credits and experience earnings increased by +11%.
Update 0.5.6:

AA defenses were slightly improved, and two torpedo launchers were added to her top hull.
Hull (B) was replaced with a new one. The new hull has two additional broadside torpedo tube mounts (4 mounts in total for this hull) and an extra 88mm L/45 MPL C/13 AA mount.
Average AA damage within the 3km AA engagement area radius increased by 2 points (3 -> 5 points)
Main turret's armor was improved: 5mm was added to the lower part of the turret's shield - 1mm armament layer was removed from the back side.

- Citadel protection from damage by high-explosive shells and bombs was increased by 40%.
Update 0.5.8:
- The hull armored model was refined.
Update 0.6.3:
- Fixed the operation of the "Manual Fire Control for AA Armament" Skill.
- Experience earnings increased by +5%.
- Credit earnings increased by +10%.
Update 0.6.6:
- The penetration of HE shells was increased from 1/6 of the caliber to 1/4 of the caliber.
Update 0.6.8:
- For 88 mm secondary battery shells, the chance of setting fire was reduced from 7% to 4%, and the damage from 1100 to 1000.
Update 0.6.11:
- Fixed a bug that caused the main guns to pass through elements of the ship when in restricted firing angles.
Update 0.6.12:
- Detectability when firing main guns in smoke changed to 4.78 km.
- Improved appearance of the ship thanks to special technology for improved rendering of subtle elements (mainly rigging). This does not affect the performance of the game in any way.
Update 0.6.13:
- Fire extinguishing time now 30 s instead of 60 s.
Update 0.7.2:
- Improved ship destruction effects.
Update 0.7.10:
- The range of the Hydroacoustic Search consumable was unified - 5.5 km for detecting ships, 3.75 km for detecting torpedoes.
Update 0.9.2:
- HE shell armor penetration increased from 37 mm to 38 mm.
- Armor thickness was changed: the central section was reinforced from 13 mm to 16 mm.
Update 0.9.6:
- The H8 torpedo module was removed from the game. Improved torpedoes will now be installed alongside Hull (B).
Update 0.9.7:
- The Hydroacoustic Search consumable was added for installation on the base hull.
Update 0.10.0:
- The firing range of the secondary battery was increased to 4.8 km.
Update 0.10.9:
- Ship flag was changed to Kaiserliche Marine flag for historical reasons.

Ships of Germany

Destroyers	II V-25 • III G-101 • IV V-170 • V T-22 • VI Ernst Gaede • VI T-61 • VI Karl von Schönberg • VII Leberecht Maass • VII Z-31 • VII Z-39 • VII Z-32 • VII Z-33 • VII Z-34 • VII Z-38 • VIII Z-23 • VIII Gustav-Julius Maerker • VIII Z-35 • IX Z-46 • IX Felix Schultz • IX Z-44 • IX ZF-6 • X Z-52 • X Elbing • X Z-42 • X Georg Hoffmann • X Lübeck
Cruisers	I Hermelin • II Dresden • II Emden • III Kolberg • IV Karlsruhe • V Königsberg • VI Nürnberg • VI Admiral Graf Spee • VI Leipzig • VI HSF Admiral Graf Spee • VII Yorck • VII München • VII Weimar • VIII Admiral Hipper • VIII Prinz Eugen • VIII Mainz • VIII Schill • VIII Mainz B • VIII Cross of Dorn • VIII Wiesbaden • IX Roon • IX Siegfried • IX Ägir • IX Admiral Schröder • IX Roon CLR • IX AL Ägir • X Hindenburg • X Hildebrand • X [[Ship:[Hindenburg]\|[Hindenburg]]] • ★ Clausewitz
Battleships	III Nassau • III Von der Tann • III König Albert • IV Kaiser • IV Moltke • V König • V Derfflinger • VI Bayern • VI Mackensen • VI Prinz Eitel Friedrich • VII Gneisenau • VII Prinz Heinrich • VII Scharnhorst • VII AL Prinz Heinrich • VII Scharnhorst B • VII Scharnhorst '43 • VIII Tirpitz • VIII Bismarck • VIII Zieten • VIII Odin • VIII Brandenburg • VIII Anhalt • VIII Brandenburg B • VIII Tirpitz B • VIII BA Tirpitz • IX Friedrich der Grosse • IX Prinz Rupprecht • IX Pommern • IX Pommern B • IX Prinz Sigismund • X Grosser Kurfürst • X Schlieffen • X Preussen • X Mecklenburg • X [[Ship:[Grosser Kurfürst]\|[Grosser Kurfürst]]] • ★ Hannover
Aircraft Carriers	IV Rhein • VI Weser • VI Erich Loewenhardt • VIII August von Parseval • VIII [[Ship:Graf Zeppelin (< 23.01.2019)\|Graf Zeppelin (< 23.01.2019)]] • VIII Graf Zeppelin • VIII Graf Zeppelin B • X Manfred von Richthofen • X Werner Voss • X Max Immelmann • X Otto Lilienthal

Cruisers

Netherlands	I Van Kinsbergen • II Gelderland • III Java • IV De Ruyter • V Celebes • VI Kijkduin • VII Eendracht • VIII Haarlem • VIII De Zeven Provinciën • VIII Admiraal • VIII Statenland • IX Johan de Witt • IX Van Speijk • X Gouden Leeuw • X Prins van Oranje • X Vrijheid
U.S.A.	I Erie • II Chester • II Albany • III St. Louis • III Charleston • IV Phoenix • V Omaha • V Marblehead • V Marblehead Lima • V Rattlehead • VI [[Ship:Cleveland (< 31.05.2018)\|Cleveland (< 31.05.2018)]] • VI Pensacola • VI Dallas • VII Atlanta • VII [[Ship:Pensacola (< 31.05.2018)\|Pensacola (< 31.05.2018)]] • VII New Orleans • VII Helena • VII Indianapolis • VII Atlanta B • VII Boise • VII Flint • VIII [[Ship:New Orleans (< 31.05.2018)\|New Orleans (< 31.05.2018)]] • VIII Baltimore • VIII Cleveland • VIII Wichita • VIII Anchorage • VIII Congress • VIII Rochester • VIII San Diego • VIII AL Montpelier • IX [[Ship:Baltimore (< 31.05.2018)\|Baltimore (< 31.05.2018)]] • IX Buffalo • IX Seattle • IX Vallejo • IX Alaska • IX Tulsa • IX Alaska B • X Des Moines • X Worcester • X Puerto Rico • X Salem • X Austin • ★ Jacksonville • ★ Annapolis
Europe	I Gryf • VI Elli • X Svea
Germany	I Hermelin • II Dresden • II Emden • III Kolberg • IV Karlsruhe • V Königsberg • VI Nürnberg • VI Admiral Graf Spee • VI Leipzig • VI HSF Admiral Graf Spee • VII Yorck • VII München • VII Weimar • VIII Admiral Hipper • VIII Prinz Eugen • VIII Mainz • VIII Schill • VIII Mainz B • VIII Cross of Dorn • VIII Wiesbaden • IX Roon • IX Siegfried • IX Ägir • IX Admiral Schröder • IX Roon CLR • IX AL Ägir • X Hindenburg • X Hildebrand • X [[Ship:[Hindenburg]\|[Hindenburg]]] • ★ Clausewitz
U.S.S.R.	I Orlan • II Diana • II Diana Lima • II Novik • III Aurora • III Bogatyr • III Oleg • III Varyag • III AL Avrora • IV Svietlana • V Murmansk • V [[Ship:Kirov (< 10.06.2020)\|Kirov (< 10.06.2020)]] • V Kotovsky • V Krasny Krym • V Mikoyan • V Kirov • VI Budyonny • VI Molotov • VI Admiral Makarov • VII Shchors • VII Lazo • VII Lazo B • VIII Chapayev • VIII Tallinn • VIII Mikhail Kutuzov • VIII Ochakov • VIII Pyotr Bagration • VIII Bagration • VIII Dmitry Pozharsky • IX Dmitri Donskoi • IX Riga • IX Kronshtadt • IX Kozma Minin • X Moskva • X Alexander Nevsky • X Petropavlovsk • X Stalingrad • X Smolensk B • X Smolensk • X Sevastopol • X Komissar • X [[Ship:[Moskva]\|[Moskva]]] • X Vladimir Monomakh • X Petrozavodsk • ★ Novosibirsk
Italy	I Eritrea • II Nino Bixio • III Taranto • IV Alberto di Giussano • V Raimondo Montecuccoli • V Genova • VI Trento • VI Duca d'Aosta • VII Zara • VII Duca degli Abruzzi • VII Francesco Ferruccio • VII Gorizia • VIII Amalfi • IX Brindisi • IX Michelangelo • X Venezia • X Napoli • X Napoli B • X Ravenna • ★ Piemonte
Pan-America	I Hércules • II Almirante Barroso • II Almirante Abreu • III Vicente Guerrero • IV Córdoba • V La Argentina • VI Almirante Cochrane • VII Coronel Bolognesi • VII Nueve de Julio • VIII Ignacio Allende • VIII Almirante Grau • IX Santander • X San Martín
Japan	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]]]
U.K.	I Black Swan • II Weymouth • III Caledon • IV Danae • V Emerald • V Hawkins • V Exeter • VI Leander • VI Devonshire • VI London • VI Dido • VI Orion '44 • VII Fiji • VII Surrey • VII Belfast • VIII Edinburgh • VIII Albemarle • VIII Cheshire • VIII Tiger '59 • VIII Belfast '43 • VIII Hampshire • VIII Nottingham • VIII AL Cheshire • VIII STAR Edinburgh • IX Neptune • IX Drake • X Monmouth • X Minotaur • X Goliath • X Plymouth • X Gibraltar • X Defence • ★ Edgar
France	I Bougainville • II Jurien de la Gravière • III Friant • IV Duguay-Trouin • V Émile Bertin • VI La Galissonnière • VI De Grasse • VI Dupleix • VI Montcalm • VI [[Ship:[La Galissonnière]\|[La Galissonnière]]] • VII Algérie • VII Toulon • VIII Charles Martel • VIII Cherbourg • VIII Bayard • IX Saint-Louis • IX Brest • IX Carnot • X Henri IV • X Marseille • X Colbert • X Brennus • ★ Condé
Pan-Asia	I Chengan • III Ning Hai • V Chungking • VI Rahmat • VI Huanghe • VII Chumphon • VIII Harbin • VIII Irian • VIII Wukong • IX Sejong • IX Dalian • IX Mengchong • IX Tianjin • X Jinan • X Incheon
Spain	I Júpiter • II Méndez Núñez • III Navarra • IV Almirante Cervera • V Galicia • VI Baleares • VI Canarias • VII Asturias • VIII Cataluña • VIII Numancia • IX Andalucía • IX Almirante Oquendo • X Castilla
Commonwealth	I Sutlej • II Port Jackson • III Caradoc • IV Dunedin • V Delhi • VI Hobart • VI Perth • VI Mysore • VII Uganda • VIII Auckland • IX Encounter • IX Hector • X Cerberus • X Brisbane

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