Leander

13.8

Leander

Cruiser | U.K. | Tier VI

Tech Tree Position

stock

 top

General

Research price33000 exp

Purchase price3,040,000

Hit Points24,500

Main Battery

152 mm/50 BL Mk.XXIII on a Mk.XXI mount4 х 2 pcs.

Rate of Fire6.67 shots/min.

Reload Time9 sec.

Rotation Speed7 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time25.71 sec.

Firing Range11.97 km.

Maximum Dispersion123 m.

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell0 %

AP Shell152 mm AP 6crh Mk IV

Maximum AP Shell Damage3,100

Initial AP Shell Velocity841 m./s.

AP Shell Weight50.8 kg.

Secondary Armament #1

102 mm/45 QF Mk.XVI on a Mk.XIX mount4 х 2 pcs.

Firing Range4.96 km.

Rate of Fire20 shots/min.

Reload Time3 sec.

HE Shell102 mm HE 35 lb

Maximum HE Shell Damage1,500

Initial HE Shell Velocity811 m./s.

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell6 %

Torpedo Tubes

533 mm QR Mk IV2 х 4 pcs.

Rate of Fire0.59 shots/min.

Reload Time101 sec.

Rotation Speed25 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time7.2 sec.

Torpedo533 mm Mk VII

Maximum Damage15,733

Torpedo Speed59 knot

Torpedo Range7.02 km.

AA Defense

102 mm/45 QF Mk.XVI on a Mk.XIX mount4 х 2 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second37.6

. . . Firing Range5.01 km.

20 mm Oerlikon Mk.I on a Mk.IIA mount5 х 1 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second18

. . . Firing Range2.01 km.

12.7 mm Mk.III2 х 4 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second4.2

. . . Firing Range1.2 km.

40 mm/39 Vickers QF Mk.VIII on a Mk.VI mount2 х 8 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second39.6

. . . Firing Range2.49 km.

Maneuverability

Maximum Speed32.5 knot

Turning Circle Radius710 m.

Rudder Shift Time11 sec.

Concealment

Surface Detectability Range9.96 km.

Air Detectability Range6.44 km.

Battle Levels

12345678910

13.8

Leander

Cruiser | U.K. | Tier VI

Tech Tree Position

stock

 top

General

Research price33000 exp

Purchase price3,040,000

Hit Points28,700

Main Battery

152 mm/50 BL Mk.XXIII on a Mk.XXI mount4 х 2 pcs.

Rate of Fire6.67 shots/min.

Reload Time9 sec.

Rotation Speed7 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time25.71 sec.

Firing Range13.17 km.

Maximum Dispersion123 m.

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell0 %

AP Shell152 mm AP 6crh Mk IV

Maximum AP Shell Damage3,100

Initial AP Shell Velocity841 m./s.

AP Shell Weight50.8 kg.

Secondary Armament #1

102 mm/45 QF Mk.XVI on a Mk.XIX mount4 х 2 pcs.

Firing Range4.96 km.

Rate of Fire20 shots/min.

Reload Time3 sec.

HE Shell102 mm HE 35 lb

Maximum HE Shell Damage1,500

Initial HE Shell Velocity811 m./s.

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell6 %

Torpedo Tubes

533 mm QR Mk IV2 х 4 pcs.

Rate of Fire0.59 shots/min.

Reload Time101 sec.

Rotation Speed25 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time7.2 sec.

Torpedo533 mm Mk IX

Maximum Damage15,433

Torpedo Speed61 knot

Torpedo Range8.01 km.

AA Defense

102 mm/45 QF Mk.XVI on a Mk.XIX mount4 х 2 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second37.6

. . . Firing Range5.01 km.

20 mm Oerlikon Mk.I on a Mk.IIA mount5 х 1 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second18

. . . Firing Range2.01 km.

20 mm Oerlikon Mk.II on a Mk.V mount4 х 2 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second24.4

. . . Firing Range2.01 km.

40 mm/56 OQF Mk.1/2 on an RP Mk.II mount2 х 4 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second31.8

. . . Firing Range3.51 km.

Maneuverability

Maximum Speed32.5 knot

Turning Circle Radius710 m.

Rudder Shift Time7.8 sec.

Concealment

Surface Detectability Range9.96 km.

Air Detectability Range6.44 km.

Battle Levels

12345678910

VI

3,040,000

Leander — British Tier VI cruiser.

A new generation light cruiser designed to serve as a scout both within a squadron and independently. In contrast to her predecessors, the ship's main advantage was that her main guns were placed in gun turrets. The ship also had stronger AA defenses and better armor protection.

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 ()
152 mm/50 BL Mk.XXIII on a Mk.XXI mount	6.7	25.7	123			3,100		0	200,000

	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 ()
Leander (A)	24,500	10	100	4	4	2/5/2/4	2			0	370,000
Leander (B)	28,700	10	100	4	4	5/4	2			12,000	780,000

	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 ()
533 mm Mk VII	0.6	101	7.2	15,733	59	7		0	400,000
533 mm Mk IX	0.6	101	7.2	15,433	61	8		4,000	500,000

	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SUO_INCREASE_DIST (%)	Maximum Firing Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Mk VI mod. 1		0		0	200,000
Mk VI mod. 2		0		6,000	520,000

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 72,000 hp	32.5		0	200,000

Compatible Upgrades

Slot 1
Slot 2
Slot 3
Slot 4

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 Ship

Tier VI Leander marks a change in the design of the Royal Navy light cruisers, moving from single mounted guns to multiple gun turrets mounted fore and aft. Despite being a more comfortable experience than her predecessor, she retains a relatively short main battery range.

Leander mounts a standard cruiser Damage Control Party , with a 5 second active time and a 60 second cool down period between uses. She also mounts the standard Hydroacoustic Search  and Repair Party  consumables of a British cruiser. The Repair Party heals up to 14% of damage received, with 10% of citadel damage being recoverable over a 28 second action time. With 3 uses as standard, she can heal up to 4,018 hit points per use. The Hydroacoustic Search is active for 100 seconds and will detect ships at 4 km range and torpedoes at 3 km. In her third slot she can mount a choice of three options: Smoke Generator , Catapult Fighter  or Spotting Aircraft . Her Smoke Generator creates a series of smoke clouds which take 96 seconds to disperse. This has 3 charges as standard with a 160 second cool down. The Spotting Aircraft has 4 charges and will provide a 20% increase in her main battery range for a period of 100 seconds. Finally, her Fighter Aircraft will launch a pair of fighters which will patrol for 60 seconds.

Leander is one of the slower cruisers at Tier VI, a top speed of 32.5 knots means she has sufficient mobility to move about the battlefield, but she is at risk of being run down by faster opponents. A 7.8 second rudder shift time means she is one of the quicker turning cruisers at her tier, aided by her superior energy retention whilst turning, although a 710 meter turning circle means she cannot fully benefit from this fact.

The improved engine acceleration and energy retention can be a double edged sword, Leander accelerates to her top speed quicker than other ships and holds her speed whilst maneuvering better than her peers. However, the energy retention also means she is slow to decelerate and an unwary player can easily find themself exposed to enemy fire rather than safely stopped behind cover. The improved acceleration also means players should take care whilst moving in their smoke screens or behind islands, as Leander can easily find herself slipping out of cover.

Armor and Survivability

Leander is rather lightly armored, her 13mm bow and stern plating can bounce light cruiser guns, but can be overmatched by heavy cruiser AP rounds. It will also be vulnerable to any HE rounds fired at her. This thin plating covers most of Leander, only a small area around the citadel gains a slightly thicker 16mm section. She has a fairly short citadel, stretching from just forward of the funnel to her rear superstructure. Approximately half of her citadel sits close to the waterline, although there is a raised section beneath the funnel. With an armor thickness of 100mm, showing broadside or turning at the wrong time can easily result in receiving serious amounts of damage.

Armament

Leander mounts a main battery of eight 152 mm guns in four twin turrets, equally located fore and aft. This means that she is able to bring more firepower to bear in any direction than Emerald, as well as reducing the need to expose broadside to enemy ships. She also mounts two quadruple torpedo tubes, one on each broadside. Whilst these weapons can provide a heavy punch, they should not be thought of as primary weapons.

Leander’s main battery continues the trend of the British line, with only short fuse AP round available. This means that her impact against heavily armored targets can often be limited. Additionally, she has a relatively low DPM output when compared to her counterparts. To somewhat counteract this drawback, the shells have improved ricochet angles and a shorter fuse timer and arming threshold. When shooting at enemy destroyers this means that players can expect less overpenetration results and less ricochets.

When compared to her predecessor, Leander has a smaller torpedo armament which limits her ability to land a knockout punch to other ships. Her upgraded torpedoes have an 8km range, players will not be able to launch her torpedoes undetected without island cover or smoke. The torpedoes should not be considered as primary weapons, but they can be used to dissuade battleships or cruisers from pushing into a smokescreen. The ability to single launch her torpedoes can be a potentially powerful ability, as players can aim at nose in ships or through narrow gaps between islands.

Anti-Air

Leander’s anti-aircraft defenses are typical of a Tier VI cruiser; they can bring down some attacking aircraft but they will not prevent a determined strike. Her flak reaches out to 5.8km and creates 2 clouds per salvo. Most of her AA DPS is focused in her short range batteries, meaning that by the time she is able to cause the most damage, enemy aircraft will already be within range to strike her.

Anti-Submarine

Leander drops a small salvo of depth charges from her stern. Although she will only drop 2 depth charges at a time, they cause high damage with a high flood chance of 42% and a good fire chance of 20%. Although she is not ideally suited to submarine hunting, her Hydroacoustic Search consumable means she is able to detect submarines if needed.

Battle Performance

Leander works best at short to medium range where she can bring her guns to bear on enemy destroyers and support friendly ships. Care must be taken not to overextend though, as she lacks the armor to survive serious fire and she is not fast enough to escape from enemy forces. Her Hydroacoustic Search can aid when hunting destroyers, either in pushing into a smokescreen or to help detect torpedoes.

If friendly spotting is available, then Leander can use her Smoke Generator to create cover for sustained firing. Players should bear in mind that LEANDER takes a long time to slow down, and this can leave her vulnerable if not already in a smoke screen. The combination of Hydroacoustic Search and improved acceleration means that players should be able to safely avoid any torpedoes fired at her smoke clouds.

If forced to fight armored ships, Leander should concentrate on flanking her opponent and supporting friendly ships. Without HE rounds and the ability to start fires, players will struggle to cause meaningful damage to battleships without approaching within torpedo range. Fighting from open water is a tricky proposition, due to her short gun range and thin armor. Smoke and island cover, as well as support, will usually be needed in order to stay alive.

Pros:

• Low detection radius.
• Rapid gun reload.
• Powerful torpedos with decent range, speed, and damage.
• AP rounds are effective against against destroyers and cruisers.
• Has access to Smoke Generator .
• Has access to the Repair Party .
• Decent rudder shift time to dodge shells.

Cons:

• Short main battery range.
• Thin armor everywhere, cannot tank damage with armor from any angle.
• Lack of high explosive shells makes damaging enemy capital ships very challenging.
• Leander has a very low alpha-strike damage potential.
• Heavily relies on Smoke Generator  and distracted enemy ships to farm damage.

Research

Availability of researchable upgrades for Leander is as follows:

• Hull: Upgrade to Hull (B) for additional health, a small increase in AA, and improved rudder shift time. Research of this module unlocks progression to Fiji.
• Torpedoes: The 533 mm Mk IX torpedoes reload faster, travel farther, move faster, have a higher flood chance, and hit nearly as hard as the stock 533 mm Mk VII torpedoes.
• Gun Fire Control System: Upgrade to Mk VI mod. 2 for an extra 10% range on the main battery.

Given the paltry stock range of her main battery, the Fire Control System upgrade should be the first place experience gains are invested. After that, grab Hull (B) and the Torpedo upgrade (in that order).

Optimal Configuration

Upgrades

The recommended upgrades for Leander are as follows:

• Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1
• Slot 2: Engine Room Protection
• Slot 3: Main Battery Modification 2
• Slot 4: Steering Gears Modification 1

Commander Skills

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

Leander can equip the following consumables:

• Slot 1: Damage Control Party 
• Slot 2: Repair Party  – 3 charges
• Slot 3: Hydroacoustic Search  – 3 charges
• Slot 4: Smoke Generator  – 3 charges or Spotting Aircraft  – 4 charges or Catapult Fighter  – 3 charges

Leander is comparatively lightly armored for a Tier VI cruiser — especially compared to her contemporaries Budyonny and Dallas — and will need to make good use use of the Repair Party  and Smoke Generator  consumables. Catapult Fighter  is not recommended due to the little protection it provides and Spotting Aircraft  would provide only a small bonus to her already meager range.

Signals

Again, due to Leander’s weak armor scheme, captains are encouraged to mount the following signals for better survivability: India Delta () and November Foxtrot ().

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

• 

  Leander prepares to enter battle.

• 

  Leander fires upon the enemy in the safety of smoke.

• 

  An enemy Yorck is penetrated by a Leander armor piercing shell while engaging in evasive maneuvers.

• 

  An enemy Bismarck class battleship shrugs off the Leander's salvo.

• 

  The returning salvo by the Tirpitz easily penetrates Leander armor.

• 

  Leander takes a battleship salvo to the bow.

• 

  Leander closes in with an enemy Bayern class battleship, desperately firing torpedoes and secondaries.

Historical Info

HMS Leander, 1933

Construction

Builder: Devonport Dockyard; Plymouth,
   England, United Kingdom

Laid down: 8 September 1930

Launched: 24 September 1931

Commissioned: 24 March 1933

---

Specifications

7,270 tons displacement, standard

9,280 tons displacement, full load

169m length

16.76m beam

5.79m draft

---

Machinery

Six (6) Admiralty three-drum boilers

Four (4) Parsons steam turbines

---

Performance

32.5 knots at 72,000 shaft horsepower

5,730nm at 13 knots

---

Armor

Main belt: 76.2mm (+25mm backing plate)

Magazine Box: 88.9- 25.4mm

Decks: 25.4mm, 31.75mm over machinery space

Bulkheads : 38.1mm

Turrets: 25.4mm

---

Armament

Main

Eight (4x2) 152mm BL Mk.XXXIII guns

Secondary

Four (4x1) 102mm QF Mk.V guns

Anti-Aircraft

Twelve (3x4) 12.7mm MG Mk.III guns

Torpedoes

Eight (2x4) 533mm torpedo tubes

Aircraft

One E-II-H Catapult

Two Aircraft (Fairey Seal, Fairey III, Hawker Osprey)

HMS Leander in Gatun Lake, Panama Canal, July 1937.

History

Design

In January 1929, design work began on new light cruisers for the Royal Navy, the previous Emerald class being 3 years old by that time. The preliminary designs included aspects such as single mount 6-inch (152mm) guns, single mount 5.5-inch (140mm) guns, 6-inch guns in two-gun turrets, a catapult, and a single large funnel amidships. These preliminary designs displaced around 6,000 tons, however the design that was entered into the 1929 building program (called the Type "O" cruiser) displaced 6,500 tons, using many aspects that would become part of the Leander class.

The armament of the Leander class consisted of Eight new 6-inch /50 caliber Mk. XXIII guns, mounted in four two-gun turrets, in 'A', 'B', 'X' and 'Y' positions. An experimental twin turret was installed upon the Emerald-class cruiser Enterprise, which proved to be very successful, and influenced the design of the Mk.XXI turret used on Leander. The secondary armament as built consisted of four single 4-inch (102mm) QF Mk.V guns, capable of dual purpose work. However, like most Royal Navy cruisers of this generation, these were subsequently replaced before the second world war by the more effective Mk.XIX twin mounting using the 4-inch QF Mk.XVI guns. However, Achilles never received the new mounts until 1943. Though some preliminary designs had used two triple torpedo tubes per side, the Leanders used two quadruple torpedo tubes per side instead. An aircraft catapult was also mounted amidships behind the single funnel.

The original anti-aircraft armament was the 4-inch secondary guns, and 3 quadruple mount 12.7mm (0.5-inch) Vickers Machine gun mounts, however during World War 2, the anti-aircraft suite was upgraded substantially, with the addition of quadruple 40mm 'pompom' mounts and single 20mm 'Oerlikon' mounts. Later on, quadruple 40mm 'Bofors' were fitted to Ajax and Leander, and twin 20mm 'Oerlikon' mounts were used. The aircraft catapult was also removed when allowed to make space for extra guns. On Leander and Achilles, the 'X' turret was removed late in the war for more guns.

The armor of the ships was a 3-inch 76mm belt protecting the machinery, with the magazines being protected a box with a maximum thickness of 3.5-inches (89mm). The turrets used 25mm armor all over, as did the deck, except for above the machinery, where it was 31mm. The ships appearance took a lot from the contemporary heavy cruisers, such as the York-class and cancelled Surrey sub-class of the County-class.

Maximum speed was rated for 32.5 knots, using six Admiralty three-drum boilers, at a shaft horsepower of 72,000. The machinery was successful and sound, with Achilles recording up to 82,000 shaft horsepower during the Battle of the River Plate. However, since the boilers were all grouped into a single funnel, the ships machinery could potentially be disabled by damage amidships.

Although original plans called for up to sixteen of these cruisers, this was reduced to eight, of which only five were built of the Leander sub-class. A further three were constructed of the Amphion sub-class, in which the machinery was spaced out more, allowing for two funnels instead of one. All eight ships were laid down and completed between 1930 and 1936.

Service

HMS Leander (75) was commissioned in 1933 and served with the Home Fleet. In 1937, she replaced the Danae class cruiser, Dunedin in the New Zealand division of the Royal Navy. Serving as a shipping escort in the Indian Ocean after the beginning of World War II, HMNZS Leander sank the Italian raider Ramb I off India in 1941 as well as two blockade runners. Leander was assigned to assist in operations in the Persian Gulf during the Iraqi rebellion but took no action. Joining the fleet in the Mediterranean in mid-1941, Leander was engaged in patrols off Syria and fought a small action with the Vichy French destroyers Guépard and Valmy in June of that year.

Leander returned to New Zealand in late 1941, then joined the ANZAC command in 1942 for operations in the Solomon Islands. Leander participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign as a convoy escort until 1943, when she joined USN CruDiv (Cruiser Division) 9. In July 1943, Leander was part of the task force which participated in the Battle of Kolombangara, where she was torpedoed and sustained heavy damage. Made fully seaworthy in late 1943, Leander sailed for Boston for full repairs, where she remained until complete just weeks after the Japanese surrender negotiations. Leander returned to the UK, and was returned to the Royal Navy, where she was involved in the Corfu Channel incident. She was paid off and sold for scrapping in 1949.

HMS Orion (85), commissioned in 1934, also served with the Home Fleet until 1937, when she was transferred to the Americas. After the beginning of World War II, she conducted patrol and convoy duties until 1940, when she was reassigned to the Mediterranean. Orion participated in engagements with the Italian fleet, shore bombardment of Italian positions, and convoy escort duties from 1940 to 1941, where she was active in the Battle of Calabria, the Battle of the Strait of Otranto, and the Battle of Cape Matapan. Orion also participated in convoy duties to Greece and Crete both assisting in the transport of army troops to the region, their subsequent evacuation, and engaging Axis forces in the area. Damaged by air attack during the Battle of Crete, Orion was withdrawn to South Africa, then on to California, and finally back to the UK for repairs until early 1942.

Rejoining the fleet in the Mediterranean in mid-1943, Orion helped to cover the invasions of Sicily, Salerno, and Anzio before returning to the UK in preparation for joining the Normandy invasion force in early 1944. Orion provided naval gunfire support in Normandy, and was then returned to the Mediterranean to assist in the invasion of southern France. Returning once again to the Aegean Sea, Orion supported Allied operations there before once again assisting land operations in the Mediterranean, this time off the northwest Italian coast. After the war, Orion was involved in the Corfu Channel incident, and assigned as a target ship before being paid off and sold for scrapping in 1949. She earned 13 battle honours during her service, joint second most for an individual ship in the Royal Navy, behind only the battleship Warspite.

HMS Neptune (20), like Leander, Orion, and Achilles, also served with the Home Fleet until 1937, when she joined the Africa Squadron and participated in operations in the South Atlantic at the beginning of World War II, Neptune took two German merchants in 1939, and participated in the pursuit of Admiral Graf Spee. Like Orion, Neptune was assigned in 1940 to the Mediterranean, engaging in shore bombardment missions as well as a sortie into Greek waters after the Italian declaration of war on that nation. She took part in the Battle of Calabria, being hit once, but striking the Italian heavy cruiser Bolzano three times in return.

Neptune was then reassigned to the Atlantic to counter the increased presence of German raiders, joining in the search for Admiral Scheer and the Bismarck group, and sinking one of Bismarck’s supply vessels. Returned again to the Mediterranean in 1941, Neptune operated out of Malta searching for Italian merchants on the supply routes to North Africa, as part of Force K. In mid-December 1941, Neptune was leading Force K and struck two mines damaging her. Although attempts were made to rescue her, the commander of Neptune ordered other ships to keep away, mindful that 2 other cruisers and a destroyer which was later scuttled were damaged by the mines. Striking a third mine destroyed her propellers, and a fourth mine finally sunk her. Of her crew of over 700, only one survived to be rescued by an Italian torpedo boat.

HMS Ajax (22) was sent to the Americas upon completion in 1935, and remained there through the beginning of World War II. Patrolling off the South American coast, Ajax managed to take three German merchants before joining Force G in the search for the German raider Admiral Graf Spee which was finally run down off Argentina. In the resulting Battle of the River Plate, Ajax was moderately damaged, with 'X' and 'Y' turrets out of action, but came out the victor when Admiral Graf Spee was scuttled 4 days later on the 17th December 1939. Ajax returned to the UK for repairs, joining the fleet in the Mediterranean in mid-1940. There she escorted convoys, and was a major part of the Battle of Cape Passero, a close range night battle where she sunk the Spica class torpedo boats Ariel and Airone and damaged the Soldati class destroyers Aviere and Artigliere, though she sustained superstructure damage and casualties too. Ajax also participated in the Battle of the Strait of Otranto, and the Battle of Cape Matapan in 1941. When not savaging Axis warships or bombarding land targets, Ajax was engaged in convoy escort duties to Malta, the evacuation of Crete where she was damaged by air attack, and supporting Allied operations in Vichy Syria. She remained in the Mediterranean until mid-1942 when she was withdrawn to the UK for refit.

Returning to the Mediterranean again in January 1943, Ajax was again damaged by air attack, being hit by a single 1,000-lb bomb, and was withdrawn for repairs, this time to New York City, where she remained until late in the year. She returned once again to the Mediterranean, but only briefly, before being withdrawn in preparation for the Normandy invasion for which she provided naval gunfire support. Returning yet again to the Mediterranean in August 1944, Ajax supported Operation Dragoon and later Allied operations in Greece before the end of a remarkable war career. Ajax was placed on inactive status shortly after the end of the war, then sold for scrapping in 1949.

HMS Achilles was commissioned in 1933 and, like most of her sister ships, served in the Home Fleet for several years. In 1936, she was transferred to the New Zealand Division, replacing the Danae-class Diomede. After the beginning of World War II in 1939, Achilles began operations in the South Atlantic and was attached to Force G. Participating in the Battle of the River Plate alongside her sister Ajax, Achilles sustained relatively minor damage in the first major Royal Navy victory of the war. Returning to New Zealand for convoy escort duty, Achilles formed part of the force providing cover for the influx of supplies and troops to New Zealand and Australia until 1942 when she joined the ANZAC squadron.

Achilles (70) participated in operations in the South Pacific and Solomon Islands until 1943 when she was damaged by air attack necessitating a return to the UK for repairs, as a bomb had hit her 'X' turret. Leaving the UK in mid-1944, having traded her 'X' turret in for extra anti-aircraft armament, Achilles joined the Eastern Fleet, until 1945. She then joined the British Pacific Fleet, accompanying the aircraft carriers as they conducted raids to suppress bypassed Japanese garrisons in the Central Pacific as well as the Home Islands of Japan. Achilles was returned to the Royal Navy in 1946, and in 1947, she was sold to India, becoming INS Delhi. She was finally scrapped in 1978.

Historical Inaccuracies

• In game, Leander’s main belt armor is 100mm thick, while historically it was 76.2mm (3 inches) thick, with 25mm (1 inch) of backing plate, which have been combined to give the in game value of 100mm.
• Hull (A) has a fictional anti-aircraft armament, no Leander-class ship ever carried the octuple 40mm 'pompom' mount, and although Leander did carry 2x4 12.7mm and 5x1 20mm 'Oerlikons'; the latter guns were fitted after the 12.7mm were removed from the ship.
• The anti-aircraft armament for Hull (B) is accurate for sister ship HMS Ajax between late 1943 and 1944, however, the aircraft catapult was removed in 1942, and therefore shouldn't be present.
• 38mm bulkhead armor isn't observable, and may not be present.
• The permanent premium camouflage is actually the historical camouflage of HMS Ajax. It was painted in October 1943 and remained in place until 1944. The colours on this camouflage pattern in game however, appear to be inaccurate.
• Although Leander uses the same 152mm Mk.XXVIII guns as Belfast, Fiji, Edinburgh and Perth, Leander — like other tech tree Royal Navy light cruisers in game — only gets access to armor-piercing (AP) shells. Historically, ships using the Mk.XXVIII gun were outfitted with both AP/CPBC (Common Pointed Ballistic Cap) and HE shells.

Historical Gallery

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  HMS Leander in Melbourne for Australia's Sesquicentenary, February 1938.

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  HMNZS Leander underway.

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  Catapult-launched Supermarine Walrus from HMNZS Leander, circa 1938, used as a fleet spotter.

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  Leander passing through the Panama Canal.

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  Leander in Gatun Lake, Panama Canal, July 1937.

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  HMNZS Leander and USS Chicago at Fiji, 1942.

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  Crest of HMNZS Leander.

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References

• HMNZS Leander - Wikipedia
• Leander-class cruiser (1931) - Wikipedia
• 1:42 Scale: HMS Ajax - World of Warships - YouTube

Ship Change Log

See here for links to Update notes.

• Available to supertesters in the game starting from Update 0.5.11.
• Introduced into the game as a researchable ship in Update 0.5.13.
• Update 0.5.16:
  • Fixed a bug with different operating times for the base and premium versions of the Spotting Aircraft consumable.
• Update 0.6.12:
  • Detectability when firing main guns in smoke changed to 4.6 km.
• Update 0.6.13:
  • Fire extinguishing time now 30 s instead of 60 s.
  • The Smoke Generator active time was increased from 7 to 15 s.
  • Improved display of thin elements.
• Update 0.6.15:
  • A bonus was added to the permanent camouflages "Type 16", "Type 12": a 10% discount to the cost of post-battle service.
• Update 0.7.5:
  • Models and textures were slightly improved.
• Update 0.7.7:
  • The range of the MK VII torpedo was increased from 6 to 7 km.
• Update 0.7.10:
  • The range of the Hydroacoustic Search consumable was unified - 4 km for detecting ships, 3 km for detecting torpedoes.
• Update 0.8.5:
  • Credit earnings decreased by -5%.
• Update 0.9.2:
  • Updated hull geometry.
• Update 0.9.6:
  • The value of the in-game turning circle radius was changed to 710 m to correct prior discrepancy.
• Update 0.10.4:
  • The time for the dissipation of smoke for the Smoke Generator consumable was reduced from 99 to 96 s.
  • Main battery reload time increased from 7.5 to 7.7 s.
• Update 0.10.6:
  • Main battery reload time increased from 7.7 to 8 s.
• Update 0.10.8:
  • Fixed issues with the ship model and textures.
• Update 0.10.10:
  • Alternate color scheme for the Ajax 1940 camouflage is available again.
  • Minor change to the secondary battery firing range (unlisted change).
• Update 0.11.1:
  • The colors of icons for the color schemes of the permanent camouflage were fixed.
• Update 0.11.7:
  • Minor fixes to the model and textures of the ship.
• Updated 0.11.8
  • Main battery reload time increased from 8 to 8.5 s.
  • Researchable torpedo tube reload time increased from 96 to 101 s.
  • Standard torpedo tube reload time reduced from 106 to 101 s.
• Update 12.5:
  • Main battery reload time increased from 8.5 to 9 seconds.
• Update 13.1:
  • The Pride of the CouRageous permanent camouflage was added.
• Update 13.2:
  • Fixed textures for the Pride of the CouRageous permanent camouflage.

Ships of U.K.

Cruisers