Minekaze

13.9

Minekaze

Destroyer | Japan | Tier V

Tech Tree Position

stock

 top

General

Research price11500 exp

Purchase price1,380,000

Hit Points9,600

Main Battery

120 mm/45 3rd Year Type on a Model G mount4 х 1 pcs.

Rate of Fire5.5 shots/min.

Reload Time10.9 sec.

Rotation Speed6 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time30 sec.

Firing Range8.11 km.

Maximum Dispersion81 m.

HE Shell120 mm HE Type1

Maximum HE Shell Damage1,700

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell7 %

Initial HE Shell Velocity825 m./s.

HE Shell Weight20.3 kg.

AP Shell120 mm AP Type0

Maximum AP Shell Damage2,000

Initial AP Shell Velocity825 m./s.

AP Shell Weight20.3 kg.

Torpedo Tubes

533 mm Twin3 х 2 pcs.

Rate of Fire1.43 shots/min.

Reload Time42 sec.

Rotation Speed25 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time7.2 sec.

Torpedo533 mm Type6

Maximum Damage10,833

Torpedo Speed57 knot

Torpedo Range6.99 km.

AA Defense

7.7 mm/80 Type 92 on a single mount2 х 1 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second3.2

. . . Firing Range0.99 km.

Maneuverability

Maximum Speed39 knot

Turning Circle Radius550 m.

Rudder Shift Time3.2 sec.

Concealment

Surface Detectability Range6.01 km.

Air Detectability Range2.5 km.

Battle Levels

12345678910

13.9

Minekaze

Destroyer | Japan | Tier V

Tech Tree Position

stock

 top

General

Research price11500 exp

Purchase price1,380,000

Hit Points10,900

Main Battery

120 mm/45 3rd Year Type on a Model G mount4 х 1 pcs.

Rate of Fire6 shots/min.

Reload Time10 sec.

Rotation Speed6 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time30 sec.

Firing Range8.92 km.

Maximum Dispersion81 m.

HE Shell120 mm HE Type1

Maximum HE Shell Damage1,700

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell7 %

Initial HE Shell Velocity825 m./s.

HE Shell Weight20.3 kg.

AP Shell120 mm AP Type0

Maximum AP Shell Damage2,000

Initial AP Shell Velocity825 m./s.

AP Shell Weight20.3 kg.

Torpedo Tubes

533 mm Twin3 х 2 pcs.

Rate of Fire1.43 shots/min.

Reload Time42 sec.

Rotation Speed25 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time7.2 sec.

Torpedo533 mm Type6

Maximum Damage10,833

Torpedo Speed57 knot

Torpedo Range6.99 km.

AA Defense

13 mm/76 Type 93 on a single mount2 х 1 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second2.8

. . . Firing Range1.2 km.

25 mm/60 Type 96 on a twin mount1 х 2 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second2.7

. . . Firing Range2.49 km.

13 mm/76 Type 93 on a twin mount1 х 2 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second2

. . . Firing Range1.2 km.

Maneuverability

Maximum Speed39 knot

Turning Circle Radius550 m.

Rudder Shift Time2.1 sec.

Concealment

Surface Detectability Range6.01 km.

Air Detectability Range2.5 km.

Battle Levels

12345678910

V

1,380,000

Minekaze — Japanese Tier V destroyer.

A ship that had a remarkable influence on the development of destroyers in the Imperial Japanese Navy. Owing to her powerful turbines, Minekaze could produce very high speeds that were superior to many of the destroyers built later.

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 ()
120 mm/45 3rd Year Type on a Model G mount	5.5	30	81	1,700	7	2,000		0	105,000
120 mm/45 3rd Year Type on a Model G mount	6	30	81	1,700	7	2,000		2,300	210,000

	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 ()
Minekaze (A)	9,600	6	18	4		2	3			0	110,000
Minekaze (B)	10,900	6	18	4		1/1	3			3,300	300,000

	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 ()
Type 6	1.4	42	7.2	10,833	57	7		0	200,000

	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SUO_INCREASE_DIST (%)	Maximum Firing Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Type5 mod. 1		0		0	70,000
Type5 mod. 2		0		1,600	155,000

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 38,500 hp	39		0	105,000

Compatible Upgrades

Slot 1
Slot 2
Slot 3

Player Opinion

Performance

Sometimes called "Ninjakaze" due to her ability to suddenly appear out of nowhere — an appearance that is frequently the harbinger of an incoming torpedo strike — Minekaze is a ship nearly 100% reliant on those torpedoes for damage.

She is arguably the weakest of the Japanese destroyers, with a low health pool, fragile modules, weak armor, and a very sub-par main battery. Her guns have an abysmal turn rate of 25 seconds for 180 degrees, and a very long reload time of 10 seconds. Though it is possible to do good damage with her high explosive shells, she will not be winning very many gun duels, especially not against the likes of Nicholas or Gnevny. Minekaze’s guns should not be forgotten, but they shouldn't be relied on as the main source of damage and are best used sparingly in specific situations.

Minekaze lives and dies by her torpedoes. They are her main weapon, capable of striking outside of her detection range. A skilled Minekaze player is able to sink enemy ships and never be spotted through the course of an entire match. Her three twin-tube launchers allow her to cover a lot of ocean with her torpedo spreads, and she reloads those tubes very quickly at 42 seconds each. Players looking to master the art of torpedoing enemies without being detected should start their training here; there is no better teacher than experience, and Minekaze’s torpedoes reload quickly enough to provide plenty of that.

With patience and practice, the approximately 1km gap between maximum torpedo range and detection range can be maximized to devastate entire groups of unaware battleships and cruisers. It also allows captains to stalk a solo battleship or carrier, then flex Minekaze’s speed to drive straight at them to deliver a full broadside of torpedoes at point blank range. She is best off avoiding other enemy destroyers completely and breaking unfavorable gunnery engagements quickly; the ability to launch fast moving torpedoes from stealth is Minekaze’s greatest asset, and a gunfight with anything that isn't another equal- or lower-tier Japanese destroyer is likely a losing battle.

Pros:

• Workable torpedoes with considerable damage.
• Decent torpedo range of 7 km that allows her to launch them 1.6 km(0.8 km without Concealment Expert)closer than the max range without being spotted.
• Rudder shift time and turning circle is almost nonexistent that makes shells and torpedo dodging a snap.
• Excellent torpedo reload time at 42 seconds which is the fastest of any destroyer tier V-X.
• Flexible three (3) twin torpedo tube configuration which makes it easy to spread out torpedoes.
• Very fast at 39 knots, reaching 48 knots with Engine Boost  activated, Sierra Mike signal, and swift in silence skill.

Cons:

• Guns have very slow rotation speed, reload, now have worse fire chance, and do mediocre damage, aside from the fact they are vastly inferior to both her Russian and American counterparts.
• Slow unupgraded torpedo speed, making hits from range difficult.
• Weak anti-aircraft suite that is all bark and rarely bites.

Research

Players should research Hull (B) first, as it provides a small increase to her health and maneuverability. Whether or not to research the remaining upgrades is up to the individual player, as Minekaze will not get a tremendous amount of use out of her guns and the experience may be better spent working up to Hatsuharu.

Optimal Configuration

Upgrades

Upgrade choices for Minekaze almost make themselves:

• Slot 1 - Main Armaments Modification 1
• Slot 2 - Engine Room Protection
• Slot 3 - Aiming Systems Modification 1 .

Commander Skills

Recommended Commander Skills
Cost (points)	Attack				Defense
1	Grease the Gears +15% main battery traverse speed.	Liquidator +30% chance (multiplicative) of causing flooding.	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 about a salvo fired at your ship from more than 4.5 km.	Preventive Maintenance −30% chance of main armament, engines, steering becoming incapacitated +15% to HP of secondary and AA guns. ★★
2	Demolition Expert +1% chance of main and secondary HE shells causing a fire. +15% to the damage-inflicting area of HE shells fired at submarines.	Swift Fish +5% torpedo speed. ★★	Consumables Enhancements +10% action time of: Hydroacoustic Search , Surveillance Radar , Smoke Generator , & Engine Boost . ★★	Extra-Heavy Ammunition +7.5% main battery AP shell damage. +10% damage from depth charges.	Priority Target The detection indicator will show the number of enemies aiming at you with main battery.	Last Stand The ship remains able to move and maneuver - slowly - while the engine or steering gears are incapacitated. ★★
3	Main Battery & AA Specialist -5% main battery reload time. +10% continuous AA damage.	Fill the Tubes -10% torpedo tubes reload time. ★★	Adrenaline Rush -0.2% reload time of all armaments per 1% HP lost +0.2% AA continuous damage per 1% HP lost. ★★	Inertial Fuse for HE Shells +25% armor penetration of HE shells Base fire chance reduced by half.	Superintendent +1 charge to all consumables.	Survivability Expert +350 HP per ship tier.
4	Main Battery & AA Expert +20% main battery range. +15% flak damage.	Swift in Silence So long as the ship remains undetected: +8% ship speed +5% main battery reload time. ★★	Radio Location Shows the direction to the nearest enemy ship. The enemy is alerted that a bearing has been taken..	Fearless Brawler +1 flak burst per salvo. -10% main battery reload when ship is spotted.	Concealment Expert -10% detectability range of the ship. ★★	Dazzle For 15 seconds after you are detected: * +20% dispersion of enemy shells fired at you. * +8% ship speed.
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful      ★★ - Frequently Useful      ★ - Occasionally Useful     No stars - Not Useful

Consumables

Minekaze equips the following consumables:

• Slot 1: Damage Control Party 
• Slot 2: Smoke Generator  – 3 charges
• Slot 3: Engine Boost  – 3 charges

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

• 

  Minekaze prepares for battle.

• 

  Enemy fighters spot Minekaze from above.

• 

  Minekaze fires her guns at enemy ships.

• 

  Minekaze closes on an enemy Clemson.

• 

Historical Info

Construction

Maizuru Naval Yard; Kyoto, Japan

Laid down: 20 April 1918

Launched: 8 February 1919

Commissioned: 29 March 1920

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Specifications

1,345 tons displacement, standard

102.5m length

9.04m beam

2.9m draft

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Machinery

4 boilers, 2 turbines

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Performance

39 knots at 38,500 shaft horsepower

3,600nm at 14 knots

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Armament

Main

Four (4x1) 120mm guns

Anti-aircraft

Two (2x1) 7.7mm guns

Torpedoes

Six (3x2) 533mm torpedo tubes

History

Design

The Japanese destroyer Minekaze (峯風 Summit Wind?) was the lead ship of the Minekaze-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the late 1910s. The ship served in the Second Sino-Japanese War during the 1930s and spent the Pacific War on escort duties in Japanese waters and the East China Sea. She was sunk by an American submarine in early 1944 near Formosa.

Service

The design of the Minekaze class was approved during the last years of World War I, though none were completed before 1919. The first to be completed, Sawakaze, joined the navy in March 1920. The Minekaze class destroyers had typically uneventful interwar service records. By the beginning of war with China in 1937, they had become obsolete and were relegated to second line duties. By the time Japan had entered World War II, some had been converted for other purposes and most were used in merchant and convoy escort roles.

Akikaze would spend most of her wartime service engaged in ASW patrols and convoy escort duties. She would be damaged twice by air attack, once in August 1943, and again in December of that year. Torpedoed by submarine and sunk, November 1944.

Hakaze was engaged in escort and patrol duties for her entire war career. Torpedoed and sunk by submarine in January 1943.

Hokaze performed convoy escort and patrol duties for the entirety of her war service. She was damaged by submarine torpedo in June of 1943. Torpedoed and sunk by submarine, July 1944.

Minekaze would spend her entire war service engaged in ASW patrols and convoy escort duties. She was torpedoed and sunk by submarine in March 1944.

Nadakaze was re-rated as a PG in 1941. Rearmed with 120mm guns and having her torpedo armament reduced, she was later converted and again re-rated to APD. Torpedoed and sunk by submarine, July 1945.

Namikaze was assigned to convoy escort duties until she was severely damaged by submarine torpedo in September of 1944, when she was repaired and rebuilt as a Kaiten carrier. She survived the war and was awarded to China in 1947.

Nokaze served on ASW patrols and as a convoy escort for the entirety of her war career. She was torpedoed and sunk by submarine, February, 1944.

Numakaze performed convoy escort duties until she was torpedoed and sunk with all her crew lost in December 1943.

Okikaze had been disarmed and stricken from the navy list in preparation for disposal, but was rearmed , re-rated as a DD in 1941 at the beginning of World War II. She performed escort and patrol duties until January 1943, when she was torpedoed and sunk by submarine.

Sawakaze participated in ASW patrols and as a convoy escort until 1945, when she was converted for air and sea rescue. She was also fitted with an experimental ASW rocket launcher. Sawakaze survived the war and was scrapped in 1948.

Shimakaze re-rated and rearmed as a PG like Nadakaze, she was torpedoed and sunk by submarine in January 1943.

Shiokaze was engaged as a convoy escort for most of her war service. Damaged by air attack in January 1945, she was repaired and rebuilt as a Kaiten carrier and was fitted with radar. She survived the war and was later scrapped.

Tachikaze was, like her sisters, primarily engaged in ASW patrols and convoy escort. Damaged by air attack in December 1942 and again in April of 1943, she was sunk by air attack in February 1944.

Yakaze was converted into a wireless controlled target ship in May 1942. She was sunk in harbor during the air raids on the Home Islands in 1945. She was re-floated after the war and scrapped.

Yukaze spent the entire war as part of the naval air training group with Hosho. Like Sawakaze, she was converted to facilitate air-sea rescue. She survived the war and was awarded to Great Britain in 1947.

Historical Gallery

• 

  Hokaze at Yokosuka, circa 1921.

• 

  Yakaze in 1922.

• 

  Shiokaze with Kongo in 1924.

• 

  Minekaze at Yokosuka, 30 August 1932.

• 

  US Office of Naval Intelligence recognition drawing of Minekaze.

References

1. Japanese destroyer Minekaze - Wikipedia
2. Minekaze-class destroyer - Wikipedia

Ship Change Log

See here for links to Update notes.

• Added to the game from the very beginning (alpha version) as a Tier VI destroyer.
• Update 0.1.3.1 or Update 0.1.5 (conflicting articles):
  • Moved from Tier VI to Tier V.
• Update 0.1.5:
  • The range of the AA defense was increased.
• Update 0.2.2.5:
  • The traverse angles of the main battery were slightly increased.
• Update 0.5.0:
  • Reduced launch angles of the torpedo tubes.
  • The main battery rotation speed was increased from 4 to 6 degrees per second.
  • Detectability from ships increased from 5.94 to 6.2 km.
  • The 533 mm Type 89 torpedo was removed from research. Players who had researched and purchased this module were compensated in the amount of 5,000 experience and 415,000 credits. If the module was no longer owned, only experience was compensated.
  • The Experience and Credit earnings were reduced by a value in the range of 5-10%.
• Update 0.5.2:
  • As a temporary offer, it became possible to purchase and install a special New Year's permanent camouflage. After the camouflage was removed from sale, it remained with those players who purchased it.
• Update 0.5.3.2:
  • Type 9 camouflage renamed Type 12.
• Update 0.5.7:
  • The armor model of the hull was refined.
• Update 0.5.8:
  • The sector of rotation of turrets No. 1 and No. 3 is now 360°
• Update 0.5.15:
  • Moved to an alternative branch of Japanese destroyers.
  • Replacement Rules:
    • If a player had researched Minekaze before the update was released, and had not researched Mutsuki, then Mutsuki and Gun Fire Control Type 4 mod 2 for Isokaze were researched. Unused experience was transferred to Mutsuki.
    • If a player had purchased Minekaze before the update was released, and had not researched Mutsuki, then Mutsuki was credited to their account with a Port Slot. Any unused experience was transferred to Mutsuki.
    • If a player had any Commanders with a Minekaze specialisation before the update, then the Commanders were retrained as a specialist in captaining Mutsuki. In addition, a Commander with 10,000 Commander XP and specialisation in commanding Minekaze plus a reserve slot was added to the player's account.
• Update 0.6.2:
  • The national flag was moved from the stern to the mast.
• Update 0.6.3:
  • Base firing range increased from 6,927 to 8,110 m.
• Update 0.6.12:
  • Detectability when firing main guns in smoke changed to 2.22 km.
• Update 0.6.13:
  • Fire extinguishing time now 30 s instead of 60 s.
  • Improved display of thin elements.
  • Hull B: durability of steering gears increased by 400 units. The change does not affect the HP of the ship in any way.
• Update 0.6.15:
  • A bonus was added to the "Type 12" permanent camouflage: a 10% discount to the cost of post-battle maintenance.
• Update 0.7.6 update:
  • Improved display of thin elements on the hull.
• Update 0.7.12:
  • Steering gears protection from damage caused by HE shells was increased.
• Update 0.9.6:
  • The value of the in-game turning circle radius was changed to 550 m to correct prior discrepancy.
• Update 0.11.11:
  • Minor updates to geometry and textures.
• Update 12.10:
  • Fixed a bug that prevented the Vanguard permanent camouflage for the ship from being shown in the Captain's Logbook.

Ships of Japan

Destroyers