Alabama VL

13.11

Alabama VL

Battleship | U.S.A. | Tier VIII

Tech Tree Position

General

Purchase price12,200

Hit Points63,300

Main Battery

406 mm/45 Mk.6 in a turret3 х 3 pcs.

Rate of Fire2 shots/min.

Reload Time30 sec.

Rotation Speed4.5 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time40 sec.

Firing Range21.1 km.

Maximum Dispersion271 m.

HE Shell406 mm HE/HC Mk13

Maximum HE Shell Damage5,700

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell36 %

Initial HE Shell Velocity803 m./s.

HE Shell Weight862 kg.

AP Shell406 mm AP Mk8

Maximum AP Shell Damage13,100

Initial AP Shell Velocity701 m./s.

AP Shell Weight1225 kg.

Secondary Armament #1

127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount10 х 2 pcs.

Firing Range6.6 km.

Rate of Fire10 shots/min.

Reload Time6 sec.

HE Shell127 mm HE Mk32

Maximum HE Shell Damage1,800

Initial HE Shell Velocity792 m./s.

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell5 %

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.2 mount12 х 4 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second190.8

. . . Firing Range3.51 km.

20 mm Oerlikon on a Mk.4 mount52 х 1 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second187.2

. . . Firing Range2.01 km.

Maneuverability

Maximum Speed27.5 knot

Turning Circle Radius710 m.

Rudder Shift Time15.3 sec.

Concealment

Surface Detectability Range15.71 km.

Air Detectability Range9.72 km.

Battle Levels

12345678910

13.11

Alabama VL

Battleship | U.S.A. | Tier VIII

Tech Tree Position

General

Purchase price12,200

Hit Points63,300

Main Battery

406 mm/45 Mk.6 in a turret3 х 3 pcs.

Rate of Fire2 shots/min.

Reload Time30 sec.

Rotation Speed4.5 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time40 sec.

Firing Range21.1 km.

Maximum Dispersion271 m.

HE Shell406 mm HE/HC Mk13

Maximum HE Shell Damage5,700

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell36 %

Initial HE Shell Velocity803 m./s.

HE Shell Weight862 kg.

AP Shell406 mm AP Mk8

Maximum AP Shell Damage13,100

Initial AP Shell Velocity701 m./s.

AP Shell Weight1225 kg.

Secondary Armament #1

127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount10 х 2 pcs.

Firing Range6.6 km.

Rate of Fire10 shots/min.

Reload Time6 sec.

HE Shell127 mm HE Mk32

Maximum HE Shell Damage1,800

Initial HE Shell Velocity792 m./s.

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell5 %

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.2 mount12 х 4 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second190.8

. . . Firing Range3.51 km.

20 mm Oerlikon on a Mk.4 mount52 х 1 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second187.2

. . . Firing Range2.01 km.

Maneuverability

Maximum Speed27.5 knot

Turning Circle Radius710 m.

Rudder Shift Time15.3 sec.

Concealment

Surface Detectability Range15.71 km.

Air Detectability Range9.72 km.

Battle Levels

12345678910

VIII

12,200

Alabama VL — American premium Tier VIII battleship.

The fourth South Dakota-class battleship, USS Alabama, was laid down in February 1940 and entered service in August 1942. In 1943, the battleship was temporarily assigned to the Home Fleet to protect arctic convoys, but she was later sent to the Pacific Ocean to participate in operations against Japan. Alabama participated in the campaign in the Mariana Islands and the Philippines campaign, and she also supported the assault on Okinawa in 1945. The battleship currently serves as a museum ship in Mobile Bay, Alabama.

Like Alabama ST, Alabama VL is a clone of premium Alabama awarded to deserving volunteers beginning in early 2021.

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 ()
406 mm/45 Mk.6 in a turret	2	40	271	5,700	36	13,100		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 ()
Alabama VL	63,300	6	457	3	10	52/12/10				0	0

	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SUO_INCREASE_DIST (%)	Maximum Firing Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Mk8 mod. 1		0		0	0

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 130,000 hp	27.5		0	0

Compatible Upgrades

Slot 1
Slot 2
Slot 3
Slot 4
Slot 5

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.

Alabama VL is a Tier VIII American battleship that shares many characteristics with her tech tree counterpart, North Carolina. The most obvious similarity is that both share the identical 16-inch, 45-caliber guns mounted in triple turrets in an AB-X configuration, as well as firing the same 13,100 damage AP shells. Both battleships also feature powerful suites of anti-aircraft guns that make them unappealing targets for same- or lower-tier aircraft carriers. Captains familiar with North Carolina’s primary, secondary, and AA armaments will feel right at home behind the helm of Alabama VL.

The big things that set Alabama VL apart from North Carolina are her torpedo defense system — the best of any American battleship in the game — and her improved handling characteristics. With a two second faster rudder shift time and a 50 meter smaller turning circle radius, she is both better able to dodge incoming torpedoes and better able to withstand damage from any she is unable to avoid. While Alabama VL and North Carolina share the same bow armor scheme that enables them to better resist incoming fire when bow-on towards enemies, they also share the same citadel location; enemy battleships with broadside shots on Alabama VL can very easily strip off large amounts of her health, especially at longer ranges.

Captains who enjoy the play style of North Carolina will find Alabama VL to be an enjoyable ship, and will very much appreciate her improved torpedo protection and turning.

Pros:

• 16-inch guns that throw super-heavy AP shells like IX Iowa and X Montana.
• Unrivaled AA suite at her tier.
• Very durable when angled.
• Her armor belt is slightly thicker than North Carolina's.
• Underwater citadel.
• Best-in-tier torpedo protection.
• Tight turning circle.
• Decently fast at nearly 28 knots.

Cons:

• Slow muzzle velocity (especially with the heavy AP shells) requires more lead.
• Dispersion can be unfriendly at times and she can't mount Aiming Systems Mod 1 to improve it.
• Not as well-armored as American Standard battleships; flashing her broadside to enemy battleships is suicidal.
• Weak secondaries compared to other Tier VIII battleships.
• Rudder shift — while faster than North Carolina — is still fairly slow.

Research

As a premium ship, Alabama VL has no upgrades to research.

Optimal Configuration

Upgrades

The recommended upgrades for Alabama VL are:

• Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1
• Slot 2: Damage Control System Modification 1 
• Slot 3: Artillery Plotting Room Modification 1  *
• Slot 4: Damage Control System Modification 2  *
• Slot 5: Concealment System Modification 1  *

Slot 3 offers a couple of options: AA Guns Modification 1 will boost her AA strength, while Secondary Battery Modification 1 will boost the range and accuracy of secondaries instead.

For Slot 4, captains should consider Steering Gears Modification 1 to improve rudder shift speed.

In Slot 5, captains may wish to consider Torpedo Lookout System . Alabama VL has a very good torpedo protection system (TPS) but is also agile enough to dodge with a little warning, especially with the steering upgrade in Slot 4.

Commander Skills

Recommended Commander Skills
Cost (points)	Attack			Defense
1	Gun Feeder -40% time to switch shell type. ★★	Demolition Expert +1% chance of main and secondary HE shells causing a fire +15% to the fragmentation damage area of HE ordnance when firing at submarines.	Consumables Specialist −7.5% cooldown time of all Consumables except:  Damage Control Party ,  Repair Party . ★★	Emergency Repair Specialist -3% cooldown time of Damage Control Party  and Repair Party . ★★	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	Grease the Gears +20% main turret traverse speed. ★★	Inertial Fuse for HE Shells +25% armor penetration of HE shells. Base fire chance reduced by half.	Brisk So long as the ship remains undetected: +10% ship speed. ★	Vigilance +25% detection range of enemy torpedoes +7% damage reduction of Torpedo Protection System. .	Priority Target The detection indicator will show the number of enemies targeting you with main battery. ★★	AAA & ASW Expert +15% continuous AAA and flak damage . +10% damage inflicted by depth charges. While AAA is active: −40% ship consumables reload time.. ★★
3	Super-Heavy AP Shells +7.5% AP shell damage −10% fire and flood damage received +25% fire and flood duration.	Long-Range Secondary Battery Shells +20% secondary battery firing range.	Adrenaline Rush -0.2% reload time of all armaments per 1% HP lost +0.2% AA continuous damage per 1% HP lost. ★★★	Basics of Survivability -15% repair, fire, and flooding duration. ★★	Improved Repair Party Readiness −0.8% reload time of Repair Party each time your ship receives potential damage equal to 100% of the ship's base HP. After receiving 2M HP potential damage: +1 charge of Repair Party .. ★★	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.. ★★
4	Furious 1st fire / flood   −10% Main battery reload time 2nd etc. (up to 5), each   −5% Main battery reload time ★	Manual Secondary Battery Aiming −10% secondary battery reload time. −10% secondary battery dispersion. When firing at a manually selected target: dispersion gradually improves from -25% to -50%.	Close Quarters Combat -10% reload time of main battery if an enemy ship is spotted within secondary range.	Emergency Repair Expert Damage Control Party  and Repair Party : +1 charge (each). +10% action time . ★★★	Concealment Expert -10% detectability range of the ship. ★★★	Fire Prevention Expert -10% risk of fire. Three fires maximum. ★★★
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful      ★★ - Frequently Useful      ★ - Occasionally Useful     No stars - Not Useful

Consumables

Alabama VL can equip the following consumables:

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

Camouflage

As a premium ship, Alabama VL comes with Default permanent camouflage and a set of permanent combat bonuses.

Signals

The most important combat signals are the ones that enhance survivability, which are India Delta (), Sierra Mike (), and India Yankee (). There is also the option to mount November Echo Setteseven () to enhance her already formidable AA and/or November Foxtrot () to shorten the reload time of consumables.

Recommended Signal Flags
Combat
Charlie Kilo +5% ship HP; +2.5% squadron HP.	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. ★
Juliet Whiskey Unaone +15% chance of causing flooding. ★★	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 .

Gallery

• 

  Two Alabamas prepare for battle.

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  A pair of Alabamas demolish an enemy Gearing-class destroyer.

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  Alabama bounces an enemy North Carolina’s shells.

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  North Carolina is nearly rammed by Alabama.

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  Alabama destroys an enemy Minotaur in one salvo.

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  Alabama and North Carolina touch tips.

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  Flag of Alabama. Given to players who purchased a special bundle containing Alabama.

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  Premium Ship

• 

  Type 10 Alabama Camo

Historical Info

USS Alabama VL, 1942

Construction

Builder: Norfolk Naval Shipyard; Norfolk, Virginia, United States

Laid down: 20 July 1939

Launched: 16 February 1942

Commissioned: 16 August 1942

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Specifications

37,970 tons displacement, standard

44,519 tons displacement, full load

207.26m length

32.96m beam

8.91m draft

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Machinery

Eight (8) Babcock & Wilcox boilers

Four (4) General Electric steam turbines

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Performance

27.5 knots at 130,000 shaft horsepower

15,000 nautical miles at 15 knots

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Armor

Main belt: 310mm, 32mm outer hull plating

Lower belt: 310-25mm

Decks: 152mm armored deck, 38mm weather deck,
   16mm splinter deck

Bulkheads: 287mm

Barbettes and Turrets: 440mm barbette, 457mm face,
   241mm side, 305mm rear, 184mm roof

Conning tower: 406mm side, 184mm top

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Armament

Main

Nine (3x3) 406mm/45 guns

Secondary

Twenty (10x2) 127mm/30 dual purpose guns

Anti-Aircraft

Twelve (3x4) 28mm guns

Twelve (12x1) 12.7mm guns

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Aircraft

Three (3) Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplanes, two catapults

History

Design

The South Dakota-class battleships were the next evolution in battleship design from the previous North Carolina-class. Still designed in the late 1930s, they remained under the limitations imposed by the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty and the subsequent 1936 London Naval Treaty. Originally conceived to be more additions to the North Carolina-class ships, it was decided to delay their design by a year in order to implement some solutions to the shortcomings discovered on the preceding “fast-battleship” class.

The South Dakotas were the first “fast-battleship” class of the US Navy to implement sloped armor plating to address the issue of high angle oncoming shells from plunging fire, especially from 406mm shells. Due to the design itself being of an advanced phase already when this decision was made, only the main armor belt — located interior of the ship — was able to be angled inwards by 19 degrees, which stretched from the main deck down to the bottom plates. Moreover, the bottom plate armor and other major longitudinal armor sections were thickened in comparison to the North Carolina-class.

As a consequence of the additional armoring to increase the survivability of the South Dakota-class ships, they had to be made shorter to meet the displacement restrictions of 35,000 tons imposed by the Washington Naval Treaty. Subsequently, whey were roughly 14 meters shorter than their predecessors of the North Carolina class. The design requirements for the South Dakotas still required them to maintain the same top speed of 27 knots as the North Carolinas; more powerful propulsion systems were required and some creative design choices were made in order to fit everything into the more compact hull as a result. The machinery compartments were re-organized in order to squeeze in all of the boilers, turbines, and accompanying evaporating and distilling equipment, as opposed to North Carolina’s more dispersed engineering arrangement. Furthermore, the machinery rooms themselves took up to two deck spaces, as the boilers were placed on a level above the rest of the machinery to allow the propeller shafts — connected to their respective turbines — to run their full length, unhampered. One interesting design feature resulted from the changes: the bottom hull ended well before the stern of the ship, and the two outer propeller shafts formed a “skeg”, or an enclosure, around the inner propeller shafts. This had the added benefit of providing additional protection from torpedo damage.

The superstructure of the South Dakota-class was taller and narrower than previous American battleships. Due to the concentration of propulsion machinery in the midsection, the design required only one funnel as opposed to the usual two, saving some deck space. From the onset the South Dakota-class were designated the role of fleet flagships, therefore a flag bridge was placed above the ship's command bridge in the conning tower specifically for this purpose.

USS Alabama (BB-60), last of the South Dakota-class battleships, was laid down at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard on 1 February 1940, launched 16 February 1942, and commissioned exactly 6 months later on 16 August 1942.

Service History

Alabama’s first assignment was in the Atlantic; the Royal Navy was focused on the Mediterranean Sea in a build-up effort to support the Invasion of Sicily ("Operation Husky"), and they lacked the capital ships to protect their northern convoys. Requesting help from their American allies, Alabama and her sister ship USS South Dakota sailed for the Orkney Islands to join the British Home Fleet. Her first duties were as a convoy escort, until July 1943 when she participated in “Operation Governor”: a diversion exercise executed around Southern Norway in an attempt to draw Germany’s attention away from the Allies’ true target of Sicily (the Kriegsmarine never responded to the challenge). Alabama’s and South Dakota’s service with the British Home Fleet ended on 1 August 1943, and the duo plus their screening destroyers detached from the Home Fleet and steamed for Norfolk, Virginia. Alabama would undergo ten days of refits and repairs before setting sail for the Panama Canal and Pearl Harbor in the Pacific.

Following a month and a half of exercises with fast carrier task groups, Alabama moved to Fiji before setting sail again on 11 November 1943 to take part in “Operation Galvanic”, the assault on the Japanese-held Gilbert Islands. She screened the fast carriers, only opening fire with her AA guns when enemy aircraft approached her formation. Her first shelling operation, however, was on 8 December 1943, as Alabama and five other fast battleships bombarded the Japanese-held island of Nauru, causing severe damage to the vital phosphate-producing facilities. Alabama spent the rest of the year on carrier escort duty or standby, not returning to the front lines until 1944.

Alabama returned to action as a part of “Operation Forager”: the first invasion of the Marianas Islands focused on re-capturing the island of Guam. Alabama again rotated between carrier escorts and coastal bombardments, often alongside South Dakota. Later in 1944 she moved to join the screening fleet of USS Essex in “Operation Stalemate II”, serving in the Caroline Islands again before later moving to the Philippines and screening carriers striking the Japanese-held islands in the central Philippines. Between October and December 1944, Alabama was heavily invested in the Battle of the Philippines: serving as the lead ship in USS Enterprise’s screen during October; then screening the fast carrier strike forces as they attacked Japanese airfields around Luzon throughout November; and finally departing for home on 17 December 1944. Along with the rest of Task Force 38, she was battered by Typhoon Cobra on the way, and three of her destroyer escorts were lost.

Alabama returned to Pearl Harbor in early April 1945, following several months of repair and refit at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. She departed with Task Force 58 on 9 May 1945, bound for the Ryukyu Islands to support forces that had landed on Okinawa in early April that year. Screening allied carriers, Alabama served on the front lines from May through to July, her final combat operation being the coastal bombardment of industrial areas near Tokyo on mainland Japan, including the first night bombardment by battleships of Japanese industry on Japanese soil. She spent the rest of the war on standby, receiving word on 15 August of the Japanese capitulation, and she later entered Tokyo Bay in early September to receive men that had occupied Tokyo. Following her return to the United States — via Okinawa — Alabama took taking part in Navy Day celebrations in San Francisco harbor on 27 October 1945, and remained on standby until sailing for the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for inactivation overhaul.

Alabama was decommissioned on 9 January 1947 and joined the United States Pacific Reserve Fleet, remaining there until she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 June 1962. Citizens of the state of Alabama formed the “USS Alabama Battleship Commission”, which raised funds to secure the preservation of Alabama as a wartime memorial. She was awarded to the state of Alabama on 16 June 1964, and was towed to her permanent berth at Mobile, Alabama. Arriving in Mobile Bay on 14 September 1964, Alabama has remained "in service" as an open museum ship ever since.

In-game historical inaccuracies

• The 5"/38 caliber gun's actual rate of fire is 15 rounds per minute; Alabama’s is 10 rounds per minute. Only sister ship Massachusetts has the correct rate of fire.

Historical Gallery

• 

  Alabama being launched, February 1942.

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  Alabama in Casco Bay, Maine, during sea trials. Note the Measure 12 camouflage.

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  A colorized photo of Alabama in Casco Bay, Maine.

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  A view of the forward main battery of Alabama. The snow and Measure 12 camouflage suggests this photo was taken during sea trials but before repainting in Norfolk.

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  Note the Measure 22 camouflage which has been applied.

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  USS Alabama (BB-60), 1 December 1942, in camouflage. Note trunked tower foremast and funnel, similar to that used in the design of the later Iowa-class battleships.

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  Alabama fires a salvo during exercises with the British Home Fleet in 1943.

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  Alabama escorting the Independence-class carrier USS Monterey (CVL-26) en route to the Marshall Islands.

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  Cleveland Indians All-Star pitcher Bob Feller poses by a 40 mm quadruple anti-aircraft gun mount, probably on board USS Alabama in 1943.

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  Alabama cruising with her screen of escorting destroyers in April 1944; USS Knapp (DD-653) is in the foreground.

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  Alabama in what appears to be Measure 11 camouflage. Visible radar systems suggest this photo was taken in 1943 or 1944.

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  A boiler room view inside Alabama.

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  Alabama at permanent berth.

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  Alabama as a museum ship in Mobile Bay, circa 1985.

Video

  

  

References

LittleWhiteMouse's Premium Ship Review: Alabama from the NA Forums

• USS Alabama (BB-60) - Wikipedia
• South Dakota-class battleship (1939) - Wikipedia
• Alabama Attacks - Armada - Alabama - News - World of Warships
• Chieftain Talks: USS Alabama - News - World of Warships
• Naval Legends: USS Alabama - 02/19/2015 - News - World of Warships
• Naval Legends: USS Alabama - 03/08/2018 - News - World of Warships
• Squall Line: USS Alabama - News - World of Warships
• Armada - Alabama - World of Warships Official Channel - YouTube
• Chieftain Talks: USS Alabama - World of Warships Official Channel - YouTube
• Naval Legends - USS Alabama Teaser - World of Warships Official Channel - YouTube
• Naval Legends: Battleship USS Alabama - Feb 23, 2015 - World of Warships Official Channel - YouTube
• Naval Legends in World of Warships: Battleship Alabama - Mar 8, 2018 - World of Warships Official Channel - YouTube

Ship Change Log

See here for links to Update notes.

• Update 0.10.2:
  • Added with 10 permanent camouflages. Both the ship and camouflages will be awarded to various World of Warships volunteer groups for their active assistance to the project. The ship is a copy of Alabama.
• Update 12.3:
  • Fixed the geometry and textures of the ship.
• Update 12.4:
  • The textures and geometry of the ship's permanent camouflages have been changed.
• Update 12.5:
  • The old World of Warships logo was removed from the Mod Maker permanent camouflage.
  • Fixed a bug that caused the cost of shells of the ship to different from other versions of Alabama.

Ships of U.S.A.

Battleships