Destroyed - One ribbon is awarded for destroying an enemy ship.
Target hits - One ribbon is awarded per main battery hit to an enemy ship. Hits are broken down into five types: (Hold CTRL and hover the mouse cursor over the accumulated hit ribbons to see the current total after the immediate feedback ribbons (right side) disappear.)
Penetration - One ribbon is awarded per main battery full penetration.
Over-penetration - One ribbon is awarded per main battery over-penetrating hit.
Non-penetration (sometimes called
Shatter) - One ribbon is awarded per main battery non-penetrating hit. Note that no damage is dealt by this kind of hit. However, a non-penetrating hit from a High Explosive shell may still produce blast damage.
Torpedo protection hit - One ribbon is awarded per main battery shell that penetrates the torpedo bulge but not the underlying armor, thus doing no damage to the ship.
[1]
Ricochet - One ribbon is awarded per main battery ricochet hit. Note that no damage is dealt by this kind of hit.
Hits to citadel - One ribbon is awarded per fully penetrating hit to the citadel area of a target ship. Note that shells penetrating the citadel can also over-penetrate.
Incapacitations - One ribbon is awarded when a
module (Engine, Steering Gear (Rudder), Turret, Torpedo launcher, Sonar) is made non-functional on an enemy ship. The module may be incapacitated or destroyed. An incapacitated module will return to full functionality. Secondary and AA emplacements are destroyed outright but no incapacitation ribbon is awarded for that.
Set on fire - One ribbon is awarded per
fire set on an enemy ship.
Secondary hits - One ribbon is awarded per hit obtained with guns qualifying as
secondary armament.
Aircraft shot down - One ribbon is awarded per aircraft destroyed by the ship's AA defenses regardless of aircraft type.
Shot down by fighter - One ribbon is awarded per aircraft destroyed by the ship's
Fighter consumable.
[2]
Torpedo hits - One ribbon is awarded per torpedo hit.
Caused flooding - One ribbon is awarded per caused
flooding.
Bomb hits - One ribbon is awarded per bomb hit on the target. The type of Bomb hit is broken out as follows: (Hold CTRL and hover the mouse cursor over the accumulated hit ribbons to see the current totals after the immediate feedback ribbons (right side) disappear.)
Penetration - One ribbon is awarded per full bomb penetration.
Over-penetration - One ribbon is awarded per bomb over-penetrating hit.
Non-penetration - One ribbon is awarded per bomb non-penetrating hit. Note that no damage is dealt by this kind of hit.
Bulge Hit - One ribbon is awarded per bomb hit that penetrates the torpedo bulge but does no damage to the ship.
[1]
Ricochet - One ribbon is awarded per bomb ricochet hit. Note that no damage is dealt by this kind of hit.
Rocket hits - One ribbon is awarded per rocket hit on the target. The type of Rocket hit is broken out as follows: (Hold CTRL and hover the mouse cursor over the accumulated hit ribbons to see the current totals after the immediate feedback ribbons (right side) disappear.)
Penetration - One ribbon is awarded per full rocket penetration.
Over-penetration - One ribbon is awarded per rocket over-penetrating hit.
Non-penetration - One ribbon is awarded per rocket non-penetrating hit. Note that no damage is dealt by this kind of hit.
Bulge Hit - One ribbon is awarded per rocket that penetrates the torpedo bulge but does no damage to the ship.
[1]
Ricochet - One ribbon is awarded per rocket ricochet hit. Note that no damage is dealt by this kind of hit.
Target hits - One ribbon is awarded per bomb hit on a submarine. It must be an ASW bomb.
Direct hit - One ribbon is awarded per depth charge that deals full damage to a submarine.
Splash damage - One ribbon is awarded per depth charge that deals partial damage to a submarine.
Target hits One ribbon is awarded per ping hit as a submarine.
Sonar Ping neutralized - One ribbon is awarded per ping hit against a ship who's
Damage Control Party 
is active.
One hit - One ribbon is awarded per single ping hit against a ship.
Two hits - One ribbon is awarded per double ping hit against a ship.
Spotted - One ribbon is awarded for spotting a ship for the first time, or for spotting a ship again after it was undetected for at least 90 seconds.
Defended - One ribbon is awarded per hit which reduces accumulated capture points on an enemy ship within a capture zone by 5% or more.
Assisted in capture - One ribbon is awarded for assisting in the conversion of a capture zone. One is awarded to all who assist.
Captured - One ribbon is awarded for converting a capture zone without assistance.
Destroyed - One ribbon is awarded for obtaining the last hit which destroys a fort or shore installation.
