Special Commanders

Special commanders perform the same functions as standard commanders, but have additional bonuses or traits that make them different from their freely-recruited counterparts. All special commanders have a fixed portrait and name.

A Skilled commander.

World of Warships has adopted a set of terms for special commanders that is not descriptive. These are the terms that appear in the game client:

Special commander

Special commanders can differ from common captains in that they sometimes have an unusual appearance and/or a distinctive voice. They have no special abilities.

Seasoned commander

An seasoned commander is a commander with enhanced skills. Therefore, players also refer to them as skilled commanders.

Unique commander

A Talented commander.

A unique commander is a commander with improved skills, talents, and personalizations. A talent is an ability that resembles a very powerful skill that is activated under certain circumstances. Talents will not activate during a clan battle or in a training room. Personalizations which can be enabled on the commanders skill screen are:

1. A broad pennant.
2. Colored shell tracers trails – Main gun tracers change to an alternative color. (Even the seasoned commander Alexander Ovechkin has this personalization option.)
3. Signal flare or Fireworks (Yamamoto and Halsey) when activating a talent.

Unique commanders cannot be dismissed. From the players they are also called legendary, talented or heroic commanders.

Seasoned and unique commanders have a star before their names. Talented commanders are displayed with a gold star, a gold name, and a gold portrait background. Skilled commanders are displayed with a white star and a sky blue background. Players can have only one copy of each seasoned and unique commander. They may be earned via in-game participation, for instance as a reward for a set of event missions or at the end of a lengthy campaign. Many are now available in the armory and have at least 10 skill points there.

List of unique and seasoned commanders

Nation	Portrait and name	Origins	Special traits
	Yamamoto Isoroku Wikipedia Biography	Awarded upon completion of the Yamamoto Isoroku campaign.	The Emergency Reserve talent grants Yamamoto Isoroku's ship +1 charge to each mounted consumable (including squadron consumables) upon earning the "First Blood" achievement. The Second Wind talent activates upon earning a "Kraken Unleashed!" achievement. After activation, the ship's main battery gun reload time is reduced −34%, its torpedo reload speed and squadron restoration time is reduced −16%, and it steadily repairs up to 48% of its health over 120 seconds without expending a Repair Party charge. Grease the Gears (enhanced skill) improves main battery turret rotation speed: +20% for destroyers and cruisers (normally +15%) +25% for battleships (normally +20%). Preventive Maintenance −45% reduced risk of incapacitation of modules for destroyers/battleships/submarines (normally −30%). +20% to the HP of secondary and AA guns for battleships and destroyers (normally +15%)
	Takeo Suzuki	Available in the Armory for  Coal.	Survivability Expert (enhanced skill): per ship tier: +500 ship HP for cruisers (normally +450) +400 ship HP for destroyers (normally +350) +30 aircraft HP for aircraft carriers (normally +25). Emergency Repair Specialist (enhanced skill for battleships) reduces cooldown of Damage Control Party and Repair Party −4% (normally −3%).
	Raizō Suzuki	Sold in the Armory for  Doubloons.
	William F. Halsey Jr. Wikipedia The Story of Admiral Halsey	Awarded upon completion of the "Hit Hard! Hit Fast! Hit Often" campaign.	The Implacable talent activates on earning the "Confederate" achievement. The ship under Halsey's command receives the following bonuses: −20% to the main battery reload time. −20% to plane service time. −10% to torpedo reload time. The Untraceable talent activates after receiving the "Double Strike" achievement. * -10% to air and sea detection radius Grease the Gears (enhanced skill) improves main battery turret rotation speed: +20% for destroyers and cruisers (normally +15%) +25% for battleships (normally +20%). Gun Feeder (enhanced skill for battleships/cruisers/destroyers) reduces reload time when switching shell types −60% (normally −40%).
	John Doe	Awarded for completing an in-game mission during Fall 2016. Available in the Armory for  Coal.	Grease the Gears (enhanced skill) improves main battery turret rotation speed: +20% for destroyers and cruisers (normally +15%) +25% for battleships (normally +20%). Gun Feeder (enhanced skill for battleships/cruisers/destroyers) reduces reload time when switching shell types −60% (normally −40%).
	George Doe	Sold in the Armory for  Doubloons.
	David Farragut Wikipedia	Awarded for completing the Liberty Harbor collection.
	Ernest E. Evans Wikipedia	Awarded for completing the Still Standing collection.
	Andrew Cunningham Wikipedia The Story of Andrew Cunningham	Available for Royal Tokens during the British Heavy Cruiser event with update 0.9.1. Available in the Armory for  Coal.	The Equipment Spoils talent increases the number of ship consumable charges by one after destroying two enemy ships. Does not apply to aircraft carrier squadron consumables. Once per battle. With the Lightning Fast talent, the speed of his ship and squadrons increases +5% after scoring four "Caused flooding" ribbons. Once per battle. The Ruthless talent reduces the reload time of his ship’s main battery guns and torpedo launchers, as well as aircraft restoration time, −10% after earning the “Witherer” achievement. His Aircraft Armor enhanced skill is −11.5% to the continuous damage of AA guns, instead of the standard −10%. Consumables Specialist (enhanced skill) reduces cooldown on consumables −10% (normally −7.5%).
	Jack Dunkirk	Awarded for completing the Dunkirk Collection.	Consumables Specialist (enhanced skill) reduces cooldown on consumables −10% (normally −7.5%). Consumables Enhancements (enhanced skill) increases action time of these consumables +12.5% (normally +10%): Smoke Generator Hydroacoustic Search Engine Boost Surveillance Radar Grease the Gears (enhanced skill) improves main battery turret rotation speed: +20% for destroyers and cruisers (normally +15%) +25% for battleships (normally +20%).
	Bert Dunkirk	Sold in the Armory for  Doubloons.
	David Beatty Wikipedia	Introduced with update 14.0. The commander was sold in the premium shop and avaiable in Battle of Dogger Bank containers. Now sold in the Armory for  Coal.
	Philippe Auboyneau Wikipedia The Story of Philippe Auboyneau	Available for French Tokens during the French Arc beginning with update 0.8.7. Available in the Armory for  Coal.	With the Rampant talent, a "Devastating Strike" achievement speeds his main armament reload −5% for the main battery and torpedo tubes, and reduces squadron cooldown time by −5%. The Elemental Fury talent activates on each 'Captured' or 'Assisted in Capture' ribbon earned, increasing the fire chance for his main battery shells +1%, and increases the chance of causing flooding by +10%. For every 2,000,000 HP of potential damage received, his Surge Forward talent increases his ship's speed +8%. Survivability Expert (enhanced skill): per ship tier: +500 ship HP for cruisers (normally +450) +400 ship HP for destroyers (normally +350) +30 aircraft HP for aircraft carriers (normally +25).
	Jean-Jacques Honoré	Awarded for completing the Vive La France Collection.	Adrenaline Rush (enhanced skill) changes the reload time of all types of armament −0.25% and the continuous AA damage +0.25% for each 1% of HP lost (normally −0.2%/+0.2%). Grease the Gears (enhanced skill) improves main battery turret rotation speed: +20% for destroyers and cruisers (normally +15%) +25% for battleships (normally +20%).
	Charles-Henri Honoré	Sold in the Armory for  Doubloons.
	Nikolay Kuznetsov Wikipedia Admiral Kuznetsov's Biography	Exchanged in the Armory for Provision Tokens awarded during the 2019 "Victory" Competition event. Available in the Armory for  Coal.	The Emergency Reserve talent grants +1 charge to each mounted consumable (including squadron consumables) upon earning the "First Blood" achievement. Will for Victory talent: Once per battle, if his ship's HP drops below 10%, the following activate for 15 seconds: "Damage control party" effect is applied (no consumable charge expended) "Repair party" regenerates up to 5.25% HP (no consumable charge expended) Dispersion of shells fired by the enemy at his ship increases +20%. Consumables Specialist (enhanced skill) reduces cooldown on consumables −10% (normally −7.5%).
	Viktor Znamensky	Awarded for completing a three mission marathon in May 2018. Available in the Armory for  Coal.	Preventive Maintenance −45% reduced risk of incapacitation of modules for destroyers/battleships/submarines (normally −30%). +20% to the HP of secondary and AA guns for battleships and destroyers (normally +15%) Grease the Gears (enhanced skill) improves main battery turret rotation speed: +20% for destroyers and cruisers (normally +15%) +25% for battleships (normally +20%). Emergency Repair Specialist (enhanced skill for battleships) reduces cooldown of Damage Control Party and Repair Party −4% (normally −3%).
	Vasily Znamensky	Sold in the Armory for  Doubloons.
	Günther Lütjens Wikipedia The History of Günther Lütjens	Available in the Armory for  Coal.	Secondary Battery Loader talent: upon earning 100 "Secondary Battery Hits" ribbons, the secondary battery reload time speeds up +15%. (Once per battle.) Main Battery Loader: upon earning 140 "Main Battery Hit" ribbons, the main battery reload time speeds up +7.5%. (Once per battle.) Resilient: upon earning three "Spotted" ribbons, the talent restores 300 HP/sec with action time in seconds equal to ship's tier (e.g 5 seconds for a Tier V ship, etc.). (Multiple times per battle.) Aerial Equipment Expert talent: upon earning 30 "Rocket Hit", "Bomb Hit", or "Torpedo Hit" ribbons, aircraft restoration speeds up +10%. (Once per battle.) Preventive Maintenance −45% reduced risk of incapacitation of modules for destroyers/battleships/submarines (normally −30%). +20% to the HP of secondary and AA guns for battleships and destroyers (normally +15%) Grease the Gears (enhanced skill) improves main battery turret rotation speed: +20% for destroyers and cruisers (normally +15%) +25% for battleships (normally +20%). Improved Engine Boost (enhanced skill) extends the engine boost duration +7.5% for the aircraft carrier's squadrons (normally +5%).
	Franz von Jütland	Awarded for completing an in-game mission chain during Spring 2018. Available in the Armory for  Coal.	Consumables Specialist (enhanced skill) reduces cooldown on consumables −10% (normally −7.5%). Vigilance (enhanced skill) increases the detection range of enemy torpedoes +35% (normally +25%).
	Reinhard von Jütland	Sold in the Armory for  Doubloons.
	Franz von Hipper Wikipedia	Introduced with update 14.0. The commander was sold in the premium shop and avaiable in Battle of Dogger Bank containers. Now sold in the Armory for  Doubloons.
	Sa Zhenbing Wikipedia Biography	Reward for completion of the "The Age of Sa Zhenbing" collection.	High Alert talent: upon earning earning the "Combat Scout" achievement, reduces the squadron preparation and main battery gun reload times by 20%. (Once per battle.) Torpedo Attack Expert talent: upon hitting enemy ships with torpedoes six times, the following effects occur (Once per battle.): +5% torpedo speed −25% to the reload of the Torpedo Reload Booster  consumable +1 to the number of charges of the Torpedo Reload Booster  consumable Emergency Supplies talent: For every 1,500,000 potential damage recieved, consumable cooldown time is reduced by 6.5%. (Multiple times per battle.) Improved Engine Boost (enhanced skill) extends the engine boost duration +7.5% for the aircraft carrier's squadrons (normally +5%). Emergency Repair Specialist (enhanced skill for battleships) reduces cooldown of Damage Control Party and Repair Party −4% (normally −3%). Vigilance (enhanced skill) increases the detection range of enemy torpedoes +35% (normally +25%). Consumables Enhancements (enhanced skill) increases action time of these consumables +12.5% (normally +10%): Smoke Generator Hydroacoustic Search Engine Boost Surveillance Radar
	Dà Róng	Awarded for completing the Dragon Dance Ship chain of combat missions in early 2019. Sold in the Armory for  Doubloons.	Survivability Expert (enhanced skill): per ship tier: +500 ship HP for cruisers (normally +450) +400 ship HP for destroyers (normally +350) +30 aircraft HP for aircraft carriers (normally +25). Demolition Expert (enhanced skill for destroyers/cruisers/battleships): Chance of HE shell causing fire to target: +1.5% (instead of +1%) Pyrotechnician (enhanced skill for aircraft carriers): Chance of HE rocket causing fire to target: +2% (instead of +1%) Chance of HE bomb causing fire to target: +6% (instead of +5%)
	Quán Róng	Awarded after obtaining all three bundles of the Lunar New Year Collection in sequence. Available in the Armory for  Coal.
	Luigi Sansonetti Wikipedia The History of Luigi Sansonetti	Reward for completion of the "Resolute and Rapid" collection.	The Concealed Reserves talent activates upon achieving 100 main gun hits and extends the action time of all consumables +10%. (Once per battle.) The Far Reach talent activates on the destruction of an enemy ship and extends the main gun range +8%. (Once per battle.) The Rapid Fire talent activates upon earning the "Confederate" achievement and reduces the reload time of his main battery guns -15%. Swift Fish (enhanced skill) increases the speed of his torpedoes +7% (normally +5%). Gun Feeder (enhanced skill for battleships/cruisers/destroyers) reduces reload time when switching shell types −60% (normally −40%).
	Jerzy Ṡwirski Wikipedia The History of Jerzy Ṡwirski	Reward for completion of the Strong-Willed campaign and from random bundles in the Armory. Available in the Armory for  Coal.	Torpedo Armament Expert: reduces the torpedo tube reload time -5% for every eight "Torpedo hits" ribbons scored. The talent can be activated multiple times. AA Gun Expert: increases the continuous damage of AA defenses +10% for scoring 20 "Aircraft shot down" ribbons. (Once per battle.) Adrenaline Rush (enhanced skill) changes the reload time of all types of armament −0.25% and the continuous AA damage +0.25% for each 1% of HP lost (normally −0.2%/+0.2%).
	Conrad Helfrich Wikipedia	Reward for completion of the Finest Hour collection	Ship-a-Day Helfrich Activates upon dealing 50,000 damage. Bonuses: +1.97% main battery shell damage (to a total of 6% at max stacks) +1.97% squadron bomb damage and Airstrike bomb damage (to a total of 6% at max stacks) Can be activated up to 3 times Battle Fervor Activates upon earning the Witherer achievement. Bonuses: −10% main battery reload time −15% Airstrike cooldown time Can be activated once per battle "Pugno Pro Patria" Activates upon landing 50 bomb hits. Bonuses: +1 additional Airstrike charge +3 squadron aircraft on deck Can be activated once per battle Demolition Expert (enhanced skill for destroyers/cruisers/battleships): Chance of HE shell causing fire to target: +1.5% (instead of +1%) Pyrotechnician (enhanced skill for aircraft carriers): Chance of HE rocket causing fire to target: +2% (instead of +1%) Chance of HE bomb causing fire to target: +6% (instead of +5%)
	Klaas Janssen	Reward for completion of a special combat mission chain in patch 0.10.7. Available in the Armory for  Coal.	Focus Fire Training (enhanced skill for cruisers/battleships): Air Strike armament reload time: −10% (Unchanged) Flak burst per salvo: +1 (Unchanged) In the priority AA sector: +35% continuous damage. (instead of +25%) Demolition Expert (enhanced skill for destroyers/cruisers/battleships): Chance of HE shell causing fire to target: +1.5% (instead of +1%)
	Michiel de Ruyter Wikipedia	Available in the Armory for  Doubloons.
	Joaquim Marques Lisboa Wikipedia	Reward for completion of the "Battle of Paso de Patria" collection.	Relentless Firing Activates once per battle upon hitting enemy ships 175 times with main and secondary battery shells. Main battery reload time −5% Secondary battery reload time −22.5% Torpedo tube reload time −10% Master and Commander Partially fills Combat Instructions progress after they are activated twice. Increases maximum ship speed. Effect remains active until the end of battle. Minimum amount of Combat Instruction progress: 20 Ship speed: +5% Survivability Expert (enhanced skill): per ship tier: +500 ship HP for cruisers (normally +450) +400 ship HP for destroyers (normally +350) +30 aircraft HP for aircraft carriers (normally +25). Brisk (enhanced skill) for battleships +12.5 % ship speed while remaining undetected (normally +10 %)

No longer available

Nation	Portrait and name	Origins	Special traits
	Alexander Ovechkin Wikipedia	Awarded for completing "The Great Eight" collection.	Grease the Gears (enhanced skill) improves main battery turret rotation speed: +20% for destroyers and cruisers (normally +15%) +25% for battleships (normally +20%). Survivability Expert (enhanced skill): per ship tier: +500 ship HP for cruisers (normally +450) +400 ship HP for destroyers (normally +350) +30 aircraft HP for aircraft carriers (normally +25). Optional blue colored shell tracers.
	Alexander Ovechkin	Awarded for completing a combat mission during the Great Eight event in late 2018.
	Alexander Ovechkin	Obtained from the Premium Shop during the Great Eight event in late 2018.
	Tsar Alexander	Obtained during the Great Eight event in late 2018.

Overview

• T: number of talents
• Ach.: number of talents activated by random/ranked battle achievements
• BB: number of enhanced skills for battleships
• CR: number of enhanced skills for cruisers
• DD: number of enhanced skills for destroyers
• CV: number of enhanced skills for aircraft carriers
• SS: number of enhanced skills for submarines

Commander	Nation	Type	Availability	T	Ach.	Talents	BB	CR	DD	CV	SS	Enhanced Skills
John Augustine Collins	Commonwealth	Unique	Collection (Honor, Integrity, Virtue)	2	0	Rise and Fight Again, Tria Juncta in Uno	1	1	1	1	0	Adrenaline Rush (BB/CR/DD), Aircraft Armor (CV)
Jerzy Ṡwirski	Europe	Unique	Coal	2	0	Torpedo Armament Expert, AA Gun Expert	1	1	1	0	0	Adrenaline Rush (BB/CR/DD)
Philippe Auboyneau	France	Unique	Coal	3	1	Rampant, Fire and Fury, Surge Forward	0	1	1	1	0	Survivability Expert (CR/DD/CV)
Jean-Jacques Honoré / Charles-Henri Honoré	France	Seasoned	Collection (Vive La France) / Doubloons	0			2	2	2	0	0	Adrenaline Rush (BB/CR/DD), Grease the Gears (BB/CR/DD)
Günther Lütjens	Germany	Unique	Coal	4	0	Secondary Battery Loader, Main Battery Loader, Resilient, Aerial Equipment Expert	2	1	2	1	1	Preventive Maintenance (BB/DD/SS), Grease the Gears (BB/CR/DD), Improved Engine Boost (CV)
Franz von Jütland / Reinhard von Jütland / Franz von Hipper	Germany	Seasoned	Coal / Doubloons / Doubloons	0			2	1	1	0	0	Consumables Specialist (BB/CR/DD), Vigilance (BB)
Luigi Sansonetti	Italy	Unique	Collection (Resolute and Rapid)	3	1	Concealed Reserves, Far Reach. Rapid Fire	1	2	2	1	0	Swift Fish (CR/DD/CV), Gun Feeder (BB/CR/DD)
Yamamoto Isoroku	Japan	Unique	Campaign (Yamamoto Isoroku)	2	2	Emergency Reserve, Second Wind	2	1	2	0	1	Grease the Gears (BB/CR/DD), Preventive Maintenance (BB/DD/SS)
Takeo Suzuki / Raizō Suzuki	Japan	Seasoned	Coal / Doubloons	0			1	1	1	1	0	Survivability Expert (CR/DD/CV), Emergency Repair Specialist (BB)
Conrad Helfrich	Netherlands	Unique	Collection (The Finest Hour)	3	1	Ship-a-Day Helfrich, Battle Fervor, Pugno pro patria	1	1	1	1	0	Pyrotechnician (CV), Demolition Expert (BB/CR/DD)
Klaas Janssen / Michiel de Ruyter	Netherlands	Seasoned	Coal / Doubloons	0			2	2	1	0	0	Focus Fire Training (BB/CR), Demolition Expert (BB/CR/DD)
Joaquim Marques Lisboa	Pan-America	Unique	Collection (Battle of Paso de Patria)	2	0	Relentless Firing, Master and Commander	1	1	1	1	0	Survivability Expert (CV/CR/DD), Brisk (BB)
Sa Zhenbing	Pan-Asia	Unique	Collection (The Age of Sa Zhenbing)	3	1	High Alert, Torpedo Attack Expert, Emergency Supplies	2	1	1	1	0	Consumables Specialist (CR/DD), Emergency Repair Specialist (BB), Vigilance (BB), Improved Engine Boost (CV)
Quán Róng / Dà Róng	Pan-Asia	Seasoned	Coal / Doubloons	0			1	2	2	2	0	Survivability Expert (CR/DD/CV), Pyrotechnician (CV), Demolition Expert (BB/CR/DD)
Andrew Cunningham	UK	Unique	Coal	3	1	Equipment Spoils, Lightning Fast, Ruthless	1	1	1	1	0	Aircraft Armor (CV), Consumables Specialist (BB/CR/DD)
Jack Dunkirk / Bert Dunkirk / David Beatty	UK	Seasoned	Collection (Dunkirk) / Doubloons / Coal	0			2	3	3	0	0	Consumables Specialist (BB/CR/DD), Consumables Enhancements (CR/DD), Grease the Gears (BB/CR/DD)
William F. Halsey Jr.	USA	Unique	Campaign (Hit Hard! Hit Fast! Hit Often!)	2	2	Implacable, Untraceable	2	2	2	0	0	Grease the Gears (BB/CR/DD), Gun Feeder (BB/CR/DD)
John Doe / George Doe / David Farragut / Ernest E. Evans	USA	Seasoned	Coal / Doubloons / Collection (Liberty Harbor) / Collection (Still Standing)	0			2	2	2	0	0	Grease the Gears (BB/CR/DD), Gun Feeder (BB/CR/DD)
Alexander Ovechkin	USA, USSR or both	Seasoned	no longer available	0			1	2	2	1	0	Grease the Gears (BB/CR/DD), Survivability Expert (CR/DD/CV)
Nikolay Kuznetsov	USSR	Unique	Coal	2	1	Emergency Reserve, Will for Victory	1	1	1	0	0	Consumables Specialist (BB/CR/DD)
Viktor Znamensky / Vasily Znamensky	USSR	Seasoned	Coal / Doubloons	0			3	1	2	0	1	Preventive Maintenance (BB/DD/SS), Grease the Gears (BB/CR/DD), Emergency Repair Specialist (BB)

More Info

• Guide: All About Commanders 3 Mar 2020
• Unique Commanders: Heroes of the Sea - Yamamoto video 7 Aug 2017