West Virginia 1944

13.8

West Virginia '44

Battleship | U.S.A. | Tier VII

Tech Tree Position

General

Purchase priceSpecial

Hit Points59,100

Main Battery

406 mm/45 Mk.5 in a turret4 х 2 pcs.

Rate of Fire2 shots/min.

Reload Time30 sec.

Rotation Speed4 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time45 sec.

Firing Range17.12 km.

Maximum Dispersion231 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 Weight861.8 kg.

AP Shell406 mm AP Mk5

Maximum AP Shell Damage12,400

Initial AP Shell Velocity768 m./s.

AP Shell Weight1016 kg.

Secondary Armament #1

127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount8 х 2 pcs.

Firing Range6.3 km.

Rate of Fire24 shots/min.

Reload Time2.5 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 mount8 х 2 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second120.8

. . . Firing Range5.01 km.

20 mm Oerlikon on a Mk.4 mount58 х 1 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second208.8

. . . Firing Range2.01 km.

40 mm/56 Bofors on a Mk.2 mount10 х 4 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second159

. . . Firing Range3.51 km.

20 mm Oerlikon on a Mk.15 mount1 х 4 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second8.6

. . . Firing Range2.01 km.

20 mm Oerlikon on a Mk.24 mount1 х 2 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second6.1

. . . Firing Range2.01 km.

Maneuverability

Maximum Speed21 knot

Turning Circle Radius750 m.

Rudder Shift Time14.8 sec.

Concealment

Surface Detectability Range14 km.

Air Detectability Range10.2 km.

Battle Levels

12345678910

13.8

West Virginia '44

Battleship | U.S.A. | Tier VII

Tech Tree Position

General

Purchase priceSpecial

Hit Points59,100

Main Battery

406 mm/45 Mk.5 in a turret4 х 2 pcs.

Rate of Fire2 shots/min.

Reload Time30 sec.

Rotation Speed4 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time45 sec.

Firing Range17.12 km.

Maximum Dispersion231 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 Weight861.8 kg.

AP Shell406 mm AP Mk5

Maximum AP Shell Damage12,400

Initial AP Shell Velocity768 m./s.

AP Shell Weight1016 kg.

Secondary Armament #1

127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount8 х 2 pcs.

Firing Range6.3 km.

Rate of Fire24 shots/min.

Reload Time2.5 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 mount8 х 2 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second120.8

. . . Firing Range5.01 km.

20 mm Oerlikon on a Mk.4 mount58 х 1 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second208.8

. . . Firing Range2.01 km.

40 mm/56 Bofors on a Mk.2 mount10 х 4 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second159

. . . Firing Range3.51 km.

20 mm Oerlikon on a Mk.15 mount1 х 4 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second8.6

. . . Firing Range2.01 km.

20 mm Oerlikon on a Mk.24 mount1 х 2 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second6.1

. . . Firing Range2.01 km.

Maneuverability

Maximum Speed21 knot

Turning Circle Radius750 m.

Rudder Shift Time14.8 sec.

Concealment

Surface Detectability Range14 km.

Air Detectability Range10.2 km.

Battle Levels

12345678910

VII

Special

West Virginia '44 — American special premium Tier VII battleship.

USS West Virginia sank as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor. In 1942, the ship was refloated and extensively rebuilt. She received bulges, reinforced decks, a new superstructure, radar, and a new dual-purpose secondary battery. She returned to service in the Pacific in time for the start of the Battle of Leyte. During the battle, West Virginia delivered several successful hits on battleship Yamashiro and cruiser Mogami. In 1945, the ship took part in the Battle of Iwo Jima and the landings on Okinawa. Over the course of the war, West Virginia was awarded five battle stars.

West Virginia '44 was first released for sale on 30 June 2023.

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.5 in a turret	2	45	231	5,700	36	12,400		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 ()
West Virginia '44	59,100	16	457	4	8	58/1/1/10/8				0	0

	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SUO_INCREASE_DIST (%)	Maximum Firing Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Mk7 mod. 1		0		0	0

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 30,900 hp	21		0	0

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.

Rising from the depths, Tier VII premium American battleship West Virginia '44 bears many similarities to her former self, but offers a different gameplay focus. In addition to their shared solid main battery performance, West Virginia '44 also features an improved secondary armament.

Armament

West Virginia '44’s main battery will be familiar to anyone who has played other mid-tier American battleships. She carries eight 406 mm guns in four twin turrets. Her 30-second reload and 45-second turret traverse are both identical to Colorado, but she has a shorter firing range of just 17.1 km. She can temporarily increase this with her Spotting Aircraft, but otherwise may find herself at a range disadvantage even against other Tier VII battleships. Her 1.8 sigma is good but slightly worse than Colorado, so her shells will spread out more.

West Virginia '44 uses the same HE and AP shells as Colorado, although her AP is slightly slower and has slightly less penetration at range. Both shells have above average damage for the tier, and her 36% HE fire chance is high for Tier VII, but her low barrel count and average reload leave her DPM and fires per minute on the low end. Her large-caliber AP can overmatch 27 mm plating, allowing her to punch through the bows and sterns of same tier battleships and higher tier cruisers, dealing damage regardless of angle.

West Virginia '44’s secondaries set her apart from her peers. She has eight twin 127 mm turrets, with similar performance to the 127s on other American secondary battleships. They have an increased firing range — 6.3 km base and up to 9.5 when fully upgraded — and the same improved dispersion as Massachusetts, Georgia, and Ohio. Her 2.5-second base reload gives her the highest potential DPM at Tier VII, but their low penetration limits their actual impact. They penetrate 21 mm plating, which can be increased to 26 mm with the Inertia Fuse for HE Shells commander skill. That allows her to penetrate same-tier battleships, but high tier battleships and even some cruisers will still shatter her secondary shells.

When she’s top tier, West Virginia '44’s secondaries can be a source of direct damage, especially with IFHE. But like her American secondary successors, they are primarily fire starters. Her 5% fire chance per shell is low, but her rate of fire means she will still set fires.

West Virginia '44’s ASW airstrike is completely standard for a Tier VII battleship. She has two charges that reload in 30 seconds each, with an 8 km range and one bomb per charge. Each bomb deals up to 3400 damage.

Consumables

West Virginia '44 shares Kansas’s consumable suite. In addition to the standard battleship Damage Control Party, she has a Repair Party, Defensive AA Fire in its own slot, and a choice between a Spotting Aircraft and Catapult Fighter.

Rather than the “American battleship” Repair Party like Colorado, West Virginia '44 uses Kansas’s heal. It doesn’t heal as much per second, but has a fast cooldown, just 40 seconds rather than the normal 80.

Defensive AA Fire is an unusual consumable for a battleship. West Virginia '44’s increases her continuous damage by 50% and flak damage by 300%, and comes with an extra charge.

West Virginia '44 has the option between a Spotting Aircraft and Catapult Fighter, both with normal stats. Her spotter is the default and recommended option to increase her short main battery range.

Maneuverability

Like the rest of the American standard battleships, West Virginia '44 is slow. At 21 knots base, she is tied with Colorado as the second slowest ship at Tier VII and only half a knot faster than California. With Brisk active and the Sierra Mike signal, she can reach a breakneck 24.3 knots in a straight line.

Unlike her mid-tier counterparts, she features the same improved acceleration as Vermont. Although she isn’t fast, she’ll reach her top speed quicker than most other battleships.

Her 14.8 second rudder shift is on the slow side too, similar to California’s. However, her 750 m turning circle is impressive for her tier, identical to Nelson and slightly better than Florida.

She will get where she’s going eventually, but it takes time. As a result, she can quickly find herself trailing behind any push or retreat, and her opponents can pick her fights for her.

Survivability

West Virginia '44’s survivability should be familiar for players of other mid tier American battleships. Her 59,100 HP is average for the tier, and her armor is similar to Colorado’s. She’s mostly covered in 26 mm plating, with a slightly thicker 31 mm rear deck. Like Colorado, she has a large 35 mm torpedo bulge that extends almost to her top deck. In addition to protecting her from torpedoes, it can fuse HE early and swallow smaller caliber AP, causing them to detonate with no damage.

Her citadel is below the waterline, with a narrow waterline 343 mm main belt that extends rearward past her torpedo bulge, and narrow strips of 273 and 343 mm plating on the inside of the bulges. Although broadside hits from battleships will still cause serious damage, her citadel is more difficult to reach. It’s narrow, leaving a large space between her hull and torpedo bulges and the citadel for AP to detonate before reaching it.

She features one of the best torpedo belts of any Tier VII battleship, reducing torpedo damage by 37%. Although she should still try to avoid incoming torpedoes, they pose less of a threat than they would for other battleships.

If players opt for a survivability build rather than building for secondaries, her concealment is another strength. With the Concealment Expert skill, her surface detection drops from 14 km down to 12.6. Smaller ships are still stealthier, but she will be able to outspot many mid-tier battleship opponents. However, her aerial and periscope detection is rather poor, only 9.2 km even when upgraded.

Anti-aircraft

West Virginia '44’s anti-aircraft defenses initially seem solid for her tier. She has an extended 5.8 km long-range aura with decent damage, and produces five flak clouds just like Florida. Her 3.5 km mid-range mounts deal average damage, but it’s the lowest of the Tier VII American battleships. Unfortunately, most of her AA defenses are in her short-range aura. She has the second highest short-range DPS in-tier, but with a 2 km range, they won’t start firing until after most attacks have been launched.

West Virginia '44 carries the Defensive AA Fire consumable to further boost her AA defenses. It increases her continuous and flak damage, and has an extra charge by default. If players want to increase her defenses even more, she has the option to swap her Spotting Aircraft for a Catapult Fighter.

Especially with her Defensive AA Fire active, West Virginia '44 can be an effective deterrent against aerial strikes for herself and her allies. A determined carrier will still get strikes through, but it may be costly.

Battle performance

In some ways, West Virginia '44 is the middle ground between the mid-tier American standard battleships and the secondary-focused premium “line.” Her secondaries are her defining feature, but her main battery performance is still strong enough for the times she can’t get into secondary range (or if players opt for a main battery build). Although not quite as accurate as Colorado, eight 406 mm guns still pose a major threat to enemies.

She should try and stay at mid range when possible, close enough to get her secondaries into play occasionally but far enough back that she doesn’t get left in the dust in a retreat. Her AA can help cover her allies and deter attacks against herself, but isn’t enough to fully protect her when alone.

Players need good map awareness and the ability to plan their moves in advance to really make her shine. She’d be happy if she could pick her own fights, but her slow speed means enemies are more likely to bring the fight to her on their terms.

Pros:

• High torpedo damage reduction
• AP can overmatch same tier battleships
• Increased secondary battery range with improved dispersion
• High secondary DPM
• Decent short-range AA defenses
• Improved acceleration
• Excellent turning circle
• Good concealment
• Carries the Defensive AA Fire consumable
• Repair Party consumable with short cooldown

Cons:

• Average health pool
• Short main battery range
• Slower turret traverse
• Low secondary battery penetration
• Most AA defense comes from her short range mounts
• Slow, with a poor rudder shift
• High aerial and periscope detection
• Lacks Colorado’s increased Repair Party heal rate

Research

As a premium ship, West Virginia '44 has no module upgrades to research.

Optimal Configuration

West Virginia '44 has two viable build paths — a typical main battery-focused build or a secondary-focused build. Either can be effective, but a secondary build focuses on her unique strengths even if it’s sometimes less optimal.

Upgrades

The recommended upgrades are:

• Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1
• Slot 2: Damage Control System Modification 1 
• Slot 3: Secondary Battery Modification 1 or Main Battery Modification 2
• Slot 4: Damage Control System Modification 2

The Slot 3 upgrade choice depends on the player’s chosen play style — secondary focused or main battery focused. Main battery-build players that feel West Virginia '44’s traverse is fast enough can opt for Artillery Plotting Room Modification 1 instead to extend her firing range rather than relying on her Spotting Aircraft.

Commander Skills

West Virginia '44 can either use a secondary build, similar to those used by Georgia or Ohio, or can go with a more traditional survivability build used by most battleships.

Survivability/Main Battery-focused build

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

Secondary Battery-focused build

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

West Virginia '44 equips the following consumables:

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

Note that West Virginia '44’s Repair Party heals less per second but has a much shorter cooldown than the typical battleship heal, like the version carried by Kansas

Camouflage

As a premium ship, West Virginia '44 comes with Default permanent camouflage and a set of permanent combat bonuses.

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.

Note: Mike Yankee Sixosix is rated 3 stars for secondary builds only. Players wishing to use a survivability-focused build will get little benefit out of it.

Gallery

Historical Info

West Virginia '44, 19??

Construction

Builder:

Laid down:

Launched:

Commissioned:

---

Specifications

? tons displacement, standard

?m length

?m beam

?m draft (mean)

---

Machinery

12 boilers, 3 turbines [e.g.]

---

Performance

? knots at ? shaft horsepower

?nm range at ? knots

---

Armor

Main belt: ?mm

Torpedo bulkhead: ?mm

Decks: ?mm main, ?mm upper deck

Turrets: ?mm

Conning tower: ?mm

---

Armament

Main

? (?x?) ?mm rifles

Secondary

? (?x?) ?mm dual purpose? rifles

Anti-Aircraft

? (?x?) ?mm guns

Torpedoes

? (?x?) ?mm torpedo tubes

---

Aircraft

Three (3) ? float planes, one catapult

Historical Gallery

References

Ship Change Log

See here for links to Update notes.

• Available for testing by supertesters in the game starting from Update 12.3.

Testing Changes

• DevBlog 426:
  • Preliminary characteristics.
• DevBlog 446:
  • Main battery firing range reduced from 17.5 to 17.1 km.
  • Main battery reload time reduced from 30 to 27 s.
  • Sigma value increased from 1.7 to 1.8.
  • Shells have more arcing ballistics.
  • Main battery shell penetration reduced.
  • Secondary battery reload time reduced from 4 to 2.5 s.
  • Detectability range by sea reduced from 15.2 to 14 km.
    • All other types of detectability reduced accordingly
  • Acceleration parameters changed: now more similar to Vermont.
    • Removed the ability to mount the “Propulsion Modification 1” upgrade.
  • “Repair Party” consumable parameters changed: now more similar to Vermont.
  • Added the “Defensive AA Fire” consumable.
• Update 12.4:
  • The textures and geometry of the ship have been changed.
• DevBlog 450:
  • Main battery reload time increased from 27 to 30 s.

• Update 12.5:
  • The Risen from the Ashes permanent camouflage was added.
  • Initially available on 30 June 2023 as part of the Independence Day event. During the event, she was available in the armory in a bundle that cost 1,400 Independence Tokens, as well as a large doubloon bundle and in the Premium Shop.
• Update 12.7:
  • Fixed an incorrect turning circle radius value for the ship:
    • Paremter has been increased from 670 to 750 m.
• Update 13.7:
  • Fixed an error in the historical description of the ship.

Ships of U.S.A.

Battleships