Zao

13.10

Zaō

Cruiser | Japan | Tier X

Tech Tree Position

stock

 top

General

Research price238000 exp

Purchase price20,000,000

Hit Points44,900

Main Battery

IDS_PJGM092_203MM554 х 3 pcs.

Rate of Fire4.38 shots/min.

Reload Time13.7 sec.

Rotation Speed6 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time30 sec.

Firing Range16.23 km.

Maximum Dispersion136 m.

HE Shell203 mm HE Type1

Maximum HE Shell Damage3,400

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell19 %

Initial HE Shell Velocity920 m./s.

HE Shell Weight155 kg.

AP Shell203 mm AP Type92

Maximum AP Shell Damage5,400

Initial AP Shell Velocity920 m./s.

AP Shell Weight155 kg.

Secondary Armament #1

100 mm/65 Type 98 on a Model A mount6 х 2 pcs.

Firing Range7.3 km.

Rate of Fire20 shots/min.

Reload Time3 sec.

HE Shell100 mm HE Type98

Maximum HE Shell Damage1,700

Initial HE Shell Velocity1000 m./s.

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell6 %

Torpedo Tubes

610 mm Quintuple4 х 5 pcs.

Rate of Fire0.58 shots/min.

Reload Time104 sec.

Rotation Speed25 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time7.2 sec.

TorpedoType F3

Maximum Damage21,367

Torpedo Speed76 knot

Torpedo Range8.01 km.

AA Defense

100 mm/65 Type 98 on a Model A mount6 х 2 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second124.8

. . . Firing Range5.01 km.

40 mm/60 Type 5 on a twin mount9 х 2 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second99

. . . Firing Range3.51 km.

25 mm/60 Type 96 on a single mount20 х 1 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second36

. . . Firing Range2.49 km.

25 mm/60 Type 96 on a triple mount11 х 3 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second36.3

. . . Firing Range2.49 km.

Maneuverability

Maximum Speed34.5 knot

Turning Circle Radius840 m.

Rudder Shift Time7.7 sec.

Concealment

Surface Detectability Range12.22 km.

Air Detectability Range7.46 km.

Battle Levels

12345678910

13.10

Zaō

Cruiser | Japan | Tier X

Tech Tree Position

stock

 top

General

Research price238000 exp

Purchase price20,000,000

Hit Points44,900

Main Battery

IDS_PJGM092_203MM554 х 3 pcs.

Rate of Fire4.38 shots/min.

Reload Time13.7 sec.

Rotation Speed6 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time30 sec.

Firing Range16.23 km.

Maximum Dispersion136 m.

HE Shell203 mm HE Type1

Maximum HE Shell Damage3,400

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell19 %

Initial HE Shell Velocity920 m./s.

HE Shell Weight155 kg.

AP Shell203 mm AP Type92

Maximum AP Shell Damage5,400

Initial AP Shell Velocity920 m./s.

AP Shell Weight155 kg.

Secondary Armament #1

100 mm/65 Type 98 on a Model A mount6 х 2 pcs.

Firing Range7.3 km.

Rate of Fire20 shots/min.

Reload Time3 sec.

HE Shell100 mm HE Type98

Maximum HE Shell Damage1,700

Initial HE Shell Velocity1000 m./s.

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell6 %

Torpedo Tubes

610 mm Quintuple4 х 5 pcs.

Rate of Fire0.35 shots/min.

Reload Time171 sec.

Rotation Speed25 deg./sec.

180 Degree Turn Time7.2 sec.

TorpedoType93 mod. 3

Maximum Damage23,767

Torpedo Speed67 knot

Torpedo Range12 km.

AA Defense

100 mm/65 Type 98 on a Model A mount6 х 2 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second124.8

. . . Firing Range5.01 km.

40 mm/60 Type 5 on a twin mount9 х 2 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second99

. . . Firing Range3.51 km.

25 mm/60 Type 96 on a single mount20 х 1 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second36

. . . Firing Range2.49 km.

25 mm/60 Type 96 on a triple mount11 х 3 pcs.

. . . Average Damage per Second36.3

. . . Firing Range2.49 km.

Maneuverability

Maximum Speed34.5 knot

Turning Circle Radius840 m.

Rudder Shift Time7.7 sec.

Concealment

Surface Detectability Range12.22 km.

Air Detectability Range7.46 km.

Battle Levels

12345678910

X

20,000,000

Zaō — Japanese Tier X cruiser.

Eight heavy cruisers were supposed to be built under the Japanese naval building program. They were a further development of the Takao, Tone, and Mogami classes. It was planned to arm these ships with twelve 203 mm guns in four turrets—a traditional arrangement. Their armor was designed to withstand 203 mm HE shell hits. The number of ships was later reduced to four, and their construction was then canceled altogether.

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 ()
203 mm/50 3rd Year Type No.2 in a triple turret	4.4	30	136	3,400	19	5,400		0	2,100,000

	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 ()
Zaō	44,900	16	203	4	6	20/11/9/6	4			0	2,800,000

	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 ()
Type93 mod. 3	0.4	171	7.2	23,766	67	12		30,000	2,500,000
Type F3	0.6	104	7.2	21,366	76	8		0	2,500,000

	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SUO_INCREASE_DIST (%)	Maximum Firing Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Type10 mod. 1		0		0	1,600,000

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 159,000 hp	34.5		0	1,400,000

Compatible Upgrades

Slot 1
Slot 2
Slot 3
Slot 4
Slot 5
Slot 6

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.

The ninja among Tier X cruisers, Zao specializes in striking with a single massive salvo, then slipping away before the enemy can retaliate.

Japanese cruiser captains will be delighted to know that Zao finally gets an entire new model of gun, replacing the venerable 3rd Year Type that has been the trademark of the line since the Furutaka all the way back in Tier V. And what an upgrade it is! The HE and especially AP shells gain considerable potency, and Zaō delivers them with an accuracy and velocity unprecedented in the line. To further sweeten the deal, Zaō also gains two barrels for a total of twelve, and they are mounted in a friendlier setup of four triple turrets. The one downside is that the turret traverse---already a drawback of the line---suffers a further setback. This makes it especially important that Zaō is doing the ambushing rather than the reverse.

Fortunately this is not difficult to ensure: Zaō can reach a detectability radius of 9.90 km with a (highly recommended) stealth build, which is the best among all Tier X heavy cruisers and nearly as good as the light cruisers. This stealth combines well with her high-alpha, low-rate-of-fire main battery: she can fire a punishing salvo, then go dark before the enemy can effectively return fire.

Her upgraded torpedoes offer another opportunity to use her stealth: with a 12 km range, she can launch these from beyond her detection radius, and even from beyond the range of radar. With two quintuple launchers on each side they can easily devastate unwary victims, and can serve as a good area denial tool. However, their poor firing angles and extremely long reload means they must be used judiciously, with their poor usefulness in brawls being worth a special mention because of their poor firing angles. (The stock torpedoes offer ludicrous speed and a faster reload, but their much shorter range renders them useless in most situations.)

Zaō's survivability is on the lower side of Tier X cruisers, and can sometimes be a mixed bag. She has the smallest health pool of all Tier X cruisers, even counting the light cruisers (with the exception of Smolensk and Colbert), and her armor is mediocre. Her turret angles are horrible. Her anti-aircraft suite and consumable toolkit are unremarkable. However, she does have a few factors working in her favor. She is relatively fast and has a good rudder shift (albeit with a lackluster turning circle), giving her decent ability to reposition and dodge incoming fire. Her citadel is quite hard to hit, is protected by a small but steeply angled turtleback, and her hull is rather narrow allowing her to seem to cheat death by the virtue of avoiding taking citadel hits and yielding over penetrations against large caliber AP when broadside. Still, taking Zaō into a stand-up fight is not advisable, as her low HP pool can prove to be her undoing in fights against enemy BBs with large caliber (431mm+) guns due to overmatch, as well as against some cruisers.

Pros:

• Best accuracy of all cruisers (uses DD dispersion formula)
• Good ballistics performance with fast flight time at all ranges
• Good HE firepower with high alpha damage and fire starting ability
• Good AP performance with high damage per volley and decent penetration
• Fast, powerful torpedoes, with two quintuple launchers on each side of the ship
• High base speed of 34.5 knots
• Good maneuverability (7.7 seconds rudder shift)
• Excellent concealment with all relevant upgrades

Cons:

• One of the lowest health pools among Tier 10 cruisers
• Poor main battery firing angles - bringing all guns to bear can be dangerous
• Subpar turret traverse speed
• Poor torpedo firing arcs, with the launchers being located in the aft section
• Because of their exposed position, her torpedo launchers are prone to incapacitations and destruction
• Has the longest torpedo reload in the game

Research

The only research to be done is the torpedoes, which are highly recommended, as unlike the stock torpedoes they can be launched from beyond detection range.

Optimal Configuration

Zaō is most effective with a stealth build. With already-good accuracy, non-accuracy buffs may benefit the ship more.

Upgrades

The recommended upgrades for Zaō are as follows:

• Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1 or Spotting Aircraft Modification 1
• Slot 2: Engine Room Protection
• Slot 3: Aiming Systems Modification 1 gives her guns more accuracy. Captains who plan to take Main Battery Modification 3 in Upgrade Slot 6 may wish to take Main Battery Modification 2 here instead to improve her turret traverse.
• Slot 4: Steering Gears Modification 1 or Propulsion Modification 1
• Slot 5: Concealment System Modification 1 
• Slot 6: Gun Fire Control System Modification 2 or Improved Bridge ()

Commander Skills

Sitting at the top of the tech tree, the suggested skill selections for Zao continue to focus on her stealth aspects. Key skills include Gun Feeder at Level 1, Priority Target at Level 2, Superintendent at Level 3, and Concealment Expert at Level 4. Captains who chose to take Main Battery Modification 3 in Upgrade Slot 6 and Aiming Systems Modification 1 in Upgrade Slot 3 may wish to take Grease the Gears as their Level 1 skill to improve her turret traverse.

Recommended Commander Skills
Cost (points)	Attack				Defense
1	Grease the Gears +15% main battery traverse speed. ★★	Swift Fish +5% torpedo speed. ★	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 of a salvo fired at your ship from more than 4.5km. ★★	Last Stand The ship remains able to move and maneuver - slowly - while the engine or steering gears are incapacitated. ★
2	Demolition Expert +1% chance of main and secondary HE shells causing a fire. +15% to the fragmentation damage area of HE ordnance fired at submarines. ★★	Fill the Tubes -10% torpedo tubes reload time.	Consumables Enhancements +10% action time of Hydroacoustic Search, Surveillance Radar, Smoke Generator, & Engine Boost.	Eye in the Sky Spotting Aircraft: • +2 charges • -50% cooldown time. ★★	Priority Target The detection indicator will show the number of enemies targeting you with main battery. ★★	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..
3	Heavy HE and SAP Shells +10% HE and SAP shell damage. +15% ship detectability guns 149mm and up. ★★	Pack a Punch +15% torpedo damage. +20% secondary battery range..	Adrenaline Rush -0.2% reload time of all armaments per 1% HP lost +0.2% AA continuous damage per 1% HP lost. ★★★	Heavy AP Shells +5% damage for AP shells 190mm and larger. ★	Superintendent +1 charge to all consumables. ★★★	Survivability Expert +450 HP per ship tier. ★★★
4	Top Grade Gunner -10% reload time of secondary batteries If enemy ship is spotted within detectability range, -8% reload time of main battery. ★★★	Outnumbered If there are fewer allies than visible enemies within the ship's base main caliber firing range: +8% ship speed -10% main battery dispersion.	Radio Location Shows the direction to the nearest enemy ship. The enemy is alerted that a bearing has been taken.. ★	Inertial Fuse for HE Shells +25% armor penetration of HE shells Base fire chance reduced by half.	Concealment Expert -10% detectability range of the ship. ★★★	AAA & ASW Expert +25% continuous AA and flak damage. +15% damage inflicted by depth charges. While AAA is active: −50% ship consumables reload time..
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful      ★★ - Frequently Useful      ★ - Occasionally Useful     No stars - Not Useful

Consumables

Zaō can equip the following:

• Slot 1: Damage Control Party 
• Slot 2: Defensive AA Fire  – 3 charges or Hydroacoustic Search  – 3 charges
• Slot 3: Catapult Fighter  – 3 charges or Spotting Aircraft  – 4 charges
• Slot 4: Repair Party  – 3 charges
• Slot 5: Submarine Surveillance  – 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

Historical Info

Zao (蔵王, named after Mount Zao), is based off of the 1941 Type A Heavy Cruiser, which was an attempt by Japanese ship makers to construct a Heavy Cruiser fit for leading cruiser divisions in the Decisive Battle Strategy under the Sixth Naval Armaments Supplement Program. In the strategy, these cruisers would have formed the backbone of torpedo flotillas during expeditions, and the triple mount 20.3cm guns would have been the heaviest armament on a Heavy Cruiser for that time. It was never built though. In total, 8 ships were planned to be built in an Ibuki-style lay out. However, due to lack of funding or interest from the Imperial Government coupled with the threat of war with America, the project was scrapped along with the supplement program in 1941.

The Circle Six Type A class is the most obscure Japanese cruiser project due to the original documents being destroyed at the end of the war. Everything, other than the original requirements put forth by the Navy, were destroyed. Some of the requirements were as follows:

• Resistance to 500kg bombs hits to the deck and turrets.
• Carry an immunity zone towards 20cm rounds between 15-25km and towards 15cm shells from beyond 10km; including hits under the waterline.
• 35 knot top speed.
• Armed with 12 203mm/55 guns mounted in four triple turrets.

Historical Inaccuracies

• With the original documentation destroyed, Wargaming based Zao off of an article from a Japanese magazine. Because of this, Zao makes numerous deviations from established Japanese cruiser design, such as torpedo launchers placed at the aft end and poor seaplane handling facilities. The name "Zao" was given to the ship by Wargaming in accordance with the Imperial Japanese tradition to name heavy cruisers after mountains, although it is rather interesting that they renamed the cruiser to Zao late in Closed Beta rather than keep its original name, Senjo (when the latter is also a mountain of Japan). Perhaps Wargaming saw it fitting to end a line geared towards starting fires with a ship named after an active volcano.
• The Japanese version of the 40 mm Bofors had a defective fuse design which limited its effective range to ~3.0 km.

Historical Gallery

• 

  The article the design of Zao is based off of.

• 
• 

References

Ship Change Log

See here for links to Update notes.

• Added to the game in Update 0.2.2.5 (alpha) under the name Senjo.
• Update 0.3.0: renamed to Zao.
• Update 0.3.1:
  • Added the Repair Party consumable.
  • Increased the main battery rate of fire and amount of hitpoints.
• Update 0.4.0:
  • The armor of the hull was slightly strengthened.
  • Speed increased from 31 to 34 knots.
  • Main battery reload time increased from 12.2 to 13.7 s.
• Update 0.5.1:
  • The number of charges of the "Catapult fighter I" / "Spotting aircraft I" consumable w reduceasd to 2 ( "Catapult fighter II" / " Spotting aircraft II" - to 3).
• Update 0.5.2:
  • HP was reduced from 44900 to 40800.
  • Experience earnings increased by 17%.
• Update 0.5.3.2:
  • The angle of rotation of the catapult when launching the aircraft was changed, so that its tail no longer touches the structural elements of the ship.
• Update 0.5.8:
  • The hull armored model was refined.
• Update 0.6.2:
  • The national flag was moved from the stern to the mast.
• Update 0.6.3:
  • Increased the accuracy of shells inside the dispersion ellipse (sigma value increased from 2 to 2.05).
• Update 0.6.4:
  • The detectability of the Type F3 torpedoes was reduced from 1.9 to 1.8 km.
  • Improved appearance.
• Update 0.6.8:
  • The range of the secondary battery was increased from 4.5 to 6 km.
• Update 0.6.12:
  • Detectability when firing main guns in smoke changed to 7.18 km.
• Update 0.6.13:
  • Fire extinguishing time now 30 s instead of 60 s.
• Update 0.7.2:
  • Players who have collected the "Rewards" sub-collection of the "Yamomoto Isoroku" collection can use an alternate permanent camouflage color.
• Update 0.7.3:
  • Added a special space camouflage. Until the release of Update 0.7.4, camouflage can be purchased in the game client for 8,000 doubloons.
• Update 0.7.6:
  • Added the ability to install alternative upgradeable torpedo module Type93 Mod.3.
  • Type F3 torpedoes received an acceleration of reloading from 141 to 104 seconds.
  • Improved display of thin elements on the body kit.
• Update 0.7.7:
  • For a Japanese high-explosive projectile of 100 mm caliber (secondary battery), the armor penetration parameter was increased from 17 to 25 mm.
  • Made minor fixes to geometry and textures on the ship and camouflage.
• Update 0.7.10:
  • The range of the Hydroacoustic Search consumable was unified - 5 km for detecting ships, 3.5 km for detecting torpedoes.
• Update 0.9.5:
  • Small changes to geometry and textures.
• Update 0.9.6:
  • The value of the in-game turning circle radius was changed to 840 m to correct prior discrepancy.
• Update 0.9.10:
  • Fixed a bug due to which the armor thickness of the anti-torpedo protection was 25 mm instead of 30 mm.
• Update 0.10.0:
  • The firing range of the secondary battery was increased to 7.3 km.
• Update 0.10.6:
  • Fighters, as well as spotting aircraft, now launch from the catapults a bit faster.
• Update 0.10.10:
  • HP pool increased from 40,800 to 42,800.
• Update 0.10.11:
  • HP pool increased from 42,800 to 44,900.
• Update 0.11.3:
  • Minor fixes to geometry and textures of the ship.
• Update 12.5:
  • Main battery gun 180-degree traverse time reduced from 36 to 30 seconds.
  • Fixed the geometry and textures of the ship.
  • Armor layout updated.
• Update 13.1:
  • Added the Submarine Surveillance consumable with the following characteristics:
    • Range: 7 km.
    • Reload: 120 s.
    • Number of charges: 3.
    • Action time: 20 s.

Ships of Japan

Cruisers