New Orleans
| Tier VI | Type: Cruiser | |
| Preceded by | Succeeded by |
| Pensacola | Baltimore Buffalo |
| Cost | 9 000 000 |
| XP Required | 143 000 |
| Hitpoints35 000 |
| Armor6 - 152 |
| Torpedo Damage Reduction4 % |
| 203mm/55 Mk143x3 |
| Firing Range15 km |
| Reload Time12 s |
| 180 Turn Time27.7 s |
| HE Max Damage2800 |
| HE Fire Chance14 % |
| HE Penetration34 mm |
| AP Max Damage4600 |
| 127mm Mk19 mod. 68x1 |
| Firing Range5 km |
| Reload Time4.5 s |
| HE Max Damage1800 |
| HE Fire Chance9 % |
| HE Penetration21 mm |
| 20mm Oerlikon Mk49x1 |
| DPS32 |
| Range2 km |
| 20mm Oerlikon Mk2017x2 |
| DPS104 |
| Range2 km |
| 40mm Bofors Mk26x4 |
| DPS95 |
| Range3.5 km |
| 127mm Mk19 mod. 66x1 |
| DPS58 |
| Range4.2 km |
| Maximum Speed32.5 kn |
| Turning Circle Radius660 m |
| Rudder Shift Time6.9 s |
| Detectability by Sea12.1 km |
| Detectability by Air7.3 km |
| Detectability firing in smoke6.8 km |
Modules
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Hit Points | Min Armor (mm) | Max Armor (mm) | Torpedo Damage Reduction (%) | Main Battery Turrets | Rudder Shift (s) | Purchase Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | 29 700 | 6 | 152 | 4 | 3x3 | 9 | 0 |
| Hull B | 35 000 | 6 | 152 | 4 | 3x3 | 6.9 | 1 800 000 |
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Turret Arrangement | Reload Time (s) | 180° Turn Time (s) | Max HE Damage | HE Fire Chance (%) | Max AP Damage | Purchase Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 203mm Mk14 | 3x3 | 13.5 | 25.7 | 2800 | 14 | 4600 | 0 |
| 203mm/55 Mk14 | 3x3 | 12 | 27.7 | 2800 | 14 | 4600 | 225 000 |
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Firing Range Increase (%) | Main Battery Firing Range | Purchase Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | 0 % | 13.6 km | 0 |
| Targeting System Mk6 mod. 2 | 10 % | 15 km | 225 000 |
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Maximum Speed |
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| Stock | 32.5 kn |
Modifications
| SLOT 1 |
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| SLOT 2 |
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| SLOT 3 |
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Consumables
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| Accelerates repairs to damage modules, firefighting efforts and recovery from flooding. |
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| Increases the range of guaranteed acquisition of enemy ships and torpedoes, including those within smoke screens. |
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| Follows the ship and automatically attacks enemy aircraft. |
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| Increases the efficiency of AA fire. |
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Player Opinion
Pros:
- Reinforced armor compared to predecessor, allows to bounce cruiser AP with effective angling.
- Unique AP characteristics allow for above average AP output
- Solid range, above average turret traverse and a comfortable reload make it guns reliable in all situations.
Cons:
- Armor while effective is not thick enough to bounce most battleships' AP shells.
- Lofty shell arcs while an advantage in some circumstances are frustrating in gunfights.
- Below average HE and lack of torpedoes compared to its counterparts
Performance
New Orleans is the Tier VI American heavy cruiser. A radical shift from the Pensacola the most noticeable difference is the reinforced armor. The armor now allows you to effectively bounce enemy cruiser AP when angled, yet battleship AP can pierce through you for devastating damage.
In the gun department the ship boasts 3x3 203mm guns with unique AP characteristics and decent HE to support them. These combined with quick reload and above average turret traverse make it a sheer force to be reckoned with, combined with adequate range this ship is a real threat in the right hands.
Like other cruisers general play style consists of sticking with the team using islands for the early game engagements and being aggressive to hunt down enemy ships in the later stages.
Changes
- Main battery accuracy improved by about 3%
- Main battery reload time reduced from 15 to 14 seconds
- Main battery turret traverse speed increased from 6,5°/s to 7°/s
History
USS New Orleans (CA-32) was a US Navy heavy cruiser, the first of her class which was the last class of heavy cruisers designed by the US Navy under the limitations of the Washington Naval Treaty. Originally planned to have 33 units, the London Naval Treaty of 1930 limited the class to “only” seven vessels. Designed by taking the experience gained while designing and building the Pensacola Class, Northampton class and Portland class (represented in-game by the premium ship Indianapolis), she was a testbed for numerous technology, resulting in 3 distinct series of construction, and all subsequent guns cruiser of the US Navy where build by taking into account the experience gained with the New Orleans.
They were originally known as Artosia class, but after the loss of the ship during the battle of Savo Island, the class was renamed after New Orleans.
She received 17 battle stars during world war two for her service in the Pacific.
Commissioned in 1934, New Orleans did a shakedown cruise to Great Britain and Scandinavia, alongside other European cities before returning home. Then, she joined the Pacific and passed most of her early service doing exercises before joining the Cruiser Division 6 of the United States Fleet Scouting Force. She passed the interwar in the Pacific, doing occasional training in the Caribbeans before being assigned the Hawaiian Detachment in 1939.
During the Japanese raid over Pearl Harbor, New Orleans was under repair in harbour. Her crew contributed to the AA defence of the fleet, even if fewer ammo were ready for such a combat situation. She wasn’t damaged too much during the air raid and returned to duty in early 1942 even if one of her engines was still out of function. Fitted with a new radar, she started escorting convoys before being assigned to Task Force 11. Deployed alongside the carrier USS Lexington (CV-2), she joined USS Yorktown (CV-5) task force for the battle of the Coral Sea. When Lexington sank during the same battle, she helped rescue the carrier crew. After the Coral Sea, New Orleans patrolled near the Solomons before joining USS Enterprise (CV-6) air group for the battle of Midway. During the invasion of the Solomons Islands, she screened USS Saratoga (CV-3) and contributed to the landing of the US Marines Corps at Guadalcanal. When the carrier took a torpedo hit, she escorted her back to Pearl Harbor. Deployed again alongside Saratoga, New Orleans returned to the Fijis to take part in the Battle of Tassafaronga. She took a torpedo hit which exploded the forward magazines and tanks. All of the ship front, from the bow to the second turret, was destroyed. The damage control party of the ship managed to save the ship and allowed her to join Australia for repair. Returning to the United States, New Orleans bow was fully rebuilt, and her front turret was replaced with Minneapolis (CA-36) second turret. Returning in full service in the middle of 1943, she took part in the bombardment of Wake islands and contributed to multiple shore bombardment before returning to Pearl Harbor while escorting USS Lexington (CV-16), named after the carrier New Orleans witnessed the sinking and helped save the crew. In 1944, she took action during multiple shore bombardment, the Marianas among others. During the battle of Leyte Gulf, she helped protect the US Navy carriers, and New Orleans contributed to the sinking of a light carrier and a destroyer. In 1945, she took part in the invasion of Okinawa, bombarding shore artillery and providing heavy support directly on the enemy lines. New Orleans was in the Philippines when the war ended. In the immediate after war, she was deployed in south-east Asia to cover the internment of Japanese ships at Tsingtao, the evacuation of liberated prisoners-of-war and the landing of troops. She took part in the return home of US Soldiers before being decommissioned in 1947 and sold for scraps in 1959.
In World of Warships Legends, New Orleans have the wrong AA armament, being fitted in Hull A with twin 40mm Bofor, which never saw usage on any New Orleans class vessel, being armed with quad Bofor mount in 1943. She also lacks some 28mm AA guns.
Sources :
- Friedman, Norman, U.S. Cruisers: An Illustrated Design History, Annapolis, Naval Institute Press, 1984
- Cressman, Robert, The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II, Annapolis, MD: US Naval Institute Press, 2000
Gallery
Legends Ship Map 