Alabama
Revision as of 16:11, 12 March 2017 added link to LWM's article | Revision as of 01:19, 1 July 2019 | |||
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|Promo=<!-- in case of gift or promo ship write conditions to get it. (optional)--> | |Promo=<!-- in case of gift or promo ship write conditions to get it. (optional)--> | |||
|Anno=<!-- you can write below short description for the ship. it will replace default once. --> | |Anno=<!-- you can write below short description for the ship. it will replace default once. --> | |||
? | One | + | One of the ''South Dakota''-class battleships. ''Alabama'' boasted powerful AA defenses and sophisticated surveillance systems. She had a sensible armor layout including an internal main armor belt and a solid horizontal protection.<br><br>USS ''Alabama'' is now preserved as a [https://www.ussalabama.com/ military museum ship] in Mobile, Alabama.<br><br> ''Alabama'' first went on sale on 31 March 2017 on the NA servers, and on 30 March 2017 on the EU servers.<br><br>{{Model3DViewer|b4bcf67821db4caca3afd59613c58e27}} | |
|Performance=<!-- write text about performance in battles below --> | |Performance=<!-- write text about performance in battles below --> | |||
+ | ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' is a Tier VIII American battleship that shares many characteristics with her tech tree counterpart, ''[[North Carolina]]''. The most obvious similarity is that both share the identical 16-inch, 45-caliber guns mounted in triple turrets in an AB-X configuration, as well as firing the same 13,100 damage AP shells. Both battleships also feature powerful suites of anti-aircraft guns that make them unappealing targets for same- or lower-tier aircraft carriers. Captains familiar with ''North Carolina''’s primary, secondary, and AA armaments will feel right at home behind the helm of ''{{#var:ship_name}}''. | |||
? | '''[https://forum.worldofwarships.com/index.php?/topic/118543-premium-ship-review-alabama/#topmost LittleWhiteMouse's Premium Ship Review: Alabama] from the NA Forums''' | + | The big things that set ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' apart from ''North Carolina'' are her torpedo defense system — the best of any American battleship in the game — and her improved handling characteristics. With a two second faster rudder shift time and a 50 meter smaller turning circle radius, she is both better able to dodge incoming torpedoes and better able to withstand damage from any she is unable to avoid. While ''Alabama'' and ''North Carolina'' share the same bow armor scheme that enables them to better resist incoming fire when bow-on towards enemies, they also share the same citadel location; enemy battleships with broadside shots on ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' can very easily strip off large amounts of her health, especially at longer ranges. | |
+ | ||||
+ | Captains who enjoy the play style of ''North Carolina'' will find ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' to be an enjoyable ship, and will very much appreciate her improved torpedo protection and turning. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | {{AnnoWiki|content= | |||
+ | '''[https://forum.worldofwarships.com/index.php?/topic/118543-premium-ship-review-alabama/#topmost LittleWhiteMouse's Premium Ship Review: Alabama] from the NA Forums'''}} | |||
|Pros=<!-- write list of positive points below. use * as in ordinary wiki-list. --> | |Pros=<!-- write list of positive points below. use * as in ordinary wiki-list. --> | |||
+ | * Best-in-tier torpedo protection. | |||
+ | * Tight turning circle. | |||
+ | * 16-inch guns fire the same super-heavy shells as ''[[Iowa]]'' and ''[[Montana]]'', so the shell penetration and damage are devastating with good hits. | |||
+ | * Unrivaled AA suite at her tier. | |||
+ | * Very durable when angled. | |||
+ | * Her armor belt is slightly thicker than ''[[North Carolina]]''’s. | |||
+ | * Underwater citadel makes her more durable. | |||
+ | * Decently fast at nearly 28 knots. | |||
|Cons=<!-- write list of negative points below. use * as in ordinary wiki-list. --> | |Cons=<!-- write list of negative points below. use * as in ordinary wiki-list. --> | |||
+ | * Her shells are slow to land on target from the peak of their travel arc; extra lead is needed at range (similar to ''[[North Carolina]]''). | |||
+ | * Rudder shift — while faster than ''North Carolina'' — is still fairly slow. | |||
+ | * Below average armor piercing shell velocity. | |||
+ | * Dispersion can be unfriendly at times, and she can't mount {{Aiming Systems Modification 1}} to improve it. | |||
+ | * Not as well-armored as lower-tier American battleships; flashing her broadside to enemy battleships is suicidal. | |||
+ | * Small volume of secondaries compared to other Tier VIII battleships. | |||
|Research=<!-- write text about priority sequence of research below --> | |Research=<!-- write text about priority sequence of research below --> | |||
+ | As a premium ship, ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' doesn't have any upgrades to research. | |||
|OptimalConfiguration=<!-- write some general text about selection of optimal configuration below (optional)--> | |OptimalConfiguration=<!-- write some general text about selection of optimal configuration below (optional)--> | |||
|Upgrades=<!-- write text about best upgrades below --> | |Upgrades=<!-- write text about best upgrades below --> | |||
? | + | The recommended upgrades for ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' are as follows: | ||
+ | * '''Slot 1''': {{Main Armaments Modification 1}}<nowiki>*</nowiki> | |||
+ | * '''Slot 2''': {{Damage Control System Modification 1}} | |||
+ | * '''Slot 3''': {{AA Guns Modification 1}}<nowiki>*</nowiki> | |||
+ | * '''Slot 4''': {{Damage Control System Modification 2}}<nowiki>*</nowiki> | |||
+ | * '''Slot 5''': {{Concealment System Modification 1}} | |||
? | '''Slot 1''' | + | '''Slot 1''' is most commonly filled with '''Main Armaments Modification 1''', though {{Auxiliary Armaments Modification 1}} is a popular pick for captains who go for a full AA build with other upgrades and commander skills. '''Damage Control System Modification 2''' is recommended for '''Slot 4''', though captains could also consider {{Steering Gears Modification 2}} in order to improve rudder shift speed. | |
? | + | |||
? | ''' | + | '''Slot 3''' offers several options. '''AA Guns Modification 1''' will boost her AA strength, while {{Secondary Battery Modification 2}} will boost the range and accuracy of secondaries instead. {{Artillery Plotting Room Modification 1}} will increase range and give secondaries a slight boost in range and accuracy, but may be a weaker choice than the other two. Maximizing stealth is never a bad choice, hence the recommendation for '''Concealment System Modification 1''' in '''Slot 5'''; however, captains who prefer to use their battleship in an effort to tank enemy fire may have better luck with {{Target Acquisition System Modification 1}}. | |
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? | '''Slot | + | ||
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|CommanderSkills=<!-- write text about best set of Commander Skills below --> | |CommanderSkills=<!-- write text about best set of Commander Skills below --> | |||
+ | For the Level 1 skills, there is no clear-cut choice as to which skill to pick first. Skills such as Preventative Maintenance and Priority Target will help in terms of survivability, while other skills like Expert Loader may help in cases where a different target suddenly appears and an ammo swap is desired. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | For the Level 2 skills, Expert Marksman top priority. ''{{#var:ship_name}}''’s turrets are quite slow, as with most battleships, and Expert Marksman will help remedy that. Other skills that may be useful are Adrenaline Rush for faster reload at low health, and High Alert to get {{Damage Control Party}} off cool down quicker. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | For the Level 3 skills, Superintendent should be the first choice. The extra heal is extremely handy to have in a battleship that will take a lot of damage from tanking enemy shells. Basic Firing Training is also helpful making the ship's AA even better than it already is. Basics of Survivability and Vigilance are also useful for survival purposes. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | For the Level 4 skills, either Concealment Expert or Advanced Firing Training are excellent first choices to take. Concealment Expert is useful for disengaging from fights and disappearing into stealth or for making flanking maneuvers against the enemy fleet. Advanced Firing Training extends the power of your excellent AA, better protecting yourself and your allies from aerial attacks. If desired, Manual Fire Control for AA Armament is an option for those who want to be an extra nuisance to enemy planes, however Advanced Firing Training is the better first pick for an AA build ''{{#var:ship_name}}''. Fire Prevention is also an option for players who feel that they take too much fire damage and would like to minimize fire damage as much as possible. | |||
{{Commander Skills | {{Commander Skills | |||
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|Consumables=<!-- write text about selection of Consumables below --> | |Consumables=<!-- write text about selection of Consumables below --> | |||
+ | ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' can equip the following consumables: | |||
+ | * '''Slot 1:''' {{Damage Control Party}} | |||
+ | * '''Slot 2:''' {{Repair Party}} | |||
+ | * '''Slot 3:''' {{Spotting Aircraft}} '''or''' {{Catapult Fighter}} | |||
+ | ||||
+ | Mounting premium versions of these consumables is recommended to reduce their cooldown timers. | |||
|Camouflage=<!-- write text about useful camouflage below --> | |Camouflage=<!-- write text about useful camouflage below --> | |||
? | As a premium ship, '' | + | As a premium ship, ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' comes included with [[Ship:Camouflage#Premium_Camouflage|Type 10 camouflage]] that lowers her detection radius, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, reduces her repair costs, and increases the amount of experience she earns. | |
|Signals=<!-- write text about best set of signals below --> | |Signals=<!-- write text about best set of signals below --> | |||
+ | As with most ships, ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' has 8 slots for signal flags. The most important are the flags that enhance your survivability, which are India Delta ({{India Delta|Size=18px}}), Sierra Mike ({{Sierra Mike|Size=18px}}), and India Yankee ({{India Yankee|Size=18px}}). There is also the option to mount November Echo Setteseven ({{November Echo Setteseven|Size=18px}}) to enhance her already formidable AA and/or November Foxtrot ({{November Foxtrot|Size=18px}}) to shorten the reload time of consumables. After that, ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' captains can choose to mount flags that boost experience and credit income, such as Zulu ({{Zulu|Size=18px}}), Zulu Hotel ({{Zulu Hotel|Size=18px}}), Papa Papa ({{Papa Papa|Size=18px}}), Equal Speed Charlie London ({{Equal Speed Charlie London|Size=18px}}), and Dragon Flag ({{Dragon Flag|Size=18px}}). | |||
{{Signal Flags | {{Signal Flags | |||
+ | ||||
+ | | November Echo Setteseven = 2 | |||
+ | | Mike Yankee Soxisix = 1 | |||
+ | | India X-Ray = | |||
+ | | Juliet Yankee Bissotwo = 1 | |||
+ | | Victor Lima = | |||
| Hotel Yankee = 1 | | Hotel Yankee = 1 | |||
? | + | |||
| November Foxtrot = 1 | | November Foxtrot = 1 | |||
? | | | + | | Sierra Mike = 3 | |
? | + | |||
| India Delta = 3 | | India Delta = 3 | |||
? | + | | Juliet Whiskey Unaone = | ||
| India Yankee = 2 | | India Yankee = 2 | |||
? | | | + | | Juliet Charlie = 1 | |
+ | ||||
+ | | Zulu = 2 | |||
+ | | India Bravo Terrathree = 1 | |||
+ | | Equal Speed Charlie London = 2 | |||
| Zulu Hotel = 2 | | Zulu Hotel = 2 | |||
? | | | + | | Papa Papa = 1 | |
? | + | |||
? | + | |||
? | | | + | | Wyvern = 3 | |
? | | | + | | Red Dragon = 2 | |
? | + | |||
? | + | |||
? | + | |||
| Dragon Flag = 2 | | Dragon Flag = 2 | |||
+ | | Ouroboros = 1 | |||
+ | | Hydra = 2 | |||
}} | }} | |||
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File:AlabamaTorps.jpg | File:AlabamaTorps.jpg | |||
File:AlabamaAA.jpg | File:AlabamaAA.jpg | |||
? | File:AlabamaGearing.jpg| | + | File:AlabamaGearing.jpg|A pair of ''Alabamas'' demolish an enemy ''[[Gearing]]''-class destroyer. | |
? | File:AlabamaNCBounce.jpg|''Alabama'' bounces an enemy [[ | + | File:AlabamaNCBounce.jpg|''Alabama'' bounces an enemy ''[[North Carolina]]''’s shells. | |
? | File:AlabamaNearMiss.jpg | + | File:AlabamaNearMiss.jpg|''[[North Carolina]]'' is nearly rammed by ''Alabama''. | |
? | File:AlabamaMinotaur.jpg|''Alabama'' destroys an enemy [[ | + | File:AlabamaMinotaur.jpg|''Alabama'' destroys an enemy [[Minotaur]] in one salvo. | |
? | File:AlabamaNCRam.jpg|''Alabama'' and | + | File:AlabamaNCRam.jpg|''Alabama'' and ''North Carolina'' touch tips. | |
File:AlabamaNCSinking.jpg | File:AlabamaNCSinking.jpg | |||
+ | File:PCEE084_Alabama.png|[[Ship:Flags#List_of_Ship_Flags|Flag]] of ''Alabama''. Given to players who purchased a special bundle containing ''Alabama''. | |||
</gallery> | </gallery> | |||
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<div class="thumb tright"> | <div class="thumb tright"> | |||
{{AnnoWiki|content= | {{AnnoWiki|content= | |||
+ | <h2>USS ''{{#var:ship_name}}'', 1942</h2> | |||
<h3>Construction</h3> | <h3>Construction</h3> | |||
? | :Norfolk Naval Shipyard; Virginia, United States | + | :Builder: Norfolk Naval Shipyard; Norfolk, Virginia, United States | |
:Laid down: 20 July 1939 | :Laid down: 20 July 1939 | |||
:Launched: 16 February 1942 | :Launched: 16 February 1942 | |||
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===Specifications=== | ===Specifications=== | |||
:37,970 tons displacement, standard | :37,970 tons displacement, standard | |||
+ | :44,519 tons displacement, full load | |||
:207.26m length | :207.26m length | |||
:32.96m beam | :32.96m beam | |||
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----- | ----- | |||
====Machinery==== | ====Machinery==== | |||
? | :8 boilers | + | :Eight (8) Babcock & Wilcox boilers | |
+ | :Four (4) General Electric steam turbines | |||
----- | ----- | |||
====Performance==== | ====Performance==== | |||
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----- | ----- | |||
====Armor==== | ====Armor==== | |||
? | :Main belt: 310mm | + | :Main belt: 310mm, 32mm outer hull plating | |
? | :Lower belt: | + | :Lower belt: 310-25mm | |
:Decks: 152mm armored deck, 38mm weather deck,<Br> 16mm splinter deck | :Decks: 152mm armored deck, 38mm weather deck,<Br> 16mm splinter deck | |||
? | :Bulkheads: | + | :Bulkheads: 287mm | |
:Barbettes and Turrets: 440mm barbette, 457mm face,<Br> 241mm side, 305mm rear, 184mm roof | :Barbettes and Turrets: 440mm barbette, 457mm face,<Br> 241mm side, 305mm rear, 184mm roof | |||
:Conning tower: 406mm side, 184mm top | :Conning tower: 406mm side, 184mm top | |||
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====Armament==== | ====Armament==== | |||
=====Main===== | =====Main===== | |||
? | :Nine (3x3) 406mm guns | + | :Nine (3x3) 406mm/45 guns | |
=====Secondary===== | =====Secondary===== | |||
? | :Twenty (10x2) 127mm dual purpose guns | + | :Twenty (10x2) 127mm/30 dual purpose guns | |
=====Anti-Aircraft===== | =====Anti-Aircraft===== | |||
:Twelve (3x4) 28mm guns | :Twelve (3x4) 28mm guns | |||
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----- | ----- | |||
====Aircraft==== | ====Aircraft==== | |||
? | :Three Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplanes, two catapults | + | :Three (3) Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplanes, two catapults | |
}} | }} | |||
</div> | </div> | |||
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===History=== | ===History=== | |||
====Design==== | ====Design==== | |||
? | The ''South Dakota''-class battleships | + | The ''South Dakota''-class battleships were the next evolution in battleship design from the previous ''[[North Carolina]]''-class. Still designed in the late 1930s, they remained under the limitations imposed by the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty and the subsequent 1936 London Naval Treaty. Originally conceived to be more additions to the ''North Carolina''-class ships, it was decided to delay their design by a year in order to implement some solutions to the shortcomings discovered on the preceding “fast-battleship” class. | |
? | The ''South Dakotas'' were the first “fast-battleship” class of the US Navy to implement sloped | + | The ''South Dakotas'' were the first “fast-battleship” class of the US Navy to implement sloped armor plating to address the issue of high angle oncoming shells from plunging fire, especially from 406mm shells. Due to the design itself being of an advanced phase already when this decision was made, only the main armor belt — located interior of the ship — was able to be angled inwards by 19 degrees, which stretched from the main deck down to the bottom plates. Moreover, the bottom plate armor and other major longitudinal armor sections were thickened in comparison to the ''North Carolina''-class. | |
? | As a consequence of the additional | + | As a consequence of the additional armoring to increase the survivability of the ''South Dakota''-class ships, they had to be made shorter to meet the displacement restrictions of 35,000 tons imposed by the Washington Naval Treaty. Subsequently, whey were roughly 14 meters shorter than their predecessors of the ''North Carolina'' class. The design requirements for the ''South Dakotas'' still required them to maintain the same top speed of 27 knots as the ''North Carolinas''; more powerful propulsion systems were required and some creative design choices were made in order to fit everything into the more compact hull as a result. The machinery compartments were re-organized in order to squeeze in all of the boilers, turbines, and accompanying evaporating and distilling equipment, as opposed to ''North Carolina''’s more dispersed engineering arrangement. Furthermore, the machinery rooms themselves took up to two deck spaces, as the boilers were placed on a level above the rest of the machinery to allow the propeller shafts — connected to their respective turbines — to run their full length, unhampered. One interesting design feature resulted from the changes: the bottom hull ended well before the stern of the ship, and the two outer propeller shafts formed a “skeg”, or an enclosure, around the inner propeller shafts. This had the added benefit of providing additional protection from torpedo damage. | |
? | The superstructure of the ''South Dakota''-class | + | The superstructure of the ''South Dakota''-class was taller and narrower than previous American battleships. Due to the concentration of propulsion machinery in the midsection, the design required only one funnel as opposed to the usual two, saving some deck space. From the onset the ''South Dakota''-class were designated the role of fleet flagships, therefore a flag bridge was placed above the ship's command bridge in the conning tower specifically for this purpose. | |
? | '' | + | USS ''Alabama'' (BB-60), last of the ''South Dakota''-class battleships, was laid down at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard on 1 February 1940, launched 16 February 1942, and commissioned exactly 6 months later on 16 August 1942. | |
+ | ====Service History==== | |||
+ | ''Alabama''’s first assignment was in the Atlantic; the Royal Navy was focused on the Mediterranean Sea in a build-up effort to support the Invasion of Sicily ("Operation Husky"), and they lacked the capital ships to protect their northern convoys. Requesting help from their American allies, ''Alabama'' and her sister ship USS ''South Dakota'' sailed for the Orkney Islands to join the British Home Fleet. Her first duties were as a convoy escort, until July 1943 when she participated in “Operation Governor”: a diversion exercise executed around Southern Norway in an attempt to draw Germany’s attention away from the Allies’ true target of Sicily (the Kriegsmarine never responded to the challenge). ''Alabama''’s and ''South Dakota''’s service with the British Home Fleet ended on 1 August 1943, and the duo plus their screening destroyers detached from the Home Fleet and steamed for Norfolk, Virginia. ''Alabama'' would undergo ten days of refits and repairs before setting sail for the Panama Canal and Pearl Harbor in the Pacific. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | Following a month and a half of exercises with fast carrier task groups, ''Alabama'' moved to Fiji before setting sail again on 11 November 1943 to take part in “Operation Galvanic”, the assault on the Japanese-held Gilbert Islands. She screened the fast carriers, only opening fire with her AA guns when enemy aircraft approached her formation. Her first shelling operation, however, was on 8 December 1943, as ''Alabama'' and five other fast battleships bombarded the Japanese-held island of Nauru, causing severe damage to the vital phosphate-producing facilities. ''Alabama'' spent the rest of the year on carrier escort duty or standby, not returning to the front lines until 1944. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | ''Alabama'' returned to action as a part of “Operation Forager”: the first invasion of the Marianas Islands focused on re-capturing the island of Guam. ''Alabama'' again rotated between carrier escorts and coastal bombardments, often alongside ''South Dakota''. Later in 1944 she moved to join the screening fleet of USS ''[[Essex]]'' in “Operation Stalemate II”, serving in the Caroline Islands again before later moving to the Philippines and screening carriers striking the Japanese-held islands in the central Philippines. Between October and December 1944, ''Alabama'' was heavily invested in the Battle of the Philippines: serving as the lead ship in USS ''Enterprise''’s screen during October; then screening the fast carrier strike forces as they attacked Japanese airfields around Luzon throughout November; and finally departing for home on 17 December 1944. Along with the rest of Task Force 38, she was battered by Typhoon Cobra on the way, and three of her destroyer escorts were lost. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | ''Alabama'' returned to Pearl Harbor in early April 1945, following several months of repair and refit at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. She departed with Task Force 58 on 9 May 1945, bound for the Ryukyu Islands to support forces that had landed on Okinawa in early April that year. Screening allied carriers, ''Alabama'' served on the front lines from May through to July, her final combat operation being the coastal bombardment of industrial areas near Tokyo on mainland Japan, including the first night bombardment by battleships of Japanese industry on Japanese soil. She spent the rest of the war on standby, receiving word on 15 August of the Japanese capitulation, and she later entered Tokyo Bay in early September to receive men that had occupied Tokyo. Following her return to the United States — via Okinawa — ''Alabama'' took taking part in Navy Day celebrations in San Francisco harbor on 27 October 1945, and remained on standby until sailing for the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for inactivation overhaul. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | ''Alabama'' was decommissioned on 9 January 1947 and joined the United States Pacific Reserve Fleet, remaining there until she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 June 1962. Citizens of the state of ''Alabama'' formed the “USS Alabama Battleship Commission”, which raised funds to secure the preservation of Alabama as a wartime memorial. She was awarded to the state of Alabama on 16 June 1964, and was towed to her permanent berth at Mobile, Alabama. Arriving in Mobile Bay on 14 September 1964, ''Alabama'' has remained "in service" as an open [https://www.ussalabama.com/ museum ship] ever since. | |||
|HistoricalGallery=<!-- write below list of files with description (if necessary) separated with | --><gallery> | |HistoricalGallery=<!-- write below list of files with description (if necessary) separated with | --><gallery> | |||
? | File:Alabama-iii.jpg|USS ''Alabama'' (BB-60), 1 December 1942, in camouflage. Note trunked tower foremast and funnel, similar to that used in the design of the later ''[[Iowa]] | + | File:Alabama_Launch.jpg| ''Alabama'' being launched, February 1942. | |
? | File:USS Alabama (BB-60) fires guns 1943.jpg|''Alabama'' fires a salvo during exercises with the British Home Fleet in 1943 | + | File:Alabama_Casco_Bay_Maine_December_1942.jpeg| ''Alabama'' in Casco Bay, Maine, during sea trials. Note the Measure 12 camouflage. | |
? | File:USS Monterey (CVL-26) during Gilbert-Operation.jpg|''Alabama'' escorting the | + | File:Alabama_Casco_Bay_Maine_December_1942_Colorized.jpg| A colorized photo of ''Alabama'' in Casco Bay, Maine. | |
? | File:Bob Feller in Navy.jpg|Bob Feller by a 40 mm quadruple anti-aircraft gun mount, probably on board USS ''Alabama'' in 1943. | + | File:Alabama January 1943.jpg| A view of the forward main battery of ''Alabama''. The snow and Measure 12 camouflage suggests this photo was taken during sea trials but before repainting in Norfolk. | |
? | File:USS Knapp (DD-653) with USS Alabama (BB-60) in April 1944.jpg|''Alabama'' cruising with her screen of escorting destroyers in April 1944; ''Knapp'' is in the foreground | + | File:Alabama_Norfolk.jpg|Note the Measure 22 camouflage which has been applied. | |
+ | File:Alabama-iii.jpg|USS ''Alabama'' (BB-60), 1 December 1942, in camouflage. Note trunked tower foremast and funnel, similar to that used in the design of the later ''[[Iowa]]''-class battleships. | |||
+ | File:USS Alabama (BB-60) fires guns 1943.jpg|''Alabama'' fires a salvo during exercises with the British Home Fleet in 1943. | |||
+ | File:USS Monterey (CVL-26) during Gilbert-Operation.jpg|''Alabama'' escorting the ''[[Independence]]''-class carrier USS ''Monterey'' (CVL-26) en route to the Marshall Islands. | |||
+ | File:Bob Feller in Navy.jpg|Cleveland Indians All-Star pitcher Bob Feller poses by a 40 mm quadruple anti-aircraft gun mount, probably on board USS ''Alabama'' in 1943. | |||
+ | File:USS Knapp (DD-653) with USS Alabama (BB-60) in April 1944.jpg|''Alabama'' cruising with her screen of escorting destroyers in April 1944; USS ''Knapp'' (DD-653) is in the foreground. | |||
+ | File:Alabama_Pacific_1943_44.jpg| ''Alabama'' in what appears to be Measure 11 camouflage. Visible radar systems suggest this photo was taken in 1943 or 1944. | |||
+ | File:Alabama_Boiler_Room.jpg| A boiler room view inside ''Alabama''. | |||
File:USS Alabama Mobile, Alabama 002.JPG|''Alabama'' at permanent berth. | File:USS Alabama Mobile, Alabama 002.JPG|''Alabama'' at permanent berth. | |||
? | File:USSAlabama-Mobile.jpg|''Alabama'' as a museum ship in Mobile Bay, | + | File:USSAlabama-Mobile.jpg|''Alabama'' as a museum ship in Mobile Bay, circa 1985. | |
? | + | |||
</gallery> | </gallery> | |||
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|Ref= <!-- write below --> | |Ref= <!-- write below --> | |||
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Revision as of 01:19, 1 July 2019
406 mm/45 Mk.6 in a turret3 х 3 pcs. |
Rate of Fire2 shots/min. |
Reload Time30 sec. |
Rotation Speed4.5 deg./sec. |
180 Degree Turn Time40 sec. |
Firing Range21.1 km. |
Maximum Dispersion271 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 Weight862 kg. |
AP Shell406 mm AP Mk8 |
Maximum AP Shell Damage13,100 |
Initial AP Shell Velocity701 m./s. |
AP Shell Weight1225 kg. |
127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount10 х 2 pcs. |
Firing Range6.6 km. |
Rate of Fire10 shots/min. |
Reload Time6 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 % |
127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount10 х 2 pcs. |
. . . Average Damage per Second151 |
. . . Firing Range5.01 km. |
40 mm/56 Bofors on a Mk.2 mount12 х 4 pcs. |
. . . Average Damage per Second190.8 |
. . . Firing Range3.51 km. |
20 mm Oerlikon on a Mk.4 mount52 х 1 pcs. |
. . . Average Damage per Second187.2 |
. . . Firing Range2.01 km. |
Maximum Speed27.5 knot |
Turning Circle Radius710 m. |
Rudder Shift Time15.3 sec. |
Surface Detectability Range15.71 km. |
Air Detectability Range9.72 km. |
Alabama — American premium Tier VIII battleship.
One of the South Dakota-class battleships. Alabama boasted powerful AA defenses and sophisticated surveillance systems. She had a sensible armor layout including an internal main armor belt and a solid horizontal protection.
USS Alabama is now preserved as a military museum ship in Mobile, Alabama.
Alabama first went on sale on 31 March 2017 on the NA servers, and on 30 March 2017 on the EU servers.
Modules
Compatible Upgrades
Slot 1 |
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Slot 2 |
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Slot 3 |
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Slot 4 |
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Slot 5 |
Player Opinion
Performance
Alabama is a Tier VIII American battleship that shares many characteristics with her tech tree counterpart, North Carolina. The most obvious similarity is that both share the identical 16-inch, 45-caliber guns mounted in triple turrets in an AB-X configuration, as well as firing the same 13,100 damage AP shells. Both battleships also feature powerful suites of anti-aircraft guns that make them unappealing targets for same- or lower-tier aircraft carriers. Captains familiar with North Carolina’s primary, secondary, and AA armaments will feel right at home behind the helm of Alabama.
The big things that set Alabama apart from North Carolina are her torpedo defense system — the best of any American battleship in the game — and her improved handling characteristics. With a two second faster rudder shift time and a 50 meter smaller turning circle radius, she is both better able to dodge incoming torpedoes and better able to withstand damage from any she is unable to avoid. While Alabama and North Carolina share the same bow armor scheme that enables them to better resist incoming fire when bow-on towards enemies, they also share the same citadel location; enemy battleships with broadside shots on Alabama can very easily strip off large amounts of her health, especially at longer ranges.
Captains who enjoy the play style of North Carolina will find Alabama to be an enjoyable ship, and will very much appreciate her improved torpedo protection and turning.
Pros:
- Best-in-tier torpedo protection.
- Tight turning circle.
- 16-inch guns fire the same super-heavy shells as Iowa and Montana, so the shell penetration and damage are devastating with good hits.
- Unrivaled AA suite at her tier.
- Very durable when angled.
- Her armor belt is slightly thicker than North Carolina’s.
- Underwater citadel makes her more durable.
- Decently fast at nearly 28 knots.
Cons:
- Her shells are slow to land on target from the peak of their travel arc; extra lead is needed at range (similar to North Carolina).
- Rudder shift — while faster than North Carolina — is still fairly slow.
- Below average armor piercing shell velocity.
- Dispersion can be unfriendly at times, and she can't mount Aiming Systems Modification 1 to improve it.
- Not as well-armored as lower-tier American battleships; flashing her broadside to enemy battleships is suicidal.
- Small volume of secondaries compared to other Tier VIII battleships.
Research
Optimal Configuration
Upgrades
The recommended upgrades for Alabama are as follows:
- Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1 *
- Slot 2: Damage Control System Modification 1
- Slot 3: AA Guns Modification 1 *
- Slot 4: Damage Control System Modification 2 *
- Slot 5: Concealment System Modification 1
Slot 1 is most commonly filled with Main Armaments Modification 1, though Auxiliary Armaments Modification 1 is a popular pick for captains who go for a full AA build with other upgrades and commander skills. Damage Control System Modification 2 is recommended for Slot 4, though captains could also consider Steering Gears Modification 2 in order to improve rudder shift speed.
Slot 3 offers several options. AA Guns Modification 1 will boost her AA strength, while Secondary Battery Modification 1 () will boost the range and accuracy of secondaries instead. Artillery Plotting Room Modification 1 will increase range and give secondaries a slight boost in range and accuracy, but may be a weaker choice than the other two. Maximizing stealth is never a bad choice, hence the recommendation for Concealment System Modification 1 in Slot 5; however, captains who prefer to use their battleship in an effort to tank enemy fire may have better luck with Target Acquisition System Modification 1 ().
Commander Skills
For the Level 1 skills, there is no clear-cut choice as to which skill to pick first. Skills such as Preventative Maintenance and Priority Target will help in terms of survivability, while other skills like Expert Loader may help in cases where a different target suddenly appears and an ammo swap is desired.
For the Level 2 skills, Expert Marksman top priority. Alabama’s turrets are quite slow, as with most battleships, and Expert Marksman will help remedy that. Other skills that may be useful are Adrenaline Rush for faster reload at low health, and High Alert to get Damage Control Party off cool down quicker.
For the Level 3 skills, Superintendent should be the first choice. The extra heal is extremely handy to have in a battleship that will take a lot of damage from tanking enemy shells. Basic Firing Training is also helpful making the ship's AA even better than it already is. Basics of Survivability and Vigilance are also useful for survival purposes.
For the Level 4 skills, either Concealment Expert or Advanced Firing Training are excellent first choices to take. Concealment Expert is useful for disengaging from fights and disappearing into stealth or for making flanking maneuvers against the enemy fleet. Advanced Firing Training extends the power of your excellent AA, better protecting yourself and your allies from aerial attacks. If desired, Manual Fire Control for AA Armament is an option for those who want to be an extra nuisance to enemy planes, however Advanced Firing Training is the better first pick for an AA build Alabama. Fire Prevention is also an option for players who feel that they take too much fire damage and would like to minimize fire damage as much as possible.
Recommended Commander Skills | ||||||||
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Cost (points) |
Endurance | Attack | Support | Versatility | ||||
1 |
★★ |
★ |
★ |
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★ |
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2 |
★★ |
★ |
★★★ |
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★★ |
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3 |
★★ |
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★★★ |
★★★ |
★ |
★ |
4 |
|
★★ |
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|
★★★ |
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|
★★★ |
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful ★★ - Frequently Useful ★ - Occasionally Useful No stars - Meh Χ - Not recommended |
Consumables
Alabama can equip the following consumables:
- Slot 1: Damage Control Party
- Slot 2: Repair Party
- Slot 3: Spotting Aircraft or Catapult Fighter
Mounting premium versions of these consumables is recommended to reduce their cooldown timers.
Camouflage
As a premium ship, Alabama comes included with Type 10 camouflage that lowers her detection radius, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, reduces her repair costs, and increases the amount of experience she earns.
Signals
As with most ships, Alabama has 8 slots for signal flags. The most important are the flags that enhance your survivability, which are India Delta (), Sierra Mike (), and India Yankee (). There is also the option to mount November Echo Setteseven () to enhance her already formidable AA and/or November Foxtrot () to shorten the reload time of consumables. After that, Alabama captains can choose to mount flags that boost experience and credit income, such as Zulu (🚫), Zulu Hotel (🚫), Papa Papa (🚫), Equal Speed Charlie London (🚫), and Dragon Flag (🚫).
Recommended Signal Flags | |||||
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Combat | |||||
★ |
★ |
★★ |
★ |
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★ |
★★ |
★★★ |
★ |
★★★ |
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Note: Use of the Juliet Charlie signal makes detonation impossible.
Gallery
A pair of Alabamas demolish an enemy Gearing-class destroyer.
Alabama bounces an enemy North Carolina’s shells.
North Carolina is nearly rammed by Alabama.
Alabama destroys an enemy Minotaur in one salvo.
Flag of Alabama. Given to players who purchased a special bundle containing Alabama.
Historical Info
Historical Gallery
Video