Alabama ST
Revision as of 23:22, 30 December 2016 Removed photo of visible tourist | Revision as of 17:36, 1 August 2019 Fixed commander skill names | |||
13 intermediate revisions by 7 users not shown | ||||
Line 1: | Line 1: | |||
? | <!-- DO NOT EDIT OR DELETE LINES WITH COMMENTS (it's look like as this or next line) | + | <!-- DO NOT EDIT OR DELETE LINES WITH COMMENTS (it's look like as this or next line)--> | |
? | -->{{WoWs_Ship|Promo=<!-- in case of gift or promo ship write conditions to get it. (optional)--> | + | {{WoWs_Ship | |
+ | |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 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 ST'' is a clone of ''[[Alabama]]'' that is rewarded to Supertesters at Wargaming's discretion. She is statistically identical to ''Alabama'', but comes with a unique [[Ship:Camouflage|camouflage]]. <br><br>{{Model3DViewer|7f8bf6750ae44aa0ad6a8aa5803ddc3a}} | |||
|Performance=<!-- write text about performance in battles below --> | |Performance=<!-- write text about performance in battles below --> | |||
+ | ''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 A-B-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. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | '''[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. | |||
+ | * 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 45 caliber gun shells are slow to land on target; 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 [[Ship:Upgrades#Tier_V.2B_Equipment_.28Slot_2.29|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, ''Alabama ST'' 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 --> | |||
+ | As a Tier VIII American battleship with access to five upgrade slots, the following upgrades are recommended for ''Alabama'': | |||
? | + | '''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. | ||
+ | ||||
+ | '''Slot 2''' has one choice for battleships - {{Damage Control System Modification 1}}. This will reduce chances of fire and flood. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | '''Slot 3''' offers several options. {{AA Guns Modification 1}} will boost her maximum 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. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | '''Slot 4''' {{Steering Gears Modification 2}} is recommended and will reduce rudder shift time. Captains with fire problems could also consider {{Damage Control System Modification 2}}, reducing the amount of time on fire and conserving hit points. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | '''Slot 5''' Maximizing stealth is never a bad choice. With the Concealment Expert commander skill, {{Concealment System Modification 1}}, and appropriate camouflage, this ship can choose when to engage the enemy. | |||
|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 may help in terms of survivability, while other skills like Expert Loader may help in cases where a different target suddenly appears and you need to swap shell type. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | For the Level 2 skills, Expert Marksman is priority. The ''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 Repair Party up faster. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | For the Level 3 skills, Superintendent should be the first choice. The extra heal is extremely handy to have in a battleship that may 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, allowing the ''Alabama'' to better protect 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. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | {{Commander Skills | |||
+ | | Priority Target = 2 | |||
+ | | Preventative Maintenance = 1 | |||
+ | | Expert Loader = 1 | |||
+ | | Air Supremacy = | |||
+ | | Direction Center for Fighters = 2 | |||
+ | | Improved Engine Boost = | |||
+ | | Incoming Fire Alert = 1 | |||
+ | | Last Gasp = | |||
+ | ||||
+ | | High Alert = 2 | |||
+ | | Jack of All Trades = 1 | |||
+ | | Expert Marksman = 3 | |||
+ | | Torpedo Acceleration = | |||
+ | | Smoke Screen Expert = | |||
+ | | Improved Engines = | |||
+ | | Adrenaline Rush = 2 | |||
+ | | Last Stand = | |||
+ | ||||
+ | | Basics of Survivability = 2 | |||
+ | | Survivability Expert = | |||
+ | | Torpedo Armament Expertise = | |||
+ | | Aircraft Armor = | |||
+ | | Basic Firing Training = 3 | |||
+ | | Superintendent = 3 | |||
+ | | Demolition Expert = 1 | |||
+ | | Vigilance = 1 | |||
+ | ||||
+ | | Manual Fire Control for Secondary Armament = | |||
+ | | Fire Prevention = 2 | |||
+ | | Inertia Fuse for HE Shells = | |||
+ | | Sight Stabilization = | |||
+ | | Advanced Firing Training = 3 | |||
+ | | Manual Fire Control for AA Armament = 2 | |||
+ | | Radio Position Finding = | |||
+ | | Concealment Expert = 3 | |||
+ | }} | |||
+ | ||||
+ | |Consumables=<!-- write text about selection of Consumables below --> | |||
|Camouflage=<!-- write text about useful camouflage below --> | |Camouflage=<!-- write text about useful camouflage below --> | |||
+ | As a premium ship, ''Alabama'' comes included with [[Ship:Camouflage#Premium_Camouflage|Type 10 camouflage]] that lowers her detection radius, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, 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, the ''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 your already formidable AA or ''November Foxtrot'' to shorten the reload of consumables. After that, you can choose to mount flags that impact xp and credit income, such as ''Zulu'', ''Zulu Hotel'', ''Papa Papa'', ''Equal Speed Charlie London'', and ''Dragon Flag''. | ||
? | + | {{Signal Flags | ||
? | + | | Hotel Yankee = 1 | ||
+ | | Juliet Charlie = 1 | |||
+ | | November Foxtrot = 1 | |||
+ | | Zulu = 2 | |||
+ | | Juliet Yankee Bissotwo = 1 | |||
+ | | India Delta = 3 | |||
+ | | India Yankee = 2 | |||
+ | | November Echo Setteseven = 2 | |||
+ | | Zulu Hotel = 2 | |||
+ | | India Bravo Terrathree = | |||
+ | | Sierra Mike = 3 | |||
+ | | Victor Lima = | |||
+ | ||||
+ | | Mike Yankee Soxisix = 1 | |||
+ | | Papa Papa = 2 | |||
+ | | India X-Ray = | |||
+ | | Equal Speed Charlie London = 1 | |||
+ | | Juliet Whiskey Unaone = | |||
+ | | Dragon Flag = 2 | |||
+ | }} | |||
+ | ||||
+ | |Gallery=<!-- write below list of files with description (if necessary) separated with | --><gallery> | |||
+ | File:APairofAces.jpg|Two ''Alabamas'' prepare for battle. | |||
+ | File:AlabamaReady.jpg | |||
+ | File:AlabamaIncoming.jpg | |||
+ | File:AlabamaTorps.jpg | |||
+ | File:AlabamaAA.jpg | |||
+ | File:AlabamaGearing.jpg|Both ''Alabamas'' demolish an enemy ''[[Gearing]]''-class destroyer. | |||
+ | File:AlabamaNCBounce.jpg|''Alabama'' bounces an enemy ''[[North Carolina]]'' battleship's shells. | |||
+ | File:AlabamaNearMiss.jpg|''[[North Carolina]]'' is nearly rammed by ''Alabama''. | |||
+ | File:AlabamaMinotaur.jpg|''Alabama'' destroys an enemy ''[[Minotaur]]'' in one salvo. | |||
+ | File:AlabamaNCRam.jpg|''Alabama'' and ''[[North Carolina]]'' touch tips. | |||
+ | File:AlabamaNCSinking.jpg | |||
+ | </gallery> | |||
+ | ||||
+ | |History=<!-- write text below --> | |||
+ | <div class="thumb tright"> | |||
+ | {{AnnoWiki|content= | |||
+ | <h3>Construction</h3> | |||
+ | :Norfolk Naval Shipyard; Virginia, United States | |||
+ | :Laid down: 20 July 1939 | |||
+ | :Launched: 16 February 1942 | |||
+ | :Commissioned: 16 August 1942 | |||
+ | ----- | |||
+ | ===Specifications=== | |||
+ | :37,970 tons displacement, standard | |||
+ | :207.26m length | |||
+ | :32.96m beam | |||
+ | :8.91m draft | |||
+ | ----- | |||
+ | ====Machinery==== | |||
+ | :8 boilers, 4 turbines | |||
+ | ----- | |||
+ | ====Performance==== | |||
+ | :27.5 knots at 130,000 shaft horsepower | |||
+ | :15,000 nautical miles at 15 knots | |||
+ | ----- | |||
+ | ====Armor==== | |||
+ | :Main belt: 310mm, 32mm outer hull plating | |||
+ | :Lower belt: 310-25mm | |||
+ | :Decks: 152mm armored deck, 38mm weather deck,<Br> 16mm splinter deck | |||
+ | :Bulkheads: 280mm | |||
+ | :Barbettes and Turrets: 440mm barbette, 457mm face,<Br> 241mm side, 305mm rear, 184mm roof | |||
+ | :Conning tower: 406mm side, 184mm top | |||
+ | ----- | |||
+ | ====Armament==== | |||
+ | =====Main===== | |||
+ | :Nine (3x3) 406mm guns | |||
+ | =====Secondary===== | |||
+ | :Twenty (10x2) 127mm dual purpose guns | |||
+ | =====Anti-Aircraft===== | |||
+ | :Twelve (3x4) 28mm guns | |||
+ | :Twelve (12x1) 12.7mm guns | |||
+ | ----- | |||
+ | ====Aircraft==== | |||
+ | :Three (3) Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplanes, two catapults | |||
+ | }} | |||
+ | </div> | |||
{{VideoYT|jePvLRHZq4U}} | {{VideoYT|jePvLRHZq4U}} | |||
+ | ===History=== | |||
+ | ====Design==== | |||
+ | 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 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 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 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|'' | + | 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 '' | + | 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:USS Alabama Mobile, Alabama 002.JPG|'' | + | 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:USSAlabama-Mobile.jpg|''Alabama'' as a museum ship in Mobile Bay, | + | File:USS Alabama (BB-60) fires guns 1943.jpg|''Alabama'' fires a salvo during exercises with the British Home Fleet in 1943. | |
? | </gallery>|Video=<!-- put below video clips with using template VideoYT. You can use html-tags for formatting. --> | + | 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:USSAlabama-Mobile.jpg|''Alabama'' as a museum ship in Mobile Bay, circa 1985. | |||
+ | </gallery> | |||
+ | ||||
+ | |Video=<!-- put below video clips with using template VideoYT. You can use html-tags for formatting. --> | |||
+ | {{VideoYT|2gmVLWdvDSs}} | |||
+ | {{VideoYT|Ld_E-4T4Kfs}} | |||
+ | {{VideoYT|pgdO59ubCO0}} {{VideoYT|PAB30b-c9Vo}} | |||
+ | {{VideoYT|_rAatK1BgcE}} | |||
|Ref= <!-- write below --> | |Ref= <!-- write below --> | |||
}}<!-- DO NOT DELETE THIS LINE. DO NOT INSERT ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE --> | }}<!-- DO NOT DELETE THIS LINE. DO NOT INSERT ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE --> |
Revision as of 17:36, 1 August 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 ST — American special 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 ST is a clone of Alabama that is rewarded to Supertesters at Wargaming's discretion. She is statistically identical to Alabama, but comes with a unique camouflage.
Modules
Compatible Upgrades
Slot 1 |
|||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Slot 2 |
|||||
Slot 3 |
|||||
Slot 4 |
|||||
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 A-B-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.
LittleWhiteMouse's Premium Ship Review: Alabama from the NA ForumsPros:
- 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.
- Underwater citadel makes her more durable.
- Decently fast at nearly 28 knots.
Cons:
- Her 45 caliber gun shells are slow to land on target; 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
As a Tier VIII American battleship with access to five upgrade slots, the following upgrades are recommended for Alabama:
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.
Slot 2 has one choice for battleships - Damage Control System Modification 1 . This will reduce chances of fire and flood.
Slot 3 offers several options. AA Guns Modification 1 will boost her maximum 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.
Slot 4 Steering Gears Modification 2 is recommended and will reduce rudder shift time. Captains with fire problems could also consider Damage Control System Modification 2 , reducing the amount of time on fire and conserving hit points.
Slot 5 Maximizing stealth is never a bad choice. With the Concealment Expert commander skill, Concealment System Modification 1 , and appropriate camouflage, this ship can choose when to engage the enemy.
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 may help in terms of survivability, while other skills like Expert Loader may help in cases where a different target suddenly appears and you need to swap shell type.
For the Level 2 skills, Expert Marksman is priority. The 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 Repair Party up faster.
For the Level 3 skills, Superintendent should be the first choice. The extra heal is extremely handy to have in a battleship that may 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, allowing the Alabama to better protect 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 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost (points) |
Endurance | Attack | Support | Versatility | ||||
1 |
★★ |
★ |
★ |
|
★★ |
|
★ |
|
2 |
★★ |
★ |
★★★ |
|
|
|
★★ |
|
3 |
★★ |
|
|
|
★★★ |
★★★ |
★ |
★ |
4 |
|
★★ |
|
|
★★★ |
|
|
★★★ |
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful ★★ - Frequently Useful ★ - Occasionally Useful No stars - Meh Χ - Not recommended |
Camouflage
As a premium ship, Alabama comes included with Type 10 camouflage that lowers her detection radius, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, and increases the amount of experience she earns.
Signals
As with most ships, the 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 your already formidable AA or November Foxtrot to shorten the reload of consumables. After that, you can choose to mount flags that impact xp and credit income, such as Zulu, Zulu Hotel, Papa Papa, Equal Speed Charlie London, and Dragon Flag.
Recommended Signal Flags | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Combat | |||||
★ |
★ |
★★ |
★ |
|
|
|
★ |
★★ |
★★★ |
★ |
★★★ |
|
|
Note: Use of the Juliet Charlie signal makes detonation impossible.
Gallery
Both Alabamas demolish an enemy Gearing-class destroyer.
Alabama bounces an enemy North Carolina battleship's shells.
North Carolina is nearly rammed by Alabama.
Alabama destroys an enemy Minotaur in one salvo.
Alabama and North Carolina touch tips.
Historical Info
Historical Gallery
Video