Aoba

Revision as of 03:54, 10 October 2020

13.3

Cruiser | Japan | Tier VI

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VI

2,660,000

Aoba — Japanese Tier VI cruiser.

Aoba represented a further development of Furutaka with main battery guns placed in twin turrets to achieve a longer gun range. Moreover, she outstripped her predecessor in torpedo armament power and AA defense capabilities.

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 Model C turret	5.5	36	116	3,300	17	4,700		0	240,000

	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 ()
Aoba (A)	30,500	6	105	3	4	15/2/4	2			0	380,000
Aoba (B)	31,900	6	105	3	4	15/2/4	2			14,000	980,000

	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 ()
Type8 mod. 2	0.6	102	7.2	16,266	59	10		0	400,000

	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SUO_INCREASE_DIST (%)	Maximum Firing Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Type6 mod. 1		0		0	240,000
Type6 mod. 2		0		6,000	520,000

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 102,000 hp	35		0	180,000

Compatible Upgrades

Slot 1
Slot 2
Slot 3
Slot 4

Player Opinion

Performance

The Aoba isn't really much of a departure from her predecessor the Furutaka. In fact, ever since the addition of the Hull C upgrade to the Furutaka, which gives the Furutaka the exact same loadout as the Aoba, the Aoba's role as a 'seat adjuster' to get you accustomed to the aspects of the Japanese heavy cruiser has become redundant. That being said, if the Furutaka is the seat, then Aoba is still pretty much you sinking into the seat as it solidifies aspects of the Japanese cruisers introduced in the Furutaka. It's still an anti-ship combatant, it's still a skirmisher that specializes in medium to long ranges, it's still a ship that requires other ships to draw fire or to support in order to do well in. It's still a very good vessel to be a captain in, so long as you know her well.

One of the things you will notice is the slightly less responsive (but common to the next two tiers, culminating in the Mogami's superslow 155 mm gun turrets) turrets and improved loading time of 4 seconds at best over her predecessor. Her responsiveness to fluid situations is also vastly improved for a Japanese cruiser. This allows you to be where you are needed and support when it is asked. It is with this that the Aoba can smash tier V light cruisers with ease and be a wary force for other heavy cruisers and battleships but not so much with carriers as her AA suite is sufficient to only defend herself alone.

Her torpedoes are nothing special with the addition of the C hull for Furutaka and the much older 10 km torpedo addition, but, perplexingly, their reload is longer. Unfortunately, the positioning of them at the rear of the ship is a sort of downgrade from the Furutaka. Granted, this makes the Aoba a dangerous ship to chase, but it also makes it more obvious for enemy players to figure out when you launch torpedoes, as the rear mounts require you to turn the ship quite hard. Annoyingly enough, these rear mounted torpedoes also creates a blind spot where you cannot spot friendly ships trying to pass close to you.

It's best that you let the Aoba behave as an anti-ship combatant rather than a solid AA screen. Yet, considering how useless Hydroacoustic search is in detecting destroyers, it's simply better to stick with the Defensive Fire cooldown and use it to at least disrupt enemy torpedo and dive bombers. The Aoba retains the narrow hull of the Furutaka and thus can bow in and expect to not be hit by battleship guns at longer ranges allowing continued fire. Combined with her excellent maneuverability and fast reverse speed of 17 knots holding that head on is rather easy and can still allow to you dodge the occasional torpedo salvo if coming from the front and the rear.

That being said, while the Aoba is an anti-ship combatant, it does not have the armor or the reload speed to engage in prolonged gunnery duels with rapid firing American cruisers such as the equivalent tier Dallas and come out unscathed. It is a threat to equivalent tier cruisers, but like the Furutaka, the Aoba is a skirmisher, good at harassment, great at medium to long ranges at about 8-15 kilometers where it can still use its maneuverability to avoid gunfire, and requires friendly ships to draw fire, or islands to duck behind to give it breathing space.

Pros:

Retains the narrow hull of Furutaka making this ship a beast in head on situations
Additional armor compared to Furutaka.
Rate of fire beats any Japanese heavy cruiser.
Few researchable modules.
Good torpedo range for a heavy cruiser.
Reasonable AA suite.
Good anti-destroyer and anti-cruiser screen.
Guns beat the equivalent ships of other nations, much better for dealing with cruisers of the equivalent tier.
Fast. It can make 35 knots and has fairly quick acceleration, allowing it to keep up, outrun and support destroyers.
Better turning circle than Furutaka makes it slightly easier to re-position and dodge shells.
Gains Upgrade Slot 4. This is very helpful as Aoba frequently is up-tiered in Tier VIII battles, where battleships get seriously more threatening with better accuracy and of course shell damage.
Very thick central deck armor (48 mm): even the biggest AP shells can ricochet.

Cons:

Large and poorly maneuverable. Meeting a BB in open waters in a death sentence.
The armor is thicker, but it's still a Japanese cruiser making it dangerous to go toe to toe in prolonged engagements.
Torpedo tubes have a very limited launching arc. In fact, the rear mounted torpedoes make it obvious to experienced players when you're shooting them and necessitate the ship to show it's broadside to enemies.
Slow speed of the torpedoes, and wide spread
Bow/stern armor can be smashed even with destroyer HE shells
Slower firing rate of guns compared to many equivalent tier cruisers means that while it can still set fires, it will not do so as frequently.

Research

Captains should first research Aoba's second hull for the increase in health and maneuverability it provides. Lastly, captains should research the upgraded Gun Fire Control System to increase the ship's maximum firing range.

Optimal Configuration

Upgrades

Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1 keeps the guns and torpedo tubes active and firing.
Slot 1: Damage Control System Modification 1  makes the ship more resistant to fires and flooding.
Slot 3: Aiming Systems Modification 1 gives her guns more accuracy.
Slot 4: Steering Gears Modification 1 allows for a faster rudder shift to dodge incoming fire.

Commander Skills

The key skills for Aoba are nearly identical to those used on Furutaka. They include Expert Loader at Level 1, Expert Marksman at Level 2, Demolition Expert at Level 3, and Concealment Expert at Level 4. Captains who use the ship’s torpedoes often may find Torpedo Armament Expertise useful for reducing the reload time of the launchers. Last Stand is recommended to those who often find their engine or rudder incapacitated. Lastly, Basic Firing Training and Advanced Firing Training can be taken to improve upon the ship’s anti-aircraft armament.

Recommended Commander Skills
Cost (points)	Endurance		Attack		Support		Versatility
1	Priority Target Situational Awareness indicator will show the number of opponents currently aiming at you with main battery guns. ★★	Preventative Maintenance -30% to the risk of incapacitation of main turrets, torpedo tubes, steering gear, engines. ★★	Expert Loader -50% to reload time when shell type is switched. ★★★	Air Supremacy -5% aircraft restoration time. Χ	Direction Center for Fighters +1 fighter to carrier fighter squadrons or catapult fighters. ★★	Improved Engine Boost +10% Aircraft engine boost time. Χ	Incoming Fire Alert Indicator of long-range enemy artillery fire. ★	Last Gasp Completely restores the engine boost for the last attack flight of the carrier's planes. Χ
2	High Alert -10% to reload time of Damage Control Party consumable. ★★	Jack of All Trades -5% to reload time of all consumables. ★	Expert Marksman +2.5 deg/sec to traverse speed of guns with a caliber up to 139mm. +0.7 deg/sec to traverse speed of guns with a caliber above 139mm. ★★★	Torpedo Acceleration +5 knots to torpedo speed. -20% to torpedo range. ★	Smoke Screen Expert +20% to the radius of the smoke screen. Χ	Improved Engines +2.5% Squadron speed. Χ	Adrenaline Rush -0.2% to reload times of all types of armament for each 1% of total health lost. +0.2% squadron speed for each 1% of total health lost. ★★	Last Stand The ship remains able to move and maneuver while the engine or steering gears are incapacitated. ★★
3	Basics of Survivability -15% to time of repair, fire extinguishing, and recovery from flooding. ★★	Survivability Expert +350 ship HP for each ship tier. +15 aircraft HP for each ship tier.	Torpedo Armament Expertise -10% to reload time of torpedo tubes. ★★	Aircraft Armor Reduces continuous damage to aircraft in all AA defense zones. -10% continuous damage. Χ	Basic Firing Training -10% to reload time of main battery guns with a caliber up to and including 139mm and all secondary battery guns. +10% to continuous damage from AA guns. ★	Superintendent +1 additional charge to all consumables mounted on a ship. ★★	Demolition Expert +2% chance of HE shells causing a fire on target. +1% chance of rockets causing a fire on target. +5% chance of HE bombs causing a fire on target. ★★	Vigilance +25% to detection range of enemy torpedoes. ★★
4	Manual Fire Control for Secondary Armament Tightens dispersion of secondary batteries. -15% for Tier I-VI ships. -60% for Tier VII-X ships. Manually selected target only.	Fire Prevention -10% to the risk of fire. The maximum number of fires on a ship is reduced to three.	Inertia Fuse for HE Shells +25% to the armor penetration of HE shells. -50% to base chance of fire caused by HE shells.	Sight Stabilization Speeds up the aiming of a carrier's aircraft. +7.5% attack aircraft and torpedo bomber aiming speed. +15% dive bomber aiming speed. Χ	Advanced Firing Training +20% to firing range of main battery guns with a caliber up to 139mm and all secondary battery guns. +15% AA flak burst damage. ★★	Massive AA Fire +100% instantaneous damage. No boost to continuous damage in a reinforced sector. Shorter effective cooldown.	Radio Position Finding Shows the direction to the nearest enemy ship. The enemy is alerted that a bearing has been taken. ★★	Concealment Expert -10% to the detection radius of all ships and aircraft. ★★★
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful ★★ - Frequently Useful ★ - Occasionally Useful No stars - Meh Χ - Not recommended

Consumables

Aoba can equip the following consumables:

Slot 1: Damage Control Party 
Slot 2: Defensive AA Fire  or Hydroacoustic Search 
Slot 3: Catapult Fighter

Camouflage

Type 1, 2, or 5 camouflage can be equipped for credits; Types 2 or 5 are recommended at a minimum to reduce the accuracy of incoming shells.

Players who wish to spend doubloons can equip Aoba with Type 16 camouflage that lowers her detection radius, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells and increases the amount of experience she earns.

Signals

Aoba captains should mount the standard flags to improve the ship's performance in battle. To improve upon the ship's armaments, India X-Ray (), Victor Lima (), and Juliet Whiskey Unaone () flags are recommended to increase the fire chance and flooding chances respectively. To improve the ship’s survivability, captains should mount November Foxtrot () and India Yankee () flags. Sierra Mike () flags are recommended to increase the ship’s already high top speed. Lastly, economic and special signal flags can be mounted to improve the ship’s economic gains per battle.

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

References

Ships of Japan

Destroyers	II Tachibana • II Umikaze • II Tachibana Lima • III Wakatake • IV Isokaze • V Minekaze • V Fūjin • V Kamikaze • V Kamikaze R • V Mutsuki • VI Fubuki • VI Hatsuharu • VI Shinonome B • VI Shinonome • VII Akatsuki • VII Shiratsuyu • VII Yūdachi • VIII Akizuki • VIII Kagerō • VIII Asashio • VIII HSF Harekaze II • VIII Asashio B • VIII HSF Harekaze • VIII AL Yukikaze • IX Yūgumo • IX Kitakaze • IX Minegumo • IX STAR Kitakaze • X Shimakaze • X Harugumo • X Hayate • ★ Yamagiri
Cruisers	I Hashidate • II Chikuma • III Tenryū • III Katori • IV Yūbari • IV Kuma • IV Iwaki Alpha • V Furutaka • V Agano • V Yahagi • VI Aoba • VI Gokase • VII Myōkō • VII Omono • VII Tokachi • VII Maya • VII ARP Myōkō • VII ARP Ashigara • VII ARP Haguro • VII Southern Dragon • VII Eastern Dragon • VII ARP Nachi • VIII Mogami • VIII Tone • VIII Atago • VIII Shimanto • VIII Atago B • VIII ARP Takao • VIII ARP Maya • IX Ibuki • IX Takahashi • IX Azuma • IX AL Azuma • IX Chikuma II • X Zaō • X Yodo • X Yoshino • X Yoshino B • X Kitakami
Battleships	II Mikasa • III Kawachi • IV Myōgi • IV Ishizuchi • V Kongō • V ARP Kongō • V ARP Kirishima • V ARP Haruna • V ARP Hiei • V HSF Hiei • VI Fusō • VI Mutsu • VI Ise • VII Nagato • VII Ashitaka • VII Hyūga • VIII Amagi • VIII Yumihari • VIII Kii • VIII Ignis Purgatio • VIII Ragnarok • IX Izumo • IX Adatara • IX Musashi • IX Hizen • IX Iwami • IX Daisen • IX Tsurugi • IX Iwami B • X Yamato • X Bungo • X Shikishima • X ARP Yamato • ★ Satsuma
Aircraft Carriers	IV Hōshō • VI Ryūjō • VIII Shōkaku • VIII Kaga • VIII Kaga B • X Hakuryū • ★ Sekiryu

Cruisers

Japan	I Hashidate • II Chikuma • III Tenryū • III Katori • IV Yūbari • IV Kuma • IV Iwaki Alpha • V Furutaka • V Agano • V Yahagi • VI Aoba • VI Gokase • VII Myōkō • VII Omono • VII Tokachi • VII Maya • VII ARP Myōkō • VII ARP Ashigara • VII ARP Haguro • VII Southern Dragon • VII Eastern Dragon • VII ARP Nachi • VIII Mogami • VIII Tone • VIII Atago • VIII Shimanto • VIII Atago B • VIII ARP Takao • VIII ARP Maya • IX Ibuki • IX Takahashi • IX Azuma • IX AL Azuma • IX Chikuma II • X Zaō • X Yodo • X Yoshino • X Yoshino B • X Kitakami
U.K.	I Black Swan • II Weymouth • III Caledon • IV Danae • V Emerald • V Hawkins • V Exeter • VI Leander • VI Devonshire • VI London • VI Dido • VI Orion '44 • VII Fiji • VII Surrey • VII Belfast • VIII Edinburgh • VIII Albemarle • VIII Cheshire • VIII Tiger '59 • VIII Belfast '43 • VIII Hampshire • VIII Nottingham • VIII AL Cheshire • VIII STAR Edinburgh • IX Neptune • IX Drake • X Monmouth • X Minotaur • X Goliath • X Plymouth • X Gibraltar • X Defence • ★ Edgar
France	I Bougainville • II Jurien de la Gravière • III Friant • IV Duguay-Trouin • V Émile Bertin • VI La Galissonnière • VI De Grasse • VI Dupleix • VI Montcalm • VII Algérie • VII Toulon • VIII Charles Martel • VIII Cherbourg • VIII Bayard • IX Saint-Louis • IX Brest • IX Carnot • X Henri IV • X Marseille • X Colbert • ★ Condé
U.S.S.R.	I Orlan • II Diana • II Diana Lima • II Novik • III Aurora • III Bogatyr • III Oleg • III Varyag • III AL Avrora • IV Svietlana • V Murmansk • V Kotovsky • V Krasny Krym • V Mikoyan • V Kirov • VI Budyonny • VI Molotov • VI Admiral Makarov • VII Shchors • VII Lazo • VII Lazo B • VIII Chapayev • VIII Tallinn • VIII Mikhail Kutuzov • VIII Ochakov • VIII Pyotr Bagration • VIII Dmitry Pozharsky • IX Dmitri Donskoi • IX Riga • IX Kronshtadt • X Moskva • X Alexander Nevsky • X Petropavlovsk • X Stalingrad • X Smolensk B • X Smolensk • X Sevastopol • X Kommissar • ★ Novosibirsk
U.S.A.	I Erie • II Chester • II Albany • III St. Louis • III Charleston • IV Phoenix • V Omaha • V Marblehead • V Marblehead Lima • V Rattlehead • VI Pensacola • VI Dallas • VII Atlanta • VII New Orleans • VII Helena • VII Indianapolis • VII Atlanta B • VII Boise • VII Flint • VIII Baltimore • VIII Cleveland • VIII Wichita • VIII Anchorage • VIII Congress • VIII Rochester • VIII San Diego • VIII AL Montpelier • IX Buffalo • IX Seattle • IX Vallejo • IX Alaska • IX Tulsa • IX Alaska B • X Des Moines • X Worcester • X Puerto Rico • X Salem • X Austin • ★ Annapolis
Germany	I Hermelin • II Dresden • II Emden • III Kolberg • IV Karlsruhe • V Königsberg • VI Nürnberg • VI Admiral Graf Spee • VI Leipzig • VI HSF Admiral Graf Spee • VII Yorck • VII München • VII Weimar • VIII Admiral Hipper • VIII Prinz Eugen • VIII Mainz • VIII Schill • VIII Mainz B • VIII Cross of Dorn • VIII Wiesbaden • IX Roon • IX Siegfried • IX Ägir • IX Admiral Schröder • IX Roon CLR • X Hindenburg • ★ Clausewitz
Pan-Asia	I Chengan • III Ning Hai • V Chungking • VI Rahmat • VI Huanghe • VII Chumphon • VIII Harbin • VIII Irian • VIII Wukong • IX Sejong • IX Dalian • IX Mengchong • IX Tianjin • X Jinan
Spain	I Júpiter • II Méndez Núñez • III Navarra • IV Almirante Cervera • V Galicia • VI Baleares • VI Canarias • VII Asturias • VIII Cataluña • VIII Numancia • IX Andalucía • X Castilla
Europe	I Gryf • VI Elli
Netherlands	I Van Kinsbergen • II Gelderland • III Java • IV De Ruyter • V Celebes • VI Kijkduin • VII Eendracht • VIII Haarlem • VIII De Zeven Provinciën • IX Johan de Witt • IX Van Speijk • X Gouden Leeuw • X Prins van Oranje
Italy	I Eritrea • II Nino Bixio • III Taranto • IV Alberto di Giussano • V Raimondo Montecuccoli • V Genova • VI Trento • VI Duca d'Aosta • VII Zara • VII Duca degli Abruzzi • VII Francesco Ferruccio • VII Gorizia • VIII Amalfi • IX Brindisi • IX Michelangelo • X Venezia • X Napoli • X Napoli B • ★ Piemonte
Commonwealth	I Sutlej • II Port Jackson • III Caradoc • IV Dunedin • V Delhi • VI Hobart • VI Perth • VI Mysore • VII Uganda • VIII Auckland • IX Encounter • IX Hector • X Cerberus • X Brisbane
Pan-America	I Hércules • II Almirante Barroso • II Almirante Abreu • III Vicente Guerrero • IV Córdoba • V La Argentina • VI Almirante Cochrane • VII Coronel Bolognesi • VII Nueve de Julio • VIII Ignacio Allende • VIII Almirante Grau • IX Santander • X San Martín

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Aoba

Revision as of 03:54, 10 October 2020

Modules

Compatible Upgrades