Benson

13.3

Destroyer | U.S.A. | Tier VIII

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VIII

9,040,000

Benson — American Tier VIII destroyer.

A rather large ship for her type. As compared to her predecessors, the ship was much better armed owing to more efficient artillery mounts and a successful arrangement of novel quintuple torpedo tubes.

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 ()
127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.21 mod.0/Mk.30 mod.1 mount	18	5.3	101	1,800	5	2,100		0	650,000

	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 ()
Benson (A)	12,800	6	20	5		6/5	2			0	690,000
Benson (B)	15,400	13	20	5		2/4/5	2			18,000	1,400,000

	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 ()
Mk15 mod. 0	0.6	109	7.2	11,600	55	9.2		0	780,000
Mk15 mod. 3	0.5	122	7.2	16,633	55	9.2		18,000	1,470,000

	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SUO_INCREASE_DIST (%)	Maximum Firing Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Mk8 mod. 1		0		0	395,000
Mk8 mod. 2		0		12,000	950,000

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 50,000 hp	38		0	625,000

Compatible Upgrades

Slot 1
Slot 2
Slot 3
Slot 4
Slot 5

Player Opinion

Performance

Tier VIII's Benson is where the American destroyer line finally comes together with the complete package that makes them the most flexible destroyers in the game. The key to this transformation is access to Upgrade Slot 5 and Concealment System Modification 1 , allowing Benson and subsequent American destroyers to have concealment values that rival that of those found in the Japanese destroyer line. When their newfound stealth is combined with a potent torpedo armament and fast-firing main battery guns, Benson, Fletcher, and Gearing become true jack-of-all-trades ships with an incredibly high ceiling in the hands of a skilled captain.

For Benson, it all starts with her main battery. When built for maximum stealth, her detection radius of 5.8 km combined with 18 rounds per minute from each of the five guns in her main battery make her a terror to enemy destroyers. She can work in close, then cut opposing destroyers down very quickly with her high rate of fire. Beyond her main battery, Benson is the first American destroyer whose stock torpedo armament range exceeds her detection radius. She has a very long reload time for her torpedo tubes, but the torpedoes themselves are harder to detect than their Japanese counterparts and give her targets less reaction time to dodge out of the way.

Even a ship as good as Benson has drawbacks. Her anti-aircraft suite might generously be called mediocre, though captains who wish to sacrifice one of her main battery guns can equip Hull (C) and have access to Defensive AA Fire  to help drive off enemy planes. As a destroyer she has no real armor to speak of, and most shells that hit her will disable at least one module of some kind. Her shell arcs become challenging to use past the 7-8 km range, and require excessive lead in order to land hits.

Despite the negatives, though, Benson is one of the best-balanced destroyers in World of Warships, capable of providing a valuable contribution to any team she finds herself on in the hands of a skilled captain.

Pros:

Excellent main battery; stellar rate of fire and fast turret traverse speed (even faster than Mahan).
Two centerline-mounted quintuple-tube torpedo launchers give her a solid torpedo armament.
Capable of delivering torpedoes from beyond her detection range.
First American destroyer capable of lowering her detection range below 6.0 km by combining Concealment Expert and Concealment System Modification 1 .
Can equip the Defensive AA Fire  consumable when Hull (C) is mounted.
Good speed, responsive rudder, and excellent handling; Benson has the tightest turning circle of all Tier VIII destroyers.

Cons:

Weak armor; stealth and maneuverability are her best defenses.
Anti-aircraft suite is mainly for show and will rarely shoot anything down (even with Defensive AA Fire  active) unless captains invest heavily in the right mix of commander skills, upgrades, and consumables.
Very long torpedo reload time.
High shell arcs make it hard to hit fast moving ships, especially if they are maneuvering to avoid incoming fire.
Hull (C) reduces number of main battery guns to four when equipped.

Research

Availability of researchable upgrades for Benson is as follows:

Hull: Upgrade to Hull (B) to add extra health, fractionally more AA, and improved rudder shift time. Research of Hull (B) unlocks progression to Fletcher. Unlocking Hull (C) removes one main battery gun (and comes with a corresponding reduction in long-range anti-aircraft firepower), but allows Benson to equip Defensive AA Fire .
Torpedoes: The Mk15 mod. 3 torpedoes hit harder, but reload 13 seconds slower; Hull (B) must be equipped before they can be installed.
Gun Fire Control System: Upgrade to Mk8 mod. 2 for an extra 10% range on the main battery.

Like Mahan, Hull (B) is the best place to invest early experience gains. After that, captains are encouraged to research the upgraded torpedo module for better reload times and more damage. Benson is one of the first American destroyers that can be played as a torpedo-centric destroyer if desired. Pick up the Fire Control System upgrade to her main battery range last.

Hull (C) is an optional upgrade for captains who wish to maximize their defenses against enemy aircraft by gaining access to the Defensive AA Fire 

consumable. It is probably best skipped entirely or acquired after unlocking Fletcher.

Optimal Configuration

Upgrades

The recommended upgrades for Benson are as follows:

Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1
Slot 2: Propulsion Modification 1 *
Slot 3: Aiming Systems Modification 1 *
Slot 4: Propulsion Modification 1 ()
Slot 5: Concealment System Modification 1

Slot 3 is most commonly filled with Aiming Systems Modification 1, but captains who have equipped Hull (C) may wish to use AA Guns Modification 2 () in order to increase the radius of Defensive AA Fire . Similarly, captains looking to maximize their anti-aircraft capabilities may wish to install the special Defensive AA Fire Modification 1 upgrade into Slot 2.

Commander Skills

Benson isn't quite as flexible as her Tier IX cousin Fletcher, but she's close.

Preventative Maintenance at Level 1, Last Stand at Level 2, Survivability Expert at Level 3, and Concealment Expert at Level 4 are all must-have skills for Benson commanders. Once those four basic skills have been covered, captains can begin to customize their Benson commander further. Captains wishing to focus on maximizing their main battery should sink points into Demolition Expert and Basic Firing Training at Level 3; more torpedo-minded captains should invest in Torpedo Armament Expertise instead. Level 2's Adrenaline Rush is a good buy regardless of which armament is chosen for a focus. Captains wishing to invest in a full-on anti-aircraft build should invest in Basic Firing Training and Manual Fire Control for AA Armament; Benson is capable of shooting down surprising numbers of enemy aircraft when configured properly, but it requires a heavy investment in commander skill points and upgrades.

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.	Direction Center for Fighters +1 fighter to carrier fighter squadrons or catapult fighters.	Improved Engine Boost +10% Aircraft engine boost time.	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.
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. ★	Improved Engines +2.5% Squadron speed.	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.	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 shells from 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 +30% to the armor penetration capacity of HE shells. -1% chance of fire on target caused by shells <=139mm. -3% chance of fire on target caused by shells >139mm. ★	Sight Stabilization Speeds up the aiming of a carrier's aircraft. +5% attack aircraft aiming speed. +5% torpedo bomber aiming speed. +10% dive bomber aiming speed.	Advanced Firing Training +20% to firing range of main battery guns with a caliber up to 139mm and all secondary battery guns. +15% damage/sec. within the explosion radius of shells fired from long-range AA defenses. ★	Massive AA Fire Instantaneous Damage +100%. Priority AA sector cooldown +50%.	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

Benson can equip the following consumables:

Slot 1: Damage Control Party 
Slot 2: Smoke Generator 
Slot 3: Engine Boost  (or Defensive AA Fire  [Hull (C) Only])

A gunboat destroyer such as Benson is inevitably going to come under heavy fire; the abbreviated cooldown on Damage Control Party II () will eventually pay for itself. Shelling out the doubloons or credits here is highly recommended. Paying for Smoke Generator II () is captain's choice, but there are times that the shortened cooldown on smoke is the difference between sneaking away and going to the bottom.

Camouflage

Type 1, 2, or 5 camouflage can be equipped for credits; Types 1 or 5 are recommended at a minimum to reduce detectibility range.

Players who wish to spend doubloons can equip Benson with Type 18 camouflage that lowers her detection radius, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, reduces her repair costs, and increases the amount of experience she earns.

"Benson" also has an alternate premium camouflage called "Ghoul", in which she appears as she does during the Halloween scenario "Sunray in the Darkness".

Signals

Recommended Signal Flags
Combat
Juliet Charlie -100% to the risk of magazine detonation. ★★★	Juliet Yankee Bissotwo -20% to flooding duration.	India Yankee -20% to fire duration.	Hotel Yankee -20% to damage received when ramming the enemy. +50% to damage dealt when ramming the enemy. ★	Victor Lima +1% chance for HE bombs and shells with a caliber above 160mm causing a fire. +0.5% chance for bombs and smaller shells causing a fire. +4% chance of torpedoes causing flooding. ★★★	India X-Ray +1% chance for HE bombs and shells with a caliber above 160mm causing a fire. +0.5% chance for bombs and smaller shells causing a fire. +5% to the risk of your ship's magazine detonating. ★★★
Juliet Whiskey Unaone +15% chance of causing flooding. +5% to the risk of your ship's magazine detonating. ★★	Mike Yankee Soxisix +5% to secondary battery maximum firing range. -5% to maximum dispersion of secondary battery shells. -5% to secondary battery loading time.	November Echo Setteseven +5% continuous AA damage at all ranges. +5% damage from flak bursts. ★	Sierra Mike +5% to the ship's maximum speed. ★★★	November Foxtrot -5% reload time on all consumables. ★	India Delta +20% to the amount of HP recovered when Repair Party  is used.
X-Ray Papa Unaone +10% action time of a Smoke Generator .	Sierra Bravo +10% action time of Hydroacoustic Search  -10% reload time of Defensive AA Fire .

Note: Use of the Juliet Charlie signal makes detonation impossible.

Gallery

Ships of U.S.A.

Destroyers	II Sampson • II Smith • III Wickes • IV Clemson • V Nicholas • V Hill • VI Farragut • VI Monaghan • VII Mahan • VII Sims • VII Sims B • VIII Benson • VIII Kidd • IX Fletcher • IX Benham • IX Halford • IX Black B • IX Black • X Gearing • X Somers • X Forrest Sherman • ★ Joshua Humphreys
Cruisers	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
Battleships	III South Carolina • IV Wyoming • IV Arkansas Beta • V New York • V Oklahoma • V Texas • VI New Mexico • VI Arizona • VI W. Virginia '41 • VII Colorado • VII Florida • VII West Virginia '44 • VII California • VIII North Carolina • VIII Kansas • VIII Nebraska • VIII Alabama • VIII Massachusetts • VIII Alabama VL • VIII Constellation • VIII Massachusetts B • VIII Alabama ST • VIII North Carolina CLR • IX Iowa • IX Minnesota • IX Delaware • IX Missouri • IX Kearsarge • IX Illinois • IX Kearsarge B • IX Georgia • X Montana • X Vermont • X Louisiana • X Ohio • X Rhode Island • X Wisconsin • ★ Maine
Aircraft Carriers	IV Langley • VI Independence • VI Ranger • VIII Yorktown • VIII Lexington • VIII Enterprise • VIII Saipan • VIII Hornet • VIII Saipan B • X Essex • X Midway • X Franklin D. Roosevelt • ★ United States

Destroyers

Japan	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
U.K.	II Medea • III Valkyrie • III Campbeltown • IV Wakeful • V Acasta • VI Icarus • VI Gallant • VII Jervis • VII Jupiter '42 • VIII Lightning • VIII Cossack • VIII Cossack B • IX Jutland • IX Somme • X Daring • X Druid
France	II Enseigne Gabolde • III Fusilier • IV Bourrasque • V Jaguar • V Siroco • VI Guépard • VI Aigle • VII Vauquelin • VIII Le Fantasque • VIII Le Terrible • IX Mogador • X Kléber • X Marceau • X Kléber CLR
U.S.S.R.	II Storozhevoi • III Derzki • IV Izyaslav • V Gremyashchy • V Podvoisky • V Okhotnik • VI Gnevny • VII Minsk • VII Leningrad • VII Tashkent '39 • VIII Ognevoi • VIII Kiev • IX Udaloi • IX Tashkent • IX Neustrashimy • X Khabarovsk • X Grozovoi • X Delny • ★ Zorkiy
U.S.A.	II Sampson • II Smith • III Wickes • IV Clemson • V Nicholas • V Hill • VI Farragut • VI Monaghan • VII Mahan • VII Sims • VII Sims B • VIII Benson • VIII Kidd • IX Fletcher • IX Benham • IX Halford • IX Black B • IX Black • X Gearing • X Somers • X Forrest Sherman • ★ Joshua Humphreys
Germany	II V-25 • III G-101 • IV V-170 • V T-22 • VI Ernst Gaede • VI T-61 • VI Karl von Schönberg • VII Leberecht Maass • VII Z-31 • VII Z-39 • VIII Z-23 • VIII Gustav-Julius Maerker • VIII Z-35 • IX Z-46 • IX Felix Schultz • IX Z-44 • IX ZF-6 • X Z-52 • X Elbing • X Z-42
Pan-Asia	II Longjiang • III Phra Ruang • IV Shenyang • V Jianwei • VI Fushun • VI Anshan • VII Gadjah Mada • VIII Hsienyang • VIII Siliwangi • VIII Loyang • VIII Fenyang • VIII Loyang B • VIII Ship Smasha • IX Chung Mu • X Yueyang • X Lüshun • ★ Kunming
Spain	X Álvaro de Bazán
Europe	II Tátra • III Romulus • IV Klas Horn • V Visby • V Muavenet • VI Västerås • VI Stord • VII Skåne • VII Grom • VII Błyskawica • VII Stord '43 • VIII Öland • VIII Split • VIII Orkan • IX Östergötland • IX Lambros Katsonis • IX Velos • IX Friesland • IX Jäger • X Halland • X Gdańsk • X Småland • X Ragnar • ★ Dalarna
Netherlands	IX Groningen • X Tromp
Italy	II Curtatone • III Nazario Sauro • IV Turbine • V Maestrale • VI Aviere • VI Leone • VII Luca Tarigo • VII FR25 • VIII Vittorio Cuniberti • IX Adriatico • IX Paolo Emilio • X Attilio Regolo
Commonwealth	III Vampire • VII Haida • VII Huron • X Vampire II
Pan-America	VI Juruá

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Compatible Upgrades