Des Moines

Revision as of 11:15, 22 July 2019

13.3

Cruiser | U.S.A. | Tier X

Tech Tree Position

Battle Levels

12345678910

X

19,800,000

Des Moines — American Tier X cruiser.

One of the best heavy cruisers in the world. The ship was designed using the experience gained in World War II, resulting in excellent protection and very powerful AA armament. The key distinctive feature of cruisers of this type was auto-loading main guns that had a very high rate of fire.

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/55 RF Mk.16 in a turret	10.9	30	142	2,800	14	5,000		0	2,000,000

	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 ()
Des Moines	50,600	6	203	3	6	12/12/6				0	2,900,000

	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SUO_INCREASE_DIST (%)	Maximum Firing Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Mk10 mod. 1		0		0	1,800,000

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 120,000 hp	33		0	1,600,000

Compatible Upgrades

Slot 1
Slot 2
Slot 3
Slot 4
Slot 5
Slot 6

Player Opinion

Performance

Only a handful of high tier cruisers are known to have absurd firing rates: Neptune, Minotaur, Worcester, and this heavy cruiser. It is no surprise that due to her being the last all-gun cruiser made, she has all the lessons learned from her cruiser predecessors in the Second World War incorporated in her design. A very noticeable trait on Des Moines is her absurd rate of fire for a heavy cruiser, with each turret reloading at 5.5 seconds, making her extremely deadly to destroyers within radar range and other cruisers. She also can whittle down battleships quickly and, with her impressive AA suite, wipe out carrier strike squadrons with ease. However, she is extremely fragile: her thin armor makes her susceptible to penetration from most Tier IX and Tier X battleships at all ranges.

While Des Moines has impressive firepower and AA, her maneuverability is mediocre and her armor is terrible. With a standard cruiser speed of 33 kts and fast base rudder shift time of 8.6 seconds, Des Moines can evade incoming shells and torpedoes relatively well. However, while she can turn well, the speed loss on turning is massive enough to make her an easy target for any other ship with their guns loaded and ready. Additionally, with her 27mm armor belt (as opposed to Zao and Hindenburg’s 30mm or Moskva’s 50mm) this makes her very susceptible to most battleship AP shells at most ranges. Additionally, because of how flat her bow is designed in comparison to the other Tier X heavy cruisers, this makes her extremely susceptible to enemy battleship AP shells being able to penetrate her citadel through her bow.

In contrast to her weak points, the Des Moines high shell arc and gun layout gives her a unique advantage that her cruiser colleagues at her tier lack and as such she is capable of weighing anchor behind an island and lob shells over the island at distant targets with relative safety. Should the island be too tall, one can also park the ship around the corner of an island while bow on to act as a deterrent to advancing enemy ships, while presenting a relatively small profile. Exploiting this technique allows one to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Additionally, firing AP shells at bigger targets such as battleships can deal a surprising amount of damage in such a short time. However, it is recommended to do so only when she is close enough to have the rounds deal maximum penetration or if the target is broadside. Furthermore, given her rate of fire and decent fire chance, this makes Des Moines a deadly flamethrower to battleships within reach.

Overall, unlike most other Tier X cruisers, Des Moines cannot fight as effectively on open water due to her thin armor, slow shell velocity, and speed loss when turning. If the player has mounted the Legendary Upgrade, then Des Moines can become a very agile ship that will prove extremely difficult to hit, provided the player can use their speed and rudder accordingly. But should they play without said upgrade, then a more safe approach for each game would be to play defensively during the initial stages of the game, while becoming more aggressive slowly towards the end. But in general, how aggressive the player should be depends upon the flow of the battle.

Pros:

Fast reload - fastest out of all heavy cruisers of Tier X, which also makes up for relatively low fire chance.
Great shell penetration - can basically fire her AP shells at any (broadside) ship with great efficiency.
Good AP shell angles - the higher autobounce angles for the AP shells means they can easily pen at angles where other cruiser's AP shells will bounce, making for a devastating combination with the high shell penetration.
Powerful anti-aircraft armament - rivaled only by Hindenburg, Minotaur, and Worcester, Des Moines can easily shoot down any carrier strike aircraft without Defensive AA Fire .
High shell arc - allows firing from behind island cover and consistent citadel hits on other cruisers from long range due to plunging fire.
Medium ranged and long-lasting Surveillance Radar .

Cons:

Easily damaged by HE shells.
Low main battery survivability - easily incapacitated / destroyed by other 203mm AP shells after sufficient time.
Slow shell velocity and high arc - enemies have time to maneuver and evade the shells.
High citadel - plunging fire from other ships will easily penetrate the citadel.
Poorly armoured - Almost all battleships will be able to overmatch the plating, and, in conjunction with the high citadel, deal devastating damage.
Anti-aircraft armament very easily destroyed - can quickly be rendered useless against aerial attacks.

Research

Des Moines has no modules to research.

Optimal Configuration

Upgrades

The recommended upgrades for Des Moines are as follows:

Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1 keeps the guns active and firing.
Slot 2: Damage Control System Modification 1  lessen the fire damage taken, or Surveillance Radar Modification 1 if it is available.
Slot 3: See below.
Slot 4: Steering Gears Modification 2 allows for a faster rudder shift to dodge incoming fire.
Slot 5: Concealment System Modification 1  stay concealed.
Slot 6: See below.

Anti-air Build: Captains wishing to focus the role of Des Moines on air defense will opt for Auxiliary Armaments Modification 1

for Slot 1 to increase anti-aircraft armament durability, AA Guns Modification 1

for Slot 3 to increase her medium- and long-range AA power, and AA Guns Modification 2 (

) for Slot 6 to increase her overall AA power. If rather than maximum AA defense a more balanced build is desired, consider replacing AA Guns Modification 2 with Gun Fire Control System Modification 2

for range or Main Battery Modification 3

for faster reload.

Gun Build: Captains focusing on making Des Moines have better main batteries will opt for Main Armaments Modification 1

for Slot 1, Aiming Systems Modification 1

for the Slot 3 to increase her accuracy, and Main Battery Modification 3 for the Slot 6 to shorten her reload down to 4.8s or even lower with Adrenaline Rush skill. Gun Fire Control System Modification 2 for the Slot 6 is also useful, as it increase her range up to 18.4km, on par withMoskva’s and Hindenburg’s. Again, this depends on captain's choice whether better reload or better range is what he pursue. This build also removes her AA usefulness, although her AA is still powerful even when not focused on AA.

Des Moines also has access to chain of missions that will grant a Unique Upgrade: Enhanced Propulsion Plant () for Slot 6, which decreases her rudder shift and also halves the time taken to accelerate to full power, while shortening her Surveillance Radar  duration by 10%. With this upgrade and Propulsion Modification 1 (), Des Moines can accelerate from 0-27kts in about 8 seconds. It is also recommended to equip Surveillance Radar Modification 1 in Slot 2 to negate the negative effects of the Unique Upgrade.

Commander Skills

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

Des Moines can equip the following consumables:

Slot 1: Damage Control Party 
Slot 2: Defensive AA Fire  or Hydroacoustic Search 
Slot 3: Catapult Fighter , Spotting Aircraft , or Surveillance Radar 
Slot 4: Repair Party

Captain focusing Des Moines on AA build will equip Defensive AA Fire II () for the Slot 2, especially when in a division with a carrier. Although for solo playing, Hydroacoustic Search II () is more recommended if there is no carrier around.

Des Moines captains should use Surveillance Radar II () on Slot 3 to increase their in-game impact (hunting the extremely stealthy destroyers of Tier X), as Catapult Fighter  and Spotting Aircraft  are not at all useful in hunting stealthy or smoke-covered enemy ships.

Camouflage

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

Players who wish to spend doubloons can equip Des Moines with Type 20 camouflage that lowers her detection range, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, reduces her repair costs, increases her credit earnings, and increases the amount of experience she earns.

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

Historical Info

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

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

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 |Anno=<!-- you can write below short description for the ship. it will replace default once. -->
-One of the best heavy cruisers in the world. The ship was designed using the experience gained in World War II, resulting in excellent protection and very powerful AA armament. The key distinctive feature of cruisers of this type was auto-loading main guns that had a very high rate of fire.<br><br>The third ship of the class, USS ''Salem'', is now preserved as a [https://www.uss-salem.org/ military museum ship] in Quincy, Massachusetts.
+One of the best heavy cruisers in the world. The ship was designed using the experience gained in World War II, resulting in excellent protection and very powerful AA armament. The key distinctive feature of cruisers of this type was auto-loading main guns that had a very high rate of fire.<br><br>{{Model3DViewer|6616adcb515749f49fda8322d6a8e561}}
 |Performance=<!-- write text about performance in battles below -->
-Only a handful of high tier cruisers are known to have absurd firing rates: the light cruisers ''[[Nurnberg]], [[Atlanta]], [[Flint]], [[Minotaur]]'' and this heavy cruiser. It is no surprise that due to her being the last all-gun cruiser made, she has all the lessons learned from her cruiser predecessors in the Second World War incorporated in her design. A very noticeable trait on ''Des Moines'' is her absurd rate of fire for a heavy cruiser with each turret loading rounds at 6 seconds which can quickly deal with destroyers, harm or outright destroy other cruisers with extreme fusillades of fire, force battleships to be wary of her as well as nervously check their hit points when they are subjected by her withering blows and frustrate carriers to no end due to her impressive AA suite which, with proper upgrades and skills, have their potency increase even further. With her ergonomics and good handling, one can say this heavy cruiser does it all; serving as both an AA and anti-ship screen, joining a cruiser squadron for rapid action as she can keep up thanks to her good speed and provide additional firepower, and functioning as a reasonable cruiser leader for a small destroyer group.
+Only a handful of high tier cruisers are known to have absurd firing rates: ''[[Neptune]]'', ''[[Minotaur]]'', ''[[Worcester]]'', and this heavy cruiser. It is no surprise that due to her being the last all-gun cruiser made, she has all the lessons learned from her cruiser predecessors in the Second World War incorporated in her design. A very noticeable trait on ''Des Moines'' is her absurd rate of fire for a heavy cruiser, with each turret reloading at 5.5 seconds, making her extremely deadly to destroyers within radar range and other cruisers. She also can whittle down battleships quickly and, with her impressive AA suite, wipe out carrier strike squadrons with ease. However, she is extremely fragile: her thin armor makes her susceptible to penetration from most Tier IX and Tier X battleships at all ranges. <br />
-The cruiser's high shell arc and gun layout gives her a unique advantage that her cruiser colleagues at her tier lack and as such she is capable of sitting behind an island and using her high shell arc to lob shells over the island at distant targets with relative safety. One can also park the ship around the corner of an island while bow on to act as a deterrent to advancing enemy ships, while presenting a relatively small target profile. Exploiting this technique allows one to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Also, do not be afraid to fire your AP shells at bigger targets such as battleships as your AP shells can deal a surprising amount of damage in such a short time, however only do so when you are close enough to have the rounds deal maximum penetration.
+While ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' has impressive firepower and AA, her maneuverability is mediocre and her armor is terrible. With a standard cruiser speed of 33 kts and fast base rudder shift time of 8.6 seconds, ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' can evade incoming shells and torpedoes relatively well. However, while she can turn well, the speed loss on turning is massive enough to make her an easy target for any other ship with their guns loaded and ready. Additionally, with her 27mm armor belt (as opposed to ''[[Zao]]'' and ''[[Hindenburg]]''’s 30mm or ''[[Moskva]]''’s 50mm) this makes her very susceptible to most battleship AP shells at most ranges. Additionally, because of how flat her bow is designed in comparison to the other Tier X heavy cruisers, this makes her extremely susceptible to enemy battleship AP shells being able to penetrate her citadel through her bow.
-Unlike every other tier 10 cruiser, ''Des Moines'' cannot effectively fight as an anti-surface combatant on open water and her shell speed prevents her from faring well in ranged firefights. Instead, one should look to play defensively during the initial stages of the game such as performing escort duties to allied carriers (although the thought of babysitting the defenseless carriers may not cross the minds of some) or putting yourself in an effective position to respond such as hiding behind islands to protect yourself while you lob shells over them to harass enemies, and choose areas of the map that allow you to fight enemies at your terms in close to medium range as the closer ''Des Moines'' gets, the more dangerous and potentially devastating she becomes. It should not come as a surprise that if played right, the cruiser can practically dictate the flow of battle and at the mid-game to late game stages where the strongest ships have likely killed each other off, the opportunity to become hyper aggressive and quickly mop up the enemy team with the withering rate of fire is now open to the player. This isn't the only way to play ''Des Moines'' as she can serve the player well with whatever tactics they bring to the field. Shift your play style depending on the situation to give your team the best chance of winning. Knowing when to go defensive or aggressive is key to doing well in this ship.
-{{VideoYT|VaSyPXZ_X5g|320}}
+In contrast to her weak points, the ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' high shell arc and gun layout gives her a unique advantage that her cruiser colleagues at her tier lack and as such she is capable of weighing anchor behind an island and lob shells over the island at distant targets with relative safety. Should the island be too tall, one can also park the ship around the corner of an island while bow on to act as a deterrent to advancing enemy ships, while presenting a relatively small profile. Exploiting this technique allows one to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Additionally, firing AP shells at bigger targets such as battleships can deal a surprising amount of damage in such a short time. However, it is recommended to do so only when she is close enough to have the rounds deal maximum penetration or if the target is broadside. Furthermore, given her rate of fire and decent fire chance, this makes ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' a deadly flamethrower to battleships within reach.<br />
+Overall, unlike most other Tier X cruisers, ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' cannot fight as effectively on open water due to her thin armor, slow shell velocity, and speed loss when turning. If the player has mounted the [[Ship:Upgrades#Enhanced_Propulsion|Legendary Upgrade]], then ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' can become a very agile ship that will prove extremely difficult to hit, provided the player can use their speed and rudder accordingly. But should they play without said upgrade, then a more safe approach for each game would be to play defensively during the initial stages of the game, while becoming more aggressive slowly towards the end. But in general, how aggressive the player should be depends upon the flow of the battle.
 |Pros=<!-- write list of positive points below. use * as in ordinary wiki-list. -->
-* Rapid reload speed allows one to quickly switch ammo types to adapt to any situation.
+* Fast reload - fastest out of all heavy cruisers of Tier X, which also makes up for relatively low fire chance.
-* Unrivaled rate of fire for a heavy cruiser at her tier
+* Great shell penetration - can basically fire her AP shells at any (broadside) ship with great efficiency.
-* Very effective against destroyers and cruisers at close to medium range, can give battleships something to be wary of, and fend off aerial assaults
+* Good AP shell angles - the higher autobounce angles for the AP shells means they can easily pen at angles where other cruiser's AP shells will bounce, making for a devastating combination with the high shell penetration.
-* AA suite with all range upgrades can reach out to 7.2km.
+* Powerful anti-aircraft armament - rivaled only by ''[[Hindenburg]]'', ''[[Minotaur]]'', and ''[[Worcester]]'', ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' can easily shoot down any carrier strike aircraft without {{Defensive AA Fire}}.
-* The best cruiser AA escort in the game with 426 AA DPS at 5.0km.
+* High shell arc - allows firing from behind island cover and consistent citadel hits on other cruisers from long range due to plunging fire.
-* Reasonably protected when bow on towards your enemies, however battleships can still injure you greatly if their shells hit you with good RNG dispersion.
+* Medium ranged and long-lasting {{Surveillance Radar}}.
-* Gun layout and high shell arc allows one to sit behind an island and lob shells over it to harass far away enemies, while being partially covered by the island.
-* High shell arc also allows for consistent citadel hits on other cruisers from long range due to plunging fire, if you can hit them!
-* Jack of all trades
-* Surprising AP shell potency; the cruiser can basically fire her AP shells even against a battleship when the situation calls for it
 |Cons=<!-- write list of negative points below. use * as in ordinary wiki-list. -->
-* Outclassed and outgunned by every other tier 10 cruiser at long range except for the Minotaur
+* Easily damaged by HE shells.
-* Main guns are very vulnerable and easy to destroy, especially when you're bow on towards your enemies.
+* Low main battery survivability - easily incapacitated / destroyed by other 203mm AP shells after sufficient time.
-* Slower shell velocity means arc is rather high which makes shells take a bit long to reach the target point but can reach over islands
+* Slow shell velocity and high arc - enemies have time to maneuver and evade the shells.
-* Rather sluggish acceleration.
+* High citadel - plunging fire from other ships will easily penetrate the citadel.
-* Large citadel for a US cruiser.
+* Poorly armoured - Almost all battleships will be able to overmatch the plating, and, in conjunction with the high citadel, deal devastating damage.
-* Despite the AP having the strongest penetration value in the game, getting up close is the most effective way to deal guaranteed damage
+* Anti-aircraft armament very easily destroyed - can quickly be rendered useless against aerial attacks.
-* Fairly easy to detect
 |Research=<!-- write text about priority sequence of research below -->
-None, as the ship is elite when purchased. There are several equipment suggestions that may be of use to the Des Moines provided if they fit the player handling her with both fire training skills in effect:
+''{{#var:ship_name}}'' has no modules to research.
 |OptimalConfiguration=<!-- write some general text about selection of optimal configuration below (optional)-->
 |Upgrades=<!-- write text about best upgrades below -->
-<!--
-[[Ship:Upgrades#Tier_I.2B_Equipment_.28Slot_1.29|Upgrade Slot 1]]
-[[Ship:Upgrades#Tier_V.2B_Equipment_.28Slot_2.29|Upgrade Slot 2]]
-[[Ship:Upgrades#Tier_IX.2B_Equipment_.28Slot_3.29|Upgrade Slot 3]]
-[[Ship:Upgrades#Tier_III.2B_Equipment_.28Slot_4.29|Upgrade Slot 4]]
-[[Ship:Upgrades#Tier_VI.2B_Equipment_.28Slot_5.29|Upgrade Slot 5]]
-[[Ship:Upgrades#Tier_VIII.2B_Equipment_.28Slot_6.29|Upgrade Slot 6]]-->
-* For a dedicated AA build, suggest running with AA gun health for slot 1, AA gun reach for slot 2, AA potency for slot 3, anything you wish on slots 4 and 5 and target acquisition for slot 6 combined with the paint that reduces enemy accuracy and decreases your detection range. Run the commander with Basic Firing training, Expert marksman to give your main guns a bit more speed to turn, Superintendent for an addition to consumables such as Defensive fire and Repair Party, Advanced Firing Training to increase your AA suite's "AA bubble" or Centralized Fire Control for the AA guns if you wish to concentrate fire on a single squadron to ensure its destruction, and Jack of All Trades so that your consumables will have a fairly shorter cooldown time.
+The recommended upgrades for ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' are as follows:
-* For a dedicated gun build, suggest running with main battery health for slot 1, main battery accuracy for slot 2, either sacrificing some turret traverse speed for increased load time by putting the load time modification to make the ship or increasing the range for the cruiser to be a supporting fire ship albeit this does not fully solve her rather slow shell velocity, anything you wish on slot 4, either damcon 2 or rudder modification as you may take some damage or you need all the ship's maneuverability, and it may not be much but the ship's concealment improvement on slot 6 combined with concealment dazzle and the respective skill will have a profound effect on "striking first". It is suggested you equip hydroacoustic search and radar surveillance if you wish to have the ability to detect destroyers concealed in their smoke.
+* '''Slot 1''': {{Main Armaments Modification 1}} keeps the guns active and firing.
+* '''Slot 2''': {{Damage Control System Modification 1}} lessen the fire damage taken, or {{Surveillance Radar Modification 1}} if it is available.
+* '''Slot 3''': See below.
+* '''Slot 4''': {{Steering Gears Modification 2}} allows for a faster rudder shift to dodge incoming fire.
+* '''Slot 5''': {{Concealment System Modification 1}} stay concealed.
+* '''Slot 6''': See below.
+[[Image:Icon_modernization_PCM018_AirDefense_Mod_III.png|left]]'''Anti-air Build:''' Captains wishing to focus the role of ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' on air defense will opt for {{Auxiliary Armaments Modification 1}} for '''Slot 1''' to increase anti-aircraft armament durability, {{AA Guns Modification 1}} for '''Slot 3''' to increase her medium- and long-range AA power, and {{AA Guns Modification 2}} for '''Slot 6''' to increase her overall AA power.  If rather than maximum AA defense a more balanced build is desired, consider replacing AA Guns Modification 2 with {{Gun Fire Control System Modification 2}} for range or {{Main Battery Modification 3}} for faster reload.
+[[Image:Wows_icon_modernization_PCM013_MainGun_Mod_III.png|left]]'''Gun Build:''' Captains focusing on making ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' have better main batteries will opt for {{Main Armaments Modification 1}} for '''Slot 1''', {{Aiming Systems Modification 1}} for the '''Slot 3''' to increase her accuracy, and Main Battery Modification 3 for the '''Slot 6''' to shorten her reload down to 4.8s or even lower with Adrenaline Rush skill. Gun Fire Control System Modification 2 for the '''Slot 6''' is also useful, as it increase her range up to 18.4km, on par with''[[Moskva]]''’s and ''Hindenburg''’s. Again, this depends on captain's choice whether better reload or better range is what he pursue. This build also removes her AA usefulness, although her AA is still powerful even when not focused on AA.
+''{{#var:ship_name}}'' also has access to chain of missions that will grant a Unique Upgrade: {{Enhanced Propulsion}} for '''Slot 6''', which decreases her rudder shift and also halves the time taken to accelerate to full power, while shortening her {{Surveillance Radar}} duration by 10%. With this upgrade and {{Propulsion Modification 2}}, ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' can accelerate from 0-27kts in about 8 seconds. It is also recommended to equip {{Surveillance Radar Modification 1}} in '''Slot 2''' to negate the negative effects of the Unique Upgrade.
 |CommanderSkills=<!-- write text about best set of Commander Skills below -->
 {{Commander Skills
-| Expert Loader=1
+| Priority Target = 3
-| Basic Firing Training=3
+| Preventative Maintenance = 2
-| Basics of Survivability=2
+| Expert Loader =
-| Expert Rear Gunner=
+| Air Supremacy =
+| Direction Center for Fighters =
-| Expert Marksman=3
+| Improved Engine Boost	=
-| Torpedo Armament Expertise=
+| Incoming Fire Alert = 1
-| Fire Prevention=2
+| Last Gasp =
-| Incoming Fire Alert=2
-| Last Stand=1
-| Torpedo Acceleration=
+| High Alert = 1
-| High Alert=2
+| Jack of All Trades = 3
-| Vigilance=3
+| Expert Marksman = 2
-| Dogfighting Expert =
+| Torpedo Acceleration =
-| Superintendent=3
+| Smoke Screen Expert =
+| Improved Engines =
+| Adrenaline Rush = 3
+| Last Stand =
-| Demolition Expert=3
+| Basics of Survivability = 2
-| Advanced Firing Training=2
+| Survivability Expert = 1
-| Survivability Expert=1
+| Torpedo Armament Expertise =
-| Aircraft Servicing Expert=
+| Aircraft Armor =
-| Manual Fire Control for AA Armament=2
+| Basic Firing Training = 2
+| Superintendent = 3
+| Demolition Expert = 2
+| Vigilance = 2
-| Last Chance=1
+| Manual Fire Control for Secondary Armament =
-| Manual Fire Control for Secondary Armament=1
+| Fire Prevention = 1
-| Preventative Maintenance=2
+| Inertia Fuse for HE Shells = 1
-| Concealment Expert=3
+| Sight Stabilization =
-| Air Supremacy=
+| Advanced Firing Training = 3
-| Jack of All Trades=2
+| Manual Fire Control for AA Armament = 2
+| Radio Position Finding = 2
+| Concealment Expert = 3
 }}
 |Consumables=<!-- write text about selection of Consumables below -->
+''{{#var:ship_name}}'' can equip the following consumables:
+* '''Slot 1:'''  {{Damage Control Party}}
+* '''Slot 2:'''  {{Defensive AA Fire}} '''or''' {{Hydroacoustic Search}}
+* '''Slot 3:'''  {{Catapult Fighter}}, {{Spotting Aircraft}}, '''or''' {{Surveillance Radar}}
+* '''Slot 4:'''  {{Repair Party}}
+Captain focusing ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' on AA build will equip {{Defensive AA Fire II}} for the '''Slot 2''', especially when in a division with a carrier. Although for solo playing, {{Hydroacoustic Search II}} is more recommended if there is no carrier around.
+''{{#var:ship_name}}'' captains should use {{Surveillance Radar II}} on '''Slot 3''' to increase their in-game impact (hunting the extremely stealthy destroyers of Tier X), as {{Catapult Fighter}} and {{Spotting Aircraft}} are not at all useful in hunting stealthy or smoke-covered enemy ships.
 |Camouflage=<!-- write text about useful camouflage below -->
-[[Ship:Camouflage#Standard 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.
+[[Ship:Camouflage#Standard Camouflage|Type 1, 2, or 5 camouflage]] can be equipped for Credits{{Credits}}; Types 1 or 5 are recommended at a minimum to reduce detection range.<br />
-Players who wish to spend doubloons can equip ''Des Moines'' with [[Ship:Camouflage#Permanent_Camouflage|Type 20 camouflage]] that lowers her detection radius, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, reduces her repair costs, increases her credit earnings, and increases the amount of experience she earns.
+Players who wish to spend doubloons can equip ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' with [[Ship:Camouflage#Permanent_Camouflage|Type 20 camouflage]] that lowers her detection range, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, reduces her repair costs, increases her credit earnings, and increases the amount of experience she earns.
 |Signals=<!-- write text about best set of signals below -->
-|Gallery=<!-- write below list of files without tags. description (if necessary) for each should be separated with template {{!}} --><gallery>
+{{Signal Flags
+| November Echo Setteseven = 3
+| Mike Yankee Soxisix =
+| India X-Ray = 3
+| Juliet Whiskey Unaone =
+| Victor Lima = 3
+| Hotel Yankee = 1
+| November Foxtrot = 3
+| Sierra Mike = 2
+| India Delta = 3
+| Juliet Yankee Bissotwo =
+| India Yankee = 2
+| Juliet Charlie = 2
+| Zulu =
+| India Bravo Terrathree =
+| Equal Speed Charlie London = 3
+| Zulu Hotel = 3
+| Papa Papa =
+| Wyvern = 3
+| Red Dragon = 3
+| Dragon Flag = 3
+| Ouroboros = 1
+| Hydra = 2
+}}
+|Gallery=<!-- write below list of files without tags. description (if necessary) for each should be separated with | --><gallery>
+File:DMStart.jpg
+File:DMScenery.jpg
+File:DMCamps.jpg
+File:DMPounces.jpg
+File:DMEvades.jpg
+File:DMKills.jpg
 </gallery>
 |History=<!-- write text below -->
-<div class="thumb tright">{{VideoYT|auoadbNz0dM}}</div>
 ''Des Moines'' was launched 27 September 1946 by Bethlehem Steel Company, Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts; sponsored by Mrs. E. T. Meredith, Jr.; and commissioned 16 November 1948, Captain A. D. Chandler in command. She became the first of her class to mount the semi-automatic Mark 16 8 inch turrets and carry the new Sikorsky HO3S-1 utility helicopters in place of seaplanes. It was named after the capital of the state of Iowa.
@@ Line 115: / Line 167: @@
 Her sister ship USS ''Newport News'' (CA-148) was scrapped in New Orleans in 1993. The third ''Des Moines''-class ship, the USS ''Salem'' (CA-139), is a museum ship in Quincy, Massachusetts.
-|HistoricalGallery=<!-- write below list of files without tags. description (if necessary) for each should be separated with template {{!}} --><gallery>
+===Historical Inaccuracies===
+* ''Des Moines'' was never camouflaged as it was commissioned after World War II. After the war the navy adopted the peacetime color of Light Gray overall.
+* Permanent camouflage resembles the Measure 31/16d scheme, which is actually the historical camouflage of the ''[[Baltimore]]''-class heavy cruiser.
+|HistoricalGallery=<!-- write below list of files without tags. description (if necessary) for each should be separated with | --><gallery>
 File:Des_Moines_HG_1.jpg
@@ Line 121: / Line 177: @@
 |Video=<!-- put below video clips with using template VideoYT. You can use html-tags for formatting. -->
+{{VideoYT|VaSyPXZ_X5g|320}}
 |Ref= <!-- write below -->
 }}<!-- DO NOT DELETE THIS LINE. DO NOT INSERT ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE -->

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Revision as of 11:15, 22 July 2019

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