Essex

0.10.0

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Tech Tree Position

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General

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Maneuverability

Maximum Speed knot

Concealment

Battle Levels

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0.10.0

298px

N/A | N/A | Tier

Tech Tree Position

[[File:_icon_small.png||link=Ship:]] [[File:_icon_small.png||link=Ship:]] [[File:_icon_small.png||link=Ship:]]

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[[File:_icon_small.png||link=Ship:]] [[File:_icon_small.png||link=Ship:]] [[File:_icon_small.png||link=Ship:]]

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General

Research pricelevel;mark_id;mark;shortmark_id;shortMark;description_id;description;price_credit;price_gold;nation;icon;name exp

Purchase pricepromo

Maneuverability

Maximum Speed knot

Concealment

Battle Levels

12345678910

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The largest class of attack aircraft carriers. The ship featured a strong air group, powerful AA armament and good torpedo protection. The successful design of aircraft elevators ensured fast takeoff and landing for the aircraft. The unarmored flight deck, also characteristic of her predecessors, made her and her sister ships vulnerable to air strikes.

Four of the class are preserved as military museum ships: USS Yorktown in Charleston, South Carolina; USS Lexington in Corpus Christi, Texas; USS Intrepid in New York, New York; and USS Hornet in Alameda, California.

Compatible Upgrades

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

Player Opinion

Performance

As with the Lexington you can upgrade your Dive Bombers to equip either HE or AP bombs. The AP bombs provide lower max damage, but have the possibility to citadel and have a much smaller dispersion area.

Pros:

• Versatile 2-1-2 layout provides both strong anti-air and strike capabilities
• Significantly better detection radius than Lexington.
• Can equip Template:Air Groups Modification 3 in Upgrade Slot 6, making her already tough squadrons of bombers even more resilient to anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighters. The torpedo bombers become significantly less easily taken out than the same bombers on the Lexington.
• Good cruising speed; can keep up with friendly ships.
• Two fighter groups provide good anti-air capabilities, although the lower tier (8) means they are somewhat weaker than expected. A plus of this is that that effect may be negotiated with Dogfighting Expert skill.
• Dive bombers are equipped with 1,000 lb. bombs and inflict tremendous damage if they hit.
• Dive bombers may be equipped with AP bombs, which are extremely accurate for hitting large battleships and may cause lights-out damage.

Cons:

• Long- and mid-range anti-aircraft firepower is a downgrade from Lexington; Essex is more vulnerable to enemy aircraft than her immediate predecessor. Combined with mediocre fighters this means Essex captains will need to defend themselves a bit more skillfully than before Update 0.6.14.
• Fewer hit points than Japanese counterpart Taiho, further underscoring her vulnerability if spotted.
• Bad rudder shift time and turning circle radius.
• Fighters and torpedo bombers are downtiered, making them more vulnerable than those of the IJN counterpart Taiho.
• Relies on torpedo bombers only for taking out destroyers when AP bombers are chosen, since these bombs hardly do any damage to destroyers (and some light cruisers).
• Terrible concealment.
• Long squadron re-arm times, especially when a squadron of planes is destroyed entirely.
• HE dive bombers have somewhat questionable accuracy due to randomness of bomb drops (even when dropped manually).
• Only one squadron of downtiered torpedo bombers, resulting in somewhat lacking strike capabilites

Research

Depending on what the captain wants to do, upgrading to the Douglas BTD-1 (AP) first may be a priority.

1. Upgrade to Hull (B) to increase anti-aircraft protection.
2. Upgrade to Douglas BTD-1 (dive bomber, HE or AP).

Both dive bomber upgrades provide (equal) additional HP and speed to the aircraft, with the only difference being in the bombs they carry. When it is chosen to research better dive bombers first, it is still recommended to upgrade the Hull (B) before continuing to research the other set of dive bombers.

Optimal Configuration

Upgrades

The recommended upgrades for ' are as follows:

• Slot 1: Air Groups Modification 1 ()
• Slot 2: Damage Control System Modification 1 ()
• Slot 3: Air Groups Modification 2 ()
• Slot 4: Damage Control System Modification 2 ()
• Slot 5: Concealment System Modification 1 ()
• Slot 6: Template:Air Groups Modification 3

Upgrade Slot 3 is the 1st main choice of upgrades with '. For players looking to improve their fighter's capabilities, Air Groups Modification 2 () is highly recommended. Otherwise, the Flight Control Modification 1 () helps players land and launch '’s multiple flight squadrons, as ' has five separate plane squadrons to manage.

Upgrade Slot 5 offers players Concealment System Modification 1 (), which stacks with Concealment Expert and Camouflage to bring '’s surface detection down to a small range of 11km.

Upgrade Slot 6 is the 2nd main choice of upgrades with '. Due to the common presence of multiple battleships and cruisers with very high AA power, Template:Air Groups Modification 3 is highly recommended to make sure '’s planes will survive their trip to and from their target. If survivability isn't the player's foremost preference, Flight Control Modification 2 () is viable, decreasing the speed gap between '’s and Taiho’s planes, allowing the slower and larger American squadrons to have a better chance of escaping from their Japanese counterparts.

Commander Skills

As a Tier IX carrier, captains have access to the special carrier Defensive AA Fire () consumable, which lasts for two minutes and increases the ship's AA DPS by a factor of 1.25. Coupled with Basic Firing Training and Manual Fire Control for AA Armament, captains can significantly increase the ship's AA DPS to shoot down enemy planes effectively. Or, as Essex has access to the Concealment System Modification, the player can opt to choose to utilize the Concealment Expert skill as an indirect form of further protection from enemy ships (with skill, camouflage, and upgrade, detection is 10.61km).

The Dogfighting Expert skill is not generally recommended throughout the American aircraft carrier line; however, Essex’s fighters top out at Tier VIII. This makes the skill valuable for an Essex commander, as it provides both additional ammo and damage versus most enemy aircraft she will encounter.

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

As a Tier IX carrier, Essex has access to the following consumables:

• Slot 1: Damage Control Party ()
• Slot 2: Defensive AA Fire ()

Premium Defensive AA Fire II () is highly recommended to counter any enemy carrier's attempts to "snipe" the player (that is, by having all bombers bypass allied ships undetected and attempting to sink the player in one hit). Premium Damage Control Party II () is not recommended as it is only needed in dire moments, or when the player is the last one alive.

Camouflage

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

Players who wish to spend doubloons can equip Essex with the permanent premium Type 19 camouflage that lowers her detection radius, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, reduces her repair costs, and increases the amount of experience she earns.

Signals

As a carrier, Essex can only mount at most four signals at a time and has no risk of detonating. Players should mount Equal Speed Charlie London (), Zulu Hotel (), November Echo Setteseven (), and Juliet Whiskey Unaone (). Players can also choose to equip the Dragon Flag () for faster commander (re)training.

Recommended Signal Flags
Combat
November Echo Setteseven +5% continuous AA damage at all ranges. +5% damage from flak bursts. ★★★	Mike Yankee Soxisix +5% to secondary battery maximum firing range. -5% to maximum dispersion of secondary battery shells. -5% to secondary battery loading time.	India X-Ray +1% chance of causing a fire for bombs and shells with a caliber above 160mm. +0.5% chance of causing a fire for bombs and shells with a caliber below 160mm. +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. ★★★	Victor Lima +1% chance of causing a fire for bombs and shells with a caliber above 160mm. +0.5% chance of causing a fire for bombs and shells with a caliber below 160mm. +4% chance of flooding (against your ship). ★★★	Hotel Yankee -20% to damage received when ramming the enemy. +50% to damage dealt when ramming the enemy.
November Foxtrot -5% reload time on all consumables. ★	Sierra Mike +5% to the ship's maximum speed.	India Delta +20% to the amount of HP recovered when the Repair Party consumable is used.	Juliet Yankee Bissotwo -20% to flooding duration.	India Yankee -20% to fire duration.	Juliet Charlie -100% to the risk of magazine detonation.
X-Ray Papa Unaone +15% action time of Smoke Generator.	Sierra Bravo +10% action time of Hydroacoustic Search -10% reload time of Defensive AA Fire.
Economic
Zulu +20% credits earned for the battle. ★	India Bravo Terrathree -10% to the cost of the ship's post-battle repair.	Equal Speed Charlie London +50% XP earned for the battle. ★★	Zulu Hotel +50% Commander XP earned for the battle. ★	Papa Papa +300% Free XP earned for the battle.
Special
Wyvern +50% credits earned for the battle.	Red Dragon +100% XP earned for the battle. +100% Commander XP earned for the battle.	Dragon Flag +333% Commander XP earned for the battle. ★	Ouroboros +777% Free XP earned for the battle.	Hydra +50% XP earned for the battle. +150% Commander XP earned for the battle. +250% Free XP earned for the battle.	Basilisk +75% XP earned for the battle. +30% credits earned for the battle.
Leviathan +50% XP earned for the battle. +100% Commander XP earned for the battle. +200% Free XP earned for the battle. +20% credits earned for the battle.	Scylla +50% XP earned for the battle. +150% Commander XP earned for the battle. +25% credits earned for the battle.
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful       ★★ - Frequently Useful       ★ - Occasionally Useful      No stars - Not Useful

Gallery

Historical Info

The Essex class was a class of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy that constituted the 20th century's most numerous class of capital ships. The class consisted of 24 vessels, which came in both "short-hull" and "long-hull" versions. Thirty-two ships were originally ordered; however as World War II wound down, six were canceled before construction, and two were canceled after construction had begun. No Essex-class ships were lost to enemy action, despite several vessels sustaining very heavy damage. The Essex-class carriers were the backbone of the U.S. Navy's combat strength during World War II from mid-1943 on, and, along with the addition of the three Midway-class carriers just after the war, continued to be the heart of U.S. naval strength until the supercarriers began to come into the fleet in numbers during the 1960s and 1970s.

Historical Inaccuracies

• Essex also carried Grumman F6F "Hellcats" and Douglas SBD "Dauntlesses".
• In November 1943, Essex’s aircraft complement was 36 F6F-3s, 36 SBD-5s and 18 TBF-1 "Avengers". In January 1945, she carried 26 F6F-3s, 17 F6F-5s, 36 F4U-1Ds and 18 TBM-1Cs.
• Only 26 Douglas BTD-1s were built and none saw combat.
• Permanent camouflage is based on the Measure 33, Design 10a scheme, which was only applied to sister ships Yorktown, Wasp and Ticonderoga. Essex’s camouflage was Measure 32, Design 6/10D.

Historical Gallery

• 

  USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) in 1955.

• 

  1941 design plans for the Essex-class.

• 

  USS Leyte (CV-32).

• 

  USS Yorktown (CV-10) at sea in 1943.

• 

  Aft view of Yorktown.

• 

  USS Intrepid (CV-11), in the Philippine Sea, November 1944.

• 

  Ordnancemen working on bombs amid F6F-3 Hellcats parked on Yorktown’s hangar deck, circa late 1943. Other crewmen are watching a movie in the background.

• 

  USS Boxer (CV-21).

• 

  The straight-deck configuration of USS Lake Champlain (CV-39).

• 

  USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) with angled flight deck.

• 

  Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns on a MK 12 quadruple mount fire from the deck of USS Hornet (CV-12) in World War II.

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