Graf Zeppelin

Revision as of 11:25, 18 August 2017

13.3

Aircraft Carrier | Germany | Tier VIII

Tech Tree Position

Battle Levels

12345678910

VIII

Special

Graf Zeppelin — German special premium Tier VIII aircraft сarrier.

A high-speed aircraft carrier armed with numerous secondary and dual-purpose guns. She had the most powerful propulsion among all German Navy ships. The carrier was never completed because Germany's shipbuilding program priorities changed during the course of World War II.

Modules

	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 ()
Graf Zeppelin	52,600	9	100		6/8	7/11/6				0	0

	Speed (knot)	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SQUADRON_MED_DAMAGE (HP/min)	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SQUADRON_AMMO_AMOUNT	Hit Points (HP)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Me 155A	136			1,320		0	0

	Maximum Torpedo Damage (HP)	Speed (knot)	Hit Points (HP)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Ta 152C-1/R14	5,333	181	1,710		0	0

	Maximum Bomb Damage (HP)	Speed (knot)	Hit Points (HP)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Ta 152C-1/R14		181	1,650		0	0

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 200,000 hp	32		0	0

Compatible Upgrades

Slot 1
Slot 2
Slot 3
Slot 4
Slot 5

Player Opinion

Performance

As a Tier VIII carrier, Graf Zeppelin will inevitably face powerful AA ships such as the Tier X cruisers Des Moines and Minotaur and will be forced to evade or work around these ships to attack with its bombers, as they are very fragile. The planes can be quickly and easily shot down by ships that are built for anti-air, however, they are very fast and can strike swiftly before the enemy has a chance to knock down many of the planes. In short, the plane durability is very much akin to its Tier VIII IJN counterpart Shokaku. However, where it differs is its ability to choose between AP & HE bombs for its dive bombers (this does NOT mean you can switch between them mid-battle like with shells on cruisers / battleships / destroyers). The HE bombs, like the IJN, can pack quite a punch against cruisers and destroyers, while the AP bombs are devastating towards battleships and cruisers with thick enough deck armor, especially German battleships. Furthermore, as there is a somewhat large reserve of the bombers, the player can afford to sacrifice some planes to attack certain strategically positioned targets. However, one should be careful of losing squadrons, as the respawn time for a wiped squadron is quite long.

In regards to Graf Zeppelin's fighters, they have sufficient firepower to reliably strafe down enemy planes. However, it is highly recommended for players to avoid being forced into dogfights with other enemy squadrons if possible, as the fighters will easily lose to other enemy fighters due to their low average DPS / chance to shoot down the enemy's. While the fighters are relatively fast like Shokaku's Kawanishis, their average DPS and HP are much lower, making dogfights with any same tier fighter squad (practically) an inevitable loss. Even attempting to dogfight with Enterprise's Hellcat fighters will likely result in a loss, as the squads are slightly larger (by one plane) and have similar average DPS and HP, while being a tier lower and able to utilize Dogfighting Expert against them. Because of this, the Graf Zeppelin's Messerschmitts can be considered the worst fighters for its tier. Additionally, there is a much smaller reserve of fighters compared to the bombers, so utilizing the fighters to their utmost before one loses all of them is difficult, and the player can easily be left with just bombers remaining.

Pros:

Ability to choose between AP and HE bombs.
Balanced loadout with both fighters and attack planes.

Cons:

Unable to switch bomb types mid battle, which can leave the player helpless against certain enemy team compositions.
As a tier 8 CV, one faces large amounts of high tier AA.
Unable to train captains for any other carriers, and requires a specialized German captain to perform well.

Research

As a premium ship, Graf Zeppelin doesn't have any upgrades to research.

Optimal Configuration

Upgrades

The recommended upgrades for Graf Zeppelin are as follows:

Slot 1: Air Groups Modification 1*
Slot 2: Air Groups Modification 2*
Slot 4: Damage Control System Modification 1
Slot 5: Damage Control System Modification 2
Slot 6: Concealment System Modification 1

Upgrade Slot 1 provides two viable options. Air Groups Modification 1 is highly recommended to improve her weak fighters, but some players may choose to specialize in anti-aircraft duties or the secondary battery to defend against attacking aircraft and ships. For either specialization, Auxiliary Armaments Modification 1 should be equipped.

Upgrade Slot 2 provides options for different roles and specializations. Air Groups Modification 2 is highly recommended to increase the ammunition and hit points (HP) of fighter aircraft. Some players may choose to mount Flight Control Modification 1 in order to get planes airborne faster. For specialization in anti aircraft duties or the secondary battery, either AA Guns Modification 2 or Secondary Battery Modification 2 should be mounted, depending on the desired specialization.

Commander Skills

The Graf Zeppelin is in a unique position as far as her Commander Skills go. While she is an aircraft carrier, she does not have any Torpedo Bombers. This means that commander skills strictly meant for the improvement of Torpedoes Bombers can be forgone, leaving space for other skills. In addition, the Graf Zeppelin features a fearsome secondary armament sure to surprise any ships that venture too close in the hopes of an easy kill. So, choosing Commander Skills that increase the performance of her secondaries is certainly a viable way to go.

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

Camouflage

As a premium ship, Graf Zeppelin comes included with Type 10 camouflage that lowers her detection radius, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, and increases the amount of experience she earns.

Signals

As a premium aircraft carrier, Graf Zeppelin can mount only four signal flags simultaneously. Captains using high explosive bombs should mount India X-Ray and Victor Lima flags for a boost to their fire chance. November Echo Setteseven flags are recommended to boost the ship’s anti-aircraft damage. Captains can also mount November Foxtrot and India Yankee flags for increased survivability. Lastly, economic and special flags can be used to increase the ship’s credit and experience gain 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

An AP bomb from Graf Zeppelin's air wing finds the Mogami's citadel.
A German dive bomber returns to base after dropping its' ordinance on an enemy Yamato.

Ships of Germany

Destroyers	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
Cruisers	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
Battleships	III Nassau • III Von der Tann • III König Albert • IV Kaiser • IV Moltke • V König • V Derfflinger • VI Bayern • VI Mackensen • VI Prinz Eitel Friedrich • VII Gneisenau • VII Prinz Heinrich • VII Scharnhorst • VII AL Prinz Heinrich • VII Scharnhorst B • VII Scharnhorst '43 • VIII Tirpitz • VIII Bismarck • VIII Zieten • VIII Odin • VIII Brandenburg • VIII Anhalt • VIII Brandenburg B • VIII Tirpitz B • IX Friedrich der Grosse • IX Prinz Rupprecht • IX Pommern • IX Pommern B • X Grosser Kurfürst • X Schlieffen • X Preussen • X Mecklenburg • ★ Hannover
Aircraft Carriers	IV Rhein • VI Weser • VI Erich Loewenhardt • VIII August von Parseval • VIII Graf Zeppelin • VIII Graf Zeppelin B • X Manfred von Richthofen • X Max Immelmann

Aircraft Carriers

Japan	IV Hōshō • VI Ryūjō • VIII Shōkaku • VIII Kaga • VIII Kaga B • X Hakuryū • ★ Sekiryu
U.K.	IV Hermes • VI Furious • VI Ark Royal • VIII Implacable • VIII Indomitable • VIII Colossus • X Audacious • X Malta • ★ Eagle
France	VI Béarn
U.S.S.R.	IV Komsomolets • VI Serov • VIII Pobeda • VIII Chkalov • VIII Chkalov B • X Admiral Nakhimov
U.S.A.	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
Germany	IV Rhein • VI Weser • VI Erich Loewenhardt • VIII August von Parseval • VIII Graf Zeppelin • VIII Graf Zeppelin B • X Manfred von Richthofen • X Max Immelmann
Pan-Asia	VIII Sanzang
Spain
Europe
Netherlands
Italy	VIII Aquila
Commonwealth
Pan-America

@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 |CommanderSkills=<!-- write text about best set of Commander Skills below -->
+The ''Graf Zeppelin'' is in a unique position as far as her Commander Skills go. While she is an aircraft carrier, she does not have any Torpedo Bombers. This means that commander skills strictly meant for the improvement of Torpedoes Bombers can be forgone, leaving space for other skills. In addition, the ''Graf Zeppelin'' features a fearsome secondary armament sure to surprise any ships that venture too close in the hopes of an easy kill. So, choosing Commander Skills that increase the performance of her secondaries is certainly a viable way to go.
 {{Commander Skills
@@ Line 49: / Line 50: @@
 | Preventative Maintenance =
 | Expert Loader =
-| Aircraft Servicing Expert =
+| Aircraft Servicing Expert = 2
 | Direction Center for Catapult Aircraft =
-| Dogfighting Expert =
+| Dogfighting Expert = 3
 | Incoming Fire Alert =
-| Evasive Maneuver =
+| Evasive Maneuver = 1
-| High Alert =
+| High Alert = 1
-| Jack of All Trades =
+| Jack of All Trades = 1
 | Expert Marksman =
 | Torpedo Acceleration =
 | Smoke Screen Expert =
-| Expert Rear Gunner =
+| Expert Rear Gunner = 2
 | Adrenaline Rush =
 | Last Stand =
 | Basics of Survivability =
-| Survivability Expert =
+| Survivability Expert = 1
 | Torpedo Armament Expertise =
-| Emergency Takeoff =
+| Emergency Takeoff = 3
-| Basic Firing Training =
+| Basic Firing Training = 2
 | Superintendent =
 | Demolition Expert =
 | Vigilance =
-| Manual Fire Control for Secondary Armament =
+| Manual Fire Control for Secondary Armament = 2
 | Fire Prevention =
 | Inertia Fuse for HE Shells =
-| Air Supremacy =
+| Air Supremacy = 3
-| Advanced Firing Training =
+| Advanced Firing Training = 2
 | Manual Fire Control for AA Armament =
 | Radio Position Finding =
-| Concealment Expert =
+| Concealment Expert = 2
 }}

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Graf Zeppelin

Revision as of 11:25, 18 August 2017

Modules

Compatible Upgrades