Kawachi — Japanese Tier III battleship.
The Satsuma-class ships were to become the first Japanese dreadnoughts, but given the shortage of 305 mm guns, two 254 mm guns were installed in their side turrets instead. Two Kawachi-class ships equipped with 305 mm guns in six turrets embodied the further development of the Satsuma class. During World War I, the lead ship of the series participated in the Siege of Tsingtao. On July 12, 1918, as a result of her bow turret magazines detonating, Kawachi sank in Tokuyama Bay.
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) |
|
(exp) |
() |
305 mm/45 41st Year Type in a twin turret | 2 | 45 | 162 | 5,100 | 28 | 7,900 |
| 0 | 34,000 |
|
Hit Points (HP) | (mm) | (mm) | Main Turrets (pcs.) | Secondary Gun Turrets (pcs.) | AA Mounts (pcs.) | Torpedo Tubes (pcs.) | Hangar Capacity (pcs.) |
|
(exp) |
() |
Kawachi (A) | 35,800 | 10 | 305 | 6 | 4/8/10 | | | |
| 0 | 72,000 |
Kawachi (B) | 38,700 | 10 | 305 | 6 | 8/10 | 4 | | |
| 1,400 | 160,000 |
|
IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SUO_INCREASE_DIST (%) | Maximum Firing Range (km) |
|
(exp) |
() |
Type3 mod. 1 | | 0 |
| 0 | 20,000 |
Type3 mod. 2 | | 0 |
| 950 | 80,000 |
|
Maximum Speed (knot) |
|
(exp) |
() |
Propulsion: 22,500 hp | 18.4 |
| 0 | 18,000 |
Propulsion: 27,300 hp | 20 |
| 350 | 40,000 |
Compatible Upgrades
Player Opinion
Performance
Pros:
- Large number of main batteries: with turrets on both sides, she can be quite flexible in maneuvering while firing
- Low detection range: her concealment is good, with a detection range lower than her firing range upgraded, allowing her to always fire at anything that can see her
- Very tight turning circle
Cons:
- Bad mobility: her speed, though appreciably better than her American tier counterpart South Carolina, makes getting anywhere a slow process
- Inefficient turret placement: the way her turrets are arranged means that at least 2 turrets will be masked when aiming and firing
- Difficult gun characteristics: her guns have low range, slow reload and very large dispersion
- Poor Anti-Aircraft armament: almost no AA power, though not as important at her tier as she is unlikely to encounter aircraft
- In all, she can be a frustrating experience for inexperienced players graduating from Tenryu who are unfamiliar with piloting battleships
Research
Kawachi, while slow, is already able to make a faster speed than South Carolina fully upgraded. The real problem lies in her terrible gun range, which is lower than that of many cruisers at the same tier and can leave her helpless as they bombard her with impunity. The first priority is to improve her firing range, which will require the B hull to be researched first. The B hull provides a modest increase in her HP pool and a very limited AA capability, and while this doesn't affect her gun range, is required to unlock the next ship along the Japanese battleship line as well as make the Gun Fire Control System upgrade available. Next, the Gun Fire Control System can be researched and mounted, which increases gun range from 8.8 km to 9.8 km, expanding her firing range beyond her detection radius and allowing for Kawachi to fire at any enemy that sees her. Then you can top this off with the Propulsion upgrade for sorely needed maneuverability and top speed increase from 18.4 to 20 knots, which doesn't cost much and can make the grind to the next tier battleship, Myogi, more enjoyable.
Regarding her Equipment, she should be fitted with the Main Armaments Modification 1 to improve the durability of her main batteries, and the Damage Control Systems Modification 1, giving a minor improvement to her fire resistance and torpedo protection.
In your time with Kawachi, her captain should get enough Skill points to get a first tier Skill, which should be either Basics of Survivability (reducing the time it takes to extinguish fires without using the Repair ability) or Basic Fire Control (slightly improving the fire rate of her AA and secondaries), and a second tier Skill, which should be Expert Marksman (improving her turret rotation rate).
Gallery