Shimakaze

13.3

Destroyer | Japan | Tier X

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X

19,300,000

Shimakaze — Japanese Tier X destroyer.

Bourne out of the 1939 Design program, the experimental Shimakaze was envisioned as the pinnacle of fleet destroyer design. Larger than her contemporaries before her, she carried potent dual-purpose artillery, boasted the fastest maximum speed of any Japanese destroyer, and carried the largest torpedo broadside of any destroyer in WW2.

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/50 3rd Year Type on a Type D mount	10.5	22.8	100	2,150	9	2,200		0	1,700,000

	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 ()
Shimakaze	17,900	6	20	3		14/1/2/3	3			0	2,000,000

	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 ()
Type F3	0.5	131	7.2	21,366	76	8	30,000	2,500,000
Type93 mod. 3	0.4	153	7.2	23,766	67	12	30,000	2,500,000
Type93	0.4	150	7.2	20,966	62	20	0	2,500,000

	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SUO_INCREASE_DIST (%)	Maximum Firing Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Type10 mod. 1		0		0	1,100,000

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 75,000 hp	39		0	1,650,000

Compatible Upgrades

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

Player Opinion

Performance

As the pinnacle of the Japanese Destroyer tech-tree, the Shimakaze epitomizes the play-style of the main line of ships: a long-range torpedo boat with solid – albeit underwhelming – artillery.

The bread-and-butter of this ship are her torpedoes; therefore the first issue is choosing the appropriate tools. It is highly recommended to mount the F3 torpedoes, as their combination of high speed and heavy warhead make them the ideal choice. This comes at a cost of severely restricted range, so the key to success in this ship is to understand how to use these torpedoes. This ship does best when used with “hit-and-run-style” ambush tactics; taking advantage of her speed and torpedo broadside. After choosing a target, captains will want to loiter out of detection range until an opportune situation arises to engage; commonly if the enemy ship is sailing broadside to ensure the largest target picture. Afterwards, dropping in close, unleashing a torpedo broadside and escaping away should be done as succinctly as possible. This is where practice and experience is key; situation awareness and knowledge of target’s capability are crucial. Poor execution will lead to detection, and in time, captains will be able to gauge how close to approach a target to execute an attack. Proper engagements will result in the target being overwhelmed by a surprise torpedo assault, which will secure a lot of damage, if not a kill.

Contrary to popular belief, the guns on the Shimakaze are still a viable option, as long as the strengths and weaknesses are understood. The combination of decent rate-of-fire and high muzzle velocity allows her to attack unsuspecting enemy ships, even hunt down already-detected destroyers. The turret configuration also supplements the hit-and-run play-style mentioned above: as she is turning away to disengage, Shimakaze can still harass targets with a majority of her primary artillery. Prolong firefights are disadvantageous for the Shimakaze and are not recommended; ultimately she is not a gunboat and will be overwhelmed by enemy firepower.

In the hands of an aggressive, yet cunning hunter, the Shimakaze will shine.

Pros:

Great speed of 39 knots.
Type 93 torpedoes have an extremely long range of 20 km; even if it doesn't hit the desired target, you can still hit someone behind him.
Full salvo of fifteen torpedoes make it almost impossible to dodge at medium-close range.
Absurd torpedo potential damage - over 300,000 - when mounting Type F3 torpedoes.

Cons:

Decent artillery only against other destroyers, but very poor against cruisers, battleships and aircraft carriers.
Relatively high surface detection range (7.6 km).
Long torpedo reload time.
Still fragile, module incapacitations will be a common occurrence when hit.
Poor AA.
Main armament placement is not ideal: two of her three turrets are mounted at the rear.
Dropping torpedoes at maximum range makes it difficult to successfully hit a single target: once the time it takes for the torpedoes to get there, the target will almost definitely have moved.
Wide torpedo spread makes it difficult to hit a ship if not launched at it's broadside.

Research

Being a Tier X ship, the only modules to research for the Shimakaze are her alternative torpedo armaments: the Type 93 mod. 3 torpedoes and the Type F3 torpedoes, respectively. Captains are recommended to research and mount the Type F3 as their primary torpedo armament. Of the three options, it has the smallest operating range, but it makes up for this cost by having the greatest torpedo speed, a large torpedo warhead, smallest detectability range, and fastest reload time of the three. The short operating range will be the most difficult aspect to cope with for new captains, but if used correctly, they guarantee the greatest results.

Optimal Configuration

Upgrades

Being a Tier X ship, Shimakaze has access to all six Upgrade Slots, with some flexibility in choice to allow preference to a particular play-style. For Upgrade Slot 1, Main Armaments Modification 1 is the best choice. For Upgrade Slot 2, Aiming Systems Modification 1 is the best choice. Upgrade Slot 3 will have some variety. Captains can take Torpedo Tubes Modification 3 to decrease the torpedo reload time, which is good for a torpedo build. Alternatively, captains can take Gun Fire Control System Modification 2 to increase the maximum firing range of primary artillery, which is good for a gun build. For Upgrade Slot 4, the recommended choice is Propulsion Modification 1, which reduces the chance of engine incapacitation so captains don’t lose Shimakazake’s advantage of speed. Although, Damage Control System Modification 1 is still a viable choice, as it decreases risk of fire and flooding. Upgrade Slot 5 also presents two good choices. Captains can pick Propulsion Modification 2 to increase acceleration to max speed; further taking advantage of her speed. Otherwise, pick Steering Gears Modification 2 for faster rudder shift time to increase the overall manoeuvrability of the ship. For Upgrade Slot 6, Concealment Systems Modification 1 is the best choice.

Commander Skills

Similar to Upgrades, variety within the Commander Skills allow captains to confer to a particular play-style they see fit. For Tier 1, captains have two solid choices in Basics of Survivability and Basic Fire Training. It is advised to pick Basic Fire Training with the 1st point, and take Basics of Survival with the 18th point. For Tier 2, captains have a plethora of choices, depending on the play-style they prefer. Captains are recommended to take Last Stand with the 3rd point, followed by Torpedo Armament Expertise with their 17th point if they wish to emphasize their torpedo armament. Alternatively, captains can switch Torpedo Armament Expertise for Expert Marksman if they wish to emphasize their primary artillery. For Tier 3, captains are recommended to take Vigilance in order to aid enemy torpedo detection; not only useful during knife-fights but provides a passive support for teammates as well. Conversely, captains can pick Superintendent in order to have extra charges of Smoke Generator and Engine Boost. For Tier 4, captains are recommended to pick Survivability Expert, as the additional HP will be handy in disadvantageous situations or knife-fights. Alternatively, captains can pick Demolition Expert to buff the fire-chance of their HE shells. For Tier 5, captains are recommended to pick Concealment Expert, as it is their best option.

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

Shimakaze gets three consumables: Damage Control Party, Smoke Generator, and Engine Boost. It is recommended to take premium versions of all consumables that have the recourses to spare, but for those captains, whom are cash-strapped, prioritize Smoke Generator II. As it goes, a spotted DD is a dead DD; therefore having premium Smoke Generator will provide more chances to disappear from a disadvantageous situation.

Camouflage

Shimakaze has access to Type 1, 2, 5, or 6 Camouflage; the first three acquired via credits. Types 1 or 5 are recommended at a minimum as they reduce detectability range by sea. Players who wish to spend doubloons can equip Shimakaze with Type 20 Camouflage, which lowers her detection radius, reduces accuracy of incoming shells, increases credits & experience earned in battle, and decreases post-battle costs.

Signals

The choice of which Signal Flags to mount will confer to the individual preference of each captain, and are subject to great variation, although there are certain flags which are worth the further emphasis. Captains should mount India Yankee to decrease time to extinguish fires, mount November Foxtrot to decrease reload time of consumables, and mount Sierra Mike to increase the ship's maximum speed. To make their torpedoes more potent, captains should mount Juliet Whisky Unaone to increase chance of causing flooding and Juliet Charlie to mitigate risk to magazine detonation from mounting the former flag. If captains wish to buff their primary artillery, they are encouraged to mount Victor Lima + India X-ray to increase fire chance to HE shells.

Gallery

Shimakaze prepares for battle.
Shimakaze launches her torpedoes at enemy battleships.
Shimakaze engages an enemy Montana and Yūgumo.
The destroyer attempts to dodge incoming fire.

Historical Info

References

Wikipedia - Shimakaze Class Destroyer

Ships of Japan

Destroyers	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
Cruisers	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
Battleships	II Mikasa • III Kawachi • IV Myōgi • IV Ishizuchi • V Kongō • V ARP Kongō • V ARP Kirishima • V ARP Haruna • V ARP Hiei • V HSF Hiei • VI Fusō • VI Mutsu • VI Ise • VII Nagato • VII Ashitaka • VII Hyūga • VIII Amagi • VIII Yumihari • VIII Kii • VIII Ignis Purgatio • VIII Ragnarok • IX Izumo • IX Adatara • IX Musashi • IX Hizen • IX Iwami • IX Daisen • IX Tsurugi • IX Iwami B • X Yamato • X Bungo • X Shikishima • X ARP Yamato • ★ Satsuma
Aircraft Carriers	IV Hōshō • VI Ryūjō • VIII Shōkaku • VIII Kaga • VIII Kaga B • X Hakuryū • ★ Sekiryu

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