So time for a fleet update.
Today with the arrival of game update 8.1 a new Free XP Premium ship entered the game. A ship the WOWS community has called out for (at least NA players) for years now. It is the US Heavy (Large) Cruiser Alaska. For the low low price of just 1 Million Free XP you can have an Alaska LOL. I had it and while I wasn't one of those crying for the ship I decided to get it as I have all the other FXP ships and I generally like US ships in the game. Also, Alaska has Battleship caliber main guns on a Cruiser platform so what isn't to like. My only fear was that it would be a turd like the Russian Premium Heavy (Large) Cruiser Kronshtadt that Alaska replaces as the T9 FXP ship. That ship just flat out sucks because of the guns. I hate it and stopped playing it. Alaska is everything that ship wants to be and isn't!
Have only played 3 games so far but man I am in love. This thing fits my playstyle like a glove and those guns; those glorious, powerful, guns. They are very accurate and hit hard plus the HE starts a lot of fires. It isn't Battleship tough but it is tough enough. It's got good speed, good concealment, decent maneuverability, excellent AA, and just brutal guns. A truly fun ship.
Ship: USS ALASKA (CB-1)
Nation: United States Navy (USN)
Tier: 9 Premium
Ship Type: Heavy (Large) Cruiser(CA/CB)
Survivability(HP): 60,800 HP
Armor: 16-330MM / 13% Torpedo Damage Reduction
Maximum Speed: 33.0 knots
Turning Radius: 850m
Rudder Shift: 10.4 seconds
Detection By Sea: 12.2km
Detection By Air: 7.9km
Detection When Firing In Smoke: 12.1km
Main Armament: 3X3 305MM (2 turrets front/1 rear)
Main Gun Range: 19.0km
Rate Of Fire(ROF)/Reload(RL): 3.4 shots per min / 17.6 seconds
180 Degree Turret Rotation: 28.9 seconds
Shell Dispersion @ Max Range: 193m
Shell Type:
High Explosive(HE) = 4300 damage (27% chance of fire)
Armor Piercing(AP) = 8900 damage
Secondary Guns:
127MM = 6X2 (dual purpose)
Secondary Gun Range:
127MM = 6.3km (dual purpose)
Secondary Gun Rate Of Fire(ROF)/Reload(RL):
127MM = 10.0 shots per min / 6.0 seconds (dp)
Secondary Gun Shell Type:
127MM = High Explosive(HE) (dual purpose)
Anti Aircraft Defense(AA):
20MM = 34X1
40MM = 14X4
127MM = 6X2 (dual purpose)
Overall AA Rating = 68
Mounted Modules:
Slot 1 = Main Armaments Modification 1 (helps protect main guns and torpedo tubes from being damaged)
Slot 2 = Damage Control Systems Modification 1 (reduces risk of fire and flooding)
Slot 3 = Aiming Systems Modification 1 (-7% main gun dispersion / +5% secondary gun range / -5% secondary gun dispersion)
Slot 4 = Steering Gears Modification 2 (reduces rudder shift by 20%)
Slot 5 = Concealment System Modification 1 (+5% to enemy gun dispersion / -10% to detectability range)
Slot 6 = Main Battery Modification 3 (-12% main gun reload / +13% turret rotation speed)
Mounted Consumables:
Damage Control Party (stops fires and flooding + repairs damage to main guns, torpedo tubes, engine, and rudder)
Repair Party (heals back some of the damage taken)
Hydroacoustic Search (increases detection range of enemy ships and incoming torpedoes) (**)
Spotter Plane (detects any enemy ship within 9km / lasts 30 seconds / 180 second reload) (***)
* - consumables are manually activated special features. They have a limited active time then require a recharge period (sometimes lengthy) before you can use them again. All consumables have a premium version (II) available that cost resources and have to be purchased for each battle. The standard versions (I) are free and come mounted by default.
** - Alaska can slot Hydro or Defensive AA in this slot. I have chosen Hydro at this time.
*** - Alaska can slot Radar, Fighter Plane, or Spotter Plane in this slot. The Spotter provides the most benefit for me.
Camo:
Alaska comes with it's own Type 10 permanent camo. The camo provides the following benefits...
-3% Detectability Range By Sea
+4% Dispersion to Enemy Guns
-20% Post Battle Service Fee
+100% XP Earned
Captain:
I am running the US Special Captain William Halsey on Alaska. Halsey is assigned to the T9 tech tree ship Buffalo but because Alaska is a premium ship I can use any US Capt on it I want with no training required. This Capt has a full 19pts. I have assigned them as follows...
1pt = Priority Target (let's you know when you are targeted and by how many)
1pt = Incoming Fire Alert (let's you know when a ship targeting you shoots)
1pt = Preventative Maintenance (less chance of a turret being damaged and if it is faster repairs)
1pt = Expert Loader (reduces the time required to swap ammo types in guns already loaded) (*)
2pts = Expert Marksman (increases turret rotation speed so they swing faster ) (**)
2pt = Adrenaline Rush (-0.2% reload time to all armaments for every 1% HP lost)
3pt = Superintendent (+1 charges to all mounted consumables)
4pt = Concealment Expert (reduces the ship's detection range by -10%)
4pt = Advanced Fired Training (+20% secondary gun range / +15% Damage to Long and Medium range AA)
* = this is an enhanced skill for Halsey. Normal skill reduces ammo swapping by -50%. Halsey reduces it by -75%
** = this is an enhanced skill for Halsey. Normal skill increases the turret rotation speed by +2.5%. Halsey increases it by 3%.
United States Navy T9 Premium CA/CB USS Alaska w/ Type 10 perma camo (Port = Pearl Harbor, Hawaii):
I have only played 3 games so far in it. Note I have been experimenting with how it earns so game 1 is a lot of flags, game 2 is just a couple, and game 3 is none.
1st Game:
2nd Game:
3rd Game:
Today with the arrival of game update 8.1 a new Free XP Premium ship entered the game. A ship the WOWS community has called out for (at least NA players) for years now. It is the US Heavy (Large) Cruiser Alaska. For the low low price of just 1 Million Free XP you can have an Alaska LOL. I had it and while I wasn't one of those crying for the ship I decided to get it as I have all the other FXP ships and I generally like US ships in the game. Also, Alaska has Battleship caliber main guns on a Cruiser platform so what isn't to like. My only fear was that it would be a turd like the Russian Premium Heavy (Large) Cruiser Kronshtadt that Alaska replaces as the T9 FXP ship. That ship just flat out sucks because of the guns. I hate it and stopped playing it. Alaska is everything that ship wants to be and isn't!
Have only played 3 games so far but man I am in love. This thing fits my playstyle like a glove and those guns; those glorious, powerful, guns. They are very accurate and hit hard plus the HE starts a lot of fires. It isn't Battleship tough but it is tough enough. It's got good speed, good concealment, decent maneuverability, excellent AA, and just brutal guns. A truly fun ship.
Ship: USS ALASKA (CB-1)
Nation: United States Navy (USN)
Tier: 9 Premium
Ship Type: Heavy (Large) Cruiser(CA/CB)
Survivability(HP): 60,800 HP
Armor: 16-330MM / 13% Torpedo Damage Reduction
Maximum Speed: 33.0 knots
Turning Radius: 850m
Rudder Shift: 10.4 seconds
Detection By Sea: 12.2km
Detection By Air: 7.9km
Detection When Firing In Smoke: 12.1km
Main Armament: 3X3 305MM (2 turrets front/1 rear)
Main Gun Range: 19.0km
Rate Of Fire(ROF)/Reload(RL): 3.4 shots per min / 17.6 seconds
180 Degree Turret Rotation: 28.9 seconds
Shell Dispersion @ Max Range: 193m
Shell Type:
High Explosive(HE) = 4300 damage (27% chance of fire)
Armor Piercing(AP) = 8900 damage
Secondary Guns:
127MM = 6X2 (dual purpose)
Secondary Gun Range:
127MM = 6.3km (dual purpose)
Secondary Gun Rate Of Fire(ROF)/Reload(RL):
127MM = 10.0 shots per min / 6.0 seconds (dp)
Secondary Gun Shell Type:
127MM = High Explosive(HE) (dual purpose)
Anti Aircraft Defense(AA):
20MM = 34X1
40MM = 14X4
127MM = 6X2 (dual purpose)
Overall AA Rating = 68
Mounted Modules:
Slot 1 = Main Armaments Modification 1 (helps protect main guns and torpedo tubes from being damaged)
Slot 2 = Damage Control Systems Modification 1 (reduces risk of fire and flooding)
Slot 3 = Aiming Systems Modification 1 (-7% main gun dispersion / +5% secondary gun range / -5% secondary gun dispersion)
Slot 4 = Steering Gears Modification 2 (reduces rudder shift by 20%)
Slot 5 = Concealment System Modification 1 (+5% to enemy gun dispersion / -10% to detectability range)
Slot 6 = Main Battery Modification 3 (-12% main gun reload / +13% turret rotation speed)
Mounted Consumables:
Damage Control Party (stops fires and flooding + repairs damage to main guns, torpedo tubes, engine, and rudder)
Repair Party (heals back some of the damage taken)
Hydroacoustic Search (increases detection range of enemy ships and incoming torpedoes) (**)
Spotter Plane (detects any enemy ship within 9km / lasts 30 seconds / 180 second reload) (***)
* - consumables are manually activated special features. They have a limited active time then require a recharge period (sometimes lengthy) before you can use them again. All consumables have a premium version (II) available that cost resources and have to be purchased for each battle. The standard versions (I) are free and come mounted by default.
** - Alaska can slot Hydro or Defensive AA in this slot. I have chosen Hydro at this time.
*** - Alaska can slot Radar, Fighter Plane, or Spotter Plane in this slot. The Spotter provides the most benefit for me.
Camo:
Alaska comes with it's own Type 10 permanent camo. The camo provides the following benefits...
-3% Detectability Range By Sea
+4% Dispersion to Enemy Guns
-20% Post Battle Service Fee
+100% XP Earned
Captain:
I am running the US Special Captain William Halsey on Alaska. Halsey is assigned to the T9 tech tree ship Buffalo but because Alaska is a premium ship I can use any US Capt on it I want with no training required. This Capt has a full 19pts. I have assigned them as follows...
1pt = Priority Target (let's you know when you are targeted and by how many)
1pt = Incoming Fire Alert (let's you know when a ship targeting you shoots)
1pt = Preventative Maintenance (less chance of a turret being damaged and if it is faster repairs)
1pt = Expert Loader (reduces the time required to swap ammo types in guns already loaded) (*)
2pts = Expert Marksman (increases turret rotation speed so they swing faster ) (**)
2pt = Adrenaline Rush (-0.2% reload time to all armaments for every 1% HP lost)
3pt = Superintendent (+1 charges to all mounted consumables)
4pt = Concealment Expert (reduces the ship's detection range by -10%)
4pt = Advanced Fired Training (+20% secondary gun range / +15% Damage to Long and Medium range AA)
* = this is an enhanced skill for Halsey. Normal skill reduces ammo swapping by -50%. Halsey reduces it by -75%
** = this is an enhanced skill for Halsey. Normal skill increases the turret rotation speed by +2.5%. Halsey increases it by 3%.
United States Navy T9 Premium CA/CB USS Alaska w/ Type 10 perma camo (Port = Pearl Harbor, Hawaii):
I have only played 3 games so far in it. Note I have been experimenting with how it earns so game 1 is a lot of flags, game 2 is just a couple, and game 3 is none.
1st Game:
2nd Game:
3rd Game:
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