Zaō
Tier X · Cruiser · Japan
Rating C (Weak within its tier and class · overall score 27) · Torpedo cruiser
A Japanese tech-tree tier-X cruiser whose 47,800 torpedo salvo is, on paper, 41% above the tier-X cruiser average. Its 10.2 km torpedo range exceeds its 8.82 km detectability by 1.38 km for stealth torpedo attacks, and an 8.1 s rudder shift with 14.78 s acceleration keep it nimble enough to dodge while fighting. Its 203 mm HE sets slightly more fires per minute than average, good for burning battleships, but a 10.6 s reload leaves main battery DPM 10% below average. Weak armor and HP mean it melts quickly under focus fire, and poor torpedo firing angles force wide turns. Lately it has lost ground to smaller rival cruisers that also carry smoke.
Key stats
- HP: 37,389
- Top speed: 34.19 kn
- Surface detectability: 8.82 km
- Main battery: 203 mm 4X3 · reload 10.6 s · range 11.88 km
This heavy cruiser was designed in 1941 and called for an unusual turret layout, equipped with twelve 203 mm guns and a better propulsion system for higher speeds. However, this design was far beyond the ability of Japan's industry at that time, and the ship was never completed.