World of Warships is the largest virtual shipyard in the world.

The quality of the work done by our artists improves each year, and the requirements for the accuracy of the models they create improve respectively. Unfortunately, the in-game camera doesn't allow you to see all the details and beauty. In the Dry Dock show, you'll be able to see some of the remarkable in-game models they have created, and duly appreciate their detailed appearance, even down to the objects on their decks.

Today, we focus on a Tier VIII ship from the branch of German battleships, and one of the most famous warships in the world—Bismarck. Take a look at the legendary Bismarck from a unique perspective in Dry Dock!
https://youtu.be/IE4oLRiRgWY

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https://youtu.be/oVWEb-At8yc https://youtu.be/grtfiIIeS5o

Welcome aboard Bayard, Captain!

To create an alternate history, you must know the real historical events very well and be able to draw logical conclusions from them. This is how we created cruiser Bayard based on the drawings of La Galissonnière-class cruisers. So, let's imagine another path that history might have taken had the French shipbuilding industry made a different decision. Let’s imagine that it continued to develop the ideas behind the original De Grasse project…
https://youtu.be/ImLFTaRuP2o
After the signing of the Rome Naval Treaty of 1931 with Italy, the French Navy was obliged to cease the development of heavy cruisers and was forced to focus on building only light ones—with a battery of 155 mm or smaller. Between 1931 and 1933, six rather successful La Galissonnière-class cruisers with main batteries consisting of nine 152 mm/55 Mle 1930 guns in three triple turrets were ordered. However, in 1934, Japan launched its first of four new and powerful Mogami-class light cruisers, with fifteen 155 mm main caliber guns in five triple turrets. To protect the French domains in the Pacific—Indochina, Polynesia, and New Caledonia—an urgent and adequate response was required.

New 152 mm guns, later mounted on De Grasse-class light cruisers and known under the name of Mle 1936, were still under development at the time. It was decided to augment the salvo and firepower of the main battery by simply increasing the number of guns. Between 1934–1935, without waiting for the approval of the next shipbuilding program, noticeably larger ships with the same 152 mm Mle 1930 guns in four triple turrets were designed on the basis of the drawings of La Galissonnière-class cruisers. It was originally intended to arm the ships with six turrets with twin 100 mm/50 Mle 1926 HA guns as their dual-purpose battery. But since the National Assembly of France had resolved not to fund the creation of additional cruisers, construction was delayed. The dual-purpose battery was subsequently replaced with four twin 100 mm/45 CAD Mle 1937 mounts. The ships also had rather powerful torpedo armament, consisting of two triple 550 mm tubes.


Eventually, this new series of cruisers was confined to just one ship, because in 1937, the new shipbuilding program diverted resources to the De Grasse project instead. Despite having a smaller displacement, the approved alternative design carried newer and more effective main battery guns.

The lone Bayard wasn't ready for operation at the start of World War II, and with the defeat of France, the cruiser fled overseas. She finally found herself in the U.S.A., where she waited out the war. Upon her return to the French Navy, the ship was redesigned to confront Soviet light cruisers of the 68K and 68bis projects, as she had a displacement suitable for such refurbishment. Bayard was fitted with a modern fire control system and radar equipment, which became possible only with the complete redevelopment of the ship's superstructures. Her AA armament was significantly reinforced in the process. It consisted of four twin dual-purpose 100 mm/55 Mle 1945 mounts, supplemented by six coaxial 57 mm/60 Mle 1951 guns.

In the game, the ship will be featured as she would have looked in 1953, after all the refurbishments.


Main Battery: twelve 152 mm/55 Mle 1930 guns.


Dual-purpose battery: four twin dual-purpose 100 mm/55 CAD Mle 1945 mounts.


Torpedo armament: two triple 550 mm torpedo tubes.


Anti-aircraft armament: six twin-gun 57 mm/60 ACAD Mle 1951 mounts.

"
"

• Priority Target
  
• Adrenaline Rush
  
• Superintendent
  
• Inertia Fuse for HE Shells

• Priority Target
  
• Adrenaline Rush
  
• Superintendent
  
• Inertia Fuse for HE Shells
  
• Concealment Expert
  
• Demolition Expert
  
• Last Stand

• Main Armaments Modification 1
  
• Propulsion Modification 1 or Engine Boost Modification 1
  
• AA Guns Modification 1
  
• Propulsion Modification 2
  
• Concealment System Modification 1

Cruiser Bayard carries a fine array of consumables. In addition to the Damage Control Party, you can choose between improving your anti-aircraft defenses by mounting the Defensive AA Fire consumable, or increasing your acquisition range by installing the Hydroacoustic Search consumable. But the main features of the ship are the Engine Boost consumable that increases her maximum speed by 20% for three minutes, and the Main Battery Reload Booster that significantly enhances her rate of fire.


VIII Bayard is a French light cruiser, a further development of the ideas from the initial De Grasse project. She can reach high speeds and has a decent firing range, as well as the ability to rain down a slew of shells on the enemy at the right moment thanks to her Main Battery Reload Booster consumable.

• Twelve 152 mm main battery guns in four turrets. Similar to other light cruisers, the ballistics allow for attacking the enemy from behind cover. The firing range of these guns is 16.4 km, which is decent for a Tier VIII light cruiser. In addition, the ship carries a triple-tube torpedo launcher on each of her sides.
  
• The Main Battery Reload Booster consumable is able to improve the firing rate of the artillery at any given moment that it’s ready.
  
• The ship’s top speed can reach as much as 43 knots with the use of the Engine Boost consumable and the respective signal.
  
• Extra credits per battle and 50% more XP provided by the camouflage.

For a detailed look at the ship's technical specifications, follow this link.


Bundles are available for purchase until Fri. 23 Aug. 07:00 CEST (UTC+2)

A special combat mission will be available from July 24 until August 26, 2019, for those who have Tier VIII Bayard in their Ports. For the first 15,000 XP earned with this ship, you'll receive 250 Republic Tokens.

• VIII Bayard
  
• Commander with 10 skill points
  
• Permanent French Navy camouflage
  
• Port slot
  
• 2,500
  
• 4,500,000
  
• 100×French Riviera camouflages
  
• Combat mission: x3 XP for 25 battles
  
• Commemorative flag

Commanders, the Sixth Season of Clan Battles—codenamed "Neighbors"—is knocking on your doors!

We've changed the rules of this Season to allow a larger number of players to participate in Clan Battles, with teams of six players invited to the fight. All Tier VIII ships are eligible, except for aircraft carriers. Apart from this, each team is restricted to having just one battleship.

Between July 31 – August 14, you’ll have an opportunity to redistribute your Commanders’ skills for free. Get ready for Clan Battles!

The new Season of Clan Battles starts on July 31 and ends on September 16, 2019.

Gaming sessions are available on: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

On the days of any update releases, no Clan Battles will be held.

• ASIA 13:30 – 17:30 CEST
  
• CIS 18:00 – 22:00 CEST
  
• EU 19:00 – 23:00 CEST
  
• NA 01:30 – 05:30 CEST

As in the Fifth Season, players will enjoy the advantages of cross-server matchmaking.

Clan Commanders can select their preferred prime time for any of the four servers: EU, NA, Asia, or CIS.

If the "standard" prime time of your region happens to be inconvenient for your Clan on a given day, you can find opponents on another server at a more convenient time. The Clan will still receive any rewards due and your accounts will remain on your "native" server.


Please note: You can select your preferred prime time only once per day. The selected prime time settings will be reset once the prime time of the NA server ends, and you'll be able to select the most convenient time for you once again. The settings reset time can be found in the game client.

Remember that when you take part in battles in another region, the ping might turn out to be higher. This can be due to the server of the battle potentially being located in another region.

As you might remember, there are five main Leagues in the Clan Rating system. Each of these are divided into three Groups as follows:

• Squall League (the starting League)
  
• Gale League
  
• Storm League
  
• Typhoon League
  
• Hurricane League (for the most battle-hardened Clans)

The Hurricane League doesn't have any interim Groups, hence there are no limits on the Rating points you can earn there. To progress to the next League, players need to win three out of five Progression Battles. When a Clan’s number of Rating points is 0, they will need to win three Relegation Battles to stay in the Hurricane League.

The Rating of all Clans will be reset to standard values, but Clans will get 50 bonus points (up to a maximum of 200 points) for the first battle played in each of the Leagues (except for the Squall League) during the "Land of Fire" Season. All battles count towards a unified global Rating, which enables you to compare your results with those of other Clans from all over the world, as well as from your server.

The new Season of Clan Battles brings a new set of special achievements for players. To claim them all, you’ll need to play at least one battle in each of the following Leagues:

During the "Neighbors" Season, players can earn up to 8,750 Steel!

This change has been implemented due to the updated format of the Season. It will be easier to gather a team of six people, while Tier VIII ships will allow for the participation of Clan members without high-tier ships. Both of these factors will contribute to an influx of new players for this Clan Season, making it easier for veterans of Clan Battles to reach the Hurricane League. Accordingly, the amount of Steel that can be earned for completing combat missions in the Leagues has been reduced to correspond to the easier format of the competition.

When the Clan Battles of the "Neighbors" Season cease to rage, those Clans with Ranks 1–50 in the global Rating will receive 4,000 to 20,000 Steel.

Even if your Clan doesn't make it into the Top 50, but achieves particular successes in Clan Battles, your Steel and Coal stocks in the Treasury will grow anyway.

* Each following step brings 200 less Steel.


You can earn valuable rewards in each League. Winning battles is all that’s required to do so.

You can complete this combat mission chain only once and only in the specified sequence. The reward for completing the chain is 30 days of Warships Premium Account.

You can complete this combat mission chain only once and only in the specified sequence. The final reward is 1 Clan Token.

You can complete other combat missions in Clan Battles, too. Completing the following combat missions will bring you extra Free XP per battle and Oil for your Clan. You’ll also be able to replenish your supplies of signals and other valuable in-game goodies.


Battles will rage on the following six maps in the new Season: Trident, Greece, Neighbors, Mountain Range, Sea of Fortune, and Hotspot. All battles will use Domination mode.

• Number of key areas: 3
  
• Capture time: 40 seconds
  
• Points from a captured key area: 3 points per 4 seconds

Ship spawning points are now located opposite key area C. This will allow players to reduce the travel time to the contested key area and engage the enemy quicker.

We wish you the best of luck in Clan Battles, and new records for your Clan's Rating!

Welcome aboard Gascogne, Captain!

This French battleship was set to become the fourth modern battleship of the Marine Nationale by the mid-1940s—intended as an adequate response to the new Italian Littorio-class battleships. However, the disastrous beginning of World War II for France, and the German occupation of the nation’s shipyards prevented the ship from even being laid down. Nevertheless, the project for this battleship has been brought to life in all of its glory in World of Warships, meaning that you can now assume command of one of the most powerful ships under the French flag.
https://youtu.be/0PN6WKaD-uo
In the second half of the 1930s, the political situation in Europe was quickly deteriorating. Germany and Italy were building modern battleships: Bismarck and Littorio, respectively. In these circumstances, the French Navy was soon to be at a disadvantage, having only two Richelieu-class battleships. They required additional modern ships.

Work on the project for two new battleships began in December 1937, and was planned to be part of the 1938 program—they set out to improve the Richelieu class. Two main variants of the design were developed. In June 1938, a decision was made to lay down one ship according to variant A, and another according to variant B. That second ship was to be named Gascogne.


In the second half of the 1930s, naming three battleships after prominent historical figures contradicted the tradition of the 20th century French Navy. Battleships were typically named after provinces and cities, and cruisers—after famous people. One theory suggests that this battleship was named Gascogne because of that being the home province of François Darlan, the Chief of Staff of the French Navy.

The construction of Gascogne was planned to start in August 1939. However, France didn't have the available shipbuilding capacity to construct a ship of her size. Richelieu was launched in January 1939, and Clemenceau (variant A of the new battleships) was laid down on the vacant stocks the very same day.

Project B had been in development since December 1937. Clemenceau was to be built according to the project as well, but a one-year delay would be required in laying down the first of the new battleships, so as to finish the design documentation. Admiral Darlan ordered several layout variants to be prepared with different arrangements of their primary and secondary armament turrets. Eventually, Project B3 ter was selected, with two quadruple main battery turrets—one on the bow and one on the aft end; and two superfiring turrets with dual-purpose 152 mm guns on the bow, and an additional one aft of the main superstructure. The engineers working on the project had to sacrifice one of the two aircraft catapults, and move the remaining one to the stern as it didn't allow for the installation of anti-aircraft armament amidships.

The Gascogne project was very well received by the Navy's General Staff and in June 1939, the guns and armor for the new ship were ordered. The schedule for her construction was originally as follows: she was to be laid down in summer 1940, launched in spring 1942, and commissioned in June 1944.

However, in June 1940, the French shipyards were occupied by German troops. By that time, only 6% of all construction materials had been prepared. Germans declared them spoils of war, and the question of building Gascogne was never raised again.


In World of Warships, battleship Gascogne is presented the way she might have been built early in the war.


Main Battery: eight 380 mm/45 Modèle 1935 guns in two quadruple turrets. Gascogne's main battery turrets are the same as those on Richelieu, only located differently.


Secondary Battery: nine 152 mm/55 Modèle 1930 dual-purpose guns in three triple mounts; and sixteen 100 mm/45 Modèle 1933 dual-purpose guns in eight twin mounts.


Anti-aircraft armament: sixteen 37 mm Modèle 1933 semi-automatic cannons in eight twin mounts; sixteen 37 mm ACAD Modèle 1935 automatic cannons in eight twin mounts; and eighteen 25 mm Hotchkiss Modèle 1939 cannons. The ACAD Modèle 1935 automatic cannons were supposed to completely replace the outdated Modèle 1933 in the French Navy. However, by the time France capitulated in 1940, the development of this gun hadn’t been completed yet, and only several test units existed. That's why the ship in our game carries same-caliber cannons of different types.

• Priority Target
  
• Adrenaline Rush
  
• Superintendent
  
• Fire Prevention

• Priority Target
  
• Expert Marksman
  
• Adrenaline Rush
  
• Superintendent
  
• Basics of Survivability
  
• Concealment Expert
  
• Fire Prevention

• Main Armaments Modification 1
  
• Damage Control System Modification 1
  
• AA Guns Modification 1
  
• Damage Control System Modification 2
  
• Concealment System Modification 1

Battleship Gascogne carries an impressive array of consumables. In addition to the standard Damage Control Party, you can choose between improving your anti-aircraft defenses by mounting the Fighter consumable, or increasing your firing range by installing the Spotting Aircraft consumable. But the main zest of this ship lies in the Engine Boost consumable that increases her maximum speed by 8% for three minutes, and in the improved version of Repair Party with a shorter cooldown time.


VIII Gascogne can be called a battleship with the makings of a cruiser: she combines powerful armor and a protected citadel with Engine Boost. When used, this consumable provides the French ship good acceleration dynamics and allows her to speed up to 34.7 knots. Gascogne has secondary guns with a long firing range, and enthusiasts of close quarters brawls can further improve this feature with the help of upgrades and Commander skills.

The battleship comes with 380 mm main guns that have a firing range of up to 23.8 km. With armor protection such as hers, Gascogne can boldly counter hostiles and is able to confidently withstand enemy fire. AA defenses, however, are not the strongest point of this ship. When facing airborne threats, you need to be cautious and act in coordination with allies equipped with powerful AA artillery.

• Eight 380 mm guns in two turrets mounted fore and aft. Gascogne's range of fire without Spotting Aircraft is 23.8 km—very impressive for Tier VIII.
  
• The reload time of the Repair Party consumable is half that of the majority of battleships. For Repair Party II, it's only 40 seconds.
  
• Quite reliable armor protection on her sides and a protected citadel compensate for her modest HP pool.
  
• The ability to use the Engine Boost consumable.
  
• Extra credits per battle and 50% more XP provided by the camouflage.

• VIII Gascogne  
  
• 1x Port slot

Please note that the servers will be temporarily unavailable due to the release of an update. The schedule is available below.
Maintenance times are tentative and subject to change. Please accept our apologies for any inconveniences.

The new update will go live some time after it's been downloaded because the client and server sides are updated separately. While the client begins to update immediately, it takes time for the servers to be updated across all regions.

If there are problems with downloading or launching the update—please perform files integrity check.

Subtitles can be enabled in the video player separately.
https://youtu.be/nagcWQsAfGU
The beginning of the French cycle of updates, the new Crash Zone Alpha map, and the thirteenth season of Ranked Battles!


The upcoming updates are dedicated to France. The French arc presents a branch of French destroyers, a new game event, the updated Port of Marseille, and other innovations.

• The specific distribution of their Hit Points allows them to survive longer under intense enemy fire. After significant damage has been caused to the central part of the hull, it receives only 1/6 damage instead of the typical 1/3.
  
• Lack of the Smoke Generator consumable that’s usually present on destroyers is compensated for by their high speeds and enhanced Engine Boost consumable.
  
• Starting at Tier VI, these ships are equipped with the Main Battery Reload Booster consumable.
  
• Starting at Tier VIII, the destroyers of the French branch can boast comfortable ballistics and AP shells with good armor penetration for this ship type. This enables players to inflict considerable damage to enemy cruisers’ citadels from medium ranges.

Many ships in the carousel will be marked with the Symbol of France. These symbols function in a similar way to "stars," offering a bonus for the first victory of each day. In 0.8.6, a victory in any battle mode, except for Clan or Training Battles, on ships marked with the Symbol of France will reward you with valuable resources:

• For Tier VI or lower ships—Coal
  
• For Tier VII to X ships—Republic Tokens, a new temporary resource

Please note: you can get a bonus for each ship only once during Update 0.8.6.


You can exchange Republic Tokens for thematic bundles in a special tab in the Armory. Once you've acquired the final bundle, special random bundles will become available in exchange for doubloons. These are the new award-receiving mechanics, and they function in a similar way to containers. However, unlike the latter, you can always see the contents and number of bundles available.



The legendary white facade of the cliffs of Dover has looked over the final resting place of many a ship in the annals of history. In Update 0.8.6, a new map called Crash Zone Alpha is set to appear in the game for Tier VIII–X battles in Domination mode. The map has two versions: with three and four key areas, respectively. The map will also be interesting for aficionados of Clan Battles: the “home” key areas of the teams are located quite close to each other, which will force the teams to reconsider their usual combat tactics.

The Greece map has undergone further improvements: at the request of players, sunny weather has been added. Besides this, the islands located rear of the teams have been updated and will now act as more reliable cover.


Update 0.8.6 features a new season of Ranked Battles! Battles will involve only Tier IX ships and will be held in a "6 vs. 6" format. A considerable reward of 5,500 Steel is at stake, and if you reach Rank 1, you'll be awarded the Jolly Roger achievement.


AA defense guns now deal permanent damage several times per second. Previously, the frequency of damage depended on the type of weapon. Taking your requests into consideration and to make the operation of AA defenses more stable, we've standardized damage infliction. The damage value will also be recalculated, in consideration of the increased frequency. This is a merely technical change aimed at preventing some inconsistencies, with the total damage per second remaining nearly the same.

X Henri IV is one of the most powerful Tier X cruisers in the game. This fast-moving ship is capable of inflicting considerable damage with her HE shells, and the Main Battery Reload Booster consumable only makes her more formidable. To balance the strength of the cruiser, the reload speed of her main battery guns has been increased from 12.3 to 13 seconds.

German cruisers IX Roon and X Hindenburg used to be inferior to other ships of the same type in terms of their overall battle efficiency, but now their guns have a faster reload time of 10.5 seconds instead of 11.

German battleships stand out for their secondary armament, but the style of gameplay utilizing this weaponry often cedes to a more survival-oriented way of playing. To make the use of secondary armament more appealing to players, the armor-penetration capability of the 105 mm guns mounted on VIII Bismarck, VIII Tirpitz, VIII Graf Zeppelin, and Tier VIII–X German cruisers has been increased from 17 to 25 mm. This change will enable shells fired by these guns to penetrate the plating of destroyers, cruisers, and Tier VI–VII battleships.

X Yueyang's torpedo armament has been enhanced: the reload time of her torpedo tubes has been reduced from 156 to 146 seconds.

A handsome set of consumables and powerful guns allow X Grozovoi to be one of the most effective destroyers at Tier X. But in order to better balance her, the main battery reload time has been increased from 4 to 4.2 seconds.

The reload time of X Gearing's researchable torpedo tubes has been reduced from 136 to 122 seconds. This will increase the overall damage that she can cause, and draw more players' attention to the potential of her torpedo tubes.

Balancing changes have also affected V Emerald, VIII Z-23, IX Jutland, VIII Kii, and IX Chung Mu. Please see more details in the full article.

Exposing their broadsides to an enemy’s salvo is the worst mistake most ships can make. However, due to their low-lying citadels and long-distance combat tactics, the consequences of such an error for Royal Navy battleships were much less tangible. In the new version, the citadel of battleships VII King George V, IX Lion, VII Duke of York, VIII Monarch, and X Conqueror has been enlarged, and now occupies part of the ships' casemates. On the other hand:

• The amount of damage caused to any part of a ship (except for the citadel) that can be restored by the Repair Party consumable will increase from 60% to 75%.
  
• Duke of York will have an additional Repair Party charge.
  
• Repair Party will recover 0.6% of the maximum HP pool per second instead of 0.5%, for King George V, Duke of York, and Monarch.
  
• Repair Party will reload within 90 seconds instead of 120 for King George V, Monarch, and Duke of York. The consumable will recharge within 120 seconds instead of 180 for Lion and Conqueror.

These changes will enable enemy ships to teach British battleships a good lesson about the results of carelessly exposing their broadsides by causing them some considerable damage. However, if players manage to avoid such mistakes and skillfully use the improved Repair Party consumable, the survivability of these Steel Monsters will only be strengthened.

The water visual processing system has been improved: the annoying ripples at the horizon will no longer distract the attention of Captains. Moreover, the in-game lighting model has been updated. This is an important change that opens the doors for a graphics update for the game in the future.

The automatic collision alert system will divert ships from islands more reliably, with manual control always being a priority.

Aircraft carrier bots have returned to Co-op Battles. Now, a player on an aircraft carrier will face not a battleship, but an aircraft carrier.

The updated Raptor Rescue operation is back: AI opponents have had all their skills, upgrades, and enhanced consumables reset, and the composition of enemy groups has changed.

Learn more about these new features and balance changes on our official website or in the in-game browser!
https://worldofwarships.eu/news/game-updates/update-086-french-destroyers/

• VIII Vladivostok scores a hat trick!
  
• Demonstrations of true strength from IX Iowa and X Conqueror!
  
• Witness the power of X Yamato and X Großer Kurfürst in action!

Would you like to discover what’s behind these stories? Then watch the new WoWS Show episode!
https://youtu.be/HeG1yhyFyVA

Did you enjoy this episode? Subscribe to our channel to stay informed about the next instalments!

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You need to log in to the website https://replayswows.com using your Wargaming account credentials. Then click the "Upload Replay" button and share your in-game stories! Don't forget to write the names of the show and your ship in the "Title" section, to ensure that we don't miss your replay. Example: #WOWSHOW (Tirpitz).

To be approved for our show, a replay should correspond to the following criteria:

• Duration of an episode or a pack of mini episodes shouldn't exceed one minute.
  
• Episodes should be funny, interesting, or just plain epic. The more entertaining; the better!

Any player can send us an unlimited number of replays. Players will receive a reward for every replay chosen for the show!

Captains!

Update 0.8.6 opens up the French arc, which is set to span two updates. Players will enjoy a new game event, gain early access to the French destroyer branch, explore the new Crash Zone Alpha map, and experience many other features.

But how did we select the ships for the new branch and what are its peculiarities? How did we create the new map? How did the last Clan season go?

Watch the fresh episode of Developer Diaries to find answers to these and many other questions!
https://youtu.be/PGhukxeXlaU

Did you like the video? Subscribe to our channel to stay tuned for new episodes!

Subscribe to the Channel

Captains!

A new arc centered around French destroyers is starting very soon. For the occasion, let's refresh ourselves on the combat history of French destroyer Maillé-Brézé, which was unique due to the technical equipment she carried.
https://youtu.be/47Ez71-qVIE


https://youtu.be/UoVJllDh6rg

Did you like the video? Subscribe to our channel to stay tuned for new episodes!

Subscribe to the Channel

Benham has sixteen torpedoes and she’s not afraid to use them.

At less than 2,000 tons, U.S.S. Benham embodies the pre-war American concept of a small Treaty destroyer, loosely based on the overall concept of the Mahan-class, but with one big difference: Benham carries the deadliest torpedo arsenal ever placed on a U.S. destroyer.
https://youtu.be/8FiMPTBXlbw
U.S.S. Benham was the lead ship of her class of 10 destroyers, built between 1936 and 1939. She was laid down in Kearny, New Jersey, and completed in early 1939. After a few patrols off the U.S. East coast, she was ordered to make for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in the buildup to the Pacific War in 1940.

When the Japanese mobile carrier force struck Pearl Harbor’s naval base on December 7, 1941, Benham was luckily only about a day’s sail away on escort duties for the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Enterprise. Following this first battle of the war, Benham continued serving as an escort for carrier task forces throughout the first half of 1942. This landed her a front-row seat at important events such as the start of the Doolittle raid in April and the decisive battle of Midway in June, during which Benham participated in rescue efforts for survivors of the sinking U.S.S. Yorktown.


In August 1942, the ship would shore up the ranks of the naval force assembled to take part in the first major U.S. offensive of the Pacific war: the Guadalcanal Campaign. This brutal, months-long battle was an exemplary instance of combined arms fighting, with fierce infantry skirmishes taking place just a few kilometers away from some of the most intensely fought naval battles of the war. On the night of November 14–15, Benham would be called on to step away from the relative safety of carrier escort missions to take on a far deadlier task.

The second naval battle of Guadalcanal unfolded in the narrow strait between the islands of Guadalcanal and Savo. The American fleet, consisting of two battleships and four destroyers, advanced under the cover of darkness to intercept Japan’s last hope of keeping a hold over the island. The Japanese fleet—made up of the Kongo-class battleship Kirishima, four cruisers, and nine destroyers—was making one last effort to retake the vital airfield in the North of Guadalcanal.

Benham and the other destroyers led the formation of battleships South Dakota and Washington, when the latter two opened fire on distant radar contacts. The destroyers first fired illuminating shells, and then began firing off 5-inch shells at a forward group of Fubuki-class destroyers. However, before the Americans could prepare their torpedoes, a hail of enemy shellfire and torpedoes overwhelmed the destroyers, sinking two immediately and mortally wounding Benham. A single Long Lance torpedo struck her in the bow, completely destroying everything forward of the bridge and causing severe flooding. Throughout the rest of the night and most of the next day, she would carefully attempt to make her way back to land, but after nearly 16 hours Benham’s condition worsened and the order was given to abandon ship.


In World of Warships, Benham appears as she would have in 1942, just prior to the second naval battle of Guadalcanal.


Main Battery: four 127mm/38 Mk12 dual purpose guns, with the forward two in enclosed turrets, and the rear two without any shielding.


Torpedo launchers: sixteen individual launchers in a quartet of quadruple 533 mm mounts.


Anti-aircraft armament: four single 12.7 mm Browning M2 mod. 2 heavy machine guns.

• Priority Target
  
• Last Stand
  
• Torpedo Armament Expertise
  
• Concealment Expert

• Priority Target
  
• Last Stand
  
• Torpedo Armament Expertise
  
• Concealment Expert
  
• Superintendent
  
• Survivability Expert
  
• Adrenaline Rush
  
• Preventive Maintenance

The destroyer has access to Damage Control Party and Smoke Generator in the first two slots; and in the third you have a choice between Engine Boost, if you favor rapid deployment and maneuverability, or Defensive AA Fire, if you’re more concerned with fending off the attacks of enemy bombers.

• Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1
  
• Slot 2: Propulsion Modification 1 or Steering Gears Modification 1
  
• Slot 3: AA Guns Modification 1
  
• Slot 4: Steering Gears Modification 2
  
• Slot 5: Concealment System Modification 1
  
• Slot 6: Torpedo Tubes Modification 3

IX Benham is the lead ship in a series of ten destroyers. This destroyer is proudly placed at Tier IX in the U.S. Tech Tree. Destroyers of this nation are known for their versatility, but Benham has a clear-cut specialization: her torpedoes. In terms of artillery power, the ship is inferior to many of her peers, and her HP is one of the lowest among her counterparts, but she is packed with sixteen dangerous torpedoes and equipped with trademark American smokes. There's nothing more you might need to become a daunting and stealthy fighter!

• Four 127 mm guns. Firing range: 12.6 km; reload time: 3.3 seconds; 180-degree gun traverse time: 6 seconds. These characteristics are quite decent, but the small number of guns doesn't make the ship's artillery her best asset.
  
• Sixteen torpedoes with a range of 10.5 km, speed of 65 knots, and damage of 15,200 HP, with a fast reload time of just 85 seconds. Her broadside torpedo tube mounts are a noteworthy, but rather unusual feature for high-tier destroyers.
  
• Low detectability range by sea (5.9 km, with upgrade, skills, and camo used) and the American Smoke Generator. It takes more than two minutes for her smoke screens to disperse.
  
• The Engine Boost or Defensive AA Fire consumables are available in slot 3.
  
• Extra credits per battle and 100% more XP provided by the camouflage.

Today, she’s permanently berthed in Cleveland, Ohio, where she serves as a museum ship. She belongs to the Gato class—one of the most famous U.S. submarine classes of World War II, comprising 77 ships.

What gallant deeds can U.S.S. Cod lay claim to? Watch our video and find out!

As the story is a long and interesting one, we’ve divided this episode into two parts. The first is dedicated to the development history of the United States’ submarine fleet.
https://youtu.be/3HuGbD8mBUM


The second and final one focuses on the actions of Gato-class submarines in the Pacific Ocean during World War II.
https://youtu.be/nnlKl6KrnU4

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