Akizuki is the lead ship of the seven [[:Category:Akizuki_Class|Akizuki-class]] anti-air Destroyers. Currently 3 out of the 7 Akizuki-class destroyers are in-game; [[Akizuki]], [[Teruzuki]] and [[Hatsuzuki]].
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As an anti-air destroyer, Akizuki performs the same combat functions as other destroyers, but her true strength lies in her ability to trigger [[Aerial_Combat#Anti-Air_Cut-In|Anti-Air Cut-Ins]], greatly mitigating damage directed towards her fleet from enemy aircraft. Her tremendously high anti-air stat also makes most aircraft attacks upon her ineffective.
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Akizuki's shortcomings are her mediocre torpedo stat and average firepower compared to the other [[Destroyers]], which causes her to struggle to match other destroyers in [[Combat/Night_Battle|night battles.]] Since during night battles both firepower and torpedo stats are used in calculating damage.
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Despite her shortcomings she is a very popular addition to a fleet that has to sortie into maps with heavy enemy air presence, such as event maps or [[World 4]] onwards, since she can mitigate the enemy aircraft squadrons from heavily damaging the fleet. During mandatory [[Combined Fleet]] maps the escort fleet (2nd fleet) always requires at least one [[Light Cruiser]] and two destroyers, which is a popular spot for an Akizuki-class if the map has enemy aircraft consistently deal heavy damage to your fleet.
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An alternative option to sortieing an Akizuki-class is to use [[Maya| Maya Kai Ni]] if one does not possess an Akizuki or wish to use stronger destroyers for the purpose of having a stronger night battle capability. [[Fubuki|Fubuki Kai Ni]] is also an alternative if one does not wish to use a [[Heavy Cruiser]] in their fleet composition, but do not have an Akizuki. It must be noted that Fubuki's anti-air cut-in is not as powerful as that of an Akizuki or Maya.