Sandbox/Key Ships

The Ships

Destroyers - DDs

Your Starter

So before we continue, if you're reading this guide, odds are that your starter ship is *probably* one of your higher-levelled ships.

The starter ships are Fubuki 吹雪, Murakumo 叢雲, Sazanami 漣, Inazuma 電, and Samidare　五月雨. You're probably wondering how they will fit into your overall strategy, well there's good news and bad news:

The bad news is that only Fubuki 吹雪 and possibly Murakumo 叢雲 have any real long-term potential, as they're the only two with K2 forms that greatly increase their stats. The good news is that for now, we need immediate power, and a well-le

The point here is: With a few key exceptions, destroyers are effectively equivalent to each other until they reach Kai Ni at around level 70. Training a ship to level 70 in the early game is a significant investment in time and resources. If your starter is well-levelled and modernized, she'll do just fine in the context of easy mode, especially since you will be picking up at least Yuudachi and Shigure during your preparation.

Discussing the Destroyers

Examining destroyers gives us a great opportunity to introduce two of the more confusing aspects of the game, overkill mechanics and armor mechanics.

This is the He-Flag, she has 57HP, 39 armor, 80 torpedo, and a fantastic chance to send you home if she fires that torpedo.

What A Difference a (few) Points Make #1: 32HP Destroyers - Introduction to Overkill

CAN WE HAVE THIS EXAMINED FURTHER? WIKIWIKI APPEARS TO HAVE MORE NEW INFORMATION ON IT THAT POTENTIALLY MAKES THE OLD OVERKILL CALCULATIONS OBSOLETE

So, while looking at destroyers and gradually working your way to K2s, you'll probably notice that most of them wind up with around 30-34 HP, with a few exceptions like Shimakaze at 36 and the Mutsukis at around 24.

Here's how overkill works:

Whenever a ship takes a shot that would deal more than its maximum HP, she will instead sustain a random amount of between 50%-79% of her HP in damage, rounded down.

What is most important to note about this with regard to a fully healthy ship is that only the 75-79% portion of this range would results in a taiha, or approximately 1 in 6.

While this is important to be aware of, this should by no means restrict you from using someone like Ayanami, for a reason that's about to become all very clear.

What A Difference a (few) Points Make #2: The Destroyer FP gulf - Introduction to Armor Mechanics

Now, we've just discussed destroyer HP and , now it's time for us to take a look at their firepower, and how much impact daytime firepower has on

The main damage formula essentially boils down to this: Effective Firepower - (0.7-1.3 * Armor) = Damage done. Notice how

Let's look at one well-known enemy you may recognize, the ubiquitous He-Class Flag CL (see picture). When light fleets are involved, your fleet (barring opening torpedoes or support) only has one chance to cripple each enemy (i.e. damage to 50% or lower) before the torpedo phase. The He shells at a relatively-low 51 power, but fires a torpedo of 80 power, which as we've just covered, has an incredibly good chance of scoring a Taiha on a DD.

With 57 HP, we will, on average, only have a single chance to deal at least 28 HP to it

Light Cruisers and Torpedo Cruisers - CLs and CLTs

Introduction key notes:

• CLs -> Squadron leaders, i.e. usually tougher and stronger than DDs, but otherwise largely similar in terms of role. (As with DDs, however, probably need to mention that certain ships come with additional gimmicks.) Add that at least one is required for Combined Fleets under the Escort Fleet, and that in some cases they may be required for routing. Artillery Spotting with three slots at Kai remodel (mostly at level 20) and slots that actually have plane numbers (i.e. not Yuubari).
• CLTs -> Remodel at 10 (K2 50) for Ooi/KTKM, K2 at 65 for Kiso. Note two slots until K2 for the former, mention the limitations this has for combat loadouts. Cannot artillery spot (or equip planes at all) once converted to this sub-class. However, opening torpedo strikes.
• CTs? -> Are these even worth covering? Just chucking this here for now anyway. One is event-only, the other is available from construction (but not from the basic recipe). Slow, but have 4 slots. Only real advantages potentially conferred upon the fleet are where speed doesn't matter, where ASW is involved since 4 slots (depending on branching), and for bonus experience during PvP. Assure new players that they're not missing out on much by not having one (Translation: Don't be a dumbass and try to craft Katori).

Jintsuu 神通 - Level 60

Unlike Abukuma, Jintsuu doesn't bring any special tricks, just the highest base FP/TP combination of 71/98. This makes her the strongest night battle double-attacker in the game that isn't a CA(V) or CLT.

Sendai 川内 - Level 60

(Temporary notes, write a full summary.) Not nearly as strong as Abukuma or even Jintsuu. Only real utility is the stock equipment she comes with. Briefly explain the benefits and drawbacks of the following: Night Scout, Searchlight, and Star Shells. Emphasise that these are Important Things™ for Night Battles, but add that on easier difficulties they aren't strictly necessary.

Abukuma Kai Ni 阿武隈 - Lander/Tank Capable, Minisub Capable - Level 75, Blueprint Required

Equipment-wise, 2 guns and a minisub is generally better against lighter opposition (effectively giving her two lighter attacks against different targets), while a full torpedo loadout is superior against heavy opposition, even capable of crippling Flag-Ru

Compared to Jintsuu, Abukuma's raw power is mediocre (just 56/94 vs Jintsuu's massive 71/98). In reality, though, Abukuma possesses a unique trick: She is the only CL in the game that can launch an opening torpedo.

The upshot of this is that Abukuma is a CLT that can serve as a CL for branching and fleet composition purposes, making her arguably the single-best escort fleet CL, if not the strongest CL in the game outright.

Her torpedo effectively gives her an extra attack phase, serving as her main source of damage to supplement her shelling.

Furthermore, it often becomes feasible for her to be equipped with dual torpedoes (refer to image). This boosts her daytime torpedo power even more, keeps her range at short (thus preventing a clash with stronger ships), and also enables her to perform a torpedo CI at night.

No other surface ship in the game (save perhaps Maya) innately benefits from running such a torpedo set (the CLTs are at daytime torpedo cap of 151 already); consequently, she is a natural candidate for luckmodding, which allows her to keep her boosted day power while improving her at night. She can also carry tanks and daihatsus, making her extremely versatile against hardened installations, while also allowing her to contribute on a strategic level as an expedition leader.

TL;DR Abukuma is overall the most powerful light cruiser in the game.

The Four-Slotters: Yuubari 夕張 and Ooyodo 大淀

[Do we want to compare the two here, or down below under "Discussing the Light Cruisers"? Admittedly, not much to say other than that Yuubari sucks at almost everything including HP/Armour when compared to Ooyodo, on top of not having any plane numbers for Artillery Spotting, but her natural ASW + 4 slots makes her an OASW utility ship for later on in the game. Also, slightly less rare than Ooyodo and can occasionally (1% chance?) be obtained via the basic 30/30/30/30 construction recipe. Finally, whether it's here or under Ooyodo's own section, really need to write a line or two to explicitly quash the terrible idea that Ooyodo is farmable from 1-6. Insert recommendation that players farm from event maps where applicable instead.]

Discussing the Light Cruisers

Abukuma vs Jintsuu vs Ooyodo

Abukuma and her midget submarine form the the gold standard of damage output, being capable of dealing damage early before enemies are capable of

Despite this, it is most important not to overestimate her, she is incredibly strong and possibly overpowered, but remember that other cruisers do possess their niches, Ooyodo with her four slots in particular is often better at anti-installation combat. She is also extremely expensive to obtain, not only being relatively rare, but only reaching her full combat potential at level 75 while also requiring a blueprint to do so.

Heavy/Aviation Cruisers - CAs and CAVs

When a specific ship subtype, such as a CA or CAV is being referred to, the designation is given sans brackets i.e. CA or CAV respectively; when either a CA or a CAV is allowed, a fleet composition will have the designation CA(V)

It is common for new players to neglect levelling Heavy (CAs) and Aviation (CAVs) Cruisers, once they have acquired more powerful classes, such as the battleships. However, CA(V)s play an important role between the light (DD/CLs) and heavy ships.

• They can often be used in place of Battleships in (Combined) Fleets, especially to achieve favorable map branching
• While their daytime firepower is not that of Battleships, they are capable of dealing much more damage during Night Battles against enemies vulnerable to their high torpedo power (amongst BBs, only Bismarck drei possesses a torpedo stat)
  • Their strong night battle power makes them critical to an escort fleet
• As with Battleships, they can equip Type 3 Shells for better effectiveness against installations
• CA(V)s begin with three slots (enough for Artillery Spotting), and with four slots after their first remodel (Level 25 in most cases), they have more freedom to equip utility or LoS equipment, as opposed to CLs or DDs, which usually require a combat loadout across all 3 slots
• All CAVs begin as CAs, and remodel into CAVs
• CAVs in particular can also equip many things that CAs cannot, such as:
  • WG42 rockets, which are effective against hard installations (which Type 3 Shells are ineffective against), but this piece of equipment is difficult to come by early on in the game
  • Seaplane bombers and fighters, which can be used to supplement your Fighter Power, if act as your only source of Fighter Power in the fleet
  • Drum canisters, which are sometimes important for routing and in transport maps
• Their combined HP and Armour makes them particularly vulnerable to being critically damaged by heavy enemies, or even critical hits from less heavyweight opponents

As the second-best night battlers after CLTs and a critical component of escort fleets (and by extension, responsible for killing bosses), CA(V)s are amongst the most important ships in the game. Knowing their strengths and weaknesses and training a strong cruiser force is therefore one of your top priorities.

Furutaka and Aoba-Class

• Furutaka 古鷹 and Kako 加古 - K2 L65
• Aoba 青葉 and Kinugasa 衣笠 - Kinugasa K2 L55

At K1, both the Furutaka and Aoba-classes are very weak, packing a base night-battle power comparable to DDs. Furutaka, Kako, and Kinugasa get a bit stronger when they hit K2, but in reality, that second upgrade simply brings them on par with K1s 30-40 levels lower. Furutaka K2 being strictly worse than Takao K1 in all but supply cost is illustrative of why they are usually relegated them to reserve and expedition fleet status.

Aoba has no K2, with her only notable trait being 30 luck which can be useful for TPCIs in incredibly desperate situations, but she otherwise has almost no combat value.

TL;DR: Don't bother with them except as a reserve fleet; Kinugasa and Furutaka-class K2s at least carry valuable equipment (No 2 and 3 guns), while Aoba does not even have that one saving grace.

Myoukou-Class

• Myoukou 妙高, Nachi 那智, Ashigara 足柄, and Haguro 羽黒 - Myoukou K2 L70; All others K2 L65

The Myoukou-class is one of the best in the long-term. In the early game, Myoukou K1 possesses a very significant 10 torpedo advantage over her sisters, this makes her one of the stronger early-game cruisers. The other three are somewhat weaker, but have the advantage of reaching K2 at level 65 compared to Myoukou's 70.

At K2, Haguro (84/84) and Myoukou (80/88) are the strongest night battlers; with Ashigara (82/84) and Nachi (80/84) close behind. Even the weakest of the four, Nachi, is more than sufficient for most day to day use.

For a Night Battle CI option, similar to Aoba, Myoukou possesses 32 luck; however, unlike Aoba, Myoukou isn't complete garbage otherwise.

TL;DR: All four Myoukou sisters deserve a place in your long-term fleet. Myoukou should be your main priority of the four in the early game even if she takes a longer time to get to K2

Takao-Class

• Takao 高雄 & Atago 愛宕 - K1 L25
• Maya 摩耶 - K2 L75
• Choukai 鳥海 - K2 L65, Blueprint Required

After the Myoukous, the Takao-class is the other major class to be on the lookout for, the two older sisters (Takao and Atago) are early-game powerhouses that remain viable well into the late-game, while the two younger sisters are the two of the most important cruisers in the game for two very different reasons.

Takao and Atago remodel at level 25

The next two Takao sisters will be reviewed separately, simply because they have vastly differing roles in a fleet, Maya is an overall strong K2 with a specialization in anti-air, while Choukai is the single-best night attacker in the game apart from the CLTs.

Maya once had the distinction of possessing the highest second remodel level of all cruisers at 75. She's since been overtaken by both Suzuya (level 84) and Zara (level 88). However, in terms of importance to her fleet, she is second to none

Barring the CLTs, Choukai is the single-best night attacker in the game when it comes to surface combat. Her one drawback

Tone-Class

Tone and Chikuma are pretty special, they become CAVs when they hit level 70

Tone 利根 and Chikuma 筑摩

Battleships, Fast Battleships, and Aviation Battleships - BB, FBB, BBV

Fast Battleships - FBB

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Editor's note, yes, Kongous started out as Battlecruisers which would be designated CCs, but in Kancolle, they're often referred to as FBBs

Fleet Carriers and Armored Fleet Carriers - CVs and CVBs

Armored Fleet Carriers - CVBs

The good news is that there are only three armored carriers in the game, Shoukaku 翔鶴, Zuikaku 瑞鶴, and Taihou 大鳳, the even better news is that since they're all but out of reach for beginners and even intermediate players, there's no real need to worry about them.

In any case, we're going to go through them here, both as a showcase of the Shoukaku-class's capability in future, and on the off chance that you actually went out and crafted Taihou (you absolute madman).