Historical Formations
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This page is a listing of a number of historical naval formations containing ships that appear in KanColle. Note that many of these formations had multiple 'generations', that ships were often part of multiple formations at a time, and that accurate historical records of these units are very difficult to ascertain. Multiple reorganizations occurred over the course of the war as losses took their toll.
For a complete listing of all IJN ships at the time of the Pearl Harbor attacks, please see the IJN Order of Battle.
Battle Squadrons
In Japanese, there is no distinction drawn between Battleship and Cruiser divisions, they are simply called "squadrons" (sentai).
| Japanese | English | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 第一戦隊 | First Battleship Division : BatDiv 1 | Nagato (Flagship), Mutsu, Later: Yamato (Flagship), Musashi |
| 第二戦隊 | Second Battleship Division: BatDiv 2 | Ise (Flagship), Hyuuga, Yamashiro, Fusou |
| 第三戦隊 | Third Battleship Division: BatDiv 3 | Kongou (Flagship), Hiei, Haruna, Kirishima |
| 第四戦隊 | Fourth Cruiser Division: CruDiv 4 | Atago (Flagship), Takao, Maya, Choukai |
| 第五戦隊 | Fifth Cruiser Division: CruDiv 5 | Myoukou (Flagship), Nachi, Haguro |
| 第六戦隊 | Sixth Cruiser Division: CruDiv 6 | Aoba (Flagship), Furutaka, Kako, Kinugasa |
| 第七戦隊 | Seventh Cruiser Division: CruDiv 7 | Kumano (Flagship), Mogami, Mikuma, Suzuya |
| 第八戦隊 | Eighth Cruiser Division: CruDiv 8 | Tone, Chikuma |
| 第九戦隊 | Ninth Cruiser Division: CruDiv 9 | Kitakami, Ooi |
| 第十六戦隊 | Sixteenth Cruiser Division: CruDiv 16 | Ashigara (Flagship), Nagara, Kuma |
| 第十八戦隊 | Eighteenth Cruiser Division: CruDiv 18 | Tenryuu, Tatsuta |
| 第二十一戦隊 | Twenty-First Cruiser Division: CruDiv 21 | Tama, Kiso |
Carrier Divisions
The Carrier Divisions (Kōkū sentai) were part of a different fleet system than the Battlegroups and Torpedo Squadrons, though they often had Destroyer Divisions attached to them to act as escorts. The Japanese names of the Carrier divisions are often shortened by the shipgirls, for instance 第一航空戦隊, "Dai-ichi Kōkū Sentai" is shortened to 一航戦, "Ikkōsen". In most translations, this is written as abbreviating "First Carrier Division" to "CarDiv1".
| English Name | Japanese | Unit Members |
|---|---|---|
| First Carrier Division: CarDiv 1 | 第一航空戦隊 | Akagi (Flagship), Kaga, Seventh Destroyer Division |
| Seventh Destroyer Division: DesDiv 7 | 第七駆逐隊 | Ushio (Flagship), Akebono, Sazanami |
| Second Carrier Division: CarDiv 2 | 第二航空戦隊 | Souryuu (Flagship), Hiryuu, Twenty-Third Destroyer Division |
| Twenty-Third Destroyer Division: DesDiv 23 | 第二十三駆逐隊 | Kikuzuki (Flagship), Uzuki also Mutsuki-class Yuzuki |
| Third Carrier Division: CarDiv 3 | 第三航空戦隊 | Zuihou, Houshou, Mikazuki (Escort) |
| Fourth Carrier Division: CarDiv 4 | 第四航空戦隊 | Ryuujou, Later Ise and Hyuuga |
| Fifth Carrier Division: CarDiv 5 | 第五航空戦隊 | Shoukaku, Zuikaku, Oboro (Escort) |
Torpedo Squadrons
Torpedo Squadrons (Suirai sentai) and their sub-components, Destroyer Divisions (Kuchikutai), were created as part of the Japanese plan to slowly wear down American forces as they came across the Pacific with superior night-fighting and long-range torpedo bombardment tactics. They were led by a single Light Cruiser flagship supervising a number of Destroyer Divisions. Destroyer Divisions who have no members implemented in KanColle are not mentioned. Some sources translate 'Torpedo Squadron' as 'Destroyer Squadron', it is this that is abbreviated to 'Desron'
| English Name | Japanese | Unit Members |
|---|---|---|
| First Torpedo Squadron: Desron 1 | 第一水雷戦隊 | Abukuma (Flagship), Sixth Destroyer Division, Twenty-First Destroyer Division, Twenty-Seventh Destroyer Division, Seventeenth Destroyer Division |
| Sixth Destroyer Division: DesDiv 6 | 第六駆逐隊 | Hibiki (Flagship), Akatsuki, Inazuma, Ikazuchi |
| Seventeeth Destroyer Division: Desdiv 17 | 第十七駆逐隊 | Urakaze (Flagship), Isokaze, Hamakaze, Tanikaze |
| Twenty-First Destroyer Division: DesDiv 21 | 第二十一駆逐隊 | Wakaba (Flagship), Hatsuharu, Nenohi, Hatsushimo |
| Twenty-Seventh Destroyer Division: DesDiv 27 | 第二十七駆逐隊 | Shigure (Flagship), Shiratsuyu, Ariake and Yugure |
| Second Torpedo Squadron: Desron 2 | 第二水雷戦隊 | Jintsuu (Flagship), later Noshiro (Flagship), Sixteenth Destroyer Division, Fifteenth Destroyer Division, Eighteenth Destroyer Division, Eighth Destroyer Division, Thirty-First Destroyer Division |
| Eighth Destroyer Division: DesDiv 8 | 第八駆逐隊 | Ooshio, Asashio, Michishio, Arashio |
| Fifteenth Destroyer Division: DesDiv 15 | 第十五駆逐隊 | Natsushio (Flagship), Kuroshio, Oyashio, Hayashio, later Kagerou |
| Sixteenth Destroyer Division: DesDiv 16 | 第十六駆逐隊 | Yukikaze (Flagship), Amatsukaze, Hatsukaze, Tokitsukaze |
| Eighteenth Destroyer Division: DesDiv 18 | 第十八駆逐隊 | Shiranui (Flagship), Kagerou, Arare, Kasumi |
| Thirty-First Destroyer Division: Desdiv 31 | 第三十一駆逐隊 | Naganami (Flagship), Makinami |
| Second Destroyer Division: Desdiv 2 (1944) | 第二駆逐隊 | Hayashimo (Flagship), Kiyoshimo, Akishimo |
| Third Torpedo Squadron: Desron 3 | 第三水雷戦隊 | Sendai (Flagship), Eleventh Destroyer Division, Ninteenth Destroyer Division, Twelfth Destroyer Division |
| Eleventh Destroyer Division: DesDiv 11 | 第十一駆逐隊 | Hatsuyuki (Flagship), Fubuki, Shirayuki |
| Twelfth Destroyer Division: DesDiv 12 | 第十二駆逐隊 | Shirakumo (Flagship), Murakumo, Shinonome |
| Nineteenth Destroyer Division: DesDiv 19 | 第十九駆逐隊 | Uranami (Flagship), Ayanami, Shikinami, Isonami |
| Fourth Torpedo Squadron: Desron 4 | 第四水雷戦隊 | Naka (Flagship), Second Destroyer Division, Fourth Destroyer Division, Twenty-Fourth Destroyer Division |
| Second Destroyer Division: DesDiv 2 | 第二駆逐隊 | Murasame (Flagship), Yuudachi, Harusame, Samidare |
| Fourth Destroyer Division: DesDiv 4 | 第四駆逐隊 | Arashi (Flagship), Maikaze, Nowaki, Hagikaze |
| Ninth Destroyer Division: DesDiv 9 | 第九駆逐隊 | Asagumo, Yamagumo, Natsugumo, Minegumo |
| Twenty-Fourth Destroyer Division: DesDiv 24 | 第二十四駆逐隊 | Umikaze (Flagship), Suzukaze, Yamakaze, Kawakaze |
| Fifth Torpedo Squadron: Desron 5 | 第五水雷戦隊 | Natori (Flagship), Twenty-Second Destroyer Division |
| Twenty-Second Destroyer Division: DesDiv 22 | 第二十二駆逐隊 | Satsuki (Flagship), Fumizuki, Nagatsuki, Minazuki |
| Sixth Torpedo Squadron: Desron 6 | 第六水雷戦隊 | Yuubari (Flagship), Thirtieth Destroyer Division |
| Thirtieth Destroyer Division: DesDiv 30 | 第三十駆逐隊 | Mutsuki (Flagship), Kisaragi, Yayoi, Mochizuki, later Uzuki |
| Tenth Torpedo Squadron: Desron 10 | 第十水雷戦隊 | Nagara, later Agano (Flagship), later Yahagi (Flagship), Fourth Destroyer Division, Sixteenth Destroyer Division, Seventeenth Destroyer Division, Sixty-First Destroyer Division
The 10th Desron was formed in 1942 somewhat ad-hoc and so contains divisions that were previously members of other squadrons, plus the newly-formed 61st Division. |
| Sixty-First Destroyer Division: DesDiv 61 | 第六十一駆逐隊 | Akizuki, Teruzuki, later Wakatsuki, Hatsuzuki, Suzutsuki. |
Submarine Squadrons
Because there were many, many Submarines and Submarine Tenders which are not represented in Kancolle, this section is a bit sparse. It is included primarily to show the ships that were part of any Submarine Squadrons or Submarine Divisions.
| English Name | Unit Members |
|---|---|
| First Submarine Squadron: Subron 1 | Second Submarine Division: I-19 |
| Third Submarine Squadron: Subron 3 | Taigei (Flagship), Third Submarine Division: I-8 (Flagship), Twelfth Submarine Division: I-168 |
| Fourth Submarine Squadron: Subron 4 | Kinu (Flagship) |
| Fifth Submarine Squadron: Subron 5 | Yura (Flagship) |
| Eleventh Submarine Squadron: Subron 11 | First Submarine Division: I-401, Fifteenth Submarine Division: I-58 |
Fleets
The IJN had a number of different 'Fleet' units of varying purposes and sizes. They were primarily administrative formations rather than combat formations. All were considered part of the "Combined Fleet", which was the primary administrative unit of the IJN. It is included separately to show the ships and units that were directly attached to it.
| English Name | Unit Members |
|---|---|
| Combined Fleet | Yamato (Flagship), First Battleship Division, 4th Submarine Squadron, 5th Submarine Squadron, 11th Seaplane Tender Division: Chitose, Also Directly Attached: Akashi, Chiyoda
Contained as Subdivisions: First Fleet, Second Fleet, Third Fleet, Fourth Fleet, Fifth Fleet, Sixth Fleet, First Air Fleet |
| First Fleet | Second and Third Battleship Divisions, Sixth and Ninth Cruiser Divisions, First and Third Destroyer Squadrons, Third Carrier Division |
| Second Fleet | Atago (Flagship), Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, and Eighth Cruiser Divisions, Second and Fourth Destroyer Squadrons |
| Third Fleet | Ashigara (Flagship), Sixteenth Cruiser Division, Fifth Destroyer Squadron |
| Fourth Fleet | Eighteenth Cruiser Division, Sixth Destroyer Squadron |
| Fifth Fleet | Twenty-First Cruiser Division |
| Sixth Fleet | First Submarine Squadron, Second Submarine Squadron, Third Submarine Squadron |
| Eighth Fleet | Choukai (Flagship), Sixth Cruiser Division, Eighteenth Cruiser Division, Yuubari
Also known as the Mikawa fleet, after its Admiral, Mikawa Gunichi. |
| First Air Fleet | First, Second, Fourth, and Fifth Carrier Divisions |
Battle Participants
Here are the ships (present in KanColle) that participated in a number of famous battles, both successfully and unsuccessfully.
Credit
User:headlessnewt constructed this article and furnished most of it.