Supertest: German Tier VIII Battleship Zieten
6 min read
Historical background
So… for the Zieten, things get a little bit confusing because we aren’t exactly sure of what design she is based on. It’s most likely based on the Schnelle Großekampfschiffe 4531 or 4931a but they changed the main armament of the ship.
Both designs were made at the end of the First World War, based on the experience learned from the previous battles, especially the Battle of Jutland. These battlecruisers projects were meant to have a main battery consisting of six 420 mm guns in three twin turrets in an A-XY configuration. Of course, with the end of the war, these projects of battlecruisers were all abandoned.
When it comes to World of Warships, Zieten follows the same main battery configuration but with 406 mm guns. She is also armed with a fairly odd secondary battery as she presents both single and twin casemate mounted 150 mm guns.
As for the superstructure… I seriously wish I knew what were Wargaming thinking with that hypothetical refit. It looks more disturbing than anything else, especially when looking at Prinz Rupprecht or Schlieffen.
Ship’s preview
Camouflage
For the classic reminder, this is a ship in testing, anything can change so don’t look at her like she would already be released.
Modules
Hull | Engine | Gun Fire Control System | Main battery | Torpedoes |
Zieten (A) |
Propulsion: 152 000 HP |
FKS Typ 8 Mod. 1 |  406 mm/52 SK L/52 in a turret |
G7 T1 Ausf. B |
Zieten (B) |
FKS Typ 8 Mod. 2 |
Stock Ship
General Characteristics
| Tier | VIII |
| Health | 57 200 HP |
| Torpedo Damage Reduction | 23 % |
| Displacement | 39 420 tons |
| Dimensions | |
| Overall length | 239.9 m |
| Beam | 32.64 m |
| Overall height (keel to the highest point on the ship) | 31.0 m |
| Freeboard | 5.35 m |
| Main Armament | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 17.390 km |
| 406 mm/52 SK L/52 in a turret | 3 x 2 406 mm |
| Secondary Armament | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 7.600 km |
| 150 mm/55 SK C/28 in a casemate 150 mm/45 SK L/45 on an MPL C/06 mount 105 mm/65 SK C/33 on a Dop. L. C/31 mount | 4 x 2 150 mm 4 x 1 150 mm 8 x 2 105 mm |
| Torpedo Armament | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 12.000 km |
| 533 mm Drilling | 2 x 3 533 mm |
| Maximum speed | 31.0 knots |
| Turning Circle Radius | 820 m |
| Rudder Shift Time | 21.5 s |
| Surface Detectability | 15.26 km |
| Air Detectability | 11.04 km |
| Detectability After Firing Main Guns in Smoke | 14.72 km |
Main Armament
| 3 x 2 406 mm/52 SK L/52 in a turret | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 17.390 km |
| Reloading Time | 25.0 s |
| 180 Degree Turn Time | 30.0 s |
| Optimal firing angles at the front | 35° |
| Optimal firing angles at the rear | 35° |
| Sigma | 1.70 sigma |
| Maximum Dispersion | 195 m |
| Shells | |
| Type of Projectile | HE – 406 mm Spr.Gr. L/4.4 Kz. |
| Alpha Damage | 4 800 |
| Damage | 4 900 |
| Penetration capacity | 102 mm |
| Explosion size | 2.51 |
| Fire chance | 38 % |
| Projectile Speed | 810 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.299 |
| Projectile Mass | 1 030 kg |
| Type of Projectile | AP – 406 mm P.Spr.Gr. L/4.4 |
| Alpha Damage | 12 700 |
| Projectile Speed | 810 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.299 |
| Projectile Mass | 1 030 kg |
| Projectile Krupp | 2 527 |
| Projectile Detonator | 0.033 s |
| Detonator threshold | 68 mm |
| Ricochet Angles | 45° – 60° |
Secondary Armament
| 4 x 2 150 mm/55 SK C/28 in a casemate | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 7.600 km |
| Reloading Time | 7.7 s |
| Sigma | 1.0 sigma |
| Shells | |
| Type of Projectile | HE – 150 mm Spr.Gr. L/4.5 |
| Alpha Damage | 1 700 |
| Damage | 670 |
| HE penetration | 38 mm |
| Explosion Size | 0.54 |
| Chance to Cause Fire | 8 % |
| Projectile Speed | 875 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.33 |
| Projectile Mass | 45.3 kg |
| 4 x 1 150 mm/45 SK L/45 on an MPL C/06 mount | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 7.600 km |
| Reloading Time | 7.7 s |
| Sigma | 1.0 sigma |
| Shells | |
| Type of Projectile | HE – 150 mm HE K Gr 18 |
| Alpha Damage | 1 800 |
| Damage | 760 |
| HE penetration | 38 mm |
| Explosion Size | 0.57 |
| Chance to Cause Fire | 10 % |
| Projectile Speed | 835 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.407 |
| Projectile Mass | 45.3 kg |
| 8 x 2 105 mm/65 SK C/33 on a Dop. L. C/31 mount | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 7.600 km |
| Reloading Time | 3.0 s |
| Sigma | 1.0 sigma |
| Shells | |
| Type of Projectile | HE – 105 mm Spr.Gr. Kz. |
| Alpha Damage | 1 200 |
| Damage | 330 |
| HE penetration | 26 mm |
| Explosion Size | 0.31 |
| Chance to Cause Fire | 5 % |
| Projectile Speed | 900 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.33 |
| Projectile Mass | 15.1 kg |
Torpedo Armament
| 2 x 3 533 mm Drilling G7 T1 Ausf.B | |
| Reloading Time | 90 s |
| Maximum Distance | 12.000 km |
| Optimal firing angles at the front | 16° |
| Optimal firing angles at the rear | 22° |
| Damage | 16 533 |
| Flooding Chance | 279% |
| Speed | 50 knots |
| Surface Detectability | 1.2 km |
Anti-air Armament
| 8 x 2 105 mm/65 SK C/33 on a Dop. L. C/31 mount | |
| Sector range | 0.1 km – 5.2 km |
| Hit chance | 75 % |
| Sector’s damage | 46 |
| Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
| Sector’s damage per second | 161 |
| Flak clouds number | 7 |
| Flak cloud damage | 1 400 |
| 12 x 2 30 mm/45 Flakzwilling 103/38 | |
| Sector range | 0.1 km – 3.0 km |
| Hit chance | 70 % |
| Sector’s damage | 74 |
| Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
| Sector’s damage per second | 259 |
Consumables
Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 |
Fast Damage Control Team  Number of charges: 4 Work time: 10 s Cooldown: 40 s | Repair Party  Number of charges: 3Work time: 28 s Cooldown: 80 s HP regeneration: 0.5%/s Casemate damage regeneration: 50% Citadel damage regeneration: 10% | Hydroacoustic Search  Number of charges: 3Work time: 120 s Cooldown: 120 s Torpedo spotting range: 4.0 km Ship spotting range: 6.0 km |
Fully Upgraded Ship
General Characteristics
| Tier | VIII |
| Health | 62 900 HP |
| Torpedo Damage Reduction | 23 % |
| Displacement | 44 120 tons |
| Dimensions | |
| Overall length | 239.9 m |
| Beam | 32.64 m |
| Overall height (keel to the highest point on the ship) | 31.0 m |
| Freeboard | 5.35 m |
| Main Armament | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 19.129 km |
| 406 mm/52 SK L/52 in a turret | 3 x 2 406 mm |
| Secondary Armament | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 7.600 km |
| 150 mm/55 SK C/28 in a casemate 150 mm/45 SK L/45 on an MPL C/06 mount 105 mm/65 SK C/33 on a Dop. L. C/31 mount | 4 x 2 150 mm 4 x 1 150 mm 8 x 2 105 mm |
| Torpedo Armament | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 12.000 km |
| 533 mm Vierling | 2 x 4 533 mm |
| Maximum speed | 31.0 knots |
| Turning Circle Radius | 820 m |
| Rudder Shift Time | 15.3 s |
| Surface Detectability | 15.26 km |
| Air Detectability | 11.04 km |
| Detectability After Firing Main Guns in Smoke | 14.72 km |
Main Armament
| 3 x 2 406 mm/52 SK L/52 in a turret | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 19.129 km |
| Reloading Time | 25.0 s |
| 180 Degree Turn Time | 30.0 s |
| Optimal firing angles at the front | 35° |
| Optimal firing angles at the rear | 35° |
| Sigma | 1.70 sigma |
| Maximum Dispersion | 209 m |
| Shells | |
| Type of Projectile | HE – 406 mm Spr.Gr. L/4.4 Kz. |
| Alpha Damage | 4 800 |
| Damage | 4 900 |
| Penetration capacity | 102 mm |
| Explosion size | 2.51 |
| Fire chance | 38 % |
| Projectile Speed | 810 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.299 |
| Projectile Mass | 1 030 kg |
| Type of Projectile | AP – 406 mm P.Spr.Gr. L/4.4 |
| Alpha Damage | 12 700 |
| Projectile Speed | 810 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.299 |
| Projectile Mass | 1 030 kg |
| Projectile Krupp | 2 527 |
| Projectile Detonator | 0.033 s |
| Detonator threshold | 68 mm |
| Ricochet Angles | 45° – 60° |
Secondary Armament
| 4 x 2 150 mm/55 SK C/28 in a casemate | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 7.600 km |
| Reloading Time | 7.7 s |
| Sigma | 1.0 sigma |
| Shells | |
| Type of Projectile | HE – 150 mm Spr.Gr. L/4.5 |
| Alpha Damage | 1 700 |
| Damage | 670 |
| HE penetration | 38 mm |
| Explosion Size | 0.54 |
| Chance to Cause Fire | 8 % |
| Projectile Speed | 875 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.33 |
| Projectile Mass | 45.3 kg |
| 4 x 1 150 mm/45 SK L/45 on an MPL C/06 mount | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 7.600 km |
| Reloading Time | 7.7 s |
| Sigma | 1.0 sigma |
| Shells | |
| Type of Projectile | HE – 150 mm HE K Gr 18 |
| Alpha Damage | 1 800 |
| Damage | 760 |
| HE penetration | 38 mm |
| Explosion Size | 0.57 |
| Chance to Cause Fire | 10 % |
| Projectile Speed | 835 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.407 |
| Projectile Mass | 45.3 kg |
| 8 x 2 105 mm/65 SK C/33 on a Dop. L. C/31 mount | |
| Maximum Firing Range | 7.600 km |
| Reloading Time | 3.0 s |
| Sigma | 1.0 sigma |
| Shells | |
| Type of Projectile | HE – 105 mm Spr.Gr. Kz. |
| Alpha Damage | 1 200 |
| Damage | 330 |
| HE penetration | 26 mm |
| Explosion Size | 0.31 |
| Chance to Cause Fire | 5 % |
| Projectile Speed | 900 m/s |
| Air Drag | 0.33 |
| Projectile Mass | 15.1 kg |
Torpedo Armament
| 2 x 4 533 mm Vierling G7 T1 Ausf.B | |
| Reloading Time | 110 s |
| Maximum Distance | 12.000 km |
| Optimal firing angles at the front | 16° |
| Optimal firing angles at the rear | 22° |
| Damage | 16 533 |
| Flooding Chance | 279% |
| Speed | 50 knots |
| Surface Detectability | 1.2 km |
Anti-air Armament
| 8 x 2 105 mm/65 SK C/33 on a Dop. L. C/31 mount | |
| Sector range | 0.1 km – 5.2 km |
| Hit chance | 75 % |
| Sector’s damage | 46 |
| Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
| Sector’s damage per second | 161 |
| Flak clouds number | 7 |
| Flak cloud damage | 1 400 |
| 12 x 4 30 mm/45 Flakvierling 103/38 | |
| Sector range | 0.1 km – 3.0 km |
| Hit chance | 70 % |
| Sector’s damage | 102 |
| Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
| Sector’s damage per second | 357 |
Consumables
Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 |
Fast Damage Control Team Number of charges: 4 Work time: 10 s Cooldown: 40 s | Repair Party Number of charges: 3Work time: 28 s Cooldown: 80 s HP regeneration: 0.5%/s Casemate damage regeneration: 50% Citadel damage regeneration: 10% | Hydroacoustic Search Number of charges: 3Work time: 120 s Cooldown: 120 s Torpedo spotting range: 4.0 km Ship spotting range: 6.0 km |
The Armor
For a German battlecruiser… Zieten is quite thinly protected, especially considering that she only has a 32 mm deck which is less than ideal for a ship meant to brawl.
External armor protection:
Front and rear armor protection of the middle section:
Citadel armor protection:
Turrets armor protection:
Hidden armor protection inside the bow:
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