Supertest: Russian Tier VI battleship Izmail

Moving on in that upcoming battleship branch, here is the tier VI, the Izmail (finally a name I could pronounce without the fear to butcher it).

Alright, background time. We are, again, looking at a battlecruiser design. These battlecruisers were designed to counter the growing Turkish threat in the Black Sea.
Four ships were laid down in 1913 but none of them was completed due to the collapse of Russia in 1917. After World War 1, multiple ideas to complete the ships were considered but in the end, all were abandoned and the ships were all scrapped.

Additional note: Wargaming freshly released a devblog article about the Russian battleships so I will use the new values in the said article. Looks like it was somewhat of a good thing that I was too busy to release the article sooner.

Characteristics

GeneralMain BatterySecondariesAir DefenseConsumables

Tier	VI
Health	51 700 HP
Main Armament
Maximum Firing Range	15 460 km
356 mm/52 Model 1913	4 x 3 356 mm
Secondary Armament
Maximum Firing Range	4.00 km
130 mm/55 Model 1913	10 x 1 130 mm
100 mm/50 Minisini gun	6 x 2 100 mm
Maximum speed	28.5 kt
Turning Circle Radius	830 m
Rudder Shift Time	16.90 s
Surface Detectability	15.20 km
Air Detectability	9.6 km
Detectability After Firing Main Gus in Smoke	13.20 km

4×3 356 mm/52 Model 1913
180 Degree Turn Time	60.0 s
Reloading Time	33.0 s
Optimal front firing angle	32°
Optimal rear firing angle	25°
Sigma	1.70 sigma
Maximum Dispersion	228 m
Shells
Type of Projectile	HE
Alpha Damage	5 200 HP
Damage	4 230 HP
Alpha Piercing HE	59 mm
Explosion Size	2.13
Chance to Cause Fire	38 %
Projectile Speed	731.5 m/s
Air Drag	0.475
Projectile Mass	747.8
Projectile Krupp	385
Type of Projectile	AP
Alpha Damage	10 500 HP
Chance to Cause Fire	-0.5 %
Projectile Speed	823 m/s
Air Drag	0.371
Projectile Mass	747.8
Projectile Krupp	2 350
Projectile Detonator	0.033 s

10 x 1 130 mm/55 Model 1913
Reloading Time	12.0 s
Sigma	1.00 sigma
Horizontal Dispersion	50 m
Vertical Dispersion	110 m
Shells
Type of Projectile	HE
Alpha Damage	1 900 HP
Damage	590 HP
Alpha Piercing HE	22 mm
Explosion Size	0.46
Chance to Cause Fire	9 %
Projectile Speed	823 m/s
Air Drag	0.414
Projectile Mass	36.86
Projectile Krupp	1
6 x 2 100 mm/50 Minisini gun
Reloading Time	5.0 s
Sigma	1.00 sigma
Horizontal Dispersion	50 m
Vertical Dispersion	110 m
Shells
Type of Projectile	HE
Alpha Damage	1 400 HP
Damage	310 HP
Alpha Piercing HE	17 mm
Explosion Size	0.29
Chance to Cause Fire	6 %
Projectile Speed	800 m/s
Air Drag	0.289
Projectile Mass	15.8
Projectile Krupp	1

6 x 2 100 mm/50 Minisini gun
Sector range	2.5 km – 4.6 km
Hit chance	68 %
Sector’s damage	130
Sector’s damage frequency	3.39 s
Sector’s damage per second	38
Flak clouds number	1
Flak cloud damage	630
20 x 1 45 mm 21-K
Sector range	0.9 km – 2.5 km
Hit chance	68 %
Sector’s damage	180
Sector’s damage frequency	2.31 s
Sector’s damage per second	78
Flak clouds number	2
Flak cloud damage	420
10 x 1 12.7 mm DShK
Sector range	0.1 km – 0.9 km
Hit chance	63 %
Sector’s damage	80
Sector’s damage frequency	0.67 s
Sector’s damage per second	119
Sector reinforcement
Sector reinforcement bonus	+25%
Sector reinforcement time	12 s
Sector reinforcement shift time	12 s

Slot 1	Slot 2
Consumable charges: 3 Work time: 10 s Cooldown: 60 s	Consumable charges: 2 Work time: 28 s Cooldown: 120 s HP regeneration speed: 0.005 % HP/s
Consumable charges: 4 Work time: 10 s Cooldown: 40 s	Consumable charges: 3 Work time: 28 s Cooldown: 80 s HP regeneration speed: 0.005 % HP/s

GeneralMain BatterySecondariesAir DefenseConsumables

Tier	VI
Health	55 900 HP
Main Armament
Maximum Firing Range	17,006 km
356 mm/52 Model 1913	4 x 3 356 mm
Secondary Armament
Maximum Firing Range	4.00 km
130 mm/55 Model 1913	10 x 1 130 mm
130 mm/55 B-2-U	4 x 2 130 mm
Maximum speed	28.5 kt
Turning Circle Radius	830 m
Rudder Shift Time	12.0 s
Surface Detectability	15.20 km
Air Detectability	9.6 km
Detectability After Firing Main Gus in Smoke	13.20 km

4×3 356 mm/52 Model 1913
180 Degree Turn Time	45.0 s
Reloading Time	30.0 s
Optimal front firing angle	32°
Optimal rear firing angle	25°
Sigma	1.70 sigma
Maximum Dispersion	223 m
Shells
Type of Projectile	HE
Alpha Damage	5 200 HP
Damage	4 230 HP
Alpha Piercing HE	59 mm
Explosion Size	2.13
Chance to Cause Fire	38 %
Projectile Speed	731.5 m/s
Air Drag	0.475
Projectile Mass	747.8
Projectile Krupp	385
Type of Projectile	AP
Alpha Damage	10 500 HP
Chance to Cause Fire	-0.5 %
Projectile Speed	823 m/s
Air Drag	0.371
Projectile Mass	747.8
Projectile Krupp	2 350
Projectile Detonator	0.033 s

10 x 1 130 mm/55 Model 1913
Reloading Time	12.0 s
Sigma	1.00 sigma
Horizontal Dispersion	50 m
Vertical Dispersion	110 m
Shells
Type of Projectile	HE
Alpha Damage	1 900 HP
Damage	590 HP
Alpha Piercing HE	22 mm
Explosion Size	0.46
Chance to Cause Fire	9 %
Projectile Speed	823 m/s
Air Drag	0.414
Projectile Mass	36.86
Projectile Krupp	1
4 x 2 130 mm/55 B-2-U
Reloading Time	5.0 s
Sigma	1.00 sigma
Horizontal Dispersion	50 m
Vertical Dispersion	110 m
Shells
Type of Projectile	HE
Alpha Damage	1 900 HP
Damage	570 HP
Alpha Piercing HE	22 mm
Explosion Size	0.45
Chance to Cause Fire	8 %
Projectile Speed	900 m/s
Air Drag	0.255
Projectile Mass	33.4
Projectile Krupp	1

4 x 2 130 mm/55 B-2-U
Sector range	3.5 km – 6.0 km
Hit chance	68 %
Sector’s damage	260
Sector’s damage frequency	3.21 s
Sector’s damage per second	81
Flak clouds number	3
Flak cloud damage	840
8 x 1 37 mm 70-K, 2 x 4 37 mm 46-K and 12 x 2 37 mm 66-K
Sector range	0.9 km – 3.5 km
Hit chance	68 %
Sector’s damage	180
Sector’s damage frequency	0.60 s
Sector’s damage per second	300
Flak clouds number	6
Flak cloud damage	420
10 x 1 12.7 mm DShK
Sector range	0.1 km – 0.9 km
Hit chance	63 %
Sector’s damage	80
Sector’s damage frequency	0.67 s
Sector’s damage per second	119
Sector reinforcement
Sector reinforcement bonus	+25%
Sector reinforcement time	12 s
Sector reinforcement shift time	12 s

Slot 1	Slot 2
Consumable charges: 3 Work time: 10 s Cooldown: 60 s	Consumable charges: 2 Work time: 28 s Cooldown: 120 s HP regeneration speed: 0.005 % HP/s
Consumable charges: 4 Work time: 10 s Cooldown: 40 s	Consumable charges: 3 Work time: 28 s Cooldown: 80 s HP regeneration speed: 0.005 % HP/s

The armor analysis

Looks like the Russian navy ran out of steel for that ship. Unlike the previous ones that had amazing external armor protection all over the ship, this one is quite a serious let-down.

The bow section

Do you remember the impossible to overmatch bows of the low tier battleships? Well, forget them. In the case of the Izmail, it is MUCH more vulnerable. The upper part of the bow is covered in 25 mm which means that battleships with 380 mm guns and higher can overmatch it. For the extended belt, it is starting from the middle section with 181 mm, then 125 mm and finally 113 mm thick.

There are two armored decks in the bow but they might as well not be here. The upper armored deck is only 12 mm thick and the lower one is 20 mm thick. If a shell went through the bow, don’t expect it to be blocked by these two decks.

For the frontal protection of the middle section, the lower part, including the citadel surrounded in red, is 32 mm thick and just above, 75 mm thick. The 75 mm part is at the same level as the extended belt but shells will definitely be able to pass above it and then will have no issue penetrating the citadel’s athwartship. Conclusion, this ship risks to take quite a few citadels through the bow by battleships able to overmatch 25mm.

For the upper casemate, there is first a 25 mm plate right above the 75 mm section and just above, a 100 mm plate.

The middle section

Well, this ship sure feels odd when comparing to the rest. The main belt (in red) is 300 mm thick which is decent, however, the rest of the middle section is covered with 25 mm of armor with the only exception being the deck under the first turret (36 mm).

The upper part of the citadel’s sides that is protected by a spaced armor scheme is 50 mm thick. It is the only part of the citadel coming out of the water with the deck so, just like the previous ships, be careful when giving broadside.
The sloped armor of the turtleback protecting the lower part of the citadel is also 50 mm thick.

Here is however a BIG problem…

The citadel’s deck is ONLY 20 mm thick. This is really, really bad. any battleship that can overmatch the 25 mm casemate or simply penetrate it will score citadels on this ship. I really hope that they will change this otherwise, I will really use some free XP to skip it. Even worse, a battleship able to overmatch 20 mm just need to penetrate the 25 mm casemate and will also land citadels.

The only exception to the problem I described above is under the 1st and 4th turret where the citadel’s deck is 40 mm thick.

Finally, for the lower part of the citadel, it’s 32 mm thick.

The Stern section

The stern is somewhat of a saving grace compared to the disappointment that was the rest of the armor. It is protected by 25 mm of armor with the exception of the extended belt that is 181 mm thick at first and then 125 mm thick. Keep in mind that this extended belt is underwater.

There are not 2 but 3 armored decks inside the stern. The highest one is 50 mm thick and is at the same level as the citadel’s deck. The 2 others are only 20 mm thick sadly so they won’t be of much use.

For the rear protection of the middle section, there is at first the citadel’s athwartship surrounded in red with 32 mm of armor then it thickens to 75 mm just above. However, the highest part of the citadel’s athwartship is only covered by 25 mm of armor. Considering this part is only really protected by the armored deck of 50 mm, we can safely say that it will be relatively easy to hit it.

Finally, just above, there is a 100 mm thick casemate that will somewhat protect the incredibly vulnerable citadel deck from shells penetrating the stern.

The superstructure

The superstructure is rather small so the destroyers won’t have that many things to penetrate with HE. It is protected by 16 mm of armor.

The turrets

For the turrets, the face, the sides and the back are 300mm thick and the roof is 200 mm thick. For the barbette, the top is 248 mm thick and then the lower part is 135 mm thick.

To conclude, this ship is simply fragile. While the lower part of the citadel is well protected, the upper part is so thinly armored (especially that 20 mm deck) that right now, I wouldn’t touch that ship with a 100 m stick. I would be too scared of citadeling it.

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Yuzorah

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