World of Warships - Builders Trials: Tier X Premium Japanese Cruiser Yoshino
34I never managed to get one of these completed for Azuma, and it’s probably just as well. I wouldn’t have had a whole lot of complimentary things to say about the ship, and, well, you know the old cliche about saying nice things. But I find myself compelled to make and get one of these done for Yoshino, because I find playing her such a completely different experience from Azuma that the differences and improvements need to be pointed out. So let’s briefly talk about Azuma, and then we’ll get to Yoshino.
Tier IX Japanese premium cruiser Azuma is the Wargaming version of what the Japanese called “Design B-65” or a “super-A class cruiser”. (An “A class” cruiser was the IJN term for a heavy cruiser, under the terms of the London Naval Treaty.) Intended to replace the Kongo-class battlecruisers, preliminary work began as early as 1936, envisioning a class mounting a main battery of 12-inch guns with a top speed of more than 30 knots. Detailed design work began in earnest in 1939, and construction of the first two ships was authorized in the Circle Five construction budget in early 1941. By that time, Japanese intelligence had learned of the design criteria for the United States Navy’s Alaska-class battlecruisers, and intended the B-65s to be their counter in the Japanese line of battle.
As design progressed, the hull evolved into the same style and shape of the Yamato-class battleships, then well into construction at Kure and Nagasaki. The armament was finalized as three triple turrets of 310mm (12.2-inch)/50 caliber guns, with an array of dual-purpose 100mm/65 caliber secondaries that were also well-along with their design. The remaining anti-aircraft assets were to have been comprised of the same 25mm AA mounts that were already deployed throughout the Japanese fleet.
The Azuma that arrived in World of Warships earlier this year is how Wargaming extrapolated she might have looked by 1945, had she ever been constructed. Yoshino, one tier higher, is a further extrapolation of this same design, and a few key areas have been notably buffed over Azuma.
First is the anti-aircraft suite. Azuma’s AA is comprised of the historically-planned mix of 100mm and 25mm guns; Yoshino, however, adds a ring of the Japanese knock-off version of the 40mm Bofors, and it gives her a LOT more AA punch. Whereas Azuma has no middle ring of AA defense, Yoshino most definitely does, and planes that engage her will absolutely notice the difference in the AA power of the two ships.
Second is the inclusion of torpedoes into her repertoire. A lot of noise has been made about Azuma’s lack of torpedoes: she is damn near the only Japanese cruiser in the game without them, Tier I Hashidate and Tier II Chikuma notwithstanding. Yoshino makes up for this in spades, packing four quadruple-tube torpedo launchers, two on each side of the ship, mounted just aft of amidships. You have to use these torpedoes wisely, though: they are Type 93’s, identical in all respects to Shimakaze’s stock torpedoes, with a range of 20km, a 62-knot speed, and a detection radius of 2.5km. They make great area denial weapons, but caution is advised, because Yoshino is nearly always playing behind other teammates.
Third is her main battery range. Azuma tops out at 19.1km prior to upgrades; Yoshino’s base range is 21.3km, at 12% upgrade. That doesn’t necessarily sound like a whole lot, but every little bit helps.
Fourth, there’s been a small buff to the armor scheme of the ship. One of the big issues that I have with Azuma is her armor layout. Yoshino retains most of this weakness: she is covered in 25mm plating and her base fire duration is 60 seconds. She’s HIGHLY vulnerable to HE shells, much the same way that French battleships are. Still, her deck and casemate armor through the central portion of the ship is 30mm instead of Azuma’s 25mm. It’s small, and not particularly noteworthy since either value gets fully penned by both 203mm HE and 152mm HE that’s been buffed with IFHE, but it makes a small difference against the occasional destroyer shells and battleship secondaries.
Lastly, Yoshino’s a bit slower on the rudder, and has about 3,500 more hit points.
Beyond these, Yoshino is the exact same ship as Azuma. Same main battery guns with the same exit velocities, shell damage, and shell ballistics; the same detection radius, top speed, and turning circle diameter; the same torpedo protection.
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