World of Warships News

Destroyer Z-39 was one of the last ships of her type to be built for the Kriegsmarine.

She served in the navies of three countries: Germany, the U.S.A., and France. Now you have the chance to take command of her in World of Warships!
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In early 1939, Germany adopted the so-called "Plan Z" that provided for building a large surface fleet. Under this plan, 68 destroyers were to be constructed, eight of which were ordered to be built as per the 1936A design. These were large ships with a full water displacement of almost 3,700 tons, and their main feature was artillery armament with a caliber of 150 mm—usually typical of cruisers. There were no other countries in the world where shipbuilders mounted guns of such a large caliber on destroyers.

By the time World War II broke out, the execution of Plan Z had only just commenced. It was in September 1939 that Krupp's Germaniawerft shipyards in Kiel received the order for four destroyers, including Z-39. The new ships had to be built within the limitations of wartime budgets and utilize simplified technology, which is why the project was codenamed 1936A (Mob) meaning "mobilization."

Construction progressed slowly. The shipbuilders experienced shortages of materials, the shipyards were busy repairing ships damaged in battle, and their qualified personnel were sent to naval bases in France and Norway. This resulted in Z-39’s construction schedule being set back by almost a year. The destroyer was launched in December 1941, but she was commissioned only in August 1943.

By that time it had become apparent that project 1936A needed to be significantly elaborated. Her five 150 mm main guns turned out to be too heavy and adversely affected the ship's seagoing performance. Apart from that, her AA armament was too weak. Prior to the beginning of 1944, the ship hadn’t even put out to sea, and yet she underwent the necessary overhaul to fix these issues. In the process, she was stripped of her No.3 main battery gun, which allowed her AA armament to be further reinforced.

In 1944, the ship took part in minelaying operations in the Baltic Sea while attached to the 4th destroyer flotilla, and shelled Soviet positions from time to time. In June 1944, off the coast of Paldiski, the ship was damaged during a Soviet air raid. After being transported to Kiel for repairs, the ship again suffered damage during an attack by British bombers. Due to a lack of the necessary personnel and materials for repairs, as well as a critical shortage of fuel, the ship was only able to return to active service in late March, 1945.

During the final months of the war, Z-39 continued to provide fire support for the retreating German forces, and escorted transport ships carrying garrisons and refugees being evacuated from the Baltic coast. On May 10, 1945, the destroyer was decommissioned from the navy in Kiel.

After that, the ship became a prize of war for the Allies. She was transferred to Plymouth in the U.K., and then later in August 1945, to Boston in the U.S.A. The former German destroyer was inducted into the U.S. Navy under the name “DD-939.” The Americans studied their trophy for two years, and were particularly interested in her propulsion. However, the U.S. Navy wasn’t in heavy need of another destroyer, especially one that couldn’t boast of being a particularly successful design. That’s why, in early 1948, the ship returned to Europe and was inducted into the French Navy.

Under the French flag, the ex-Z-39 was renamed “Q-128,” and she served almost until the mid-1960s. But the French decided not to commission her as a warship. The ship was initially used as a donor of spare parts for the nation’s other prize destroyers, and later she served as a pontoon boat. In 1964, the decommissioned ship was finally scrapped for metal in Lorient, France.




In the game the ship will be featured as she was in 1945.

Main Battery: One twin 150 mm L/48 LDrh LC/38 mount, and two 150 mm L/48 Tbts LC/36 guns placed in single mounts.

Torpedo Armament: Two 533 mm quadruple-torpedo tubes.

Anti-Aircraft Armament: Fourteen 37 mm Flak LM/42 AA automatic guns placed in six twin mounts and two single mounts; twelve 20 mm Flak 38 AA automatic guns placed in two quadruple Flakvierling 38 mounts and two twin Flakzwilling 38 mounts.

• Priority Target
  
• Last Stand
  
• Superintendent
  
• Concealment Expert

• Priority Target
  
• Last Stand
  
• Superintendent
  
• Concealment Expert
  
• Torpedo Armament Expertise
  
• Survivability Expert
  
• Expert Marksman
  
• Preventive Maintenance

• Main Armaments Modification 1
  
• Steering Gears Modification 1 or Hydroacoustic Search Modification 1
• Aiming Systems Modification 1
  
• Propulsion Modification 2
  
• Concealment System Modification 1

VII Z-39 is a destroyer equipped with cruiser-like 150 mm artillery guns that successfully employ both types of shells. That, coupled with her fast torpedoes, makes Z-39 a formidable ship—lethal within a 10 km range, especially for other destroyers and battleships. Her large amount of HP, decent speed, and camouflage, as well as the handy Hydroacoustic Search consumable, make her a true force to be reckoned with. Z-39 is built to duel and hunt, but she's also a valuable team player.

• Her pool of 19,600 HP is impressive, even for higher-tier destroyers.
  
• Four 150 mm guns. Their impressively fast shells with flat-trajectory ballistics deliver significant damage and have high penetration capabilities. Her HE shells also have good chances of causing fires on any targets they strike.
  
• She’s equipped with some of the tier’s fastest mid-range torpedoes. Range—8.5 km; speed—65 knots.
  
• The Hydroacoustic Search consumable increases her detection capabilities, rendering Z-39 effective against other destroyers.
  
• Access to Upgrade Slot 5, which is unusual for Tier VII ships.
  
• She earns more credits, and her permanent camouflage provides a 50% XP bonus per battle and reduces the cost of your ship's post-battle service by 10%.

• VII Z-39 
   
• 1×Port slot

Welcome to a new game mode called Raid for the Filth!

A Portal to another dimension has opened up inside our game. Dare you step through the gate into another world to engage in a brutal fight against the forces of darkness? How will you fare against other treasure hunters, and will you stand up to dangerous enemies, the destruction of which could grant you treasures beyond belief? Will you employ the dark magic of the other world, or stick to conventional technologies? The choice is yours!

Learn the backstory of the new Halloween phase and get ready to raid!
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On the scariest night of the year, your opponents should be afraid to even cast a glance at your ship! New Infernal camouflages are available in the Premium Shop. They can be mounted on any battleship, cruiser, or destroyer of a certain Tier, and the camo will remain assigned to the selected ship! Permanent camouflages and Commanders from the new Raid for the Filth mode are also at your service. If you want it all, and you want it now, a bundle with all the new Halloween camos and Commanders is available for you at a humongous discount!
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Bundles are available for purchase until Wed. 20 Nov. 06:00 CET (UTC+1)

• Permanent Infernal camouflage for Tier VIII ships
  
• Permanent Infernal camouflage for Tier IX ships
  
• Permanent Infernal camouflage for Tier X ships
  
• Permanent Mutantovsk camouflage for X Khabarovsk
• Commander Dr. van Shuboff with 10 skill points
  
• Permanent Scorpioid camouflage for X Yamato
• Commander Chernomor the Terrible with 10 skill points
  
• Permanent Сrocosaur camouflage for X Montana
• Commander Skull Teufel with 10 skill points
  
• Permanent Angler camouflage for X Shimakaze
• Commander Boris Angler with 10 skill points
  
• Permanent Fossil camouflage for X Henri IV
• Commander David "Vortex" Jones with 10 skill points
  
• Permanent Octodroid camouflage for IX Alaska
• Commander Rick Diesel with 10 skill points

All the most gruesome and frightening camouflages and Commanders!

Permanent Infernal camouflage for Tier VIII ships can be mounted on any Tier VIII battleship, cruiser, or destroyer, except for VIII Cossack, VIII ARP Takao, VIII HSF Harekaze, VIII AL Yukikaze, and VIII AL Montpelier. Once mounted, it acquires the properties of a typical permanent camouflage and is assigned to that ship.

The viciously grinning pumpkin containers are back in the Premium Shop for a short while. If you open one of these, you’ll find the Halloween permanent camouflage for a Tier VIII or III ship, doubloons, expendable camos, or Free XP. Hurry to grab one for yourself whilst they are still quiet—after all, you never know what to expect from a pumpkin on Halloween!
Bundles are available for purchase until Fri. 08 Nov. 06:00 CET (UTC+1)
It's "awfully" interesting to discover what lurks within!

• A permanent Halloween camouflage for one of the following Tier VIII ships: Tirpitz, Z-23, Shōkaku, Mogami, Kiev, Kagerō, Chapayev, Charles Martel, Lexington, Benson, North Carolina, or Bismarck
  
• A permanent Halloween camouflage for one of the following Tier III ships: Wakatake, Nassau, St. Louis
  
• 2,500 doubloons
  
• 15× expendable Type 3 – Halloween camos
  
• 15× expendable Halloween camos
  
• 15× expendable Blue Lagoon camos
  
• 15× expendable Restless Fire camos
  
• 15× expendable Storm Wind camos
  
• 25,000 Free XP

Please note that the servers will be temporarily unavailable due to the release of an update. The schedule is available below.
Maintenance times are tentative and subject to change. Please accept our apologies for any inconveniences.

The new update will go live some time after it's been downloaded because the client and server sides are updated separately. While the client begins to update immediately, it takes time for the servers to be updated across all regions.

If there are problems with downloading or launching the update—please perform files integrity check.


Go into battle on special ships, collect the Filth, and exchange it for valuable rewards in the Armory.

• A new type of battle has been added to the game - Twilight Battle.
  
• Players are credited with Steel Lancet, Maverick, Rust Nightfall and commanders with 19 skill points. Players also get access to a special tech tree.
  
• Halloween section added to the Armory.

Read about the rules of the new mode and available rewards here!

https://steamcommunity.com/games/552990/partnerevents/view/1645429678500160356

• The spaceport has returned to the game client.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused players to lose control of the keyboard when switching to spectator mode in some cases.
  
• Fixed bug that caused the game client to freeze when trying to close the game in full-screen mode.
  
• Fixed an error that prevented the game world from being loaded and resulted in a "black screen".

The second phase of our Halloween celebrations begins. Get ready to enjoy the new Raid for the Filth game mode, which will see three teams scrambling for a very precious resource; new permanent camouflages for Tier VIII–X ships; and an array of other rewards.

A Portal to another dimension has opened up inside our game. Dare you step through the gate into another world to engage into a brutal fight against the forces of darkness and compete with other treasure hunters? Welcome to a new game mode called Raid for the Filth!

In this article, we'll tell you about the rules of the new mode, features of the new event ships, and rewards available in the Armory.


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• In the new mode, three teams of three players each fight against each other and a horde of dark forces controlled by AI. It’s possible to participate in the Raid for the Filth as part of a Division.
  
• Enter battle on the unique ships of a new temporary nation! Players will have three branches available: destroyers, cruisers, and battleships, with three ships in each branch. All the ships have their own special features and consumables.
  
• The main task is to collect the new resource—Filth—from special zones on the map and from the wreckage of sunk ships. Filth can be exchanged for rewards in the Armory.
  
• There are no winners or losers in the new mode: a battle’s success is defined by the amount of Filth collected by the entire team.
  
• Exit through the Portal at the center of the map when it opens to finish the battle. Bring a haul of Filth back to your world and add it to the team's spoils.
  
• If you perish or fail to escape through the Portal before the end of the battle, you'll score only a part of the Filth you collected for your team.

A new tab—Halloween—has been added to the Armory.

• All the rewards are visible in advance: the bundles’ contents and their amounts are displayed when viewing the currently available bundle.
  
• After each exchange, you’ll be able to see the contents of a new random bundle.
  
• Having collected all the bundles, you're guaranteed to have obtained all the available rewards.

• Halloween Ghost: 18 bundles are available, with one of them including the Infernal permanent camouflage for Tier VIII ships. Cost: 500 Filth.
  
• Halloween Demon: 21 bundles are available, with one of them including the Infernal permanent camouflage for Tier IX ships. Cost: 2,000 Filth.
  
• Halloween Monster: 24 bundles are available, with one of them including the Infernal permanent camouflage for Tier X ships. Cost: 8,000 Filth.

Thus, if you extract at least 1,000 Filth per battle from your excursions through the Portal, you'll only need to play 8–10 battles in order to collect all the Halloween Ghost bundles, or 40–50 battles to obtain all the Halloween Demon bundles.

However, it’s going to take some effort to get all the Halloween Monster bundles. If your team exits through the Portal with full cargo holds, carrying at least 2,500 Filth from each battle, you'll need to play about 100 battles to obtain all the most valuable bundles.

Permanent camouflages designed in the style of the new mode’s monster ships are available in the game for X Yamato, X Montana, IX Alaska, X Shimakaze, X Khabarovsk, and X Henri IV. When obtaining these camouflages from the Armory, you'll also get a Commander with 10 skill points. If you already have any of them, you'll receive full compensation equal to their cost in doubloons when making the exchange in the Armory.

A new type of permanent camouflage has appeared in the game, and the Infernal permanent camouflages are the first to represent it. The main difference with conventional permanent camouflages is that these new ones aren’t tied to specific ships by default; but instead you get to decide which ship to tie them to.

• They can only be mounted on certain ships. For example, the different Infernal permanent camouflages are specifically intended for Tier VIII, IX, and X ships.
  
• An unlimited number of the camouflages can be stored in the Inventory.
  
• Once mounted on a ship, such a camouflage acquires the properties of a typical permanent camouflage and is assigned to the ship.

Example: the Infernal permanent camouflage for Tier VIII ships can be mounted on VIII Bismarck, VIII Lightning, VIII Cleveland, or other Tier VIII ships. Once mounted on any of these ships, it will become their permanent camouflage and you won't be able to mount it on another ship.

The Infernal permanent camouflages can't be mounted on the following ships: aircraft carriers, Azur Lane ships, High School Fleet ships, Arpeggio, or VIII Cossack.

From Wed. 30 Oct. 06:00 CET (UTC+1) Until Wed. 27 Nov. 06:00 CET (UTC+1)

• Battles in the new mode are only played on the unique event ships and on a special map.
  
• At the beginning of each battle, the Portal is always sealed. The time that passes before it opens is selected randomly and can be 3, 7, or 11 minutes.
  
• Participants begin each battle without any consumables. A random charge for any one of the consumables available for a ship can be earned upon destroying an enemy, and two charges can be obtained when an ally is lost.
  
• The forces of darkness will do everything in their power to prevent you from escaping their world: as the battle unfolds, the enemy's power will grow, but so will the amount of Filth you can collect from them. The longer you fight in battle, the higher the risk of encountering their dangerous overlord—Rasputin.
  
• Friendly damage and the risk of magazine detonation are disabled.

Will you take a risk and engage the powerful enemies that await you in battle for the most valuable loot, or will you be satisfied with a smaller portion of the available resources but a safe escape through the Portal? The choice is yours!

Please note: to gain access to the Raid for the Filth, players must have fought 70 battles in any accessible battle mode.

• To collect Filth, a ship has to enter a special zone on the map. Some of these zones are available from the very beginning of a battle, others will appear at spots where bot opponents and players carrying collected Filth were destroyed.
  
• The amount of Filth available in the zones which appear in battle gradually reduces over time, so be quick to collect it!
  
• Cargo hold capacity and the speed of Filth collection depend on the type of your ship:
  
  • Destroyers: cargo hold—up to 500 Filth; collection speed—5 Filth per second.
    
  • Cruisers: cargo hold—up to 700 Filth; collection speed—10 Filth per second.
    
  • Battleships: cargo hold—up to 1,000 Filth; collection speed—30 Filth per second.
• Have you successfully returned through the Portal with your haul of Filth? Then all the resources you've collected will be added to your team's spoils. If you perish or fail to escape through the Portal before the end of the battle, you'll score only 20% of the Filth you collected.
  
  • Each participant will receive an amount of Filth equal to the total amount of Filth that their team earned.
    
  • You won't receive Filth for inactivity in battle.

Filth can be collected until November 27. With the release of Update 0.8.11, it will be converted into credits at the rate of 1 : 50.

Enter battle on unique ships of a new temporary nation!

• Three branches will be available to players: destroyers, cruisers, and battleships, with three ships in each branch.
  
• Progressing through a branch will cost 30,000 XP and 1 credit.
  
• The first 15 battles played on each of the initial ships with at least 100 base XP earned will bring you an additional 1,000 XP per battle.
  
• Each ship comes with a Commander with 19 skill points.
  
• Halloween Commanders earn Elite XP that can be spent on training Commanders of the in-game nations.

Please note: some Commander skills are disabled due to the specific features of the mode and peculiarities of the ships. Only signals and flags can be mounted on the event ships.

As you progress through the branches, the ships within them will gradually transform from man-made machines into gigantic sea monsters. These changes will impact the ships’ consumables as well—magic will replace the usual technologies bit-by-bit. The second and third ships of each branch are equal choices in respect of their battle performance and are different not in terms of their features but in the unique gameplay they offer. The second ship is designed to support the team, while the purpose of the third ship is to destroy enemies.



IX Steel Lancet is a typical representative of the dying world, based on X Gearing.

• A fast ship with standard armament for a destroyer. Her main guns function in a similar way to those of the secondary battery and are operated by artificial intelligence.
  
• She carries a set of consumables that have similar effects to Repair Party, Torpedo Reload Booster, and Engine Boost.
  
• Stay close to your allies, conduct reconnaissance, and attack large enemy ships with torpedoes.

X Angler is destroyer X Shimakaze, enhanced with the help of Twilight technologies.

• She’s equipped with long-range torpedoes, while her main guns are operated by artificial intelligence.
  
• Her unique set of consumables provides the team with continuous bonuses to HP recovery, maneuverability, or armament reload time.
  
• She’s best-suited to team work. At the beginning of a battle, you should focus on destroying bot enemies and collecting consumables, as the ship is inferior to other ships in terms of her battle performance in the initial stages of combat. Activate any collected consumables close to your allies and improve the combat characteristics of your team.

X Mutantovsk is an ideal hunter. Destroyer X Khabarovsk served as a prototype for this ship.

• Unbelievable speed, good artillery, and effective torpedo armament.
  
• She’s able to reduce her detectability range and restore HP when the ship hasn’t been spotted by the enemy. The consumable in slot 2 allows her to make an instant turn and accelerates her torpedo reload time. Engine Boost with special mechanics can be found in slot 3, and when activated, the ship can only be destroyed by ramming.
  
• This is a destroyer for players who appreciate speed, concealment, and surprise attacks! Close in on your enemies using her high speed and carry out crushing torpedo attacks. After an attack, you can always hide due to her reduced detectability and restore some of her HP that might have been lost in battle.

IX Rust Nightfall is a cruiser for which X Hindenburg served as a prototype.

• Typical armament for a cruiser: good artillery and torpedoes.
  
• She carries a set of consumables that have similar effects to Repair Party; Main Battery Reload Booster; and Hydroacoustic Search with an unlimited number of charges and torpedo acquisition range of 12 km.
  
• For players who like to rely on the versatility of cruisers. Due to her good speed characteristics, you can quickly collect Filth. Her main battery guns will easily cope with any destroyers or cruisers, and torpedoes will allow you to confront battleships in close quarters combat. We don’t recommend getting separated from your team, as the ship doesn't have the biggest HP pool or the best armor.

X Octodroid is the best support ship on this side of the Portal. Engineers of the Twilight World built her from the wreckage of cruiser IX Alaska.

• Although she’s a support ship, her main battery guns are no less powerful than those of other cruisers.
  
• The ship’s consumables are designed to function in support of her allies, and her HP restoration charges are particularly outstanding. Apart from this, the ship has a consumable which instantly restores a large amount of HP for all her allies. She also enjoys the Surveillance Radar consumable with an unlimited number of charges and an action range of 15 km.
  
• A great choice for those who love to work in a pack. Assist your allies with her impressive artillery and save them from being destroyed with the help of her consumables.

X Fossil is a terrifying monster in which one can recognize the features of X Henri IV.

• Powerful artillery and good torpedo armament.
  
• Spot your enemies using Hydroacoustic Search with an acquisition range of 12 km, and destroy them with inversion charges that reduce the main battery reload time and absorb your target's HP. To protect yourself from enemy attacks, use the consumable that reduces the damage received and restores your HP.
  
• A fast and well-armed ship that can cope with almost any situation in battle. Use her protection from damage in case of torpedo attacks or when surrounded by enemies. Restore your HP and increase the amount of damage caused with the help of inversion charges. Spot hiding enemies with her effective Hydroacoustic Search.

IX Maverick is a battleship assembled from X République on the remnants of the destroyed world.

• Deadly main battery guns and a large HP pool.
  
• She carries a consumable that has similar effects to Repair Party, as well as the ability to reduce the amount of damage she receives.
  
• Her large HP pool and defensive consumables make this ship perfect for carrying a large amount of Filth.

X Scorpioid is designed to protect her allies. Battleship X Yamato was taken as the prototype for this ship.

• Even alone, she's capable of collecting a huge amount of Filth due to her powerful main battery guns and strong armor. She’s almost invincible when deployed with well-coordinated team work.
  
• Restores the HP of all allies around her and temporarily provides them with invulnerability.
  
• Lead your team, destroy any enemies, and move from one Filth source to another while protecting the team with her consumables.

X Crocosaur is X Montana, turned into a gigantic sea monster with the help of dark magic.

• Her guns can destroy an unwary enemy with a single salvo, but sinking the battleship herself is an almost impossible task.
  
• The ship can enjoy temporary invulnerability and restore her HP. The more enemies that are nearby, the more effective her regeneration abilities are.
  
• It's in the cargo hold of this monster where the collected Filth will have the greatest protection. If you’re ready to sacrifice speed for incredible firepower and survivability, Crocosaur is the right choice for you.

You can play the event ships only in the Raid for the Filth mode. With the release of Update 0.8.11, all special ships and Commanders will be removed from player accounts and their XP will be transferred to cruiser I Orlan.

Fight against the forces of darkness, collect Filth, and exchange it for rewards!

Today, she’s permanently berthed in Laboe Naval Memorial, where she serves as a museum U-boat.

VII-class submarines alarmed even Winston Churchill himself, and presented a substantial threat to Allied vessels in the Atlantic Ocean in the early 1940s. This is perhaps one of the world's most numerous classes of boats in terms of units built.

What military history can the U-995 submarine boast of? Watch our video to find out!
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