Meet the Japanese Kirishima Battleship, a sister ship to the famous Kongō with different weapons and its own character!
IJN Kirishima: An Event Vehicle Battleship for Japan at Rank V
At a glance:
- Eight 356 mm main battery guns!
- Good mobility.
- Numerous secondary weapons.
- Mediocre protection.
Vehicle History
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IJN Kirishima was a Kongō-class battlecruiser for the Imperial Japanese Navy. This ship was laid down in 1912 and commissioned in 1915. After a major overhaul in 1927, the ship was reclassified as a battleship. The next major overhaul was the 1934 program, which, among other things, more than doubled the power of the propulsion system. IJN Kirishima was not actively used before World War II, but was actively used after its outbreak. During the Battle of Guadalcanal, she was shot at close range by the American battleship Washington and sank on November 15th 1942.
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Introducing IJN Kirishima!
The Kirishima battleship will be the main naval reward in the Winter Tales event, coming in for Japan as an event vehicle at rank V. IJN Kirishima is the sister ship of the famous Kongō battleship, which has long been loved by those who play Bluewater fleet ships, but is in the configuration at the time of her destruction in 1942, meaning she differs from the lead ship of the class in terms of her weapon loadout. Let’s take a closer look!
Undoubtedly, one of the main advantages of the Kongō class is the powerful main caliber armament, with the Kirishima not being an exception here. Eight 356 mm caliber guns in four turrets with a top crew can fire two salvos a minute! These guns being able to fire high-explosive, armor-piercing or semi-armor-piercing shells that are capable of hitting any target at all firing ranges. Unlike IJN Kongō, IJN Kirishima has more auxiliary guns — 14 placements with 152 mm guns that each are rapid-fire and have good guidance. Despite this upgrade, there’s less anti-aircraft guns though. Four placements with twin 127 mm guns are responsible for long-range defense, however on close approaches, enemy aircraft will be met with ten twin 25 mm cannons. This is still quite good, however if you’re accustomed to the guns on the Kongō, the anti-aircraft weaponry on the Kirishima will not feel great when being attacked by aircraft.
Speed is another advantage of the Kongō class. IJN Kirishima has good maneuverability for its class — it can quickly reach its max speed of over 30 knots (56 km/h), maneuvers easily and behaves like a cruiser. As is usually the case, high speed is normally achieved by reducing the weight of the armor. Kirishima’s protection is not bad, as it can successfully survive salvos from armor-piercing shells from cruisers and early battleships when maneuvering with allies. But caught at short distances without cover, Kirishima has no chance against the guns of battleships and most heavy cruisers. In battle, make sure to be careful and avoid getting into trouble, as your team will need your salvos to defeat the most dangerous opponents, so avoid being hit for as long as possible. This is easier said than done though.
IJN Kirishima can be obtained during the Winter Tales event! Be sure to follow the link below to learn more about this event and its other rewards.
Click here to find out more details about the Winter Tales event
