Willem de Eerste: Tier X Dutch Battleship 1921
A battlecruiser—a further development of the G3 design—that could hypothetically have been built in Britain in the 1920s and later modernized in the late 1930s. The ship could have been transferred to the allied Netherlands during World War II to strengthen the nation's navy.
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Note that due to technical limitations with airstrike functionality, Willem will enter testing with deck-mounted depth charges which deal heavy damage. WG Devs are currently working on a solution after which she'll be provided with the ASW airstrike.
I have added both ASW Airstrike and Depth Charges for now, this will be ammended when I find out the final version
Key Features Analysis
The Willem de Eerste, a Tier X Dutch battleship introduced in World of Warships, brings a unique flavor to the battlefield. Built on the hull of the Duncan, this ship might initially appear underwhelming with its main battery of nine 419mm guns—a relatively light armament for its tier. However, don’t let that fool you. These guns boast good accuracy and decent range, making them a credible threat that enemies can’t afford to ignore.
What truly sets Willem apart is its groundbreaking armament: it’s the first battleship equipped with a long-range HE bomb airstrike. This feature delivers solid damage and impressive penetration, giving Willem a tactical edge over traditional battleship designs.
Mobility is another strength. With good speed and decent maneuverability for a battleship, paired with a small detectability range, Willem excels at positioning. Its consumables include the standard Damage Control Party and a Repair Party to offset its weaker armor, smaller HP pool, and vulnerable citadel. Additionally, an Engine Boost consumable enhances its speed advantage, allowing it to outpace many rival battleships.
Gameplay Tips
Playing the Willem de Eerste is all about leveraging its speed and stealth. Use these traits to secure advantageous positions where you can maximize the effectiveness of both your main guns and airstrike. The ability to deal damage from stealth with the HE bomb airstrike is a game-changer—perfect for racking up damage while staying off the enemy’s radar.
Tip: If the enemy starts to close in or focus you, don’t hesitate to use your concealment to disengage. Patience is key—wait for your Repair Party to come off cooldown while using the airstrike to keep the pressure on from a safe distance.
Balance aggression with caution. Your weaker armor and HP mean you can’t slug it out in prolonged brawls, but your mobility and unique airstrike capability allow you to dictate the terms of engagement. Master this playstyle, and you’ll turn the Willem de Eerste into a formidable predator on the high seas.
Willem de Eerste Info
Ship Name:
X Willem de EersteLever: 10
Testing Phase; 14.2
Estimated Release: 14.5
Base value:
34,650Nation:
Netherlands
Current development status: Work in Progress
Ship Specifications
Armor
Hit Points: 75,300 hp
Armour: 10-419 mm
Fore/Mid/Aft Hull: 32/32/32 mm
Fore/Mid/Aft Deck: 32/32/32 mm
Superstructure: 19 mm
Fore Athwartships: 20 mm
Aft Athwartships: 20 mm
Citadel Fore Athwartships: 25-305 mm
Citadel Aft Athwartships: 25-254 mm
Citadel Torpedo Bulkhead: 44 mm
Casemate Armor Belt: 32 mm
Citadel Armor Belt: 305-356 mm
Citadel Deck: 102-203 mm
Citadel Bottom: 50 mm
Turret Plating: 184-419 mm
Torpedo Protection: 23%
Tonnage: 54,390
Main Battery
3x3 419 mm/45 Mk.I on a Mk.I mount:
Max Range: 22.2 km
Reload: 28.0 s
Switching Time: 28.0 s
180° Turn Time: 30.0 s
Dispersion at Max Range: 282 m
Sigma: 1.90σ
HE Shells:
9x 419 mmHE Mk Ia:
Max HE Shell Damage: 6150
Maximum Damage per Salvo: 55,350
Maximum Damage Per Minute (DPM): 118,607
Alpha Piercing HE: 70.0 mm
Ammo Type: High Explosive
Shell Air Drag: 0.31
Shell Always Ricochet At: 60.0°
Normalization: 8.0°
Shell Detonator: 0.001
Shell Detonator Threshold: 2.0
Shell Diameter: 419 mm
Shell Krupp: 250.0
Shell Mass: 995.0 kg
Shell Ricochet At: 91.0°
Shell Speed: 792.0 m/s
Burn Probability: 47%
AP Shells:
9x 419 mmAP Mk IIa:
Max AP Shell Damage: 13,050
Maximum Damage per Salvo: 117,450
Maximum Damage Per Minute (DPM): 251,679
Ammo Type: Armor Piercing
Shell Air Drag: 0.2353
Shell Always Ricochet At: 60.0°
Normalization: 6.0°
Shell Detonator: 0.015
Shell Detonator Threshold: 70.0
Shell Diameter: 419 mm
Shell Krupp: 2548.0
Shell Mass: 1157.0 kg
Ricochet At: 45.0°
Shell Speed: 747.0 m/s
ASW Airstrike
Reload: 120 s
Available Flights: 2
No of Aircraft in Attacking Flight: 12
Aircraft HP: 2200
Max Range: 15 km
Bombs in Payload: 6x HE P.u.W. 160 kg
Max Bomb Damage: 6,800
Armor Penetration Capacity: 37 mm
Chance of Causing Fire: 39%
Depth Charges
Maximum damage: 4,000
Charges: 2
Bombs per charge: 24
Reload time: 40 s
Chance of Fire: 11%
Secondaries:
6×2 133 mm HE Mk IC:
Max HE Shell Damage: 1,900
Range: 7.3 km
Reload: 6.7 s
Alpha Piercing HE: 22.0 mm
Ammo Type: High Explosive
Shell Speed: 792.0 m/s
Burn Probability: 8%
8×2 113 mm HE 5crh:
Max HE Shell Damage: 1700
Range: 7.3 km
Reload: 5.0 s
Alpha Piercing HE: 19.0 mm
Ammo Type: High Explosive
Shell Speed: 746.0 m/s
Burn Probability: 8%
AA Defense
Long Range:
6x2 133 mm/50 QF Mk.I on an RP10 Mk.I mount
8x2 113 mm/45 QF Mk.I/III on an RP10 Mark II BD mount:
Continuous Damage per Second: 137
Hit Probability: 75%
Action Zone: 6.0 km
Number of Explosions in a Salvo: 7
Damage within an Explosion: 1,540
Continuous Damage: 409
Action Zone: 3.5 - 6.0 km
Mid Range
16x1 40 mm/70 SAK-40/L70-350 on a SAK-40/L70-350 mount:
Continuous Damage per Second: 700
Hit Probability: 75%
Action Zone: 3.5 km
Mobility
Maximum speed: 32.0 knots
Turning circle radius: 910 m
Rudder shift time: 16.6 s
Propulsion: 160,000 hp
Detectability
Surface Detectability: 15. km
Air Detectability: 11.7 km
Detectability by enemy subs: 0-11.7 km
Detectability whilst firing in smoke: 15.3 km
Available Consumables
Slot 1: Damage Control Party
Duration Time: 15 s
Reload Time: 80 s
Equipment: Unlimited
Slot 2: Repair Party
Duration Time: 28 s
HP per Second: 375 hp p/s
Reload Time: 80 s
Charges: 4
Slot 3: Engine Boost
Charges: 3
Action Time: 120 s
Reload Time: 120 s
Boost: +8%
All stats are listed without crew and upgrade modifiers but with best available modules. The stats are subject to change at any time.
Please note! that all information in this post is preliminary. Announced adjustments and features may change multiple times during testing. The final information will be published stated as Released on our WGB website.
