La Spezia - Tier IX Italian Premium Cruiser 1943

Following the success of the First World War-era "Paris Gun," several countries began experimenting with exceptionally long-barrel artillery pieces in an effort to improve ballistic performance without increasing shell caliber, an especially important consideration during the era of naval treaty limitations. Italy was among the nations pursuing such experiments, including the development of long-barrel 203 mm naval guns. Had these weapons proven successful, they might have been adopted for a new generation of Italian heavy cruisers.

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Work In Progress

Key Features

• Enhanced AP penetration and alpha damage, with decent reload time and access to Burst Fire
• Great ballistics, long range, and destroyer-like dispersion of the main battery
• Built-in improved shell switching time
• Bad concealment, with short Exhaust Smoke Generator and only two Repair Party charges
• No access to Spotting aircraft

Battle Tips

La Spezia is a new Italian cruiser with powerful main guns. Similar to IX Brindisi, she carries 203mm guns, but only eight of them, mounted in four twin turrets. But with faster reload and sharper accuracy, you can keep almost the same damage per minute pressure on the enemy as her tech-tree counterpart. So how should you approach battle? Early in the game, focus on mid to long-range gameplay and support your allies with powerful SAP salvoes.

Prioritize enemy destroyers, which are particularly vulnerable to that type of ammunition. Once the enemy team has spread out across the map and you have more openings, transition to a flanking role. In this phase of battle it would be a good idea to switch to your improved AP shells and focus on enemy cruisers. She can also utilize her Burst Fire alternative fire mode to output two salvoes and finish off targets or deal impressive damage—though at the price of the longer reload.

However, you'll need to play carefully at medium range due to a high detectability for her tier and ship type. Additionally, her Exhaust Smoke Generator is worse than her tech-tree counterpart's, due to shorter duration. Therefore, you'll be more exposed to return fire and won't be able to sustain damage for long. So take cover whenever possible.

Ship Info

Ship Name:   IX La Spezia

WG introduction: July 9, 2026

Base value: 21,500

Game Nation:  France

Armor

Hit points: 44,800

Torpedo Protection, Damage Reduction: 22%

Armor: 16-350 mm

Fires duration: 30 s

Side armor fore/mid/aft: 25-50/27-150/25-120 mm

Deck plating fore/mid/aft: 25/30/25 mm

Fore Athwartships: 21-140 mm

Aft Athwartships: 30 mm

Citadel Fore Athwartship: 19-140 mm

Citadel Aft Athwartship: 19-140 mm

Armor Belt: 30-150 mm

Plating: 27 mm

Superstructure: 13 mm

Citadel Deck: 50 mm

Citadel Bottom: 40 mm

Turrets: 75-150 mm

Tonnage: 18,404 tn

Main Battery Armament

4 x 2 203 mm/77 Model 1938 in a turret:

Max Range: 18.8 km

Reload: 14.0 s

180° Turn Time: 25.7 s

Dispersion: 156 m

Sigma: 2.05σ

Shell Types

AP Shells

8x 203 mm proiettili AP 1938:

Alpha Damage: 5,150

Ammo Type: Armor Piercing

Shell Air Drag: 0.237

Shell Always Ricochet At: 60.0°

Normalization: 7.0°

Shell Detonator: 0.033

Shell Detonator Threshold: 34.0

Shell Diameter: 203 mm

Shell Krupp: 2500.0

Shell Mass: 118.5 kg

Shell Ricochet At: 45.0°

Shell Speed: 1200.0 m/s

SAP Shells

8x 203 mm proiettili CS 1938:

Alpha Damage: 5,950

Alpha Piercing CS: 54.9 mm

Ammo Type: Semi Armor Piercing

Shell Air Drag: 0.237

Shell Always Ricochet At: 80.0°

Normalization: 45.0°

Shell Detonator: 0.03

Shell Detonator Threshold: 25.0

Shell Diameter: 203 mm

Shell Krupp: 3.0

Shell Mass: 118.5 kg

Shell Ricochet At: 70.0°

Shell Speed: 1200.0 m/s

Alternative Fire Mode - Burst Fire

Reload time: 32.5 s.

Interval between individual shots: 1.5 s

Number of bursts in a series: 2

Secondaries

12 x 1 90 mm proiettili HE:

Range: 7.0 km

Reload: 4.0 s

Alpha Damage: 1,300

Alpha Piercing HE: 15.0 mm

Ammo Type: High Explosive

Shell Air Drag: 0.414

Shell Always Ricochet At: 60.0°

Normalization: 68.0°

Shell Detonator: 0.001

Shell Detonator Threshold: 2.0

Shell Diameter: 90 mm

Shell Krupp: 1.0

Shell Mass: 10.1 kg

Shell Ricochet At: 91.0°

Shell Speed: 860.0 m/s

Burn Probability: 5%

Torpedoes

2 x 4 533 mm Si 270 N/:

Maximum Damage: 13,900

Maximum Range: 13.5 km

Speed: 56 kt

Detectability Range: 1.1 km

Torpedo Tube Reload Time: 95 s

180 Degree Turn Time: 7.2 s

Airstrike

Aircraft HP: 2000 CANT Z.506 Airone (Level 6)

Maximum bomb damage: 4200

Reload time: 30 s

Available flights: 2

Attack aircraft per flight: 1

Airstrike range: 7 km

Bombs per payload: 2x CS 160 kg

Burn Probability: 24%

Depth Charges

Not Available

Anti Aircraft Armament

Continuous damage: 457

Long Range

12 x 1 90 mm:

Firing range: 4.6 km

Hit probability: 90 %

Damage Within an Explosion: 1,260

Damage by long-range AA guns: 133

Number of Explosions Per Salvo: 6

Priority sector reinforcement: 50%

Mid Range

8 x 1 65 mm;
18 x 2 37 mm:

Firing range: 3.7 km

Hit probability: 90 %

Damage by medium-range AA guns: 466

Short Range

Not Available

Mobility

Maximum speed: 36.7 kt

Turning circle radius: 730 m

Rudder shift time: 11.7 s

Propulsion: 220,000 hp

Detection

Detectability range by sea: 15.0 km

Detectability after firing a main gun shell: 18.8 km

Detectability after firing main guns in smoke: 9.7 km

Detectability when ship is on fire: 17.0 km

Detectability range by depths: 0.0-9.2 km

Detectability range by air: 9.2 km

Detectability when ship is on fire: 11.2 km

Available Consumables

Slot 1: Damage Control Party

Charges: Infinty

Work time: 5 s

Reload time: 60 s

Slot 2: Exhaust Smoke Generator

Charges: 2

Dispersion time: 10 s

Action radius: 0.51 km

Action time: 25 s

Reload time: 180 s

Slot 3: Fighters

Charges: 3

Fighters: 4

Action radius: 3 km

Duration time: 60 s

Reload time: 90 s

Slot 4: Repair Party

Charges: 2

HP per second: +224

Duration time: 28 s

Reload time: 80 s