Difference between revisions of "Admiral Graf Spee"

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{{Specs-Card|code=germ_cruiser_admiral_graf_spee}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=germ_cruiser_admiral_graf_spee
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the first part of the description, cover the history of the ship's creation and military application. In the second part, tell the reader about using this ship in the game. Add a screenshot: if a beginner player has a hard time remembering vehicles by name, a picture will help them identify the ship in question.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the first part of the description, cover the history of the ship's creation and military application. In the second part, tell the reader about using this ship in the game. Add a screenshot: if a beginner player has a hard time remembering vehicles by name, a picture will help them identify the ship in question.'' -->
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was a German cruiser of the Deutschland class, commonly referred to as the "pocket battleships" because of their large guns and small size. They were designed to comply with the Treaty of Versailles, which limited the naval power of Germany after World War I. The Admiral Graf Spee was the most advanced and heavily armoured of the class, and had a brief but successful career in World War II, sinking nine merchant ships in the Atlantic Ocean. However, she was cornered by a British task force at the River Plate, where she fought a fierce but inconclusive battle. She then sailed to Montevideo, where she was scuttled by her own crew to avoid capture.
{{Break}}
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German cruiser {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]].
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Introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]], the {{PAGENAME}} lives up to her "pocket battleship" moniker thanks to her slow but hard-hitting firepower. The Graf Spee primarily excels at long range engagements, capable of out-ranging any other cruiser at her rank. Her protection, while nowhere close to an actual battleship's, is sufficient to take a considerable amount of damage, especially at longer ranges.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
This ship is known as a mix of a cruiser and destroyer because of the torpedoes at the back. The ship has 1 turret on each side that can fire 3 shells every fire which makes it deadly on both sides, front and back.
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=== Survivability and armour ===
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{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}
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<!-- ''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.'' -->
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The Admiral Graf Spee was the last and heaviest of the 3 Deutschland-class ships built, sitting somewhere between a conventional heavy cruiser and a battlecruiser. Built to a 10,000 ton displacement due to treaty restrictions, once fully equipped and loaded she was well over 12,000 tons. Still, the restrictions did limit her capability, made to face only cruisers and destroyers, while keeping a large operational range. The result was that her armour was made thick enough to barely resist cruiser shells of the era. Graf Spee will not have too much trouble facing 150 mm and smaller shells.
  
=== Survivability and armour ===
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Her crew is quite limited for her size, it is highly recommended to repair only when major damages are sustained, like losing a main turret or all engines. Doing otherwise will constantly feed her AA guns with fresh crew ready to be knocked unconscious again by the next 203+ mm HE shell that comes.
''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''
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It is worth noting that her torpedo bulge can stop torpedoes up to 250 kg of TNT equivalent. This will save you from most early PT boat's torpedoes, and many aircraft-launched torpedoes. Against aircraft attacks, she has sufficient AA to defend herself, but with the lack of variable time fuse and radar aiming, some planes will pass her defences.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''
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{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}
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<!-- ''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.'' -->
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Her mobility for her BR is subpar. Many other heavy cruisers will cruise over 60 km/h, whereas she will barely manage over 50 km/h. She is vulnerable to torpedoes due to her sluggish turn time.
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{{NavalMobility}}
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=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armament ==
 
== Armament ==
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{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
 
=== Primary armament ===
 
=== Primary armament ===
''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''
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{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}
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<!-- ''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.'' -->
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{{main|283 mm/52 SK C/28 (283 mm)}}
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The most distinctive features of the {{PAGENAME}} are the six massive 283 mm (11.1 inch) SK C/28 cannons mounted in two triple turrets on her bow and stern. This battleship-calibre guns are effective against all targets in-game, however with only 6 guns total, she will be outgunned, and must take a relatively large angle to fire both turrets on a target.
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The advantage of her huge guns is that she can pierce dreadnoughts and cause significant damage, even reaching ammo racks through a dreadnought's thick armour by using AP shells. While her HE and SAPBC can do the short work out of enemy cruisers and destroyers.
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Another significant detriment is the very long reload time of 24.4 seconds (ace crew) resulting in a rather low DPS overall, and can make it hard to hit smaller targets at long ranges.
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{{:283 mm/52 SK C/28 (283 mm)/Ammunition|283 mm Spgr L/4.2 Kz HE, 283 mm Psgr L/3.7 APBC, 283 mm Spgr L/4.2 Bdz SAP}}
  
 
=== Secondary armament ===
 
=== Secondary armament ===
''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''
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{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}
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<!-- ''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.'' -->
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{{main|15 cm/55 SK C/28 (150 mm)}}
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The Graf Spee's secondary armament consists of eight 150 mm SK C/28 single turrets, four on each side. These guns are very handy for dealing additional damage while your main gun is reloading or when your main turret get knocked out. They are also useful for visual rangefinding as they have similar ballistics with the 283 mm guns.
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The shell choice for the 150 mm guns, being shared with the [[Nürnberg]], is also very good. The gun has access to a high-penetrating APCBC that can reach the enemy cruiser's internal compartments and deal a considerable amount of damage, as well as a reliable HE and SAP shell. The gun is also good against PT boats due to its much shorter reload time at 7 seconds.
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{{:15 cm/55 SK C/28 (150 mm)/Ammunition|15 cm Spgr. L/4.5 Kz (m.Hb), 15 cm Pzgr. L/3.7 (m.Hb), 15 cm Spgr. L/4.4 Bdz (m.Hb)}}
  
 
=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
 
=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
''An important part of the ship's armament responsible for air defence. Anti-aircraft armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control <code>Select anti-aircraft weapons</code>. Talk about the ship's anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets. If there are no anti-aircraft armaments, remove this section.''
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{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}
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<!-- ''An important part of the ship's armament responsible for air defence. Anti-aircraft armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control <code>Select anti-aircraft weapons</code>. Talk about the ship's anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets. If there are no anti-aircraft armaments, remove this section.'' -->
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{{main|SK C/33 AA (105 mm)|SK C/30 (37 mm)|2 cm/65 C/30 (20 mm)}}
  
=== Torpedo armament ===
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Her AA suite is somewhat decent for a 1939 ship. The 105 mm cannons only have access to HE-TF ammunition, making it rather difficult to accurately shoot down aircraft, especially at the longer ranges where the other armaments are ineffective. However, the 37 mm and 20 mm cannons are enough to knock out even large aircraft at closer ranges. The lack of HE-VT is very noticeable, aircraft may still penetrate her AA fire to drop their ordnance.
''Torpedoes launchers are standard equipment on many ships and boats. Torpedoes are a significant means of defeating an opponent. Evaluate the position of the torpedo launchers, discuss the ammunition available, firing specifics such as dead zones, features of the torpedoes themselves, etc. If there is no torpedo armament, remove this section.''
 
  
=== Special armament ===
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=== Additional armament ===
''Depth charges, mines, rocket launchers and missiles are also effective in skilled hands and can take an off-guard opponent by surprise. Evaluate the ammunition of this type of armament and rate its performance in combat. If there are no special armaments, remove this section.''
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{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}
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<!-- ''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.'' -->
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{{main|G7a (533 mm)}}
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Her torpedoes will often get knocked out. They are placed over the stern, and usually, first incoming shots fall a bit far, knocking them out directly. It is recommended not to apply the "torpedo mode" upgrade, as the additional range is hard to take advantage of. And her torpedoes with the modifications will go slower than most cruisers she will face, making them near useless. The best chance of use is launching into cap zones and most likely routes the enemy will take.
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=== Scout plane ===
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{{Specs-Fleet-Plane}}
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Located amidships is a single catapult for an Arado Ar 196 scout plane which provides unique offensive and defensive abilities, expanding tactical options. Ship-launched scout planes fly just like regular tree units but lack munition choices and cockpit views. Alongside the typical abilities of strafing, dropping 2 x 50 kg bombs, and capping zones, the Ar 196 and other scout planes have the added ability to lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). It is essentially the [[Ar 196 A-3|event aircraft]] except with smoke generators, so it will be a familiar unit for those who have the event version. Captains will be wise to remember to utilise the aircraft and consider when best to use it, for example to cap a point early or late in the match, to create a smoke screen to stymie enemy bombardment and repair, to attack enemy units directly, or perhaps something completely new! Given the Admiral Graf Spee is vulnerable to damage, the smoke screen ability may be the most useful function to mask the ship while emergency repairs are performed.
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''
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<!-- ''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
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The {{PAGENAME}} is a good ship to learn how to play as a dreadnought. Due to her huge 283 mm guns with long reload time, she has to rely on her secondary 150 mm guns to deal more consistent damage while the main guns are reloading. Thus, you will learn how to cycle between the main and secondary guns and handle both of them efficiently.
  
=== Modules ===
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Keep your distance from enemy cruisers (at least 12 km) or use island cover. You cannot out-shoot, or out-gun any other cruiser in game, your main advantage is range and punch. While she can take some hits, she remains a heavy cruiser, avoid getting focused by many enemy units. The enemy will want to sink you first as they are afraid of your massive firepower. Your best target are dreadnoughts, not only because you're the only cruiser out there that can reliably hurt them, but being slow and big are easier to hit at long ranges.
{| class="wikitable"
 
! Tier
 
! Seakeeping
 
! colspan="2" | Unsinkability
 
! colspan="3" | Firepower
 
|-
 
| I
 
| Dry-Docking
 
| Tool Set
 
|
 
| 283 cm Psgr L/4.4 APBC
 
| 15 cm Spgr. L/4.4 Bdz (m.Hb)
 
| Anti-Air Armament Targeting
 
|-
 
| II
 
| Rudder Replacement
 
| Fire Protection System
 
| Smokescreen
 
| 283 cm Spgr L/4.4 Bdz SAP
 
|
 
| Auxiliary Armament Targeting
 
|-
 
| III
 
| Propeller Replacement
 
| Shrapnel Protection
 
| Ventilation
 
| Improved Rangefinder
 
| 15 cm Pzgr. L/3.7 (m.Hb)
 
| Primary Armament Targeting
 
|-
 
| IV
 
| Engine Maintenance
 
| New Pumps
 
| Ammo Wetting
 
| Torpedo Mode
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|}
 
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
<!--Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".-->
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<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
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'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
* Fully armed with cannons for all purposes
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* Wide range of guns calibre to face all threats
* Biggest main gun caliber in game with a turret at each end of the ship with 3 x 280 mm cannons each
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* Large 283 mm main guns can deal significant damage against dreadnoughts, as well as devastating against cruisers and destroyers
* Devastating HE shells with 30 kg of explosives
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* Good survivability
* High penetrating AP shells
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* Good AA suite to 1939's standards (outclassed by late WW2 AA cruisers)
* Thick armor that can resist HE shells
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* A little shorter than many ships of her size, a little harder to target
* Decent number of 88 mm AA cannons with fused HE for air units and 105 mm cannons for smaller ships
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* One scout seaplane
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
* Big targets for enemy bombs and torpedoes
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* Rather large target for enemy bombs and torpedoes
* 280 mm cannons have a long reload time
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* 283 mm cannons have a long reload time
* Armor can be easily defeated with AP shells
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* Vulnerable to enemy cruiser's AP shells, especially at closer ranges
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* Very distinctive silhouette, easy to identify and become a prime target
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* Lack of manoeuvrability makes it vulnerable to saturating torpedo attacks.
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
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<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
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[[File:Graf Spee in 1936.jpg|thumb|330x330px|The Admiral Graf Spee in 1936.]]
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The Admiral Graf Spee was a ship of the Deutschland-class, a series of 10-thousand ton cruisers built to the limitations of the Treaty of Versailles. Despite her small tonnage, the Graf Spee was armed with six 11-inch (283 mm) main guns in two triple turrets, a much more powerful armament than its allied counterparts. As a result, the ships of the Deutschland class were nicknamed "Pocket Battleships" by the UK, and "Panzerschiff" (armoured ship) within the Kriegsmarine.<ref name=":0">Military Wiki (2020)</ref> The ship conducted several patrols near Spain during the Spanish Civil War, and participated in the Coronation Review of King George VI. The ship was responsible for the sinking of 9 merchant vessels during the first months of the Second World War, before being intercepted by a task force of the British Navy at the River Plate. Having caused extensive damage to her pursuers but damaged herself, the Graf Spee was scuttled in the mouth of the River Plate on December 17th 1939.<ref name=":1">Tikannen, A (2020)</ref>
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'''Design and construction'''
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Following Germany's defeat in the First World War and the Treaty of Versailles, the Kriegsmarine was limited to a force of pre-dreadnought battleships and cruisers, with a 10-thousand tonne limit on new vessels. In the early 1920s, the German naval ministry started working on a new design of ships that could replace its ageing pre-dreadnoughts. Initially, designs included a slow, heavily armed "monitor"-type vessel, as well as a faster "heavy-cruiser" type design. Following several years of changes, a final design was adopted featuring six 283 mm guns in two 3-gun turrets.<ref name=":2">Hickman, K (2019)</ref> Despite some initial opposition from the victorious powers (the United Kingdom, United States and France), the ships were allowed to be built as they did not violate the Treaty of Versailles.
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The new Deutschland-class ships were named "Panzerschiffs", or "Armoured Ships". However, they would soon become known as the "Pocket Battleship". Though they were of similar size to their counterparts (like the [[HMS Kent (54)|British County-class cruisers]]), the ships carried a much more powerful armament and had greater armour protection.<ref name=":2" /> The vessels displaced between 11,500 and 12,500 tonnes (though it was stated in public that they were 10-thousand tonnes only) standard, and up to 16,000 tonnes full load.<ref name=":0" /> Armament consisted of six 11-inch guns in two triple turrets, as well as a secondary armament of eight 5.9-inch guns in single turrets.<ref name=":0" /> The ship was capable of making 26 knots (48 km/h) and had a main armour belt of 100 mm thickness.<ref name=":0" />
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Three Deutschland-class ships were built: Deutschland (later Lutzow), Admiral Scheer, and Admiral Graf Spee. The Graf Spee was ordered as Panzerschiff C and was laid down in 1932.<ref name=":2" /> It replaced the old pre-dreadnought Braunschweig and was named after Admiral Maximilian von Spee.<ref name=":2" /> The ship was launched in 1934, and was christened by the daughter of Von Spee. The ship was formally commissioned into the German Fleet on January 6th, 1936.<ref name=":2" />
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'''Service history'''
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[[File:Graf Spee at Spithead.jpg|thumb|The Graf Spee at Spithead for King George VI's Coronation Review. HMS Resolution and HMS Hood can be seen in the background.]]
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Following its commissioning, the ship became the flagship of the German fleet. The ship participated in several non-intervention patrols off of the coast of Spain, and later represented Germany at King George VI's Coronation Review. The vessel also participated in several goodwill visits during the period of 1936-1938.<ref name=":2" />
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Prior to the start of the Second World War, the Graf Spee sailed into the Southern Atlantic to be in the best position for commerce raiding. On September 26th 1939, the Graf Spee was ordered to commence raiding against allied merchantmen in the southern Atlantic. Four days later, the cruiser located and captured the TSS Clement,<ref name=":3">McGibbon, I (2014)</ref> which was sunk using gunfire and torpedoes. As a result, a formidable task force was put together to locate and destroy the Spee; this consisted of the carriers HMS Hermes, Eagle, Ark Royal, and Bearn (of the French navy), the battleships Dunkerque, Strasbourg (both of the French Navy), and HMS Renown, as well as 16 cruisers.<ref name=":2" />
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The task force initially failed to locate the Spee, allowing her to destroy eight more merchantmen. This brought her total tonnage destroyed to 50,089 tonnes. However, the last Merchantmen was able to signal the Spee's location to the Allies - as a result, the cruisers HMS Exeter, Ajax, and Achilles were sent to intercept the ship.<ref name=":3" />
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'''Battle of the River Plate and Scuttling'''
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On the morning of December 5th 1939, a ship was sighted across the Graf Spee's starboard bow. This was the cruiser Exeter, actively searching for the Spee.<ref name=":1" /> The Graf Spee proceeded to close in and open fire, while the British cruisers immediately returned fire with their main batteries. In the span of a few hours, the Graf Spee was able to inflict heavy damage on all three cruisers, especially the Exeter, who received extensive damage: all four of her main battery turrets were knocked out, as well as the bridge and torpedo tubes.<ref name=":3" /> Having been hit with numerous 11-inch shells, the ship was burning and developed a list due to extensive flooding. However, a strong defence was put up by cruisers Ajax and Achilles, allowing the crippled cruiser to make it to the Falkland Islands for repairs.
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Nonetheless, the British cruisers succeeded in crippling the Graf Spee - a single 8-inch shell from Exeter hit the engine compartment and disabled the ship's diesel cleaning system. As a result, the ship had just 16 hours of ready fuel, eliminating her chances of returning home.<ref name=":2" /> Shadowed by Achilles and Ajax, the damaged Graf Spee docked at the neutral port of Montevideo to conduct repairs, repatriate prisoners, and obtain medical attention for injured crewmembers. However, because of the neutrality agreements of the Hague Convention, the ship was only able to dock for 72 hours. During this time, Allied intelligence tricked the Germans into thinking that a superior Allied force was located outside the bay, including the battlecruiser Renown and carrier Ark Royal.<ref name=":2" /> In fact, only the heavy cruiser HMS Cumberland had arrived, as the reinforcement force would not be able to arrive for another week.<ref name=":2" />
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The deceiving news of British reinforcements was a fatal blow to the Graf Spee. After considering their options and discussing with the high command in Germany, the decision was made to scuttle the ship, as the Graf Spee's damage and insufficient ammunition would prevent her from breaking out.<ref name=":1" /> On December 17th, the Graf Spee was scuttled in the River Plate estuary. Three days later, her captain committed suicide in full uniform over the Graf Spee's battle ensign.<ref name=":1" /> The remainder of the crew were interned in Uruguay for the duration of the war, while the ship was partially broken up on site between 1942 and 1943.
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=== [[wt:en/news/6504-development-admiral-graf-spee-outgunning-the-opposition-en|Devblog]] ===
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After WWI, Germany's navy was significantly limited in size due to the restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles. In the early 1920s, some of the oldest serving ships of the Reichsmarine were starting to approach their legal replacement age. As such, preliminary design work on a replacement began in 1920, with the project gaining proper momentum in 1923.
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Limited in terms of displacement and ship type permitted for construction, German engineers experimented with various design combinations. By the late 1920s, a final design, dubbed "Panzerschiff" due to its use of large calibre cannons on a relatively lightly protected but mobile hull, was starting to emerge. However, political and economic turmoil in the country negatively impacted the project's progress, causing its completion to be somewhat delayed.
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Finally, after nearly a whole decade of design work, the new Deutschland-class cruisers were approved for construction, with the lead ship being laid down in February 1929. Admiral Graf Spee was the third and last ship of the Deutschland-class to be ordered for construction, being laid down in October 1932 and commissioned in 1936.
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Admiral Graf Spee saw extensive service in its relatively short service time. In the interwar period, she most notably took part in non-intervention patrols off the coast of Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Upon the outbreak of WWII, Graf Spee was sent to the southern Atlantic for commerce raiding, where after the fateful Battle of the River Plate in December 1939, Admiral Graf Spee was scuttled as a result of damages sustained during the battle, marking the end of its service history.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
<!--Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.-->
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<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
{{Youtube-gallery|Wq9qHd_TCgk|'''The Shooting Range #184''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the Admiral Graf Spee.}}
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;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_cruiser_admiral_graf_spee Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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;Images
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<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
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File:Admiral Graf Spee WTWallpaper 01.jpg|
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File:Admiral Graf Spee WTWallpaper 02.jpg|
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File:Admiral Graf Spee WTWallpaper 03.jpg|
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File:Admiral Graf Spee WTWallpaper 04.jpg|
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File:Admiral Graf Spee WTWallpaper 05.jpg|
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File:Admiral Graf Spee WTWallpaper 06.jpg|
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File:Admiral Graf Spee WTWallpaper 07.jpg|
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File:Admiral Graf Spee WTWallpaper 08.jpg|
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</gallery>
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;Videos
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{{Youtube-gallery|_rcmWeSj_Nw|'''Admiral Graf Spee - Anniversary Review''' - ''Flipped StuG''|Wq9qHd_TCgk|'''The Shooting Range #184''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the Admiral Graf Spee.}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 107: Line 168:
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
<!--Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
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* [[wt:en/news/6504-development-admiral-graf-spee-outgunning-the-opposition-en|[Devblog] Admiral Graf Spee: Outgunning the Opposition]]
 
* [[wt:en/news/6504-development-admiral-graf-spee-outgunning-the-opposition-en|[Devblog] Admiral Graf Spee: Outgunning the Opposition]]
  
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=== References ===
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;Citations
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<references />
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;Bibliography
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* Wiki Team. (2020). German cruiser Admiral Graf Spee. Retrieved November 13, 2020. [https://military.wikia.org/wiki/German_cruiser_Admiral_Graf_Spee Website]
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* Tikannen, A. (2020). Graf Spee. Retrieved November 13, 2020. [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Graf-Spee Website]
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* Hickman, K. (2019, October 2). Pocket Battleship: Admiral Graf Spee. Retrieved November 13, 2020. [https://www.thoughtco.com/admiral-graf-spee-2361536 Website]
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* McGibbon, I. (2014, November 27). Battle of the River Plate. Retrieved November 13, 2020. [https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/battle-of-river-plate Website]
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{{ShipManufacturer Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven}}
 
{{Germany heavy cruisers}}
 
{{Germany heavy cruisers}}
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[[ru:Admiral_Graf_Spee]]

Latest revision as of 17:05, 3 September 2023

Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
Admiral Graf Spee
germ_cruiser_admiral_graf_spee.png
GarageImage Admiral Graf Spee.jpg
ArtImage Admiral Graf Spee.png
Admiral Graf Spee
AB RB SB
5.7 5.7 5.7
Research:105 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:310 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Deutschland-class, Admiral Graf Spee, 1939 was a German cruiser of the Deutschland class, commonly referred to as the "pocket battleships" because of their large guns and small size. They were designed to comply with the Treaty of Versailles, which limited the naval power of Germany after World War I. The Admiral Graf Spee was the most advanced and heavily armoured of the class, and had a brief but successful career in World War II, sinking nine merchant ships in the Atlantic Ocean. However, she was cornered by a British task force at the River Plate, where she fought a fierce but inconclusive battle. She then sailed to Montevideo, where she was scuttled by her own crew to avoid capture.

Introduced in Update 1.95 "Northern Wind", the Admiral Graf Spee lives up to her "pocket battleship" moniker thanks to her slow but hard-hitting firepower. The Graf Spee primarily excels at long range engagements, capable of out-ranging any other cruiser at her rank. Her protection, while nowhere close to an actual battleship's, is sufficient to take a considerable amount of damage, especially at longer ranges.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Citadel100 / 100 / 30 mm
Main fire tower140 / 80 / 170 mm
Hull25 mm (steel)
Superstructure8 mm (steel)
Number of section8
Displacement16 320 t
Crew1 175 people

The Admiral Graf Spee was the last and heaviest of the 3 Deutschland-class ships built, sitting somewhere between a conventional heavy cruiser and a battlecruiser. Built to a 10,000 ton displacement due to treaty restrictions, once fully equipped and loaded she was well over 12,000 tons. Still, the restrictions did limit her capability, made to face only cruisers and destroyers, while keeping a large operational range. The result was that her armour was made thick enough to barely resist cruiser shells of the era. Graf Spee will not have too much trouble facing 150 mm and smaller shells.

Her crew is quite limited for her size, it is highly recommended to repair only when major damages are sustained, like losing a main turret or all engines. Doing otherwise will constantly feed her AA guns with fresh crew ready to be knocked unconscious again by the next 203+ mm HE shell that comes.

It is worth noting that her torpedo bulge can stop torpedoes up to 250 kg of TNT equivalent. This will save you from most early PT boat's torpedoes, and many aircraft-launched torpedoes. Against aircraft attacks, she has sufficient AA to defend herself, but with the lack of variable time fuse and radar aiming, some planes will pass her defences.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB62 / 25 km/h
RB53 / 22 km/h

Her mobility for her BR is subpar. Many other heavy cruisers will cruise over 60 km/h, whereas she will barely manage over 50 km/h. She is vulnerable to torpedoes due to her sluggish turn time.

Mobility Characteristics
Game Mode Upgrade Status Maximum Speed (km/h) Turn Time (s) Turn Radius (m)
Forward Reverse
AB Stock ___ ___
Upgraded 62 25
RB/SB Stock ___ ___
Upgraded 53 22

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB11 390 → 15 433 Sl icon.png
RB11 287 → 15 293 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications92 900 Rp icon.png
155 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 800 Ge icon.png
Crew training90 000 Sl icon.png
Experts310 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 200 Ge icon.png
Research Aces570 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
450 / 600 / 100 % Sl icon.png
178 / 178 / 178 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Seakeeping Unsinkability Firepower
Mods new ship hull.png
Dry-Docking
Research:
3 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 200 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship rudder.png
Rudder Replacement
Research:
4 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship screw.png
Propeller Replacement
Research:
3 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 500 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship engine.png
Engine Maintenance
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
370 Ge icon.png
Mods ship damage control crew.png
Damage Control Division
Research:
3 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 200 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png
Mods ship fire control crew.png
Fire Division
Research:
4 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
Smokescreen
Research:
4 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods ship anti fragmentation protection.png
Shrapnel Protection
Research:
3 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 500 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods ship venting.png
Ventilation
Research:
3 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 500 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship pumps.png
New Pumps
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
370 Ge icon.png
Mods ship ammo wetting.png
Ammo Wetting
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
370 Ge icon.png
Mods new aa caliber turrets.png
Anti-Air Armament Targeting
Research:
3 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 200 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
280mm_ger_skc28_pzgr_navy_apc_ammo_pack
Research:
3 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 200 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
150mm_ger_c36_naval_he_base_fuse_ammo_pack
Research:
3 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 200 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png
Mods new aux caliber turrets.png
Auxiliary Armament Targeting
Research:
4 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
280mm_ger_skc28_spgr_bdz_navy_sap_ammo_pack
Research:
4 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods new main caliber turrets.png
Primary Armament Targeting
Research:
3 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 500 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods ship rangefinder.png
Improved Rangefinder
Research:
3 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 500 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
150mm_ger_c36_naval_apc_ammo_pack
Research:
3 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 500 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods torpedo.png
Torpedo Mode
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
370 Ge icon.png
Mods shipSupportPlane.png
Hydroplane
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
370 Ge icon.png

Armament

Primary armament

2 х Turret3 x 283 mm/52 SK C/28 cannon
Ammunition360 rounds
Vertical guidance-10° / 40°

The most distinctive features of the Admiral Graf Spee are the six massive 283 mm (11.1 inch) SK C/28 cannons mounted in two triple turrets on her bow and stern. This battleship-calibre guns are effective against all targets in-game, however with only 6 guns total, she will be outgunned, and must take a relatively large angle to fire both turrets on a target.

The advantage of her huge guns is that she can pierce dreadnoughts and cause significant damage, even reaching ammo racks through a dreadnought's thick armour by using AP shells. While her HE and SAPBC can do the short work out of enemy cruisers and destroyers.

Another significant detriment is the very long reload time of 24.4 seconds (ace crew) resulting in a rather low DPS overall, and can make it hard to hit smaller targets at long ranges.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
1,000 m 2,500 m 5,000 m 7,500 m 10,000 m 15,000 m
Spgr L/4.2 Kz HE HE 65 65 65 65 65 65
Psgr L/3.7 APBC APCBC 541 498 434 380 335 267
Spgr L/4.2 Bdz SAP SAPBC 280 258 225 197 173 138
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Fuse delay
(s)
Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
Spgr L/4.2 Kz HE HE 910 300 0 0.1 23.33 79° 80° 81°
Psgr L/3.7 APBC APCBC 910 300 0.035 15 7.84 48° 63° 71°
Spgr L/4.2 Bdz SAP SAPBC 910 300 0.035 15 16.94 48° 63° 71°

Secondary armament

8 х Turret15 cm/55 SK C/28 cannon
Ammunition200 rounds

The Graf Spee's secondary armament consists of eight 150 mm SK C/28 single turrets, four on each side. These guns are very handy for dealing additional damage while your main gun is reloading or when your main turret get knocked out. They are also useful for visual rangefinding as they have similar ballistics with the 283 mm guns.

The shell choice for the 150 mm guns, being shared with the Nürnberg, is also very good. The gun has access to a high-penetrating APCBC that can reach the enemy cruiser's internal compartments and deal a considerable amount of damage, as well as a reliable HE and SAP shell. The gun is also good against PT boats due to its much shorter reload time at 7 seconds.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
1,000 m 2,500 m 5,000 m 7,500 m 10,000 m 15,000 m
Spgr. L/4.5 Kz (m.Hb) HE 37 37 37 37 37 37
Pzgr. L/3.7 (m.Hb) APCBC 252 213 162 124 97 71
Spgr. L/4.4 Bdz (m.Hb) SAPBC 123 104 79 60 47 35
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Fuse delay
(s)
Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
Spgr. L/4.5 Kz (m.Hb) HE 875 45.5 0 0.1 3.64 79° 80° 81°
Pzgr. L/3.7 (m.Hb) APCBC 875 45.5 0.015 7 1.1 48° 63° 71°
Spgr. L/4.4 Bdz (m.Hb) SAPBC 875 45.5 0.015 7 3.03 48° 63° 71°

Anti-aircraft armament

3 х Turret2 x 10.5 cm/60 SK C/33 AA cannon
Ammunition840 rounds
4 х Turret2 x 3.7 cm SK C/30 mounting
Ammunition4000 rounds
14 х Turret2 cm/65 C/30 automatic cannon
Ammunition2000 rounds
Belt capacity20 rounds
Fire rate276 shots/min

Her AA suite is somewhat decent for a 1939 ship. The 105 mm cannons only have access to HE-TF ammunition, making it rather difficult to accurately shoot down aircraft, especially at the longer ranges where the other armaments are ineffective. However, the 37 mm and 20 mm cannons are enough to knock out even large aircraft at closer ranges. The lack of HE-VT is very noticeable, aircraft may still penetrate her AA fire to drop their ordnance.

Additional armament

Setup 18 x 533 mm G7a torpedo
Main article: G7a (533 mm)

Her torpedoes will often get knocked out. They are placed over the stern, and usually, first incoming shots fall a bit far, knocking them out directly. It is recommended not to apply the "torpedo mode" upgrade, as the additional range is hard to take advantage of. And her torpedoes with the modifications will go slower than most cruisers she will face, making them near useless. The best chance of use is launching into cap zones and most likely routes the enemy will take.

Scout plane

Main article: Ar 196 A-3

Located amidships is a single catapult for an Arado Ar 196 scout plane which provides unique offensive and defensive abilities, expanding tactical options. Ship-launched scout planes fly just like regular tree units but lack munition choices and cockpit views. Alongside the typical abilities of strafing, dropping 2 x 50 kg bombs, and capping zones, the Ar 196 and other scout planes have the added ability to lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). It is essentially the event aircraft except with smoke generators, so it will be a familiar unit for those who have the event version. Captains will be wise to remember to utilise the aircraft and consider when best to use it, for example to cap a point early or late in the match, to create a smoke screen to stymie enemy bombardment and repair, to attack enemy units directly, or perhaps something completely new! Given the Admiral Graf Spee is vulnerable to damage, the smoke screen ability may be the most useful function to mask the ship while emergency repairs are performed.

Usage in battles

The Admiral Graf Spee is a good ship to learn how to play as a dreadnought. Due to her huge 283 mm guns with long reload time, she has to rely on her secondary 150 mm guns to deal more consistent damage while the main guns are reloading. Thus, you will learn how to cycle between the main and secondary guns and handle both of them efficiently.

Keep your distance from enemy cruisers (at least 12 km) or use island cover. You cannot out-shoot, or out-gun any other cruiser in game, your main advantage is range and punch. While she can take some hits, she remains a heavy cruiser, avoid getting focused by many enemy units. The enemy will want to sink you first as they are afraid of your massive firepower. Your best target are dreadnoughts, not only because you're the only cruiser out there that can reliably hurt them, but being slow and big are easier to hit at long ranges.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Wide range of guns calibre to face all threats
  • Large 283 mm main guns can deal significant damage against dreadnoughts, as well as devastating against cruisers and destroyers
  • Good survivability
  • Good AA suite to 1939's standards (outclassed by late WW2 AA cruisers)
  • A little shorter than many ships of her size, a little harder to target
  • One scout seaplane

Cons:

  • Rather large target for enemy bombs and torpedoes
  • 283 mm cannons have a long reload time
  • Vulnerable to enemy cruiser's AP shells, especially at closer ranges
  • Very distinctive silhouette, easy to identify and become a prime target
  • Lack of manoeuvrability makes it vulnerable to saturating torpedo attacks.

History

The Admiral Graf Spee in 1936.

The Admiral Graf Spee was a ship of the Deutschland-class, a series of 10-thousand ton cruisers built to the limitations of the Treaty of Versailles. Despite her small tonnage, the Graf Spee was armed with six 11-inch (283 mm) main guns in two triple turrets, a much more powerful armament than its allied counterparts. As a result, the ships of the Deutschland class were nicknamed "Pocket Battleships" by the UK, and "Panzerschiff" (armoured ship) within the Kriegsmarine.[1] The ship conducted several patrols near Spain during the Spanish Civil War, and participated in the Coronation Review of King George VI. The ship was responsible for the sinking of 9 merchant vessels during the first months of the Second World War, before being intercepted by a task force of the British Navy at the River Plate. Having caused extensive damage to her pursuers but damaged herself, the Graf Spee was scuttled in the mouth of the River Plate on December 17th 1939.[2]

Design and construction

Following Germany's defeat in the First World War and the Treaty of Versailles, the Kriegsmarine was limited to a force of pre-dreadnought battleships and cruisers, with a 10-thousand tonne limit on new vessels. In the early 1920s, the German naval ministry started working on a new design of ships that could replace its ageing pre-dreadnoughts. Initially, designs included a slow, heavily armed "monitor"-type vessel, as well as a faster "heavy-cruiser" type design. Following several years of changes, a final design was adopted featuring six 283 mm guns in two 3-gun turrets.[3] Despite some initial opposition from the victorious powers (the United Kingdom, United States and France), the ships were allowed to be built as they did not violate the Treaty of Versailles.

The new Deutschland-class ships were named "Panzerschiffs", or "Armoured Ships". However, they would soon become known as the "Pocket Battleship". Though they were of similar size to their counterparts (like the British County-class cruisers), the ships carried a much more powerful armament and had greater armour protection.[3] The vessels displaced between 11,500 and 12,500 tonnes (though it was stated in public that they were 10-thousand tonnes only) standard, and up to 16,000 tonnes full load.[1] Armament consisted of six 11-inch guns in two triple turrets, as well as a secondary armament of eight 5.9-inch guns in single turrets.[1] The ship was capable of making 26 knots (48 km/h) and had a main armour belt of 100 mm thickness.[1]

Three Deutschland-class ships were built: Deutschland (later Lutzow), Admiral Scheer, and Admiral Graf Spee. The Graf Spee was ordered as Panzerschiff C and was laid down in 1932.[3] It replaced the old pre-dreadnought Braunschweig and was named after Admiral Maximilian von Spee.[3] The ship was launched in 1934, and was christened by the daughter of Von Spee. The ship was formally commissioned into the German Fleet on January 6th, 1936.[3]

Service history

The Graf Spee at Spithead for King George VI's Coronation Review. HMS Resolution and HMS Hood can be seen in the background.

Following its commissioning, the ship became the flagship of the German fleet. The ship participated in several non-intervention patrols off of the coast of Spain, and later represented Germany at King George VI's Coronation Review. The vessel also participated in several goodwill visits during the period of 1936-1938.[3]

Prior to the start of the Second World War, the Graf Spee sailed into the Southern Atlantic to be in the best position for commerce raiding. On September 26th 1939, the Graf Spee was ordered to commence raiding against allied merchantmen in the southern Atlantic. Four days later, the cruiser located and captured the TSS Clement,[4] which was sunk using gunfire and torpedoes. As a result, a formidable task force was put together to locate and destroy the Spee; this consisted of the carriers HMS Hermes, Eagle, Ark Royal, and Bearn (of the French navy), the battleships Dunkerque, Strasbourg (both of the French Navy), and HMS Renown, as well as 16 cruisers.[3]

The task force initially failed to locate the Spee, allowing her to destroy eight more merchantmen. This brought her total tonnage destroyed to 50,089 tonnes. However, the last Merchantmen was able to signal the Spee's location to the Allies - as a result, the cruisers HMS Exeter, Ajax, and Achilles were sent to intercept the ship.[4]

Battle of the River Plate and Scuttling

On the morning of December 5th 1939, a ship was sighted across the Graf Spee's starboard bow. This was the cruiser Exeter, actively searching for the Spee.[2] The Graf Spee proceeded to close in and open fire, while the British cruisers immediately returned fire with their main batteries. In the span of a few hours, the Graf Spee was able to inflict heavy damage on all three cruisers, especially the Exeter, who received extensive damage: all four of her main battery turrets were knocked out, as well as the bridge and torpedo tubes.[4] Having been hit with numerous 11-inch shells, the ship was burning and developed a list due to extensive flooding. However, a strong defence was put up by cruisers Ajax and Achilles, allowing the crippled cruiser to make it to the Falkland Islands for repairs.

Nonetheless, the British cruisers succeeded in crippling the Graf Spee - a single 8-inch shell from Exeter hit the engine compartment and disabled the ship's diesel cleaning system. As a result, the ship had just 16 hours of ready fuel, eliminating her chances of returning home.[3] Shadowed by Achilles and Ajax, the damaged Graf Spee docked at the neutral port of Montevideo to conduct repairs, repatriate prisoners, and obtain medical attention for injured crewmembers. However, because of the neutrality agreements of the Hague Convention, the ship was only able to dock for 72 hours. During this time, Allied intelligence tricked the Germans into thinking that a superior Allied force was located outside the bay, including the battlecruiser Renown and carrier Ark Royal.[3] In fact, only the heavy cruiser HMS Cumberland had arrived, as the reinforcement force would not be able to arrive for another week.[3]

The deceiving news of British reinforcements was a fatal blow to the Graf Spee. After considering their options and discussing with the high command in Germany, the decision was made to scuttle the ship, as the Graf Spee's damage and insufficient ammunition would prevent her from breaking out.[2] On December 17th, the Graf Spee was scuttled in the River Plate estuary. Three days later, her captain committed suicide in full uniform over the Graf Spee's battle ensign.[2] The remainder of the crew were interned in Uruguay for the duration of the war, while the ship was partially broken up on site between 1942 and 1943.

Devblog

After WWI, Germany's navy was significantly limited in size due to the restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles. In the early 1920s, some of the oldest serving ships of the Reichsmarine were starting to approach their legal replacement age. As such, preliminary design work on a replacement began in 1920, with the project gaining proper momentum in 1923.

Limited in terms of displacement and ship type permitted for construction, German engineers experimented with various design combinations. By the late 1920s, a final design, dubbed "Panzerschiff" due to its use of large calibre cannons on a relatively lightly protected but mobile hull, was starting to emerge. However, political and economic turmoil in the country negatively impacted the project's progress, causing its completion to be somewhat delayed.

Finally, after nearly a whole decade of design work, the new Deutschland-class cruisers were approved for construction, with the lead ship being laid down in February 1929. Admiral Graf Spee was the third and last ship of the Deutschland-class to be ordered for construction, being laid down in October 1932 and commissioned in 1936.

Admiral Graf Spee saw extensive service in its relatively short service time. In the interwar period, she most notably took part in non-intervention patrols off the coast of Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Upon the outbreak of WWII, Graf Spee was sent to the southern Atlantic for commerce raiding, where after the fateful Battle of the River Plate in December 1939, Admiral Graf Spee was scuttled as a result of damages sustained during the battle, marking the end of its service history.

Media

Skins
Images
Videos

See also

Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the ship;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

References

Citations
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Military Wiki (2020)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Tikannen, A (2020)
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Hickman, K (2019)
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 McGibbon, I (2014)
Bibliography
  • Wiki Team. (2020). German cruiser Admiral Graf Spee. Retrieved November 13, 2020. Website
  • Tikannen, A. (2020). Graf Spee. Retrieved November 13, 2020. Website
  • Hickman, K. (2019, October 2). Pocket Battleship: Admiral Graf Spee. Retrieved November 13, 2020. Website
  • McGibbon, I. (2014, November 27). Battle of the River Plate. Retrieved November 13, 2020. Website


Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven
Torpedo Boats 
Raubtier-class  Jaguar · Leopard · Luchs
Light Cruisers 
K-class  Köln
Leipzig-class  Leipzig
Unique Ships  Emden
Heavy Cruisers 
Deutschland-class  Admiral Graf Spee
Battleships 
Scharnhorst-class  Scharnhorst
See also  Kaiserliche Werft (1871 - 1918)

Germany heavy cruisers
Admiral Hipper-class  Admiral Hipper · Prinz Eugen
Deutschland-class  Admiral Graf Spee