The Köln (F220) and Lübeck (F224) were two of six ships of the “Köln-Klasse (F120)” that entered service in the 1960s. It was one of the first class of ships built for the Bundesmarine after World War II. In War Thunder, the Köln and Lübeck are part of the the German coastal fleet and share many similarities. The main difference can be seen in the torpedoes and in the premium status of the Lübeck. While the Köln can be unlocked with research points the Lübeck is only available through the marketplace or SL crates—usually during events in April. The two ships are particularly distinguished by their rocket launchers, which are among the best in the entire naval mode.
Sitting at a popular battle rating where high-tier coastal vessels match with low-tier bluewater ships, the Köln-class vessels thrives in intense, fast-paced matches that require constant awareness and adaptability. With a wide array of weapons suited for different combat roles, they are some of the most versatile and powerful ships at their BR—but also some of the most demanding. Especially the Lübeck rewards skilled players with high SL and RP gains, making it an excellent choice for grinding the German coastal line. However, the Köln-class' complexity and multitasking requirements may not appeal to those seeking a more relaxed gameplay experience. For players who enjoy a tactical challenge and want to master a ship full of tools and potential, the F120 frigates can quickly become a favorite.
Pros & Cons
| Pros: | Cons: |
|---|---|
| Fast-firing autoloaded guns | No armour-piercing shells |
| Incredibly powerful rocket launcher | Weak armour protection |
| Great for killing aircraft | Rather weak torpedoes |
| Access to radar | Weak in open water |
| Decent turn radius | High chance to get ammoracked |
Armament
100mm/55 MLE model 53 cannon
The primary armament consists of 2 turrets with autoloading 100 mm guns that can fire one shot per second with an aced crew, making them some of the fastest firing main guns at this BR. You get access to two shell types: a standard HE shell with 1.87 kg filler and an HE-VT shell with 1.7 kg filler. While HE shells are best against ships, it’s still a good idea to bring a solid amount of HE-VT rounds to deal with aircraft. Against destroyers, the difference between both shell types is small, but against planes the HE-VT is clearly better. The biggest downside is the lack of AP shells, which makes it hard to deal damage to certain enemies in some situations.
40mm/70 MEL58 mounting
Its secondary armament consists of four 40 mm turrets, two of which are dual-mounted. Due to their placement, only three turrets can fire simultaneously when targeting enemies from the side. These guns have access to both HE and HE-VT shells. In this case, the HE-VT shells actually contain more filler, making them the superior choice against surface targets. Thanks to the high rate of fire and autoloader mechanics, these are among the most powerful 40 mm guns and stand out as some of the best secondaries at this BR.
375mm M/50 Bofors anti submarine rocket launcher
The Köln-class can be equipped with 2× 375mm M/50 Bofors anti submarine rocket launchers, some of the most powerful of their type, being one of the main reasons why you would want to play this vehicle. They are one of the most powerful rocket launchers in naval as they not only have one of the best range but also have a filler of 107kg TNT. At around 3 km, you can essentially fire the equivalent of a 250 kg bomb with high potential to destroy or cripple destroyers on a direct hit. Each launcher carries 4 rockets that can be fired in quick succession (~1 sec per rocket), but each individual launcher takes 30 seconds to reload, resulting in a full reload time of 2 minutes.
533mm Mark 35 torpedo (Köln only)
The main difference in armaments between the 2 frigates are their torpedoes. The Köln has access to only two torpedoes in two separate static torpedo tubes on each side. The Mark 35 torpedoes are among the slowest in the game, however their filler is good enough against almost all opponents at this BR, while having an incredibly good range of 13.71km. The range is good enough to allow you to launch torpedoes right at the start against enemies in naval AB. From time to time a lucky hit is possible at long distance.
12.75inch Mark 44 torpedo (Lübeck only)
With the Lübeck on the other hand you have access to 4× 12.75-inch Mark 44 torpedoes. The tubes are side-facing and slightly adjustable, meaning you don’t have to perfectly position the ship for a launch. However, their performance is underwhelming: they are slow, have a short range, and contain one of the lowest explosive fillers in the game. Even many destroyers can survive hits with minimal damage. Compared to the Köln however the increased amount of Torpedos gives the tactical advantage of being able to send them towards a wider area or more densely, increasing your chance to get a hit at all and sometimes 1 hit in the right spot is all it takes.
Mk.6 depth charge
Depth charges are your last armament option, but since there are currently no submarines in the game, these weapons are practically useless so there’s no need to equip them.
Mobility & Survivability
The Köln-class frigates have good speed, which is however in the average of that of destroyers. However due to their relatively shorter length compared to other bluewater ships they can not only maneuver better through difficult terrain, but they also have a very decent turn radius.
This is especially helpful when you try to dodge incoming enemy shells, which will happen quite often as the vessels lack any thick armour. This makes them very vulnerable against enemy shots and even some HE shells are able to cause damage to the interior. And once crippled in any compartment that affects your speed or your bridge being knocked out so it is not possible to steer the ship properly anymore, it will decrease your chance to dodge further shells which ends in a deathspiral.
Shells with higher penetration also have a good chance to cause your ammoracks to explode if they hit in that area, as no armour will stop them. In practise you will definitely be able to survive a couple of shots due to the relatively good crew count of 238, but as mentioned every shot can be the start of the deathspiral.
In short: The Köln-class ships are very fragile and to survive, you need to avoid enemy fire. And to avoid enemy fire you need speed. This is why you should not make turns sharper than needed or even worse bump into terrain as any loss of speed decreases your chances of surviving longer.
How to play
Positioning
Although they are coastal fleet ships, the Köln-class spawns with destroyers and often plays a similar role. However, due to having almost no armor, you should avoid open-water confrontations with destroyers—you’re unlikely to survive long under sustained fire. Instead, seek cover behind islands, use them for protection, and either advance safely or engage at long distances, giving you more time to dodge incoming fire and making yourself a difficult target.
Weapon usage
Your most common opponents will be destroyers.
- Don’t expect to ammo rack destroyers—your main way to kill is by draining their crew
- Utilize your 100 mm guns using HE shells. These are effective at disabling enemy turrets and criple enemies
- If you’re unable to significantly damage the enemy’s crew or modules any further, switch to the 40 mm guns. These have a higher rate of fire and can saturate the deck, knocking out AA guns and even main batteries while also further draining the crew
- Both the 100 mm and 40 mm guns are autoloaded, so alternate between them to manage overheating
- When facing closer enemies behind islands, consider using the rocket launchers. Their ballistic arc allows you to shoot over tall cover, hitting enemies who can’t return fire.
The rocket launcher’s maximum distance is around 2.9 km when both ships are stationary. In practise you’ll need to predict movement—especially since the rockets can take quite some time before reaching their target. Also note the minimum range of 655 m; within this range, rockets won’t detonate. While they may deal minor kinetic damage, it’s usually negligible.
If an enemy gets within that minimum range, consider using your torpedoes as a last resort. Knocking out the bridge with a targeted shot with the 100mm guns increases the chance of the enemy being unable to dodge them.
When using rockets:
- Don’t fire all at once
- Fire one or two, see where they land, adjust your aim, then continue
- You have basically unlimited ammo, but reload times are long—make your shots count
It takes practice to use rockets effectively, but once mastered, they’re fun and extremely rewarding.
Fighting cruisers
Occasionally, you may encounter light or even heavy cruisers. Avoid engaging them. Your 100 mm guns won’t do meaningful damage, and a single salvo from a cruiser can annihilate you.
Only engage cruisers if:
- They are already weakened
- You can fire over an island while the crusier can’t due to different ballistics
- You can use your rocket launcher
Fighting coastal vessels
If you engage coastal vessels you almost always want to use your 40mm guns as they have much better firing rate and are enough to sink most small boats. However for larger boats like gun boats using the 100mm guns can be useful.
Anti-Aircraft Role & Radar
The Köln-class can serve as a highly effective anti-aircraft platform.
- Both main and secondary guns can fire HE-VT shells
- They have high fire rates
- You can also use the ship’s radar to assist in tracking
This makes the Köln-class some of the best AA ships in their bracket—especially useful when your team lacks the capabilities or awareness to deal with planes themselves.
In the game you have the option to change the radar scope scale up to 40km, but for the aircraft expected at its BR the 10km scale should be enough.
NOTE: With the current aiming mechanics in naval arcade using the radar is actually poinless, as aiming right at the plane itself calculates already a hit. It even seems like following the radar’s calculation turns out rather being worse than aiming without it. So the radar only offers a real advantage in naval game modes with proper aiming mechanics.
