Difference between revisions of "Z25"
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{{Specs-Card | {{Specs-Card | ||
|code=germ_destroyer_class1936a_z25 | |code=germ_destroyer_class1936a_z25 | ||
| − | |images={{Specs-Card-Image| | + | |images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage {{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage {{PAGENAME}} (2).jpg|ArtImage2 {{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage3 {{PAGENAME}}.png}} |
}} | }} | ||
== 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.'' --> | ||
| − | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Hot Tracks"]] as a reward for [[Battle Pass: Season II, "Steel Centurion"]]. | + | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Hot Tracks"]] as a reward for [[Battle Pass: Season II, "Steel Centurion"]] and returned as one of the random rewards in [[Battle Pass: Season XVI, "Skilled Marksman"]]. |
| + | |||
| + | The Z25 compared to other [[Type 1936 (Family)|Type 1936]] destroyers replaces one of the centrally-mounted 15 cm main guns with an AA battery consisting of 3.7 and 2 cm guns, making it a formidable anti-aircraft platform. While it doesn't have the rate of fire of its brethren with [[12.8 cm/45 SK C/34 (128 mm)|12.8 cm]] guns, the AP rounds of the [[15 cm/48 KC/36 (150 mm)|15 cm]] cannons are particularly lethal. | ||
== General info == | == General info == | ||
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{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}} | {{Specs-Fleet-Armour}} | ||
<!-- ''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.'' --> | <!-- ''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.'' --> | ||
| − | The Z25 offers very little additional protection except the basic hull with 16 mm of steel armour and a superstructure with 8 mm of steel armour. The | + | The Z25 offers very little additional protection except the basic hull with 16 mm of steel armour and a superstructure with 8 mm of steel armour. The gun shields on the single 15 cm mounts are 12.7 mm thick and the gun shields on the 20 mm Flakvierlings measure 8 mm of armour, therefore only offering protection from small calibre machine gun fire. |
The only significantly armoured part of the ship is the twin 15 cm turret on the front, with around 30 mm of armour frontally and 20 mm on the sides, offering enough protection to resist some early destroyer rounds, thus making it last longer in bow-in engagements. | The only significantly armoured part of the ship is the twin 15 cm turret on the front, with around 30 mm of armour frontally and 20 mm on the sides, offering enough protection to resist some early destroyer rounds, thus making it last longer in bow-in engagements. | ||
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The HE shell has a TNT equivalent of 3.91 kg and a muzzle velocity of 835 m/s, making it a great choice for medium ranges against destroyers of any kind. | The HE shell has a TNT equivalent of 3.91 kg and a muzzle velocity of 835 m/s, making it a great choice for medium ranges against destroyers of any kind. | ||
| − | The second shell type, a semi-armour piercing capped shell has good penetration, a TNT equivalent of 3.32 kg and a muzzle velocity of 835 m/s. Furthermore, this is the only destroyer shell able to reliably threaten a large portion of cruisers at ranges of 5,000 m. An accurate player will be able to ammorack most early interwar cruisers, or at least cripple them severely. | + | The second shell type, a semi-armour piercing capped shell, has good penetration, a TNT equivalent of 3.32 kg and a muzzle velocity of 835 m/s. Furthermore, this is the only destroyer shell able to reliably threaten a large portion of cruisers at ranges of 5,000 m. An accurate player will be able to ammorack most early interwar cruisers, or at least cripple them severely. |
The last shell, an explosive round with time fuse, can be used against aircraft if aimed carefully. | The last shell, an explosive round with time fuse, can be used against aircraft if aimed carefully. | ||
| − | { | + | |
| − | + | {{:15 cm/48 KC/36 (150 mm)/Ammunition|15 cm Spgr. L/4.5 Kz (m.Hb), 15 cm Spgr. L/4.4 Bdz (m.Hb), 15 cm Spgr. L/4.5 Zt.Z}} | |
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=== Secondary armament === | === Secondary armament === | ||
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}} | {{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}} | ||
<!-- ''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.'' --> | <!-- ''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.'' --> | ||
| − | {{main| | + | {{main|FlaK-Lafette C/36 (37 mm)}} |
The Z25 sacrifices one of the 15 cm cannon for extra aerial protection. Other than two twin 3.7 cm FlaK from the [[Z32]] that are placed at the place where the second 15 cm turret were once located, it also featured six single 3.7 cm FlaK mounts, four placed around the ship's second funnel and two on the aforementioned former turret mount. These have a fire rate of 30 round per minute and provide anti-ship capabilities against smaller patrol vessels and ship at close ranges with HE and AP, as well as good anti-air capabilities against low-ceiling planes. | The Z25 sacrifices one of the 15 cm cannon for extra aerial protection. Other than two twin 3.7 cm FlaK from the [[Z32]] that are placed at the place where the second 15 cm turret were once located, it also featured six single 3.7 cm FlaK mounts, four placed around the ship's second funnel and two on the aforementioned former turret mount. These have a fire rate of 30 round per minute and provide anti-ship capabilities against smaller patrol vessels and ship at close ranges with HE and AP, as well as good anti-air capabilities against low-ceiling planes. | ||
| − | {| | + | |
| − | + | * '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}} | |
| − | |- | + | * '''37 mm HE clips:''' {{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}} |
| − | + | * '''37 mm APT clips:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}} | |
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| − | + | {{:FlaK-Lafette C/36 (37 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-I, AP-T}} | |
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=== Anti-aircraft armament === | === Anti-aircraft armament === | ||
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{{main|2 cm/65 C/38 (20 mm)|2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38 (20 mm)|2 cm/65 Flakzwilling 38 (20 mm)}} | {{main|2 cm/65 C/38 (20 mm)|2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38 (20 mm)|2 cm/65 Flakzwilling 38 (20 mm)}} | ||
| − | In addition to the 37 mm guns, the Z25 also featured four extra 20 mm emplacements (sixteen in total) in the form of dual 2 cm FlaK mounts. All four of which were located the front. The two quadmounts located front of the bridge and between the (former) second and third main gun placement. This gives the Z25 an impressive anti-air capabilities for close range encounters, although for longer ranges, this calibre is insufficient. | + | In addition to the 37 mm guns, the Z25 also featured four extra 20 mm emplacements (sixteen in total) in the form of dual 2 cm FlaK mounts. All four of which were located in the front. The two quadmounts located in front of the bridge and between the (former) second and third main gun placement. This gives the Z25 an impressive anti-air capabilities for close range encounters, although for longer ranges, this calibre is insufficient. |
Other than that, the Z25 also featured a single 2 cm/65 C/38 autocannon mount directly at the front of the first main turret, this gun is nearly identical to that of the 20 cm FlaK. | Other than that, the Z25 also featured a single 2 cm/65 C/38 autocannon mount directly at the front of the first main turret, this gun is nearly identical to that of the 20 cm FlaK. | ||
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{{main|G7a (533 mm)|WBG depth charge}} | {{main|G7a (533 mm)|WBG depth charge}} | ||
| − | The Z25 is equipped with basic two quadruple 533 mm G7a torpedo launchers placed at the centre of the ship. This torpedo has a speed of 81 km/h and a maximum range of 6 km. It takes 50 m to arm the torpedo. On-board is 358.4 kg TNT which causes a significant blow. The range can be extended up to 13 km with torpedo mode modification. | + | The Z25 is equipped with basic two quadruple 533 mm G7a torpedo launchers placed at the centre of the ship. This torpedo has a speed of 81 km/h and a maximum range of 6 km. It takes 50 m to arm the torpedo. On-board is 358.4 kg TNT, which causes a significant blow. The range can be extended up to 13 km with torpedo mode modification. |
== 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).'' --> | <!-- ''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).'' --> | ||
| − | The Z25 is essentially the [[Z32]] that sacrifices one single 15 cm turret for more secondary and AA mounts. Although it has less broadside firepower than its tech tree counterpart. It still retains its function as an excellent ship boasting massive firepower bow-on. | + | The Z25 is essentially the [[Z32]] that sacrifices one single 15 cm turret for more secondary and AA mounts. Although it has less broadside firepower than its tech tree counterpart. It still retains its function as an excellent ship, boasting massive firepower bow-on. |
| − | Due to its non-existent armour, good muzzle velocity, slow firing and slow traversing guns, the Z25 is best used on medium or long ranges, where evasive | + | Due to its non-existent armour, good muzzle velocity, slow firing and slow traversing guns, the Z25 is best used on medium or long ranges, where evasive manoeuvres can be made and enemies have a harder time hitting you. Following this, the Z25 should not be in the first line of attack, it should be played more like a support, staying further away, and making use of its longer range weaponry. When engaging at close range, the slow rate of fire becomes apparent and multiple enemies from different directions can easily overwhelm the slow reacting destroyer, in these situations a precise shot in the ammorack can do the trick and is much more reliable than with smaller calibres. Furthermore, the large calibre is capable to overcome even the anti-fragmentation armour of American destroyers without losing much of your explosive power, and therefore countering those American vessels. |
Having the semi-armour piercing (SAP) shell equipped gives the Z25 another, more unique role, namely the role of a cruiser killer, being one of the few destroyers to be able to do so. Since your destroyer is the definition of a glass cannon, even more when facing cruisers, it is important to stay concealed behind islands or simply by not shooting whilst closing in to a range of around 4-6 km. A few salvoes into the sides of the cruiser where the ammo is located is usually enough for most early interwar cruiser designs like the [[USS Trenton]], the [[Krasny Kavkaz]], or the [[Köln]]. | Having the semi-armour piercing (SAP) shell equipped gives the Z25 another, more unique role, namely the role of a cruiser killer, being one of the few destroyers to be able to do so. Since your destroyer is the definition of a glass cannon, even more when facing cruisers, it is important to stay concealed behind islands or simply by not shooting whilst closing in to a range of around 4-6 km. A few salvoes into the sides of the cruiser where the ammo is located is usually enough for most early interwar cruiser designs like the [[USS Trenton]], the [[Krasny Kavkaz]], or the [[Köln]]. | ||
| − | In exchange to one less main gun, Z25 is equipped with a lot of small calibre mounts (ten 37 mm secondary guns and seventeen 20 mm AA guns in total) placed all over the ship. These guns | + | In exchange to one less main gun, Z25 is equipped with a lot of small calibre mounts (ten 37 mm secondary guns and seventeen 20 mm AA guns in total) placed all over the ship. These guns are very deadly against enemy ship at close range (as it can cripple the enemy ship by depleting their crew and occasionally set the enemy ship on fire), various PT boats, and enemy aircraft. While the AI gunners is able to reliably hit the enemy ship, smaller targets such as PT boats and occasionally aircraft may require manual aiming to destroy them. It is advised to use the HE belts for the 37 mm against these targets as it can deal a good amount of damage via fragmentation blast. |
| + | |||
=== 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".'' --> | <!-- ''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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'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
| − | * Protection is still insufficient against most | + | * Protection is still insufficient against most cruisers |
* Rear turrets have limited forward elevation angles | * Rear turrets have limited forward elevation angles | ||
* Unsynchronized firing rate: rear guns use ready racks but front turret does not | * Unsynchronized firing rate: rear guns use ready racks but front turret does not | ||
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File:Type 1936A WTWallpaper 02.jpg| | File:Type 1936A WTWallpaper 02.jpg| | ||
File:Type 1936A WTWallpaper 03.jpg| | File:Type 1936A WTWallpaper 03.jpg| | ||
| + | File:ArtImage Z25.jpg| | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' --> | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' --> | ||
| − | ;Related development | + | ;[[Type 1936 (Family)|Related development]] |
| − | + | * [[Z32]] | |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Marceau]] |
== External links == | == External links == | ||
Latest revision as of 07:49, 23 July 2024
.jpg)
Contents
Description
The Type 1936A, Z25, 1945 is a premium gift rank III German destroyer with a battle rating of 4.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced during Update "Hot Tracks" as a reward for Battle Pass: Season II, "Steel Centurion" and returned as one of the random rewards in Battle Pass: Season XVI, "Skilled Marksman".
The Z25 compared to other Type 1936 destroyers replaces one of the centrally-mounted 15 cm main guns with an AA battery consisting of 3.7 and 2 cm guns, making it a formidable anti-aircraft platform. While it doesn't have the rate of fire of its brethren with 12.8 cm guns, the AP rounds of the 15 cm cannons are particularly lethal.
General info
Survivability and armour
The Z25 offers very little additional protection except the basic hull with 16 mm of steel armour and a superstructure with 8 mm of steel armour. The gun shields on the single 15 cm mounts are 12.7 mm thick and the gun shields on the 20 mm Flakvierlings measure 8 mm of armour, therefore only offering protection from small calibre machine gun fire.
The only significantly armoured part of the ship is the twin 15 cm turret on the front, with around 30 mm of armour frontally and 20 mm on the sides, offering enough protection to resist some early destroyer rounds, thus making it last longer in bow-in engagements.
Having no additional armour means most cannon, autocannon and even machine gun equipped ships can punch through its hull, meaning this destroyer isn't any more survivable than its predecessors in terms of armour.
Mobility
| Mobility Characteristics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Mode | Upgrade Status | Maximum Speed (km/h) | |
| Forward | Reverse | ||
| AB | |||
| Upgraded | 87 | 35 | |
| RB/SB | |||
| Upgraded | 71 | 29 | |
Due to one of the 15 cm gun were being replaced by AA mounts, the Z25 is slightly faster than the tech tree counterpart, the Z32, and more comparable to Z22.
Modifications and economy
2 × 190 / 440 / 50 % 2 × 136 / 136 / 136 % | Seakeeping | Unsinkability | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armament
Primary armament
The main armament of the Z25 comes in the form of 4 powerful 15 cm/48 KC/36 cannons, in 2 single mounts aft and one twin mount at the front. The large calibre of these cruiser guns result in a rather slow reload of 7.5 seconds (with ace crew) and therefore a maximum of 8 rounds per minute. This however is compensated by the large amount of explosive filler and shrapnel the shells release on impact, as well as the noticeably better muzzle velocity retention, giving a much easier time aiming at longer ranges.
The turret traverse of a mere 10°/sec for the single mounts, and 7°/sec for the twin mount encourages a more careful approach to targets at longer range, as a quick turn with the guns at close range is simply not possible.
The HE shell has a TNT equivalent of 3.91 kg and a muzzle velocity of 835 m/s, making it a great choice for medium ranges against destroyers of any kind.
The second shell type, a semi-armour piercing capped shell, has good penetration, a TNT equivalent of 3.32 kg and a muzzle velocity of 835 m/s. Furthermore, this is the only destroyer shell able to reliably threaten a large portion of cruisers at ranges of 5,000 m. An accurate player will be able to ammorack most early interwar cruisers, or at least cripple them severely. The last shell, an explosive round with time fuse, can be used against aircraft if aimed carefully.
| 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 |
| Spgr. L/4.4 Bdz (m.Hb) | SAPBC | 115 | 97 | 74 | 57 | 45 | 35 |
| Spgr. L/4.5 Zt.Z | HE-TF | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 |
| 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 | 835 | 45.5 | 0 | 0.1 | 3.64 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
| Spgr. L/4.4 Bdz (m.Hb) | SAPBC | 835 | 45.5 | 0.015 | 7 | 3.03 | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
| Spgr. L/4.5 Zt.Z | HE-TF | 835 | 44.8 | 0 | 0.1 | 3.64 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
Secondary armament
The Z25 sacrifices one of the 15 cm cannon for extra aerial protection. Other than two twin 3.7 cm FlaK from the Z32 that are placed at the place where the second 15 cm turret were once located, it also featured six single 3.7 cm FlaK mounts, four placed around the ship's second funnel and two on the aforementioned former turret mount. These have a fire rate of 30 round per minute and provide anti-ship capabilities against smaller patrol vessels and ship at close ranges with HE and AP, as well as good anti-air capabilities against low-ceiling planes.
- Universal: AP-T · HEF-I
- 37 mm HE clips: HEF-I · HEF-I · HEF-I · HEF-I · AP-T
- 37 mm APT clips: AP-T · AP-T · AP-T · AP-T · HEF-I
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | ||||||
| 10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
| HEF-I | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| AP-T | 67 | 64 | 53 | 42 | 33 | 26 | |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | ||||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| HEF-I | 845 | 0.62 | 0 | 0.1 | 44.03 | 79° | 80° | 81° | ||||
| AP-T | 815 | 0.7 | - | - | - | 47° | 60° | 65° | ||||
Anti-aircraft armament
In addition to the 37 mm guns, the Z25 also featured four extra 20 mm emplacements (sixteen in total) in the form of dual 2 cm FlaK mounts. All four of which were located in the front. The two quadmounts located in front of the bridge and between the (former) second and third main gun placement. This gives the Z25 an impressive anti-air capabilities for close range encounters, although for longer ranges, this calibre is insufficient.
Other than that, the Z25 also featured a single 2 cm/65 C/38 autocannon mount directly at the front of the first main turret, this gun is nearly identical to that of the 20 cm FlaK.
Additional armament
The Z25 is equipped with basic two quadruple 533 mm G7a torpedo launchers placed at the centre of the ship. This torpedo has a speed of 81 km/h and a maximum range of 6 km. It takes 50 m to arm the torpedo. On-board is 358.4 kg TNT, which causes a significant blow. The range can be extended up to 13 km with torpedo mode modification.
Usage in battles
The Z25 is essentially the Z32 that sacrifices one single 15 cm turret for more secondary and AA mounts. Although it has less broadside firepower than its tech tree counterpart. It still retains its function as an excellent ship, boasting massive firepower bow-on.
Due to its non-existent armour, good muzzle velocity, slow firing and slow traversing guns, the Z25 is best used on medium or long ranges, where evasive manoeuvres can be made and enemies have a harder time hitting you. Following this, the Z25 should not be in the first line of attack, it should be played more like a support, staying further away, and making use of its longer range weaponry. When engaging at close range, the slow rate of fire becomes apparent and multiple enemies from different directions can easily overwhelm the slow reacting destroyer, in these situations a precise shot in the ammorack can do the trick and is much more reliable than with smaller calibres. Furthermore, the large calibre is capable to overcome even the anti-fragmentation armour of American destroyers without losing much of your explosive power, and therefore countering those American vessels.
Having the semi-armour piercing (SAP) shell equipped gives the Z25 another, more unique role, namely the role of a cruiser killer, being one of the few destroyers to be able to do so. Since your destroyer is the definition of a glass cannon, even more when facing cruisers, it is important to stay concealed behind islands or simply by not shooting whilst closing in to a range of around 4-6 km. A few salvoes into the sides of the cruiser where the ammo is located is usually enough for most early interwar cruiser designs like the USS Trenton, the Krasny Kavkaz, or the Köln.
In exchange to one less main gun, Z25 is equipped with a lot of small calibre mounts (ten 37 mm secondary guns and seventeen 20 mm AA guns in total) placed all over the ship. These guns are very deadly against enemy ship at close range (as it can cripple the enemy ship by depleting their crew and occasionally set the enemy ship on fire), various PT boats, and enemy aircraft. While the AI gunners is able to reliably hit the enemy ship, smaller targets such as PT boats and occasionally aircraft may require manual aiming to destroy them. It is advised to use the HE belts for the 37 mm against these targets as it can deal a good amount of damage via fragmentation blast.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- High survivability for a destroyer thanks to its large crew count
- Engine compartment is covered by fuel tanks
- Powerful 15 cm guns
- Secondary armament is effective against aircraft and small vessels
- Long range G7a torpedoes
Cons:
- Protection is still insufficient against most cruisers
- Rear turrets have limited forward elevation angles
- Unsynchronized firing rate: rear guns use ready racks but front turret does not
History
Devblog
The Z25 destroyer of the Type 1936A class was laid down at the beginning of 1939 and launched a year later, soon joining the 8th destroyer flotilla along with other ships of the 1936A series. The destroyer began combat operations as part of the German Baltenflotte to protect Swedish ports from the hypothetical possibility of break through by ships of the Soviet Baltic Fleet from the besieged Leningrad. Shortly thereafter, the Z25 was active in hunting for Arctic convoys in the Barents and White Seas, where it converged with Soviet and British ships. In February 1942, she took part in the famous Operation Cerberus - a daring dash from France to Germany of two German battleships and a cruiser under the cover of a destroyer group along the channel between France and England. Under constant raids by British aircraft and destroyer attacks, the Z25 not only survived, but was not significantly damaged at all. After this brilliant operation, the destroyer returned North to intercept Allied Arctic convoys. After discovering problems with the power plant, the Z25 went to Germany for repairs. From the beginning of 1944 and until the end of the war, she continued to serve in the Baltic Sea, taking part in both combat and evacuation operations.
At the end of April 1945, the destroyer Z25 was decommissioned from service and after the war was transferred to France, where it received the name "Hoche". Here she served for more than 10 years and even underwent a major modernization, but by 1957 the exploitation of the German veteran was recognized as economically unprofitable and the ship was decommissioned soon after. The destroyer was finally scrapped in 1961.
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| Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau Aktiengesellschaft | |
|---|---|
| Destroyers | |
| Type 1934A | Kleber** |
| Type 1936 | Z20 Karl Galster · Z22 Anton Schmitt |
| Type 1936A | Z25 · Marceau*** · Z32 |
| Type 1936B | Z43 |
| Type 1936C | Z46 · Z47 |
| Battleships | |
| Nassau-class | SMS Westfalen* |
| *Previously Aktien-Gesellschaft „Weser" | |
| **Z6 Theodor Riedel before war reparation to France | |
| ***Z31 before war reparation to France | |
| Germany destroyers | |
|---|---|
| Torpedo boats | |
| Type 1924 | Jaguar · Leopard · Luchs |
| Type 1939 | T22 · T31 |
| Destoyers | |
| Type 1934A | Z12 Erich Giese · Z15 Erich Steinbrinck |
| Type 1936 | Z20 Karl Galster · Z22 Anton Schmitt |
| Type 1936A | Z25 · Z32 |
| Type 1936B | Z43 |
| Type 1936C | Z46 · Z47 |
| Germany premium ships | |
|---|---|
| Motor torpedo boats | LS 4 Esau · KM-5 · S-204 Lang · S-701 |
| Minelayers | VS-8 |
| Sub-chasers | M-802 |
| Frigates | Lübeck |
| Destroyers | Jaguar · Luchs · T31 · Z20 Karl Galster · Z25 · Z47 |
| Light cruisers | Karlsruhe |
| Heavy cruisers | Prinz Eugen |
| Battleships | SMS Nassau |
