Difference between revisions of "Soukou-Tei No.4"

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{{Specs-Card|code=jp_abtei_pr4}}
 
 
{{About
 
{{About
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| about = Japanese armored gun boat '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| about = Japanese armoured gun boat '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other uses
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| usage = other versions
 
| link = Soukou-Tei (Family)
 
| link = Soukou-Tei (Family)
 
}}
 
}}
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{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=jp_abtei_pr4
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
 +
}}
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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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<!--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.-->
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (also known as the '''AB-4''') was the first production model Soukou-Tei/AB-Tei which was ready by 1933. After the successful operations of the earlier [[Soukou-Tei (1927)|AB-1 'Sakigake']] and AB-2 'Kachidoki', the armament was updated with Japan's newest equipment switching the machine guns to dual 7.7 mm instead of 6.5 mm and upgrading the [[Type 11 pattern 1922 (37 mm)|37 mm Type 11 infantry gun]] to the [[Type 97 (57 mm)|57 mm ''Type 97'' tank gun]]. The armour was more efficiently welded which provided the same or better armour values with reduced weight which, along with the conversion to a diesel engine, also allowed it to reach higher speeds than its predecessors.
  
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[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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It was introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]]. The AB-4 plays similarly to its earlier prototype the [[Soukou-Tei (1927)|AB-1 'Sakigake']] but is improved in all departments. The AB-4 has better performance, mobility, and firepower than its predecessor, but it still suffers from the limitations of its design for open sea combat. The AB-4 is equipped with two [[Type 89 'special' (7.7 mm)|7.7 mm ''Type 89'' 'special' machine guns]] in dual mounts and a [[Type 97 (57 mm)|57 mm ''Type 97'' tank gun]] that is also used on the [[I-Go Ko|I-Go]] and [[Chi-Ha]]. The AB-4 can operate more independently than the AB-1, but it may still benefit from the assistance of other vessels for towing or escorting. The 7.7 mm machine guns can deal considerable damage to lightly armoured targets, such as patrol boats and aircraft, but have limited range. The 57 mm tank gun can deal excellent damage, but it has accuracy and velocity issues that make it difficult to hit fast-moving or distant enemies.
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{{Break}}
 
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The '''{{specs|name}}''' is a rank {{specs|rank}} Japanese armored gun boat {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]].
 
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
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[[File:Soukou-Tei (1940) next to wreck.png|left|thumb|355x355px|A Soukou-Tei (1940) sailing next to a wrecked Soukou-Tei (1940)]]
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[[File:Soukou-Tei (1940) next to wreck.png|left|thumb|355x355px|A Soukou-Tei sailing next to a wrecked Soukou-Tei]]
  
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and 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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{{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 Soukou-Tei (1940) is likely the first truly armoured boat you'll be unlocking in the tech tree- although not by a huge margin. The superstructure is protected by 7mm of RHA, while the hull is protected by 4mm of RHA. At a few hundred meters this will make you immune from 7.7mm machine gun fire, but everything else can still penetrate this boats armour. at range some heavy machine gun rounds may fail to penetrate as some of the armour will be angled, but in any case it's not something to rely on.{{clear}}  
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The Soukou-Tei No.4 is likely the first truly armoured boat you'll be unlocking in the tech tree- although not by a huge margin. The superstructure is protected by 7 mm of RHA, while the hull is protected by 4 mm of RHA. At a few hundred metres this will make you immune from 7.7 mm machine gun fire, but everything else can still penetrate this boats armour. at range some heavy machine gun rounds may fail to penetrate as some of the armour will be angled, but in any case it's not something to rely on.{{clear}}
  
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[[File:A Soukou-Tei (1940) cruise.png|thumb|355x355px|A Soukou-Tei (1940) cruising a river]]
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[[File:A Soukou-Tei (1940) cruise.png|thumb|355x355px|A Soukou-Tei cruising a river]]
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== 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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{{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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 +
The Soukou-Tei No.4 like the previous boat is very very slow, it can reach exactly the same speed as the Model 1927 (26km/h in RB modes and 35 km/h in AB modes), making it one of the slowest vessels around its battle rating. This can make playing it fairly tedious as it will take a fairly long time to advance to combat ranges on most maps. Its mobility and ability to turn is about as you'd expect, not standout but not terrible, it will lose a lot of speed when turning hard though so be aware of this if you're taking fire.{{clear}}
  
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The Soukou-Tei (1940) like the previous boat is very very slow, it can reach exactly the same speed as the Model 1927 (26kp/h in RB modes and 35 kp/h in AB modes), making it one of the slowest vessels around its battle rating. This can make playing it fairly tedious as it will take a fairly long time to advance to combat ranges on most maps. Its mobility and ability to turn is about as you'd expect, not standout but not terrible, it will lose a lot of speed when turning hard though so be aware of this if you're taking fire.{{clear}}
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=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armament ==
 
== Armament ==
 +
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
 
=== Primary armament ===
 
=== Primary armament ===
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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.-->[[File:Chi-Ha + Soukou-Tei (1940).png|thumb|506x506px|The Soukou-Tei (1940) and Chi-Ha sharing the same 57 mm Type 97 tank gun ]]
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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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[[File:Chi-Ha + Soukou-Tei (1940).png|thumb|506x506px|The Soukou-Tei and Chi-Ha sharing the same 57 mm Type 97 tank gun ]]
 
{{main|Type 97 (57 mm)}}
 
{{main|Type 97 (57 mm)}}
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This boat is equipped with the 57mm Type 97 tank gun, which is functionally very similar to that found on the I-Go Ko and Chi-Ha tanks, though it has some slight ballistic differences. For the Soukou-Tei though it's a fairly underwhelming weapon. It will do significant damage to smaller boats when the shot lands but landing a shot is the hardest part. It comes with three different rounds:
+
 
 +
This boat is equipped with the 57 mm Type 97 tank gun, which is functionally very similar to that found on the I-Go Ko and Chi-Ha tanks, though it has some slight ballistic differences. For the Soukou-Tei though it's a fairly underwhelming weapon. It will do significant damage to smaller boats when the shot lands but landing a shot is the hardest part. It comes with three different rounds:
  
 
* HE - Decent damage output over a fairly wide area
 
* HE - Decent damage output over a fairly wide area
 
* HEAT - Decent damage output over a condensed area, slightly lower velocity
 
* HEAT - Decent damage output over a condensed area, slightly lower velocity
−
* APHE - Very little damage potential  
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* APHE - Very little damage potential
  
−
Overall the stock HE round is the most consistent, it deals a fairly effective amount of damage, and will black out compartments on smaller boats with a single hit. The HEAT contains a lot of explosive filler, but it doesn't spread damage over a wide area, and it's fairly ineffective when compared to the HE, it does have some viability against more armoured vessels though. The APHE is close to useless functionally, it only has slightly more penetration power than the HE and contains less than half the explosive filler, the HEAT will be a better option against armoured targets.{{clear}}  
+
Overall the stock HE round is the most consistent, it deals a fairly effective amount of damage, and will black out compartments on smaller boats with a single hit. The HEAT contains a lot of explosive filler, but it doesn't spread damage over a wide area, and it's fairly ineffective when compared to the HE, it does have some viability against more armoured vessels though. The APHE is close to useless functionally, it only has slightly more penetration power than the HE and contains less than half the explosive filler, the HEAT will be a better option against armoured targets.{{clear}}
  
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[[File:Soukou-Tei (1940) type 89 'special'.png|left|thumb|444x444px|7.7 mm Type 89 'special' machine gun]]
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=== Secondary armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}
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[[File:Soukou-Tei (1940) type 89 'special'.png|left|thumb|444x444px|7.7 mm Type 89 Special machine gun]]
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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.'' -->
 +
{{main|Type 89 (7.7 mm)}}
  
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=== Secondary armament ===
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The Soukou-Tei is also equipped with two twin 7.7 mm turrets. They have very little damage potential against enemy ships unless engaging at very close range. They come with three belts-
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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|Type 92 navy (7.7 mm)}}
 
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The Soukou-Tei is also equipped with two twin 7.7mm turrets, these are the same guns found on the Type T-1 MBT. They have very little damage potential against enemy ships unless engaging at very close range. They come with three belts-
 
  
 
* Universal - A mix between armour piecing and incendiary tracer rounds
 
* Universal - A mix between armour piecing and incendiary tracer rounds
−
* AP - Majority armour piercing  
+
* AP - Majority armour piercing
−
* API - Majority incendiary tracer  
+
* API - Majority incendiary tracer
  
−
Overall the incendiary tracer rounds do the most concistant damage overall to vessels and aircraft, the damage itself is fairly poor, but if you are in a situation where you find yourself needing to use these guns, the API belt is the way to go. Unlike the previous Soukou-Tei model the turrets on this variant have double the elevation, meaning than can be used more effectively against aircraft, a good burst will knock one out.
+
Overall the incendiary tracer rounds do the most consistent damage overall to vessels and aircraft, the damage itself is fairly poor, but if you are in a situation where you find yourself needing to use these guns, the API belt is the way to go. Unlike the previous Soukou-Tei model the turrets on this variant have double the elevation, meaning than can be used more effectively against aircraft, a good burst will knock one out.
  
 
== 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).-->[[File:Soukou-Tei (1940) opening fire (2).png|thumb|541x541px|Soukou-Tei (1940) engaging with its two dual 7.7 mm machine gun turrets.]]
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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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This vessels' playstyle is very very similar to the previous model, the 1927- and in much the same vein, because of all the various drawbacks this vessel has, it's hard to pinpoint a truly effective way to play it, as it just does not excel in any capacity. A safe, and arguably effective way to play it is by using it as an escort for some of the larger ships on your team, this works in theory, but in practice a lot of the large support vessels around this battle rating are almost twice as fast as you, so you'll likely be left lagging behind the group.
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[[File:Soukou-Tei (1940) opening fire (2).png|thumb|541x541px|Soukou-Tei engaging with its two dual 7.7 mm machine gun turrets.]]
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+
This vessel's playstyle is very very similar to the previous model, the 1927- and in much the same vein, because of all the various drawbacks this vessel has, it's hard to pinpoint a truly effective way to play it, as it just does not excel in any capacity. A safe, and arguably effective way to play it is by using it as an escort for some of the larger ships on your team, this works in theory, but in practice a lot of the large support vessels around this battle rating are almost twice as fast as you, so you'll likely be left lagging behind the group.
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In any case though aiming to stay close to friendlies is the best way to keep yourself afloat, you can't take much fire, so you'll need a buffer from your team to help you out, in a one on one engagement you'll likely lose, as you just don't have the accuracy to be able to quickly sink enemy boats at long or close range. You can however, aid some of the larger ships in sinking enemy boats, try to aim for the same targets as your team to contribute to knocking them out. The 57mm is a fairly damaging weapon, so aim to take out the compartments of the enemy boats you come across, the fire rate isn't terrible, and if you have the range you can finish off an enemy boat in 3 or 4 good hits. Even though this boat is an upgrade firepower wise from the Model 1927, being more aggressive and fighting one on one is still a largely inconsistent tactic, and you should still aim to support your friendlies.  
 
  
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Because most if not all friendly vessels will outpace you, try to aim to reach some cover around some commonly traveled areas of the map first, and then team up with any large friendly ships that come close to you afterwards, this allows for you to stay relatively safe for as long as possible. Try not to stray too far from cover or friendlies, you can't reliably engage past 1,000 meters anyway, and if an enemy starts engaging you at range and you're not in cover, there's nothing you can do as you're just too slow to retreat, and lack the consistent firepower to cause much damage. It's important to note here that this boat is largely more effective in AB mode as opposed to RB mode, as the main tedium of playing this boat is aiming the gun, and AB ranges automatically, it still wont excel, but you'll likely notice much better results when playing this mode.
+
In any case though aiming to stay close to friendlies is the best way to keep yourself afloat, you can't take much fire, so you'll need a buffer from your team to help you out, in a one on one engagement you'll likely lose, as you just don't have the accuracy to be able to quickly sink enemy boats at long or close range. You can however, aid some of the larger ships in sinking enemy boats, try to aim for the same targets as your team to contribute to knocking them out. The 57 mm is a fairly damaging weapon, so aim to take out the compartments of the enemy boats you come across, the fire rate isn't terrible, and if you have the range you can finish off an enemy boat in 3 or 4 good hits. Even though this boat is an upgrade firepower wise from the Model 1927, being more aggressive and fighting one on one is still a largely inconsistent tactic, and you should still aim to support your friendlies.
  
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===Modules===
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Because most if not all friendly vessels will outpace you, try to aim to reach some cover around some commonly traveled areas of the map first, and then team up with any large friendly ships that come close to you afterwards, this allows for you to stay relatively safe for as long as possible. Try not to stray too far from cover or friendlies, you can't reliably engage past 1,000 m anyway, and if an enemy starts engaging you at range and you're not in cover, there's nothing you can do as you're just too slow to retreat, and lack the consistent firepower to cause much damage. It's important to note here that this boat is largely more effective in AB mode as opposed to RB mode, as the main tedium of playing this boat is aiming the gun, and AB ranges automatically, it still won't excel, but you'll likely notice much better results when playing this mode.
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{| class="wikitable"
 
−
! Tier
 
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! Seakeeping
 
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! colspan="2" | Unsinkability
 
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! colspan="3" | Firepower
 
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|-
 
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| I
 
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| Dry-Docking
 
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| Tool Set
 
−
|
 
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| Type 92 APHE
 
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| 7.7 mm AP belt
 
−
|
 
−
|-
 
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| II
 
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| Rudder Replacement
 
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| Fire Protection System
 
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| Smokescreen
 
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| Type 3 HEAT
 
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| 7.7 mm API belt
 
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| Auxiliary Armament Targeting
 
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|-
 
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| III
 
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| Propeller Replacement
 
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|
 
−
|
 
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| Improved Rangefinder
 
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|
 
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| Primary Armament Targeting
 
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|-
 
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| IV
 
−
| Engine Maintenance
 
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| New Pumps
 
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|
 
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| Artillery Support
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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<!--Summarize 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".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
 +
 
* High damage from the main gun
 
* High damage from the main gun
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
 +
 
* Very inaccurate main gun
 
* Very inaccurate main gun
 
* Incredibly slow
 
* Incredibly slow
 
* Fairly weak, despite the armour
 
* Fairly weak, despite the armour
 +
* Can't hit anything in wavy waters
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
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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 vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-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></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.'' -->
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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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{{main|Soukou-Tei (Family)|l1=History of the Soukou-Tei-Class}}
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{{main|Soukou-Tei (Family)|l1=History of the Soukou-Tei-class}}
  
 
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
 
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
Line 122: Line 98:
 
File:Soukou-Tei No.3 (2).jpg|No.3 Cruising
 
File:Soukou-Tei No.3 (2).jpg|No.3 Cruising
 
File:Soukou-Tei No.3 (3).jpg|No.3 Cruising
 
File:Soukou-Tei No.3 (3).jpg|No.3 Cruising
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File:Soukou-Tei No.7 + No.?.jpg|No.7 + No.? docked
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File:Soukou-Tei No.7 + No.4.jpg|No.7 + No.4 docked
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File:Soukou-Tei No.7 + No.? (Inf).jpg|No.7 + No.? docked with infantry praising banzai
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File:Soukou-Tei No.7 + No.4 (Inf).jpg|No.7 + No.4 docked with infantry praising banzai
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
 +
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
<!-- Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos. --><gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
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<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_abtei_pr4 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Images
 +
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
 
File:Soukou-Tei (1940) opening fire.png|Soukou-Tei opening fire
 
File:Soukou-Tei (1940) opening fire.png|Soukou-Tei opening fire
 
File:I-Go + Soukou-Tei (1940).png|Soukou-Tei & I-Go sharing the same tank gun
 
File:I-Go + Soukou-Tei (1940).png|Soukou-Tei & I-Go sharing the same tank gun
Line 135: Line 118:
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
+
''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;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
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== External links ==
 
== External links ==
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
−
 
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''encyclopedia page on the ship;''
 
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
  
 
{{Japan boats}}
 
{{Japan boats}}

Latest revision as of 16:02, 22 July 2023

Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
This page is about the Japanese armoured gun boat Soukou-Tei No.4. For other versions, see Soukou-Tei (Family).
Soukou-Tei No.4
jp_abtei_pr4.png
GarageImage Soukou-Tei No.4.jpg
Soukou-Tei No.4
Japan flag.png Japan
II Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
1.3 1.3 1.3
Class:
Research:7 900 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:10 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Soukou-Tei, Soukou-Tei No.4 (also known as the AB-4) was the first production model Soukou-Tei/AB-Tei which was ready by 1933. After the successful operations of the earlier AB-1 'Sakigake' and AB-2 'Kachidoki', the armament was updated with Japan's newest equipment switching the machine guns to dual 7.7 mm instead of 6.5 mm and upgrading the 37 mm Type 11 infantry gun to the 57 mm Type 97 tank gun. The armour was more efficiently welded which provided the same or better armour values with reduced weight which, along with the conversion to a diesel engine, also allowed it to reach higher speeds than its predecessors.

It was introduced in Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy". The AB-4 plays similarly to its earlier prototype the AB-1 'Sakigake' but is improved in all departments. The AB-4 has better performance, mobility, and firepower than its predecessor, but it still suffers from the limitations of its design for open sea combat. The AB-4 is equipped with two 7.7 mm Type 89 'special' machine guns in dual mounts and a 57 mm Type 97 tank gun that is also used on the I-Go and Chi-Ha. The AB-4 can operate more independently than the AB-1, but it may still benefit from the assistance of other vessels for towing or escorting. The 7.7 mm machine guns can deal considerable damage to lightly armoured targets, such as patrol boats and aircraft, but have limited range. The 57 mm tank gun can deal excellent damage, but it has accuracy and velocity issues that make it difficult to hit fast-moving or distant enemies.

General info

A Soukou-Tei sailing next to a wrecked Soukou-Tei

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Main fire tower6 / 6 / 6 mm
Hull2 mm (steel)
Superstructure4 mm (steel)
Number of section3
Displacement18 t
Crew10 people
The Soukou-Tei No.4 is likely the first truly armoured boat you'll be unlocking in the tech tree- although not by a huge margin. The superstructure is protected by 7 mm of RHA, while the hull is protected by 4 mm of RHA. At a few hundred metres this will make you immune from 7.7 mm machine gun fire, but everything else can still penetrate this boats armour. at range some heavy machine gun rounds may fail to penetrate as some of the armour will be angled, but in any case it's not something to rely on.
A Soukou-Tei cruising a river

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB30 / 17 km/h
RB22 / 13 km/h
The Soukou-Tei No.4 like the previous boat is very very slow, it can reach exactly the same speed as the Model 1927 (26km/h in RB modes and 35 km/h in AB modes), making it one of the slowest vessels around its battle rating. This can make playing it fairly tedious as it will take a fairly long time to advance to combat ranges on most maps. Its mobility and ability to turn is about as you'd expect, not standout but not terrible, it will lose a lot of speed when turning hard though so be aware of this if you're taking fire.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB404 → 509 Sl icon.png
RB598 → 754 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications6 950 Rp icon.png
6 730 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost530 Ge icon.png
Crew training3 000 Sl icon.png
Experts10 000 Sl icon.png
Aces125 Ge icon.png
Research Aces160 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
40 / 50 / 100 % Sl icon.png
112 / 112 / 112 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Seakeeping Unsinkability Firepower
Mods new ship hull.png
Dry-Docking
Research:
350 Rp icon.png
Cost:
340 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship rudder.png
Rudder Replacement
Research:
260 Rp icon.png
Cost:
250 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship screw.png
Propeller Replacement
Research:
580 Rp icon.png
Cost:
560 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship engine.png
Engine Maintenance
Research:
750 Rp icon.png
Cost:
730 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mods ship damage control crew.png
Damage Control Division
Research:
350 Rp icon.png
Cost:
340 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods ship fire control crew.png
Fire Division
Research:
260 Rp icon.png
Cost:
250 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
Smokescreen
Research:
260 Rp icon.png
Cost:
250 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship pumps.png
New Pumps
Research:
750 Rp icon.png
Cost:
730 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
57mm_jp_type_97_naval_ap_ammo_pack
Research:
350 Rp icon.png
Cost:
340 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
7.7 mm AP belt
Research:
350 Rp icon.png
Cost:
340 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods new aux caliber turrets.png
Auxiliary Armament Targeting
Research:
260 Rp icon.png
Cost:
250 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
57mm_jp_type_97_naval_heat_ammo_pack
Research:
260 Rp icon.png
Cost:
250 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
7_7mm_lewis_navy_incendiary_ammo_pack
Research:
260 Rp icon.png
Cost:
250 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods new main caliber turrets.png
Primary Armament Targeting
Research:
580 Rp icon.png
Cost:
560 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods ship rangefinder.png
Improved Rangefinder
Research:
580 Rp icon.png
Cost:
560 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods ship art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
750 Rp icon.png
Cost:
730 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png

Armament

Primary armament

Turret57 mm Type 97 pattern 1937 tank cannon
Ammunition200 rounds
Vertical guidance-4° / 14°
The Soukou-Tei and Chi-Ha sharing the same 57 mm Type 97 tank gun
Main article: Type 97 (57 mm)

This boat is equipped with the 57 mm Type 97 tank gun, which is functionally very similar to that found on the I-Go Ko and Chi-Ha tanks, though it has some slight ballistic differences. For the Soukou-Tei though it's a fairly underwhelming weapon. It will do significant damage to smaller boats when the shot lands but landing a shot is the hardest part. It comes with three different rounds:

  • HE - Decent damage output over a fairly wide area
  • HEAT - Decent damage output over a condensed area, slightly lower velocity
  • APHE - Very little damage potential
Overall the stock HE round is the most consistent, it deals a fairly effective amount of damage, and will black out compartments on smaller boats with a single hit. The HEAT contains a lot of explosive filler, but it doesn't spread damage over a wide area, and it's fairly ineffective when compared to the HE, it does have some viability against more armoured vessels though. The APHE is close to useless functionally, it only has slightly more penetration power than the HE and contains less than half the explosive filler, the HEAT will be a better option against armoured targets.

Secondary armament

2 х Turret2 x 7.7 mm Type 89 machine gun
Ammunition3000 rounds
Belt capacity100 rounds
Fire rate700 shots/min
7.7 mm Type 89 Special machine gun
Main article: Type 89 (7.7 mm)

The Soukou-Tei is also equipped with two twin 7.7 mm turrets. They have very little damage potential against enemy ships unless engaging at very close range. They come with three belts-

  • Universal - A mix between armour piecing and incendiary tracer rounds
  • AP - Majority armour piercing
  • API - Majority incendiary tracer

Overall the incendiary tracer rounds do the most consistent damage overall to vessels and aircraft, the damage itself is fairly poor, but if you are in a situation where you find yourself needing to use these guns, the API belt is the way to go. Unlike the previous Soukou-Tei model the turrets on this variant have double the elevation, meaning than can be used more effectively against aircraft, a good burst will knock one out.

Usage in battles

Soukou-Tei engaging with its two dual 7.7 mm machine gun turrets.

This vessel's playstyle is very very similar to the previous model, the 1927- and in much the same vein, because of all the various drawbacks this vessel has, it's hard to pinpoint a truly effective way to play it, as it just does not excel in any capacity. A safe, and arguably effective way to play it is by using it as an escort for some of the larger ships on your team, this works in theory, but in practice a lot of the large support vessels around this battle rating are almost twice as fast as you, so you'll likely be left lagging behind the group.

In any case though aiming to stay close to friendlies is the best way to keep yourself afloat, you can't take much fire, so you'll need a buffer from your team to help you out, in a one on one engagement you'll likely lose, as you just don't have the accuracy to be able to quickly sink enemy boats at long or close range. You can however, aid some of the larger ships in sinking enemy boats, try to aim for the same targets as your team to contribute to knocking them out. The 57 mm is a fairly damaging weapon, so aim to take out the compartments of the enemy boats you come across, the fire rate isn't terrible, and if you have the range you can finish off an enemy boat in 3 or 4 good hits. Even though this boat is an upgrade firepower wise from the Model 1927, being more aggressive and fighting one on one is still a largely inconsistent tactic, and you should still aim to support your friendlies.

Because most if not all friendly vessels will outpace you, try to aim to reach some cover around some commonly traveled areas of the map first, and then team up with any large friendly ships that come close to you afterwards, this allows for you to stay relatively safe for as long as possible. Try not to stray too far from cover or friendlies, you can't reliably engage past 1,000 m anyway, and if an enemy starts engaging you at range and you're not in cover, there's nothing you can do as you're just too slow to retreat, and lack the consistent firepower to cause much damage. It's important to note here that this boat is largely more effective in AB mode as opposed to RB mode, as the main tedium of playing this boat is aiming the gun, and AB ranges automatically, it still won't excel, but you'll likely notice much better results when playing this mode.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • High damage from the main gun

Cons:

  • Very inaccurate main gun
  • Incredibly slow
  • Fairly weak, despite the armour
  • Can't hit anything in wavy waters

History

Main article: History of the Soukou-Tei-class

  • No.3 being lifted

  • No.3 Cruising

  • No.3 Cruising

  • No.3 Cruising

  • No.7 + No.4 docked

  • No.7 + No.4 docked with infantry praising banzai

Media

Skins
Images

  • Soukou-Tei opening fire

  • Soukou-Tei & I-Go sharing the same tank gun

  • Soukou-Tei fighting while coming out of a smoke screen

  • Soukou-Tei's window opened with visible captain

  • Soukou-Tei full side-shot of the river boat

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

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • other literature.


Japan boats
Motor torpedo boats  Type T-1 · Type T-14 · Type T-14 (mod. 1) · Type T-38 · Type T-51a · Type T-51b
  PT-802 · PT-808 · PT-15
Motor gun boats  Ha-Go (mod. 1) · Type 4 (mod. 2) · Type 4 (Mod 4)
  Asagao (YTE-01) · PG 02
Armoured gun boats  Soukou-Tei · Soukou-Tei No.4
Gunboats  Chidori

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