IJN Suzuya

IJN Suzuya

IJN Agano

IJN Mogami

IJN Suzuya

IJN Agano

IJN Mogami

Japan

V Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
6.0	6.0	6.0

Class:

Light cruiser

Research:125 000

Purchase:360 000

Show in game

This page is about the Japanese light cruiser IJN Suzuya. For other uses, see Mogami (Family).

Description

The Mogami-class, IJN Suzuya, 1937 is a rank V Japanese cruiser with a battle rating of 6.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.95 "Northern Wind".

General info

Survivability and 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.

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.

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. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.

Secondary armament

Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control Select secondary weapon. 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.

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 Select anti-aircraft weapons. 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.

Torpedo armament

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.

Usage in battles

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Modules

Tier	Seakeeping	Unsinkability		Firepower
I	Dry-Docking	Tool Set		155 mm Type 91 APHE	Anti-Air Armament Targeting
II	Rudder Replacement	Fire Protection System	Smokescreen	127 mm Type 1 HE	Auxiliary Armament Targeting
III	Propeller Replacement	Shrapnel Protection	Ventilation	Improved Rangefinder	Primary Armament Targeting
IV	Engine Maintenance	New Pumps	Ammo Wetting

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Features the same hull as the Mogami heavy cruiser; able to withstand a fair amount of enemy fire before sinking
• Lots of guns (5 turrets with 3 guns in each turret)
• 24 Long Lance torpedoes

Cons:

• Like most Japanese cruisers, very weak anti aircraft armament
• Wide hull makes evading enemy torpedoes difficult as it takes some time to maneuver the ship
• Torpedo arcs are limited, have to show almost full broadside to launch torpedoes. Better rear angles than forward.

History

The IJN Suzuya was the third of four Mogami-class heavy cruisers built for the Imperial Japanese navy. To comply with the regulations of the Washington Naval Treaty, she was classified as a light cruiser and built with fifteen 6-inch (152 mm) guns. However, the ship was designed from the outset to be armed with dual 8-inch (203 mm) turrets, which were refitted onto the ship in 1937. Suzuya served extensively in the Second World War, participating in major conflicts such as the Battle of Midway, Solomon islands campaign and Battle of the Philippine sea. Suzuya met her end at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, where she was crippled by American torpedo bombers and subsequently abandoned.

Design and construction

Suzuya was the third of four Mogami-class cruisers. To comply with the Washington Naval Treaty, she was initially classified as a light cruiser with an official displacement of 8500 tons. However, she was designed from the outset to be refitted with 8-inch (203 mm) guns and made into a heavy cruiser in a later refit. Her main armament consisted of fifteen 6-inch (152 mm) guns in five triple turrets, giving her one of the heaviest broadsides of any Treaty cruiser. She was also fitted with moderate anti-aircraft protection and four triple torpedo tube launchers carrying the deadly type 93 “Long Lance” torpedoes.

Suzuya was launched on November 20th 1934 at a ceremony attended by Emperor Hirohito. She was completed in January of 1936 but was immediately drydocked to allow her hull to be reinforced. She entered service in late 1937, but was immediately drydocked again to be refitted with her intended armament of ten 8-inch (203 mm) guns in five dual mounts. In-game, Suzuya appears in her pre-modification light cruiser configuration.

Operational history

IJN Suzuya during sea trials, 1935

Following her rearmament, which was completed by December 30th 1939, Suzuya was assigned to the 7th Cruiser Division of the Japanese 2nd fleet, along with her sister ships Mogami, Mikuma and Kumano. Before the war, she served primarily in the South China Sea, as well as the occupation of French Indochina. At the time of the Pearl Harbour attack, she was covering the invasion of Malaya; she was subsequently part of a task force hunting for the British Force Z (consisting of the battleship Prince of Wales, battlecruiser Repulse and escorting destroyers), but proved unsuccessful in locating her target; the ships were eventually sunk by Japanese torpedo bombers.

From April 1st 1942, Suzuya participated in commerce raiding in the Indian ocean, intercepting and destroying several Allied merchantmen. She went on to serve at the Battle of Midway, where she intended to shell the island in preparation for the Japanese invasion; this order was called off. She saw extensive service escorting the Japanese carrier fleet during the Solomon islands campaign, and participated in the bombing of Henderson Field at Guadalcanal. She was attacked by American torpedo-bombers, but survived unscathed.

In mid-1944, Suzuya was part of the cruiser squadron escorting the Japanese carrier fleet on the Marianas campaign; however, American aircraft decimated the Japanese air group in the ‘Great Marianas Turkey Shoot’, resulting in the crippling of Japan’s remaining carrier air group. She met her own demise just three months later, at the Battle of Leyte Gulf; attacked by American aircraft, a bomb near-miss caused her No. 1 torpedo tube, laden with Long Lance torpedoes, to explode. The resulting fire caused severe damage, and she was abandoned. Suzuya was removed from the navy list in December of 1944. Her wreck has never been found, and is believed to lie at a depth of almost 9 kilometres.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

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

Works Cited

• Chen, C. (2007, October). Heavy Cruiser Suzuya. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from https://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=40
• Hackett, B., & Kingsepp, S. (2018). IJN SUZUYA: Tabular Record of Movement. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from http://www.combinedfleet.com/suzuya_t.htm

Japan light cruisers
Kuma-class	IJN Tama
	IJN Yubari*
Nagara-class	IJN Isuzu
Sendai-class	IJN Sendai
Agano-class	IJN Agano
Mogami-class	IJN Mikuma · IJN Suzuya
	* Unique ship