Type 4 (mod. 2)
Contents
Description
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The Type 4 (mod. 2), Kuchiku-Tei Ka-Ro is a rank II Japanese sub-chaser
with a battle rating of 1.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy".
General info
Survivability and armour
The Model 2 is not an overly survivable vessel, but slightly more so than other small Japanese boats. It has 13 crewmembers, while most other MTBs and sub chasers in rank I have 7 or 10 crewmembers, so it can take a few more hits than most other contemporary boats. Like many of the other small Japanese boats this vessel is unarmoured, only protected by the 8mm of steel making up its hull. The only advantage it has survivability wise is that its engines are fairly small, so it's possible to still retain propulsion while taking fire, however a few well placed high calibre HE shots or a few magazines of cannon fire will still sink the Model 2.
Mobility
The Model 2 doesn't have the most impressive top speed, (48 kp/h) in RB mode, but its manoeuvrability isn't terrible, it can perform turns and react fairly well, all the while not losing a huge amount of speed from performing maneuvers, this allows the boat to consistently be able to avoid potential danger if it's noticed early enough. Its lack of speed doesn't really hurt the Model 2 much, it's a more defensive vessel and has enough potential speed to reach some effective spots on the map without too much trouble.
Armament
Primary armament
The Model 2 uses the Type 4 37mm naval cannon as its primary weapon, it has a relatively quick reload but an overall unimpressive damage output. It has access to two types of ammunition.
- HE - High explosive, adequate damage output for the calibre of gun.
- APHE - Armour piercing high explosive, very little viability- little to no damage output unless striking a critical component multiple times.
Overall the HE is the round to main when playing the Model 2, the APHE just doesn't do enough reliable damage to make it worth using as a primary round, the HE will cause much more damage structurally. It's only really viable to use at closer ranges as well, it's not the easiest gun to aim at long range and at close range the secondary 20mm cannon will be a more reliable weapon, even against armoured targets.
Secondary armament
The Model 2 is equipped with a single 20mm Type 98 cannon for its secondary weapon. It has a limited firing arc and can only engage enemy vessels from the sides or rear of the boat. Despite this, its a modestly powerful weapon and more reliable than the primary 37mm gun. It works well at close range, and can function adequately up to around 1500 meters, but at this distance it will struggle to do a lot of damage. The magazine contains 20 rounds and reloads very quickly, allowing for a steady stream of fire against enemy vessels or aircraft. It comes with three belts-
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- Universal - A mix of high explosive and armour piercing rounds.
- HET - Majority high explosive rounds
- APT - Majority armour piercing rounds
Overall, the HET type rounds do the most damage consistently to most of the vessels you'll be coming across, so it's best to take a lot of HET belts, though also consider bringing some armour piercing belts in case you come across some more heavily armoured boats, as the 20mm has more penetration with its AP rounds than the APHE shell on the 37mm primary.
Special armament
The Model 2 can carry ten Type 95 depth charges, which can be dropped to maim other naval targets, they have rather limited viability though as most MTBs will be able to outrun the explosion, however they are useful for attacking larger ships, as if you can reach them unnoticed one or two of these depth charges will sink the vessel.
Usage in battles
The Model 2 works best in a more defensive role. As its forward facing primary weapon is inconsistent, and its 20mm secondary is only able to fire at the sides and the rear, aggressive rushes wont be largely effective, as it's very likely you'll run into enemies in blind spots and the few seconds it takes manoeuvring to get your guns on target could very well be fatal. To counter this lack of versatility regarding firepower, hanging around islands or even staying stationary close to the corners of sightlines or cover is a good option, as this allows you to prepare your guns firing angles so that any enemies coming into sight can be reliably fired upon. Your 20mm is your most reliable weapon at taking on enemy boats, always remember to flush the remainder of your magazine after an engagement so you can engage the next enemy with a full magazine, as you're going to want to do as much damage as possible as quickly as possible. Try to avoid open sight lines and stick to cover, as this will allow you to escape from sight and reengage at a more convenient angle. Your speed isn't the most impressive, so try and avoid rushing far into the map, as you'll lack the speed to retreat fast enough, and you'll likely run into fast enemy boats out of cover, where they will be able to out manoeuver your guns; play with a defensive mindset and you should get some good results.
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Pros and cons
Pros:
- Decently maneuverable
- Versatile armament
- Fast overall reload speed
Cons:
- Poor primary weapon performance
- Poor firing arc for the 20mm
- Relatively slow
- Struggles in uptiers
History
The Karo-Tei Type 2 sub-chaser was developed in the later stages of WW2 and commissioned into service in 1944. The vessel’s primary task was to protect the Japanese naval bases at Okinawa and the Philippines from light allied assaults and submarines in particular. The vessel only saw limited use due to the ever worsening war situation for Japan at the time.
- From Devblog
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
See also
Links to the 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
| Japan sub-chasers | |
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