Difference between revisions of "Syonan"

From War Thunder Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
m (Edits)
(Primary armament: +shell table)
 
(21 intermediate revisions by 10 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Specs-Card|code=jp_escort_hiburi_class_syonan}}
+
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=jp_escort_hiburi_class_syonan
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
 +
}}
  
 
== 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.'' -->
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
The '''Hiburi*-class, Shōnan, 1944''' (昭南, [[Abbreviations#.28JP.29_Naval|namesake]]: Singapore island) was one of the many Japanese "Coastal Defense Ships" (Kaibōkan, 海防艦). These ships were small warships that performed tasks such as protecting the coast and escorting convoys. They were similar to American destroyer escorts or British frigates. Shōnan belonged to the 1st Maritime Escort Squadron of the Maritime Escort General Headquarters, and participated in escort missions on high-value "Hi convoys" between Japan and Singapore. On February 25, 1945, Shōnan was torpedoed and sunk by the US submarine USS Hoe (SS-258) during Operation Nan-Go in fleet Hi-92.
{{break}}
+
 
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese sub-chaser {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].
+
It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]]. The Shōnan is a powerful ship that can wreak havoc on smaller vessels and airplanes, but it is vulnerable against destroyers and Shōnan's whole 25 mm ammo depot is in the bow of the ship. It needs careful sailing and distance from enemy MTBs and torpedoes. The plenty of 25 mm cannons are the best weapon for the volume of fire up to 2,000 m. Angling the ship's sides can protect the ammo rack from small AP rounds.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== 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.''
+
{{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.'' -->
 +
[[File:Ammorack Syonan.jpg|thumb|352x352px|All of the ammo racks are below the waterline (marked blue), including both: [[120 mm/45 10th year type (120 mm)|120&nbsp;mm]] (red) and [[25 mm/60 Type 96 (25 mm)|25&nbsp;mm]] (orange) cannons]]
 +
The survivability of the Syonan is heavily dependent on what's engaging it. Its hull is armoured similarly to a Destroyer, with 23 mm of steel. This makes it largely immune from smaller calibre fire and certain smaller HE rounds. The only additional armour protection it has is present around the two main guns, 15 mm of antifragmentation armour, which again protects them against smaller calibre guns somewhat reliably.
 +
 
 +
The Syonan has two main weaknesses though. Firstly its size, because it's so large and slow it will take a huge amount of fire. Not every incoming round will score damage but over time it does all add up. Its size also makes it very vulnerable against torpedoes. The second prominent weakness is that the Syonan is very vulnerable to being ammo racked. This is due to the presence of two very large exposed ammo racks underneath each gun and they can be detonated by a few well placed AP shots, even smaller calibre guns can destroy the ammo rack, so it's important to never present a flat angle of the ammo storage.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== 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.''
+
{{Specs-Fleet-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.'' -->
 +
The Syonan is a relatively slow ship, reaching a max of 36 km/h in RB modes and 55 km/h in AB modes. The real issue though is with its mobility, it's very unresponsive to input and will take a fair while to come to a stop, engage reverse or turn. Safe to say its mobility holds the ship back a bit, as it spawns with the smaller vessels, it's very vulnerable to torpedoes- especially without any mobility upgrades. It also lacks the overall agility to escape from destroyers if caught out in the open.
 +
 
 +
{{NavalMobility}}
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armament ==
 
== Armament ==
 +
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
 
=== Primary 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. 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.''
+
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}
{{main|120 mm/45 Type 3 (120 mm)}}
+
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 +
{{main|120 mm/45 10th year type (120 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
The Syonan is equipped with two 120 mm/45 10th year type cannons for its primary weapon. They do a good amount of damage to smaller boats and reload quickly at 12 rounds a minute on an average crew. The guns also traverse fairly slowly at around 8.5 degrees a second, because of this they're a fairly poor weapon at closer ranges when needing to track small fast boats. These guns do have viability against the larger patrol vessels and destroyers you'll come across and will be your go-to weapon at longer ranges.
 +
{{:120 mm/45 10th year type (120 mm)/Ammunition|120 mm Type 1 HE, 120 mm Type 0 HE}}
  
 
=== Secondary armament ===
 
=== Secondary armament ===
''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.''
+
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}
{{main|Type 96 (25 mm)}}
+
<!-- ''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|25 mm/60 Type 96 (25 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
The Syonan is equipped with 5 triple mountings and one single mounting of the Type 96 25 mm cannon. Against small unarmoured boats, these guns collectively make for an overwhelmingly powerful weapon, the volume of fire will destroy a small boat within a few seconds if the shots connect. The guns have 15 rounds in the magazine, but reload very quickly, and because of this have no overheating time so they can be fired continuously effectively. The guns come with three belts:
 +
 
 +
* Universal- A mix of different HE rounds and an AP round, a decent mix for dealing with all types of craft.
 +
* APT- Predominantly armour piercing rounds, effective against armoured targets.
 +
* HEIT- Full HE belt, very high damage but no armour piercing capability.
 +
 
 +
Overall, the HEIT rounds perform the best, they have a huge damage output and will sink enemy vessels in seconds if a few of the mountings hit, but it's also recommended to take a few AP belts in case you run into an armoured riverboat.
 +
 
 +
=== Additional armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.'' -->
 +
{{main|Type 95 depth charge}}
  
=== Special armament ===
+
The Syonan can carry 14 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. As this ship is large and slow, the only viability these charges have is against enemy MBTs sneaking up behind you, this is a fair rare occurrence, however.
''Depth charges, mines, rocket launchers and missiles are also effective in skilled hands and can take an off-guard opponent by surprise. Evaluate the ammunition of this type of armament and rate its performance in combat. If there are no special armaments, remove this section.''
 
{{main|Type 95 depth charge|Type 95 depth charge}}
 
  
 
== 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).'' -->
 +
[[File:Syonan (1).jpg|thumb|350px]]
 +
First and foremost, the Syonan is a very powerful ship and has the potential to cause incredible damage to the enemy team if in favourable circumstances. It can be devastating against smaller ships, or vessels with little meaningful armour protection, but it's very weak against destroyers and enemy players that know how vulnerable the ammo racks are. Because of this, to be successful, the Syonan needs to be played carefully. Advancing too far into the map can be dangerous, as this allows for enemy MTBs to launch torpedoes at you at close range; as the Syonan is very slow, avoiding torpedoes can be very difficult. Because of this, it's recommended to not sail too close to choke points or cover around the hostile parts of the map as this allows for enemies to easily sneak up on you. In any case, watch MTBs closely, if you see them launch torpedoes, you can correct your course ahead of time to assure the torpedoes miss. It's a good idea to do this anyway just in case torpedoes have been launched without you knowing, so try not to sail straight for too long, as you lack the reactive mobility to alter your course quickly.
 +
 
 +
The most consistent weapon you have access to are the many 25 mm cannons spread all over the vessel, consider using these as your main weapon as they present a much more accurate and damaging weapon collectively than your two main cannons. They can work effectively up to around 2,000 m, any further than this and they will start losing potency. Also, try not to present a flat side angle to your enemies as this makes your ammo rack a very easy target. Try to angle the sides of the ship towards what you're engaging, this will stop some of the smaller calibre AP rounds from penetrating.
  
 
=== 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".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
*
+
* Extremely potent secondary armament
 +
* Can combat both vessels and aircraft effectively
 +
* Fairly survivable
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
*
+
* Relatively ineffective primary armament
 +
* Very easy to ammo rack
 +
* Fairly slow and unmanoeuvrable
 +
* Large target, easy to hit
 +
* No access to the shell chase camera for the primary armament
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
''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).''
+
<!-- ''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).'' -->
 +
Syonan (昭南, name of Singapore under Japanese occupation) is the 11th ship of Mikura class Escort Ship (E20). Currently, she is classified as the 3rd ship of Hiburi-class Escort Ship (E20b).
 +
 
 +
Due to Japanese romanization, there are several variants of the ship's name in English. (Shonan, Shounan, Syounan, Syōnan, Shōnan)
 +
 
 +
She was laid down on 23 February 1944 and launched on 13 July 1944. Since 05 August 1944, she deployed with 1st Maritime Escort Group (海上護衛隊, 1KEg) and escorted several convoys between Singapore to Japan.
 +
 
 +
During the escort of Hi-92 convoy, she was sunk on 25 February 1945 by a torpedo from USS Hoe, SS-258.<ref>[[wikipedia:ja:%E6%98%AD%E5%8D%97_(%E6%B5%B7%E9%98%B2%E8%89%A6)|[Wikipedia.ja] 日振型海防艦 (Hiburi-class escort ship)]]</ref>
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_escort_hiburi_class_syonan Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
''Links to 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;''
 +
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
  
* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
+
;Vessels of similar role
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* [[LCS(L)(3)]]
 +
* [[K2]]
 +
* [[Groza]]
 +
* [[HMS Spey]]
  
 
== 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;''
 +
* ''other literature.'' -->
  
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
+
=== References ===
* ''encyclopedia page on the ship;''
+
<references />
* ''other literature.''
 
  
{{Japan sub-chasers}}
+
{{ShipManufacturer Hitachi Shipbuilding Corporation}}
 +
{{Japan frigates}}

Latest revision as of 13:43, 9 January 2024

Rank VI USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Su-25K Pack
jp_escort_hiburi_class_syonan.png
GarageImage Syonan.jpg
Syonan
AB RB SB
3.3 3.3 3.3
Class:
Research:220 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:640 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Hiburi*-class, Shōnan, 1944 (昭南, namesake: Singapore island) was one of the many Japanese "Coastal Defense Ships" (Kaibōkan, 海防艦). These ships were small warships that performed tasks such as protecting the coast and escorting convoys. They were similar to American destroyer escorts or British frigates. Shōnan belonged to the 1st Maritime Escort Squadron of the Maritime Escort General Headquarters, and participated in escort missions on high-value "Hi convoys" between Japan and Singapore. On February 25, 1945, Shōnan was torpedoed and sunk by the US submarine USS Hoe (SS-258) during Operation Nan-Go in fleet Hi-92.

It was introduced in Update 1.91 "Night Vision". The Shōnan is a powerful ship that can wreak havoc on smaller vessels and airplanes, but it is vulnerable against destroyers and Shōnan's whole 25 mm ammo depot is in the bow of the ship. It needs careful sailing and distance from enemy MTBs and torpedoes. The plenty of 25 mm cannons are the best weapon for the volume of fire up to 2,000 m. Angling the ship's sides can protect the ammo rack from small AP rounds.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull16 mm (steel)
Superstructure4 mm (steel)
Number of section6
Displacement1 004 t
Crew150 people
All of the ammo racks are below the waterline (marked blue), including both: 120 mm (red) and 25 mm (orange) cannons

The survivability of the Syonan is heavily dependent on what's engaging it. Its hull is armoured similarly to a Destroyer, with 23 mm of steel. This makes it largely immune from smaller calibre fire and certain smaller HE rounds. The only additional armour protection it has is present around the two main guns, 15 mm of antifragmentation armour, which again protects them against smaller calibre guns somewhat reliably.

The Syonan has two main weaknesses though. Firstly its size, because it's so large and slow it will take a huge amount of fire. Not every incoming round will score damage but over time it does all add up. Its size also makes it very vulnerable against torpedoes. The second prominent weakness is that the Syonan is very vulnerable to being ammo racked. This is due to the presence of two very large exposed ammo racks underneath each gun and they can be detonated by a few well placed AP shots, even smaller calibre guns can destroy the ammo rack, so it's important to never present a flat angle of the ammo storage.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB50 / 25 km/h
RB36 / 18 km/h

The Syonan is a relatively slow ship, reaching a max of 36 km/h in RB modes and 55 km/h in AB modes. The real issue though is with its mobility, it's very unresponsive to input and will take a fair while to come to a stop, engage reverse or turn. Safe to say its mobility holds the ship back a bit, as it spawns with the smaller vessels, it's very vulnerable to torpedoes- especially without any mobility upgrades. It also lacks the overall agility to escape from destroyers if caught out in the open.

Mobility Characteristics
Game Mode Upgrade Status Maximum Speed (km/h) Turn Time (s) Turn Radius (m)
Forward Reverse
AB Stock ___ ___
Upgraded 50 25
RB/SB Stock ___ ___
Upgraded 36 18

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB9 671 → 12 195 Sl icon.png
RB13 848 → 17 462 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications186 000 Rp icon.png
295 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 900 Ge icon.png
Crew training185 000 Sl icon.png
Experts640 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 400 Ge icon.png
Research Aces620 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
320 / 520 / 100 % Sl icon.png
184 / 184 / 184 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Seakeeping Unsinkability Firepower
Mods new ship hull.png
Dry-Docking
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship rudder.png
Rudder Replacement
Research:
7 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship screw.png
Propeller Replacement
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship engine.png
Engine Maintenance
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
24 000 Sl icon.png
400 Ge icon.png
Mods ship damage control crew.png
Damage Control Division
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods ship fire control crew.png
Fire Division
Research:
7 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
Smokescreen
Research:
7 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship pumps.png
New Pumps
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
24 000 Sl icon.png
400 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
25mm_type96_naval_ap_ammo_pack
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods new aux caliber turrets.png
Auxiliary Armament Targeting
Research:
7 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
25mm_type96_naval_incendiary_ammo_pack
Research:
7 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods he frag dist fuse ship.png
120mm_jp_type0_distant_fuse_naval_he_ammo_pack
Research:
7 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods new main caliber turrets.png
Primary Armament Targeting
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods ship rangefinder.png
Improved Rangefinder
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods depth charge.png
Depth Charges
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods ship art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
24 000 Sl icon.png
400 Ge icon.png
Mods ship mortar.png
Bomb mortar
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
24 000 Sl icon.png
400 Ge icon.png

Armament

Primary armament

Turret120 mm/45 10th year type cannon
Ammunition250 rounds
Vertical guidance-10° / 75°
Turret2 x 120 mm/45 10th year type cannon
Ammunition500 rounds
Vertical guidance-10° / 75°

The Syonan is equipped with two 120 mm/45 10th year type cannons for its primary weapon. They do a good amount of damage to smaller boats and reload quickly at 12 rounds a minute on an average crew. The guns also traverse fairly slowly at around 8.5 degrees a second, because of this they're a fairly poor weapon at closer ranges when needing to track small fast boats. These guns do have viability against the larger patrol vessels and destroyers you'll come across and will be your go-to weapon at longer ranges.

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
120 mm Type 1 HE HE 24 24 24 24 24 24
120 mm Type 0 HE HE-TF 24 24 24 24 24 24
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%
120 mm Type 1 HE HE 850 20.33 0 0.1 1.95 79° 80° 81°
120 mm Type 0 HE HE-TF 850 20.33 0 0.1 1.95 79° 80° 81°

Secondary armament

5 х Turret3 x 25 mm/60 Type 96 automatic cannon
Ammunition4500 rounds
Belt capacity15 rounds
Fire rate261 shots/min
Turret25 mm/60 Type 96 automatic cannon
Ammunition1500 rounds
Belt capacity15 rounds
Fire rate261 shots/min

The Syonan is equipped with 5 triple mountings and one single mounting of the Type 96 25 mm cannon. Against small unarmoured boats, these guns collectively make for an overwhelmingly powerful weapon, the volume of fire will destroy a small boat within a few seconds if the shots connect. The guns have 15 rounds in the magazine, but reload very quickly, and because of this have no overheating time so they can be fired continuously effectively. The guns come with three belts:

  • Universal- A mix of different HE rounds and an AP round, a decent mix for dealing with all types of craft.
  • APT- Predominantly armour piercing rounds, effective against armoured targets.
  • HEIT- Full HE belt, very high damage but no armour piercing capability.

Overall, the HEIT rounds perform the best, they have a huge damage output and will sink enemy vessels in seconds if a few of the mountings hit, but it's also recommended to take a few AP belts in case you run into an armoured riverboat.

Additional armament

Setup 114 x Type 95 depth charge
Setup 224 x Type 95 depth charge
Setup 324 x Type 95 depth charge
14 x Type 95 depth charge
Main article: Type 95 depth charge

The Syonan can carry 14 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. As this ship is large and slow, the only viability these charges have is against enemy MBTs sneaking up behind you, this is a fair rare occurrence, however.

Usage in battles

Syonan (1).jpg

First and foremost, the Syonan is a very powerful ship and has the potential to cause incredible damage to the enemy team if in favourable circumstances. It can be devastating against smaller ships, or vessels with little meaningful armour protection, but it's very weak against destroyers and enemy players that know how vulnerable the ammo racks are. Because of this, to be successful, the Syonan needs to be played carefully. Advancing too far into the map can be dangerous, as this allows for enemy MTBs to launch torpedoes at you at close range; as the Syonan is very slow, avoiding torpedoes can be very difficult. Because of this, it's recommended to not sail too close to choke points or cover around the hostile parts of the map as this allows for enemies to easily sneak up on you. In any case, watch MTBs closely, if you see them launch torpedoes, you can correct your course ahead of time to assure the torpedoes miss. It's a good idea to do this anyway just in case torpedoes have been launched without you knowing, so try not to sail straight for too long, as you lack the reactive mobility to alter your course quickly.

The most consistent weapon you have access to are the many 25 mm cannons spread all over the vessel, consider using these as your main weapon as they present a much more accurate and damaging weapon collectively than your two main cannons. They can work effectively up to around 2,000 m, any further than this and they will start losing potency. Also, try not to present a flat side angle to your enemies as this makes your ammo rack a very easy target. Try to angle the sides of the ship towards what you're engaging, this will stop some of the smaller calibre AP rounds from penetrating.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Extremely potent secondary armament
  • Can combat both vessels and aircraft effectively
  • Fairly survivable

Cons:

  • Relatively ineffective primary armament
  • Very easy to ammo rack
  • Fairly slow and unmanoeuvrable
  • Large target, easy to hit
  • No access to the shell chase camera for the primary armament

History

Syonan (昭南, name of Singapore under Japanese occupation) is the 11th ship of Mikura class Escort Ship (E20). Currently, she is classified as the 3rd ship of Hiburi-class Escort Ship (E20b).

Due to Japanese romanization, there are several variants of the ship's name in English. (Shonan, Shounan, Syounan, Syōnan, Shōnan)

She was laid down on 23 February 1944 and launched on 13 July 1944. Since 05 August 1944, she deployed with 1st Maritime Escort Group (海上護衛隊, 1KEg) and escorted several convoys between Singapore to Japan.

During the escort of Hi-92 convoy, she was sunk on 25 February 1945 by a torpedo from USS Hoe, SS-258.[1]

Media

Skins

See also

Vessels of similar role

External links

References


Hitachi Shipbuilding Corporation (日立造船株式会社)
Escort Boats (小護衛艇)  Ha-Go (mod. 1)
Escort Ships (海防艦) 
Hiburi-class  Syonan

Japan frigates
  IJN
Escort  IJN Syonan
  JMSDF
Destroyer Escort  JDS Akebono · JDS Ikazuchi · JDS Isuzu · JDS Chikugo
Destroyer  JDS Ayanami