The Z46 was a German destroyer from World War II, belonging to the Zerstörer 1936 Type C class. This class was developed in response to the shortcomings of the previous Type A and Type B destroyers, which lacked adequate anti-aircraft weaponry and thus provided limited defense against Allied aircraft. Since there was no room to add more dedicated AA guns, the solution was to implement a dual-purpose weapon system that could serve both as naval artillery and for anti-aircraft defense. For this purpose, the 12.8 cm Flak 40 was installed in twin mounts. Instead of the single gun turrets used on earlier designs, the Type C featured three dual-purpose turrets.

The rest of the ship’s design remained largely unchanged from the Type B. A total of five ships were planned under the Type C designation: Z46, Z47, Z48, Z49, and Z50. In 1942, construction of Z46 and Z47 began at the Deschimag shipyard in Bremen. However, progress was slow due to shortages of copper and repeated damage from Allied bombing raids. In 1944, construction of both ships was permanently halted, and they were ultimately scrapped in 1945. The remaining three ships were ordered, but construction never commenced.

The Z46 was added to the game with Update 2.27 "La Royale." The ship's main battery, consisting of three twin 12.8 cm Flak 40 turrets, offers a good rate of fire and solid damage output. However, its ammunition supply is limited for extended engagements, but is usually sufficient under normal conditions. There is also a difference to the Z47 in the armament: the Z46 in the game has 2 dual-mounted 3.7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36, 3 quad-mounted 2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38, two2 cm/65 C/38 compared to the Z47, which has 7 dual-mounted 3.7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36, 2 dual-mounted 2 cm/65 Flakzwilling 38, 2 quad-mounted 2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38. The Z46 has weaker secondary armament but can carry mines as well as torpedoes, unlike the Z47. The Z46 also offers decent speed, but has problems with maneuverability in tight turns. Overall, the Z46 is a reliable and powerful destroyer.