Ship:Des Moines

14.8

Des Moines

Cruiser | U.S.A. | Tier X

Tech Tree Position

General

Research price237500 exp

Purchase price19,800,000

Hit Points50,600

Main Battery

203 mm/55 RF Mk.16 in a turret3 х 3 pcs.

Rate of Fire10.9 shots/min

Reload Time5 sec

Rotation Speed6 deg/sec

180 Degree Turn Time30 sec

Firing Range15.8 km

Maximum Dispersion142 m

HE Shell203 mm HE/HC Mk25

Maximum HE Damage2,800

Chance of Fire14 %

Initial HE Velocity823 m/s

HE Shell Weight118 kg

AP Shell203 mm AP Mk21

Maximum AP Shell Damage5,000

Initial AP Shell Velocity762 m/s

AP Shell Weight152 kg

Secondary Armament #1

127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount6 х 2 pcs.

Firing Range7.3 km

Rate of Fire10 shots/min

Reload Time6 sec

HE Shell127 mm HE Mk32

Maximum HE Shell Damage1,800

Initial HE Shell Velocity792 m/s

Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell5 %

AA Defense

20 mm Oerlikon on a Mk.4 mount12 х 1 pcs.

76.2 mm/50 Mk.22 on a Mk.33 mount12 х 2 pcs.

127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount6 х 2 pcs.

Maneuverability

Maximum Speed33 knot

Turning Circle Radius770 m

Rudder Shift Time8.6 sec

Concealment

Surface Detectability Range13.4 km

Air Detectability Range7.9 km

Battle Levels

12345678910

X

19,800,000

Des Moines — American Tier X cruiser.

The heavy cruisers designed during World War II became the epitome of their class, making them the most formidable and powerful U.S. heavy cruisers in history. After the development of a 152 mm automatic gun, the U.S. Navy High Command placed an order for a similar gun but with a caliber of 203 mm. New cruisers were to be equipped with triple-gun turrets featuring the aforementioned 203 mm guns and fitted with a thick armored deck for protection against aerial bomb attacks. USS Des Moines conducted various diplomatic and representative missions. She was also used for training cadets and in naval exercises.

Modules

	Rate of Fire (shots/min)	180° Turn Time (sec)	Maximum Dispersion (m)	Maximum HE Shell Damage (HP)	Chances of HE shells causing a fire on target (%)	Maximum AP Shell Damage (HP)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
203 mm/55 RF Mk.16 in a turret	10.9	30	142	2,800	14	5,000		0	2,000,000

	Hit Points (HP)	Armor (mm)	Armor (mm)	Main Turrets (pcs.)	Secondary Gun Turrets (pcs.)	AA Mounts (pcs.)	Torpedo Tubes (pcs.)	Hangar Capacity (pcs.)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Des Moines	50,600	6	203	3	6	12/12/6				0	2,900,000

	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SUO_INCREASE_DIST (%)	Maximum Firing Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Mk10 mod. 1		0		0	1,800,000

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 120,000 hp	33		0	1,600,000

Compatible Upgrades

Slot 1
Slot 2
Slot 3
Slot 4
Slot 5
Slot 6

Player Opinion

Performance

Warning: The data presented in the AA Defense sidebar section may be incorrect.
Refer to the in-game Port screens for more useful data.

Only a handful of high tier cruisers are known to have absurd firing rates: Smolensk, Neptune, Minotaur, Plymouth, Seattle, Worcester, Austin, Salem, Colbert, and this heavy cruiser. It is no surprise that due to her being the last all-gun cruiser made, she has all the lessons learned from her cruiser predecessors in the Second World War incorporated in her design. A very noticeable trait on Des Moines is her absurd rate of fire for a heavy cruiser, with each turret reloading at 5.5 seconds, making her extremely deadly to destroyers within radar range and other cruisers. She also can whittle down battleships quickly and, with her impressive AA suite, wipe out carrier strike squadrons with ease. However, she is extremely fragile: her thin armor makes her susceptible to penetration from most Tier IX and Tier X battleships at all ranges.

While Des Moines has impressive firepower and AA, her maneuverability is mediocre and her armor is okay at best. With a standard cruiser speed of 33 kts and fast base rudder shift time of 8.6 seconds, Des Moines can evade incoming shells and torpedoes relatively well. However, while she can turn well, the speed loss on turning is massive enough to make her an easy target for any other ship with their guns loaded and ready. With her 30mm midsection(same as zao and hindenburg), it makes her vulnerable to bb shells of 431mm and above, also, the bow is 27mm, which is vulnerable to 406mm guns and above. Additionally, because of how flat her stern is designed in comparison to the other Tier X heavy cruisers, this makes her extremely susceptible to enemy battleship AP shells being able to penetrate her citadel through her stern.

In contrast to her weak points, the Des Moines high shell arc and gun layout gives her a unique advantage that her cruiser colleagues at her tier lack and as such she is capable of weighing anchor behind an island and lob shells over the island at distant targets with relative safety. Should the island be too tall, one can also park the ship around the corner of an island while bow on to act as a deterrent to advancing enemy ships, while presenting a relatively small profile. Exploiting this technique allows one to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Additionally, firing AP shells at bigger targets such as battleships can deal a surprising amount of damage in such a short time. However, it is recommended to do so only when she is close enough to have the rounds deal maximum penetration or if the target is broadside. Furthermore, given her rate of fire and decent fire chance, this makes Des Moines a deadly flamethrower to battleships within reach.

Overall, unlike most other Tier X cruisers, Des Moines cannot fight as effectively on open water due to her mediocre armor, slow shell velocity, and speed loss when turning. If the player has mounted the Legendary Upgrade Enhanced Propulsion Plant (), then Des Moines can become a very agile ship that will prove extremely difficult to hit, provided the player can use their speed and rudder accordingly. But should they play without said upgrade, then a more safe approach for each game would be to play defensively during the initial stages of the game, while becoming more aggressive slowly towards the end. But in general, how aggressive the player should be depends upon the flow of the battle.

Pros:

• An insane rate of fire for such heavy guns.
• High shell arcs make firing over islands easier.
• AP SHS (super-heavy shells) can retain pen and with American Heavy Cruiser ricochet angles(60-67.5) and can tear up almost everything, especially in close.
• A mediocre AA suite that turns solid when the Defensive AA Fire consumable is activated.
• Contrary to the sidebar data on this page, Des Moines's long-range AA artillery reaches out to 5.8km.
• 27mm armor protects against 15-inch guns, 30mm midsection protects against 16 inch guns; citadel is protected by a thick 152mm belt and a 127mm transverse bulkhead, allowing her to tank many battleships if sufficiently angled.
• Medium ranged (10km) and long-lasting Surveillance Radar .

Cons:

• Short ranged main battery with a stock reach of 15.8km.
• High shell arcs make hitting targets at range tricky.
• No torpedoes.
• Citadel is above water and easy to hit when showing broadside, and all 431mm or larger guns can overmatch her armor.
• Poor torpedo defense (7%).
• Anti-aircraft armament easily destroyed and rendered useless against aerial attacks.
• Mediocre agility.

Research

As a tier X ship, Des Moines has no modules to research.

Annapolis is researched off Des Moines at a cost of 1 XP.

Optimal Configuration

Des Moines can support several build variation. The maximum AA build is detailed separately.

Upgrades

Gunship build

• Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1 keeps the guns firing.
• Slot 2: Damage Control System Modification 1  or Surveillance Radar Modification 1 if it is available.
• Slot 3: See below
• Slot 4: Propulsion Modification 1  *
• Slot 5: Concealment System Modification 1 
• Slot 6: See below.

Gunship builds pose a dilemma. Increasing rate of fire with Main Battery Modification 3 in Slot 6 practically demands Main Battery Modification 2 in Slot 3, due to the already quite slow turret traverse. When working in close, a slow turret can more than offset the increase in firepower. For PvE play, this is the build to take.

In contrast, Gun Fire Control System Modification 2 in Slot 6 changes the equation. Due to the increasing dispersion at range and lack of a turret traverse penalty, Aiming Systems Modification 1 is called for in Slot 3. This option stretches her range out to 18.4km, on par with Moskva and Hindenburg.

Des Moines also has access to a Unique Upgrade: Enhanced Propulsion Plant () for Slot 6, which decreases her rudder shift and halves the time taken to accelerate to full speed. With this upgrade and Propulsion Modification 1 , Des Moines can accelerate from 0-27kts in about 8 seconds — most useful when exploiting terrain or open water dodging, this is by far the best modification to take.

Anti-aircraft build

Before including any AA elements in a ship build, captains should consider that facing an enemy aircraft carrier is not guaranteed in most game modes such as random battles. For this reason, AA builds should be considered less versatile than gunboat builds.

• Slot 1: Auxiliary Armaments Modification 1 to protect her AA armament.
• Slot 2: Defensive AA Fire Modification 1 – Special Upgrade
• Slot 3: AA Guns Modification 1  *
• Slot 5: Concealment System Modification 1  – 6.4km detection by air with all modifiers
• Slot 6: Auxiliary Armaments Modification 2

AA Guns Modification 1 for Slot 3 lowers the priority sector prep time (cooldown) from 10 seconds to 8 seconds, so another choice in this slot is justifiable.

Commander Skills

Recommended Commander Skills
Cost (points)	Attack				Defense
1	Grease the Gears +15% main battery traverse speed. ★★★	Swift Fish +5% torpedo speed.	Consumable Specialist −7.5% cooldown time of all Consumables except:  Damage Control Party   Repair Party .	Gun Feeder -40% time to switch shell type. ★★★	Incoming Fire Alert Receive a warning of a salvo fired at your ship from more than 4.5km.	Last Stand The ship remains able to move and maneuver - slowly - while the engine or steering gears are incapacitated.
2	Demolition Expert +1% chance of main and secondary HE shells causing a fire. +15% to the fragmentation damage area of HE ordnance fired at submarines. ★	Fill the Tubes -10% torpedo tubes reload time.	Consumables Enhancements +10% action time of Hydroacoustic Search, Surveillance Radar, Smoke Generator, & Engine Boost. ★★	Eye in the Sky Spotting Aircraft: • +2 charges • -50% cooldown time. ★	Priority Target The detection indicator will show the number of enemies targeting you with main battery. ★★	Focus Fire Training In an active priority AA sector: •  +1.5% (to 5%) immediate damage. •  +25% continuous damage. •  +1 flak burst per salvo. −10% aircraft preparation time. −15% reload time of Airstrike armament.. ★
3	Heavy HE and SAP Shells +10% HE and SAP shell damage. +15% ship detectability guns 149mm and up.	Pack a Punch +15% torpedo damage. +20% secondary battery range..	Adrenaline Rush -0.2% reload time of all armaments per 1% HP lost +0.2% AA continuous damage per 1% HP lost. ★★★	Heavy AP Shells +5% damage for AP shells 190mm and larger. ★★	Superintendent +1 charge to all consumables. ★★★	Survivability Expert +450 HP per ship tier. ★★
4	Top Grade Gunner -10% reload time of secondary batteries If enemy ship is spotted within detectability range, -8% reload time of main battery. ★★★	Outnumbered If there are fewer allies than visible enemies within the ship's base main caliber firing range: +8% ship speed -10% main battery dispersion.	Radio Location Shows the direction to the nearest enemy ship. The enemy is alerted that a bearing has been taken.. ★	Inertial Fuse for HE Shells +25% armor penetration of HE shells Base fire chance reduced by half.	Concealment Expert -10% detectability range of the ship. ★★★	AAA & ASW Expert +25% continuous AA and flak damage. +15% damage inflicted by depth charges. While AAA is active: −50% ship consumables reload time..
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful      ★★ - Frequently Useful      ★ - Occasionally Useful     No stars - Not Useful

Consumables

Des Moines can equip the following consumables:

• Slot 1: Damage Control Party 
• Slot 2: Defensive AA Fire  or Hydroacoustic Search 
• Slot 3: Surveillance Radar  or Catapult Fighter  or Spotting Aircraft  *
• Slot 4: Repair Party 

For a short range gunship build, Spotting Aircraft  can be useful, especially combined with Eye in the Sky. However, playing forward, the better alternative is Surveillance Radar .

For a long range gunship build, radar is less important and long-duration Hydroacoustic Search  (with upgrade Hydroacoustic Search Modification 1 may be preferable, as might Catapult Fighter.

For an Anti-aircraft build, take Defensive AA Fire. And for maximum effect, Catapult Fighter .

Signals

Recommended Signal Flags
Combat
Charlie Kilo +5% ship HP; +2.5% squadron HP.	Juliet Yankee Bissotwo -20% to flooding duration.	India Yankee -20% to fire duration. ★★	Hotel Yankee -20% to damage received when ramming the enemy. +50% to damage dealt when ramming the enemy. ★	Victor Lima +1% chance for HE bombs and shells with a caliber above 160mm causing a fire. +0.5% chance for bombs and smaller shells causing a fire. +4% chance of torpedoes causing flooding. ★★★	India X-Ray +1% chance for HE bombs and shells with a caliber above 160mm causing a fire. +0.5% chance for bombs and smaller shells causing a fire. ★★★
Juliet Whiskey Unaone +15% chance of causing flooding.	Mike Yankee Soxisix +5% to secondary battery maximum firing range. -5% to maximum dispersion of secondary battery shells. -5% to secondary battery loading time.	November Echo Setteseven +5% continuous AA damage at all ranges. +5% damage from flak bursts. ★★★	Sierra Mike +5% to the ship's maximum speed. ★★	November Foxtrot -5% reload time on all consumables. ★★★	India Delta +20% to the amount of HP recovered when Repair Party  is used. ★★★
X-Ray Papa Unaone +10% action time of a Smoke Generator .	Sierra Bravo +10% action time of Hydroacoustic Search  -10% reload time of Defensive AA Fire .

Gallery

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  A sinking Montana provides a meat shield for both his friendly Riga and the enemy Des Moines during a Succession League brawl.

Historical Info

Des Moines was launched 27 September 1946 by Bethlehem Steel Company, Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts; sponsored by Mrs. E. T. Meredith, Jr.; and commissioned 16 November 1948, Captain A. D. Chandler in command. She became the first of her class to mount the semi-automatic Mark 16 8 inch turrets and carry the new Sikorsky HO3S-1 utility helicopters in place of seaplanes. It was named after the capital of the state of Iowa.

In a varied operating schedule designed to maintain the readiness of the Navy to meet the constant demands of defense and foreign policy, Des Moines cruised from her home port at Newport, Rhode Island and after 1950, from Norfolk, Virginia on exercises of every type in the Caribbean, along the East Coast, in the Mediterranean Sea, and in North Atlantic waters. Annually between 1949 and 1957 she deployed to the Mediterranean, during the first seven years serving as flagship for the 6th Task Fleet (known as the 6th Fleet from 1950). In 1952, and each year from 1954 to 1957, she carried midshipmen for summer training cruises, crossing to Northern European ports on the first four cruises. She also sailed to Northern Europe on NATO exercises in 1952, 1953, and 1955. On 18 February 1958, she cleared Norfolk for the Mediterranean once more, this time to remain as flagship for the 6th Fleet until July 1961 when was placed out of commission in reserve.

Through her Mediterranean services Des Moines contributed significantly to the success of the 6th Fleet in representing American power and interests in the countries of Southern Europe, Northern Africa, and the Near East. She made this contribution through such activities as her participation in NATO Mediterranean exercises; her call to seldom-visited Rijeka, Yugoslavia, in December 1950 and Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia, in May 1960, and to many other ports as a regular feature of her schedule; her cruising in the eastern Atlantic during the wake of the Suez Crisis of 1956; and service on patrol and as control center for American forces in the Lebanon crisis of 1958. Film footage of her cruising with other ships of the United States 6th Fleet was used in the introduction and conclusion of the movie: "John Paul Jones" starring Robert Stack (Warner Brothers-1959).

After decommissioning in 1961 she was mothballed in the South Boston Naval Annex and eventually laid up in the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility at Philadelphia in maintained reserve. In 1981 the United States Congress directed that the Navy conduct a survey to determine if she and sister ship USS Salem (CA-139) could be reactivated (in lieu of two Iowa-classs battleships) to support the 600-ship Navy proposed by the Reagan Administration. The study concluded that while both ships would be useful in the active fleet, there was not enough deck space to add the modern weapons fit (Tomahawk cruise missiles, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, Phalanx CIWS mounts, radars and communication systems) that the ships would need to operate in a 1980's environment. In addition, the per-ship costs for the reactivations and updates (that were determined feasible) would be close to the costs for an Iowa, for a much less capable ship. Therefore, both ships remained in maintained reserve until they were struck off the reserve list in August 1993. After an attempt to turn her into a museum ship in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, failed — Salem did become a museum ship , however — she was sold in 2005, and then towed to Brownsville, Texas, for scrapping. By July 2007, she had been completely broken up. Her status officially changed to "disposed of by scrapping, dismantling" on 16 August 2007. Two of her dual 5"/38 gun mounts were donated to the USS Lexington (CV-16) museum in Corpus Christi, TX, where they can now be seen on display.

Her sister ship USS Newport News (CA-148) was scrapped in New Orleans in 1993. The third Des Moines-class ship, the USS Salem (CA-139), is a museum ship in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Historical Inaccuracies

• Des Moines was never camouflaged as it was commissioned after World War II. After the war the navy adopted the peacetime color of Light Gray overall.
• Permanent camouflage resembles the Measure 31/16d scheme, which is actually the historical camouflage of the Baltimore-class heavy cruiser.

Historical Gallery

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References

• USS Des Moines (CA-134) - Wikipedia
• Des Moines-class cruiser - Wikipedia
• Squall Line: Des Moines - News - World of Warships
• Armada - USS Des Moines - World of Warships Official Channel - YouTube
• Sep

Ship Change Log

• Available for testing by supertesters in the game starting from Update 0.1.2 (alpha version).
• Update 0.3.1:
  • Repair Party consumable added.
• Update 0.5.1:
  • The number of charges of the "Catapult fighter I" / "Spotting aircraft I" consumable was increased to 4 ( "Catapult fighter II" / " Spotting aircraft II" - up to 5).
  • Armor thickness increased by 2 mm (from 25 to 27 mm).
  • 203 mm AP shells' ricochet angles improved from 45 - 60 degrees to 60 - 67.5 degrees.
• Update 0.5.2:
  • Experience earnings increased by 9%.
• Update 0.5.4.1:
  • Radar consumable added.
• Update 0.5.8:
  • The hull armor model was refined.
• Update 0.6.1:
  • Main battery reload time decreased from 6 to 5.5 s.
• Update 0.6.3:
  • Sigma increased from 2.0 to 2.05 σ.
  • Fixed minor visual bugs at low and medium settings.
• Update 0.6.4:
  • The armor thickness of the deck was increased from 27 to 30 mm.
  • The appearance was improved.
• Update 0.6.8:
  • The range of the secondary battery was increased from 5 to 6 km.
  • Fixed a bug with the display of the third gun on Des Moines silhouette.
• Update 0.6.12:
  • Detectability when firing main guns in smoke changed to 8.18 km.
  • Detection range of the Curtiss SC-2 aircraft was increased from 4 km to 7 km in air, and to 8 km by sea.
• Update 0.6.13:
  • Fire extinguishing time now 30 s instead of 60 s.
  • The survivability of air defense weapons was tested and brought to a single standard. The change affects the 76.2 mm guns.
• Update 0.6.14:
  • The appearance of air defense installations was updated. The changes do not affect the game balance in any way.
• Update 0.7.1:
  • Fixed geometry and textures of the ship. These changes do not affect the in-game characteristics of the ship.
• Update 0.7.3:
  • Added a special space camouflage. Camouflage can be purchased in the game client for 8,000 doubloons until the release of update 0.7.4.
• Update 0.7.10:
  • The range of the Hydroacoustic Search consumable was unified - 5 km for detecting ships, 3.5 km for detecting torpedoes.
• Update 0.9.2:
  • Changed armor thickness: side armor increased from 27 mm to 30 mm.
• Update 0.9.5:
  • Small changes to geometry and textures.
• Update 0.9.6:
  • The value of the in-game turning circle radius was changed to 770 m to correct prior discrepancy.
• Update 0.9.8:
  • Minor fixes to textures and geometry of the ship.
• Update 0.9.9:
  • Fixed the artillery camera.
• Update 0.10.0:
  • The firing range of the secondary battery was increased to 7.3 km.
• Update 0.10.3:
  • The rearward firing angles of the bow guns were corrected - now both are 149 degrees.
• Update 0.11.4:
  • Surveillance Radar consumable action time decreased from 40 to 35 s.
  • Surveillance Radar consumable is now the default consumable option for the slot.
  • Minor fixes to geometry and textures of the ship.
• Update 13.4:
  • Fixed an issue that prevented the horn on the ship from working while the Bionic permanent camouflage was equipped.

Ships of U.S.A.

Cruisers