Ship:Z-44

14.8

Z-44

Destroyer | Germany | Tier IX

Tech Tree Position

General

Purchase priceSpecial

Hit Points19,400

Main Battery

128 mm/45 SK C/34 on an MPLC/34 mount5 х 1 pcs.

Rate of Fire14.3 shots/min

Reload Time4 sec

Rotation Speed8 deg/sec

180 Degree Turn Time22.5 sec

Firing Range11.1 km

Maximum Dispersion98 m

HE Shell128 mm Spr.Gr.

Maximum HE Damage1,500

Chance of Fire6 %

Initial HE Velocity830 m/s

HE Shell Weight28 kg

AP Shell128 mm P.Spr.Gr.

Maximum AP Shell Damage3,000

Initial AP Shell Velocity830 m/s

AP Shell Weight28 kg

Torpedo Tubes

533 mm Fünfling2 х 5 pcs.

Rate of Fire0.7 shots/min

Reload Time85 sec

Rotation Speed  deg/sec

180 Degree Turn Time7.2 sec

TorpedoG7a T1 Ausf. C

Maximum Damage13,700

Torpedo Speed64 knot

Torpedo Range12 km

AA Defense

30 mm/45 Flak 103/38 on a quadruple mount7 х 4 pcs.

Maneuverability

Maximum Speed36.5 knot

Turning Circle Radius670 m

Rudder Shift Time4.4 sec

Concealment

Surface Detectability Range7.3 km

Air Detectability Range3.5 km

Battle Levels

12345678910

IX

Special

Z-44 — German special premium Tier IX destroyer.

The Type 1936B class destroyer was a modification of the preceding Type 1936A class which retained the same hull design but reverted to the lighter 5-inch main armament of earlier destroyers to reduce top weight and improve sea keeping capabilities.

The Kriegsmarine would complete three vessels of the class during WW2. Z-44 herself would not be completed, being lost to an air raid on the 29th of July 1944. Z-44 first went on sale on 03 December 2020.

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 ()
128 mm/45 SK C/34 on an MPLC/34 mount	14.3	22.5	98	1,500	6	3,000		0	0

	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 ()
Z-44	19,400	8	20	5		7	2			0	0

	Rate of Fire (shots/min)	Torpedo Tubes Reload Time (sec)	180° Turn Time (sec)	Maximum Damage (HP)	Torpedo Speed (knot)	Torpedo Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
G7a T1 Ausf. C	0.7	85	7.2	13,700	64	12		0	0

	IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SUO_INCREASE_DIST (%)	Maximum Firing Range (km)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
FKS Typ 9 Mod. 1		0		0	0

	Maximum Speed (knot)		Research price (exp)	Purchase price ()
Propulsion: 70,000 hp	36.5		0	0

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.

The Ship

Z-44 represents a deviation from either of the tech tree lines of German destroyers. While she doesn’t have the jack of all trade’s utility of Z-46 or the significant main battery of Felix Schultz she has the distinction of being one of the few German destroyers with torpedoes as her primary armament.

Armament

Z-44 retains the same 128mm/45 SK C/34 guns that are found on the Tier VII Leberecht Maass with shell ballistics that match other German destroyers using the 128mm gun. Z-44 retains the unique features of the German destroyer main battery. Her HE shells have 1/4th pen on their guns, allowing them to pen 32mm of plating by default, however they have below average alpha damage per shell, at 1500 damage, when compared to the other Tier IX destroyers. The armor piercing shells by contrast have some of the highest alpha damage per shell, at 3000 damage, when compared to other Tier IX destroyers but have below average penetration. The damage per minute for the AP and HE shells of the Z-44 is on the lower side for the tier due to the 4.2 second base reload and only having 5 barrels available to her. This coupled with her poor firing angles, particularly when aiming toward the rear, and slow turret traverse leave her guns less effective than most of her contemporaries.

The torpedo armament is what makes Z-44 stand out. She boasts an 85 second base reload rate on her torpedoes making them some of the fastest reloading torpedoes at the tier, combined with Fill the Tubes and Torpedo Tubes Modification 2 she can fire a new set of torpedoes every 65 seconds. Her torpedoes are decently fast sporting a 64 knot base speed, which is average for the tier, and have a particularly long range of 12 km which allows her to launch torpedoes from safer distances at a tier where long range radars are more common. The biggest drawback of her torpedoes is the maximum damage, having one of the lowest torpedo alpha damage at the tier. However this is somewhat mitigated by having quintuple torpedo launchers and quick reload.

Z-44 does not have much utility when it comes to consumables, having access to only a German Smoke Generator  and Engine Boost  consumable. Her surface detectability is also on the higher side for the tier, only able to achieve 6.11 km concealment at best. Her speed and maneuverability are also both equally middle of the pack.

Anti-Aircraft

Her AA defenses are interesting as she has high damage short ranged AA guns but completely lacks mid and long ranged weapons. Her continuous damage of 243 is amongst the highest of the tier. However, she can fire no flak bursts. The lack of mid or long range AA does improve ease of use as the captain does not have to worry about turning her AA off as her air detectability range is equivalent to her AA range.

Battle Performance

Z-44 is somewhat of a one trick pony, maintaining decent torpedo armament at the cost of most other utilities. However when given the opportunity to fight on a defending flank she can cause havoc amongst pushing vessels and can be one of the more difficult ships to dislodge. Captains of Z-44 should opt to play her conservatively. Her concealment does not allow her to aggressively use her torpedoes and her guns do not allow her to effectively defend herself if caught by most other tier IX destroyers. Z-44 is used best on a flank that the enemy is trying to push. Her long range torpedoes and high reload rate allows her to create area denial zones against battleships and larger cruisers. If Z-44 can find herself sailing parallel to an enemy push; she can cause large amounts of damage with her torpedoes and can make the enemy think twice about continuing.

Pros:

• Excellent torpedo reload speed, as low as 65 seconds with all relevant upgrades
• 12km torpedo range is among the highest of T9 destroyers
• Quintuple launchers allow for a high volume of torpedo launches
• 32mm penetration standard on the HE shells
• High alpha damage on the AP shells
• Strong short range anti-aircraft guns with high continuous damage

Cons:

• Poor damage per minute for both HE and AP shells compared to other T9 destroyers
• Poor firing angles and turret traverse make the guns somewhat uncomfortable to use
• German Smoke Generator  with some of the lowest bloom times and up times at the tier
• Torpedoes have low damage and flood chance
• Completely lacks mid and long range AA.

  
  

  
  

Research

As a premium ship, Z-44 doesn't have any upgrades to research.

Optimal Configuration

Z-44 should be tailored to using her torpedoes as her main armament as that is where the majority of her potential lies. Her guns are somewhat lacking so building for concealment first and survivability second is recommended to keep her afloat and out of knife fights.

Upgrades

The recommended upgrades for Z-44 are as follows:

• Slot 1: Main Armaments Modification 1
• Slot 2: Engine Room Protection
• Slot 3: Torpedo Tubes Modification 1
• Slot 4: Propulsion Modification 1
• Slot 5: Concealment System Modification 1 
• Slot 6: Torpedo Tubes Modification 2

Commander Skills

Z-44 being a torpedo focused destroyer is somewhat niche for the German Navy whose destroyers are very frequently found with gun boat style builds. A torpedo oriented German destroyer captain can be effective however and useful for more hybrid oriented German destroyers like Z-52 with Unique Upgrade or T-61. Below is a recommended build to suit her play style.

Recommended Commander Skills
Cost (points)	Attack				Defense
1	Grease the Gears +15% main battery traverse speed. ★	Liquidator +30% chance (multiplicative) of causing flooding. ★★	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 about a salvo fired at your ship from more than 4.5 km. ★	Preventive Maintenance −30% chance of main armament, engines, steering becoming incapacitated +15% to HP of secondary and AA guns. ★★★
2	Demolition Expert +1% chance of main and secondary HE shells causing a fire. +15% to the damage-inflicting area of HE shells fired at submarines. ★	Swift Fish +5% torpedo speed. ★★	Consumables Enhancements +10% action time of: Hydroacoustic Search , Surveillance Radar , Smoke Generator , & Engine Boost .	Extra-Heavy Ammunition +7.5% main battery AP shell damage. +10% damage from depth charges. ★	Priority Target The detection indicator will show the number of enemies aiming at you with main battery. ★★	Last Stand The ship remains able to move and maneuver - slowly - while the engine or steering gears are incapacitated. ★★★
3	Main Battery & AA Specialist -5% main battery reload time. +10% continuous AA damage. ★	Fill the Tubes -10% torpedo tubes reload time. ★★	Adrenaline Rush -0.2% reload time of all armaments per 1% HP lost +0.2% AA continuous damage per 1% HP lost. ★★	Inertial Fuse for HE Shells +25% armor penetration of HE shells Base fire chance reduced by half.	Superintendent +1 charge to all consumables. ★★	Survivability Expert +350 HP per ship tier. ★★★
4	Main Battery & AA Expert +20% main battery range. +15% flak damage. ★	Swift in Silence So long as the ship remains undetected: +8% ship speed +5% main battery reload time. ★	Radio Location Shows the direction to the nearest enemy ship. The enemy is alerted that a bearing has been taken.. ★★	Fearless Brawler +1 flak burst per salvo. -10% main battery reload when ship is spotted. ★	Concealment Expert -10% detectability range of the ship. ★★★	Dazzle For 15 seconds after you are detected: * +20% dispersion of enemy shells fired at you. * +8% ship speed. ★
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful      ★★ - Frequently Useful      ★ - Occasionally Useful     No stars - Not Useful

Consumables

As a premium ship, Z-44 comes with Default permanent camouflage and a set of permanent combat bonuses.

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

Historical Info

Z-44, as designed in 1942

Construction

Builder: Deschimag, Bremen,
   Germany

Laid down: 1 August 1942

Launched: 20 January 1944

Commissioned: -never completed-

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Specifications

2,519 tons displacement, standard

127.0m length (overall)

12.0m beam

3.54m draft (mean)

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Machinery

6 boilers, 2 turbines

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Performance

36.5 knots at 70,000 shaft horsepower

2,950nm range at 19 knots

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Armament

Main

Five (5x1) 203mm rifles

Anti-Aircraft

Four (2x2) 37mm guns

Fourteen to Sixteen (3x4 + 2/4x1) 20mm guns

Torpedoes

Eight (2x4) 533mm torpedo tubes

History

Design

Following the troubles highlighted by the 1936A type destroyers, a few modifications were made to that design to allow for a more effective destroyer, thus creating the 1936B type design. For the most part these ships repeated the design of the 1936 A(Mob).

The key difference between these two classes was the return to a 128mm armament, due to the handling issues of the 150mm guns as well as the heavy twin turret causing issues with seakeeping. So like the layout on the 1936 type, five single mounted 128mm guns were placed on the centerline of the ship in two superfiring pairs and one gun in front of the aft deck house. Another change was the addition of a platform at the sides of the forward superstructure to allow for an increased AA armament. Thus the designed AA fit was two 37mm C/30 twins, one on each side of the second funnel, three 20mm C/38 Flakvierling mounts of which one was on the aft deck house and then one each on the new platforms as well as two to four single mounted 20mm C/38 guns. The torpedo armament repeated the preceeding class with two quadruple launchers.

The machinery was a near repeat of the preceeding 1936 A type, with six boilers and two sets of turbines generating 70,000shp on two shafts for a speed of 36 to 36.5kn. A near identical fuel load of 825-835 tons would permit a cruising range of 2,600 to 2,950nm at 19kn speed.

Service

Laid down by the Deschimag dockyard in 1942 and launched one and a half years later, Z-44 became a target for the ever intensifying air raids by British and American forces. While leading to a delay in her fitting out, it would also cause her to be ultimately lost on July 29th 1944 when aircraft sank her shortly before her completion. Not having the resources or the time to raise and repair her, her remains would serve as spare parts for the destroyer Z-31.

Historical inaccuracies

• Z-44 carries an M42 gun director, a director made to direct the fire of dual-purpose guns. Yet the lack of dual-purpose weaponry defeats its purpose.
• Z-44's AA defense consists solely of 30mm guns. The German military however called for a mixed anti-air in which a short range AA defense would be combined with a medium range AA defense. This meant that there'd be either the combination of 20mm and 37mm guns, or later in the war plans emerged for the combination of 30mm guns and 55mm guns. But not 30mm guns by themselves.
• The 1936B type was planned to carry quadruple torpedoes like the preceeding classes. The quintuple launchers are a fabrication by Wargaming.

Historical Gallery

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References

Wargaming

• Armada: Z-44. 3 Dec 2020.

Ship Change Log

• Available for testing by supertesters in the game starting from Update 0.9.9.

Testing Changes

• DevBlog 65:
  • Preliminary characteristics.
• DevBlog 87:
  • AP shells' ricochet check angle reduced from 60 to 45 degrees.
  • AP shells' guaranteed ricochet angle reduced from 67.5 to 60 degrees.
  • AP shells' arming threshold increased from 19 to 21 mm.
• DevBlog 96:
  • Detectability range by ships decreased from 8.08 to 7.78 km. Other detectability ranges reduced accordingly.

• Update 0.9.11:
  • Available for purchase in the Armory for 19,300 doubloons, 228,000 Coal, and in the Premium store.
• Update 0.10.1:
  • Fixed a bug due to which there was a delay in the automatic switching of torpedo tubes during aiming.
• Update 0.10.8:
  • Fixed a bug causing an increase in the chances of fire being set on the ship.
• Update 0.10.10:
  • Detectability range by sea reduced from 7.8 to 7.5 km. Other detectability values were reduced accordingly.
• Update 0.11.1:
  • Minor corrections to geometry and textures of the ship.
• Update 0.11.11:
  • Updated the armor model.
• Update 13.3:
  • The number of bombs per Depth Charge drop increased from 4 to 12.
  • Depth Charge damage increased from 2,200 to 2,400.

Ships of Germany

Destroyers