Akizuki is the lead ship of her class of 12 destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1940 until the end of the war. Developed specifically to provide effective anti-air cover for carrier task forces, Akizuki will offer its captains the best anti-air platform available in the destroyer line of the upcoming Japanese naval forces tree, coming to War Thunder with update 1.89!

Akizuki-class (1944). Destroyer, Japan, rank III.

pros:

• 8х100-mm utility guns
• 35 AA cannons calibre 25 mm
• Heavy torpedoes

cons:

• No AP shells for the main caliber guns

Akizuki will be the top-performing destroyer in the upcoming Japanese naval tree, available to War Thunder captains with the release of update 1.89. Despite featuring a visual appearance characteristic for Japanese destroyers of the time, the Akizuki is in fact unique in its own right and differs from contemporaries in both design as well as intended role.

Unlike most Japanese destroyers, Akizuki was designed specifically to fill the anti-air role and to provide cover for aircraft carriers. As such, shipbuilders fitted the Akizuki with what was considered to be the best Japanese anti-air gun of WWII - the 100mm Type 98 cannon. These eight cannons, spread across four dual turrets, comprise the Akizuki’s primary armament and thanks to their dual purpose nature and extremely high rate of fire, are highly effective against both surface and aerial targets.

While the primary guns would have made up the bulk of Akizuki’s firepower at the time of its commissioning in 1942, the Akizuki that we’ve decided to introduce to War Thunder features a late war refit from 1944. This version, along with the standard primary armament and the quad 610mm torpedo launcher, also features substantially bolstered quantities of anti-air weapons.

As a result, Akizuki offers its aspiring captains an impressive arsenal of smaller caliber AA weapons, consisting of 35  25mm auto-cannons, spread out between multiple turrets! With such an extensive array of auxiliary weapons alone, Akizuki captains shouldn’t have much trouble keeping the skies clear of hostile aircraft in the relative close vicinity of their warship.

While Akizuki’s firepower is top notch when compared to other Japanese destroyers, its mobility paints a much different picture. In contrast to its counterparts, Akizuki is able to achieve the lowest top speed of all Japanese destroyers, going only up to 33 knots (61 km/h). Nonetheless, this top speed, achieved with the 54,000 horsepower generated by Akizuki’s powerplant, is still very respectable when compared to destroyers of other nations.

Akizuki is arriving in War Thunder as part of the Japanese naval forces tree, coming to the game with the release of the upcoming update 1.89. In the meantime, stay tuned to the news for more information about the next major update coming soon. Until then, calm seas captains!

The War Thunder Team

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