Dutch Cruisers: Early Access

Dutch Tier IV–IX cruisers have arrived in Early Access.

The "Dutch Cruisers: Part 1" Event

What are the features of the new branch?

• Good concealment and maneuverability, but a short firing range.

• Tier VIII–X cruisers are armed with main battery guns that have large calibers for cruisers:

  • Steam post image Steam post image VIII Haarlem —203 mm

  • Steam post image Steam post image IX Johan de Witt —240 mm

  • Steam post image Steam post image X Gouden Leeuw —283 mm

• At higher tiers, the new cruisers have solid armor that provides decent protection against HE shells.

• The Hydroacoustic Search, Fighter, and Spotting Aircraft consumables are available from Tier IV.

  • Fighter and Spotting Aircraft are not available for Steam post image Steam post image VIII Haarlem, IX Johan de Witt or X Gouden Leeuw.

• An enhanced version of the Repair Party consumable and Defensive AA Fire are available from Tier VIII.

• The new Airstrike armament is available from Tier VI.

Airstrike

Airstrike is a new type of armament that's set to make its first appearance on Dutch cruisers. It allows you to call in aircraft that bombard a specified area with HE bombs. Airstrike was created based on the low altitude bombing principle that was actually used in battle. Bombs dropped from aircraft in this manner had drogue parachutes which slowed their descent.

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Operating principle:

• When you activate Airstrike by pressing 4, an aiming reticle appears. This represents the location the bombers will strike. The strike area is comparable in size to two battleships.

• Clicking the left mouse button calls in a squadron that bombards the specified area after a certain period of time. The aircraft cannot spot enemies and cannot be directly controlled.

• The bombs have drogue parachutes which slow their descent.

• The indicator near the drop area shows how long it will take for the bombs to reach the target after the aircraft are called in.

Preparation of Airstrike begins at the start of each battle, similar to the loading of main battery guns and torpedo launchers. Tier VI–VII cruisers can call in only one attacking squadron, while Tier VIII–X cruisers can call in two squadrons. The armament is reloaded in successive order. Airstrike has a maximum operating distance of 10–13 km, depending on the ship tier.

When using Airstrike, you should take the long time it takes for the bombs to fall into account. It's best to deploy this armament against low-mobility targets such as battleships and large cruisers. You can also use it to strike any enemy ships that might think they are safely hiding behind the cover of islands.

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