Ship Database
Tier X Cruiser

U.S.A.

Des Moines

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...

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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.

Credits
19,800,000
Official profile image of Des Moines

At a glance

The numbers that shape the ship

Hit points
50,600
Maximum speed
33.0 knots
Surface detection
13.4 km
Main battery range
15.8 km
Main battery reload
5.0 s

Combat envelope

Range and detection

Scale: 20 km

Every bar uses the same 20 km scale. Surface detection is a visibility threshold, not a weapon range.

  • Surface detection13.4 km
  • Main battery15.8 km
  • Secondary battery7.3 km

Damage comparison

Published maximum per hit

Ship-relative

Bars are normalized only against this ship's highest listed hit. They are not salvo damage, expected damage or DPM.

  • HE · 203 mm HE/HC Mk25 2,800
  • AP · 203 mm AP Mk21 5,000
Handling, concealment and protectionOverview

Handling

Maximum speed
33.0 knots
Turning circle radius
770 m
Rudder shift time
8.6 s
Maneuverability API rating 54

Concealment

Surface detection
13.4 km
Air detection
7.9 km
Submarine detection
7.9 km
Concealment API rating 50

Survivability

Hit points
50,600
Torpedo damage reduction
7 %
Survivability API rating 68

Published armour thickness

Only positive values supplied by the API are shown.

Overall published range
6–203 mm
Weapons and payloadsArmament

Surface armament

Main battery

Artillery API rating 82
Maximum range
15.8 km
Reload time
5.0 s
Rate of fire
10.9 rounds/min
180° turn time
30.0 s
Maximum dispersion
142 m

Shells

Damage is the API's published maximum for one shell hit.

203 mm HE/HC Mk25
HE
Maximum damage per hit
2,800
Fire chance
14.0 %
Muzzle velocity
823 m/s
Shell mass
118 kg
203 mm AP Mk21
AP
Maximum damage per hit
5,000
Muzzle velocity
762 m/s
Shell mass
152 kg
Gun layout
Mount
203 mm/55 RF Mk.16 in a turret
Mounts
3
Barrels each
3

Automatic armament

Secondary battery

Maximum range
7.3 km
Mount
127 mm HE Mk32
Maximum damage per hit
1,800
Fire chance
5.0 %
Rate of fire
10.0 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity
792 m/s

Anti-aircraft defence

AA defence API rating 84
Aura
20 mm Oerlikon on a Mk.4 mount
Calibre
20 mm
Mounts
12
Aura
76.2 mm/50 Mk.22 on a Mk.33 mount
Calibre
76 mm
Mounts
12
Aura
127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount
Calibre
127 mm
Mounts
6
Modules, hull and progressionTechnical data

Default hull

Hull hit points
50,600
Main-battery barrels
3
Secondary barrels
6
AA mounts
30

Engine

Published maximum speed
33.0 knots

Fire control

Module research tree

Names, research prices and defaults are reported directly by the API.

Mk10 mod. 1

Default
Type
Suo
Purchase
1,800,000 credits

Des Moines

Default
Type
Hull
Purchase
2,900,000 credits
Next ships
1

203 mm/55 RF Mk.16 in a turret

Default
Type
Artillery
Purchase
2,000,000 credits

Propulsion: 120,000 hp

Default
Type
Engine
Purchase
1,600,000 credits

Compatible upgrades

Official modernization descriptions and listed purchase prices. Effects still depend on the slot and configuration used in game.

Propulsion Modification 1

Modernization

Reduces time to full speed

Credits
1,000,000

Concealment System Modification 1

Modernization

Credits
2,000,000

Main Armaments Modification 1

Modernization

Credits
125,000

Aiming Systems Modification 1

Modernization

Credits
500,000

Damage Control System Modification 2

Modernization

Credits
1,000,000

Torpedo Lookout System

Modernization

Credits
2,000,000

Main Battery Modification 3

Modernization

Credits
3,000,000

Steering Gears Modification 2

Modernization

Credits
2,000,000

Main Battery Modification 2

Modernization

Credits
500,000

Damage Control System Modification 1

Modernization

Credits
250,000

Steering Gears Modification 1

Modernization

Credits
1,000,000

Secondary Battery Modification 1

Modernization

Credits
500,000

Auxiliary Armaments Modification 1

Modernization

Credits
125,000

Gun Fire Control System Modification 2

Modernization

Credits
3,000,000

AA Guns Modification 1

Modernization

Credits
500,000

Next ships

Research costs published in this ship's official progression data.

Ship
Annapolis
Research cost
0 XP
Available module groups
10
Compatible upgrades
15
Researchable next ships
1
Upgrade slots
6
Published battle levels
10–11

Cross-nation comparison

Ships that fill a similar slot

Closest same-tier, same-class matches from other nations, ranked by published base statistics.

The Netherlands

Gouden Leeuw

HP
51,900
Speed
33.5 kn
Guns
16.5 km
Open comparison

Pan-Asia

Incheon

HP
48,600
Speed
33 kn
Guns
16.1 km
Open comparison

United Kingdom

Goliath

HP
58,600
Speed
33 kn
Guns
16.8 km
Torps
10 km
Open comparison