Best ships in World of Warships, ranked

World of Warships has over 100 ships divided into five different ship types. Because there are so many choices, knowing which warships are best for you is a formidable challenge. Fortunately, we have you covered.

Best ships in World of Warships

World of Warships does a great job of recreating naval battles from history with a massive armada of warships. But not all ships were created equal, and to showcase the best this game has to offer, we’ve compiled our top three picks in each category for all your World of Warships private server and online multiplayer needs.

Best Destroyer warships

Destroyers are the fastest class of warship that excels in maneuverability and quick bursts of damage. In terms of offense, they have powerful torpedoes that pack a punch, even against the strongest warships. If you get into trouble, smokescreens provide an easy way to escape from danger.

3) Smaland

The Smaland is a humble Destroyer, part of the Swedish Royal Navy, with massive guns that can shred just about any obstacle it comes across. It’s one of the fastest-firing ships in the game, with high enough DPM to actually start fires. But its power is curbed by its weaker-than-average torpedoes and lack of the Smoke Generator consumable.

2) Kitakaze

The Kitakaze is one of the finest offerings of Japanese shipyards. This Destroyer has one of the highest health pools of any ship in its class, combined with powerful sea and air defenses, buffed by its Torpedo Reload Booster. But when the buff is down, the Kitakaze’s torpedoes take a long time to reload, leaving it open to damage, especially due to its model size.

1) Z-52

The Z-52 is considerably larger than most Destroyers. Its massive frame is supported by its large health pool, allowing it to stay alive much longer. Its offensive power allows it to hit hard with a huge firing range. Unfortunately, the Z-52’s massive size cripples its turning speed. Coupled with a bad Smoke Generator, this warship can be a double-edged sword.

Having said that, the ship’s skill cap is so high that mastering the Z-52 feels very satisfying as a Destroyer player.

Best Cruiser warships

Cruisers are the most versatile of all warships. They are the jack-of-all-trades ship type that fires highly accurate shots against air and sea targets. Their high rate of fire combined with their multiple weapon types make them a must-have ally for any kind of squad.

3) Hindenburg

The Hindenburg is a powerful Cruiser that comes equipped with fast-reloading 203mm guns. Its high damage coupled with its high firing range and armor-piercing rounds makes the Hindenburg capable of taking out distant targets as well. But the heaviness of this Cruiser makes its movement sluggish, necessitating you to find a safe spot to fire from.

2) Kitakami

The Kitakami is a Japanese marvel that is faster than most Cruisers. Its low detectability and high speed allow the Kitakami to maneuver quickly while its 10 torpedo tubes fire a deadly barrage. But its high speed is attributed to its lower-than-average armor, making it quite fragile if caught off guard. Positioning with the Kitakami is the key to victory.

1) Des Moines

The Des Moines is the US Navy’s offensive powerhouse, complete with the heaviest guns. Its defining trait is its rapid rate of fire despite having such heavy weaponry equipped. In terms of offensive capabilities, not many ships come close to the Des Moines. Having said that, it’s highly vulnerable to torpedoes and has none of its own to counter-fire.

Place the Des Moines as a well-defended turret that can shell targets all over the map.

Best Battleship warships

Battleships are the tanks of World of Warships. This ship class boasts heavy armor and high-damage weapons that can dispatch most other ship types easily. Their weakness lies in their weight, making them harder to maneuver and easily boxed in by faster ships.

3) Bismarck

The Bismarck is a testament to German shipbuilding, maintaining its status as one of the mightiest Battleships ever created. Despite its size, it was faster than most Battleships of its time. This increase in speed did not take away from its defenses, as the Bismarck also sports heavy armor.

What it makes up for in defense, the Bismarck falls short in offense. Its torpedoes and other guns are not as powerful as the other Battleships on this list, but it makes a fine tank.

2) Alsace

This French behemoth of a Battleship is a tier nine ship that excels in armor penetration and deals high damage. The Engine Boost makes the Alsace a difficult target for most ships to hit. Their 12 guns provide massive firepower from an excellent range, turning most ships to rubble in no time.

The major weaknesses of this ship are its low reload time and large size, making it a bigger target for concentrated attacks from Aircraft Carriers and mobile Submarine-class ships.

1) Yamato

Quite possibly the biggest Battleship known in modern history, the Yamato is a powerhouse in offense and defense. The Yamato also houses several cannons, AA guns, and armor so thick that few torpedoes can ever hope to pierce it. When it comes to heavy artillery, there is none better.

Unfortunately, all that heavy machinery comes at the cost of long reload times and a slow turn rate. Ensure you have the Yamato protected in battle at all costs.

Best Carrier warships

Aircraft Carriers are the most strategic of the ship classes. Positioning is key for Carriers and once they find a favorable spot, they can deploy their squadron of fighters to decimate key targets on the map. Depending on the situation, you can customize your aircraft to suit your needs.

3) Shokaku

The Japanese Shokaku is a powerful Aircraft Carrier that houses a squadron of armor-piercing (AP) Dive Bombers. The ship is quite effective against aircraft and ships, with power strong enough to rival most Battleships. The Shokaku is also the fastest tier eight Aircraft Carrier in World of Warships.

As fun as it is to play a Shokaku, its weakness lies in its Dive Bombers. They hit hard but are quite fragile, so you need to ensure their survival as they return.

2) Manfred Von Richthofen

The Manfred von Richthofen is an experimental model of the completed H-39 Battleship hull. The Carrier boasts extremely fast aircraft with AP rounds that can even shred Cruisers, especially with the ship having the highest per-bomb AP damage of any other ship in its class.

The only major shortcoming of this ship is its smaller hangar size. The reduced aircraft capacity hampers its firepower by a little bit, although that aspect doesn’t hinder its playstyle too much.

1) Midway

The Midway is the most powerful Aircraft Carrier in the US Navy. Unlike its predecessors, the Midway has thicker armor and a reinforced hangar, with more room to take off and land. The variety of aircraft you can field on the Midway is unparalleled, making it great for any kind of attack you plan to launch.

The biggest weakness of this ship is its massive size, making it a bigger target. Thanks to its thick armor, however, that is of little consequence as the aircraft on board quickly destroy its enemies.

Best Submarine warships

Submarines are the assassins of World of Warships. Their penchant for sneak attacks is unmatched and their precision torpedoes can take out priority targets before they realize what hit them. Their brittle structure is their only weakness, so ensure you protect Submarines at all costs.

3) I-56

The I-56 boasts a high health pool for a Submarine-class warship. The I-56 also fires powerful torpedoes that have the highest reload rate of any other Submarine. The powerful deck gun in combination with its quick surface speed allows the I-56 to perform quick hit-and-run maneuvers. Unfortunately, its essentially non-existent armor leaves it in third place.

2) Thrasher

The Thrasher is the pride of the Royal Navy and their strongest Submarine-class vessel in the game. The Thrasher is for you if you’re looking for a purely offensive monster. With its powerful torpedoes launched at a high volume with a high reload rate, this Submarine rarely stops firing. Its high flooding chance makes up for its low health pool, taking out its target before the Thrasher gives out.

1) U-4501

The impressive German U-4501 is a top-of-the-line Submarine class warship you need to get. The U-4501 is the pinnacle of German U-Boat design, complete with the highest move speed, great concealment, and excellent handling. The U-4501 has 10 tubes to fire torpedoes, making short work of powerful warships despite its slower-than-normal surfacing speed.