Today we’ll be taking a look at the Sovetsky Soyuz which was supposed to become the core of the USSR’s fleet, but the outbreak of war put an end to these plans.
Sovetsky Soyuz : A Battleship for the USSR at Rank VII
At a glance:
- 406 mm (16 inch) guns
- Strong hull armor and main battery turrets
- Decent air defense weaponry
- Mediocre mobility
Vehicle History
In the mid-1930s, the Soviet Union began work on an ambitious program to create a new and powerful fleet, with the center piece being given to the construction of a new generation of battleships. This new program envisaged the construction of eight Project 23 Sovetsky Soyuz-class battleships with 406 mm guns by 1943. Stalin himself personally attached particular importance to the project, viewing a powerful battleship fleet as an important attribute of great power and an instrument of international influence.
The first four ships were planned to be laid down in 1937 so that they could be introduced into the fleet by 1941. However, the implementation of such a large-scale program encountered enormous issues from the very beginning. Although four ships were laid down before the start of the war, (Sovetsky Soyuz in Leningrad, Sovetskaya Ukraina in Nikolayev, Sovetskaya Belorussiya and Sovetskaya Rossiya in Molotovsk), their construction was constantly behind schedule. The main problems were severe delays in the delivery of high-quality steel, a shortage of skilled workers, difficulties in overcoming challenges related to new technology, and constant adjustments to the program.
By June 1941, the technical readiness of the Sovetsky Soyuz, which was the lead ship, was only at 21% and was at even less for others. The outbreak of war put an end to this very ambitious program and in July 1941, by decree of the State Defense Committee, the construction of all battleships was stopped and their hulls were subsequently dismantled for scrap metal.
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Introducing the Sovetsky Soyuz!
Meet the Sovetsky Soyuz, coming to War Thunder in the brand-new rank VII for Bluewater naval trees! This ship packs a serious punch, as it features 16 inch guns, great armor but is slightly on the worse side in terms of mobility. Read on for the full details.
All Project 23 ships were set to receive innovative 406 mm (16 inch) guns, and the Sovetsky Soyuz being one of them features nine of these guns in three three-gun turrets. These beefy guns can be loaded with armor-piercing rounds to use against heavily armored ships at long distances. For weaker ships, an option of semi-armor-piercing shells with very high armor-piercing values and an explosive charge of 88 kg is a great option to take them out.
For secondary weapons, there’s two calibers — six 152 mm turrets with two guns in each, and four 100 mm turrets with two guns in each. Both calibers are universal and have time fuzed shells as an option. To top it all off, the primary and secondary loadouts are complemented by 37 mm automatic cannons for short-range air engagements. There’s a total of eight of these turrets with four guns in each.
So we’ve seen that the Sovetsky Soyuz has excellent firepower, but does its armor hold up? Yep! This ship features a main armor belt that starts directly from the deck and goes just below the waterline. The average protection here is about 375 mm, however the thickest armor reaches about 420 mm to protect the ammunition elevators of the front two main turrets. Below the waterline is a Pugliese anti-torpedo system that in the stern of the ship protects vertical compartments. Under the 25 mm thick anti-splinter armor deck is the main armor deck that reaches an amazing 155 mm of armor. We must not forget the main turrets that are also well-protected, with only the best armor-piercing shells being able to penetrate the barbettes.
With a displacement of just over 65,000 tons, the Sovetsky Soyuz suffers from performance issues as one might expect. The ship accelerates very slowly to its maximum speed of 28 knots (52 km/h), and the turning radius is also very large. Although only the best battleships in the game (including those we’ll announce later 😃 ) can pose a real threat to the Sovetsky Soyuz, the slightest mistake in a duel can be fatal. The Soyuz should be played with low mobility and not that impressive short-range AA in mind!
That’s a wrap. The majestic Sovetsky Soyuz will be one of the new rank VII battleships coming to War Thunder in the next major update. Keep an eye on our website for more dovblegs coming your way!
Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.
You can greatly speed up the research of the Sovetsky Soyuz with this preorder pack:
The Kit Includes:
- Project 69I Sevastopol (Rank VI, USSR) (available after the next major update)
- 3000 Golden Eagles
- Premium account for 30 days
- Pre-order bonus: unique title “Steel Guardian”
- Pre-order bonus: unique flag with the coat of arms of “Sevastopol”(available after the next major update)
