As Kurt Vonnegut and other famous authors have often said:
"Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction!"
In 1943, the United States Pacific Fleet was preparing a raid on Micronesia—
where the Gilbert, Mariana, and Marshall Islands,
as well as about one and a half thousand more islands, are located.
And to scale up the number of "all-seeing eyes of the fleet"—
that is, to enhance their force of reconnaissance aircraft—
it was decided to equip six Fletcher-class destroyers
with an aircraft catapult and seaplane.
In the end, only three destroyers of this variant were built,
and one of them is barging into World of Warships
accompanied by the deafening roar
of the Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp aircraft engine.
Welcome American Tier IX Premium hybrid destroyer Halford!
Halford is the first hybrid destroyer in World of Warships.
She carries two attack aircraft squadrons
armed with powerful Tiny Tim rockets that enjoy high damage,
great armor penetration, and good chances of starting fires.
The number of rockets on each aircraft is small, though.
The squadrons reload in successive order, and you can launch two squadrons in a row.
Due to the installation of the catapult,
the destroyer only has space for one torpedo launcher on board.
The long-range torpedoes can each inflict decent damage,
and they also travel fast and have a short cooldown.
However, they won't be able to inflict significant damage overall
due to their small number.
The destroyer's main armament is represented by 127 mm Mark 12 guns,
which are commonly installed on Fletcher-class ships.
They have a high firing rate but a short standard firing range,
and they fire shells along an arcing trajectory
that makes accurate fire over long distances challenging.
The ship has a modest HP pool, as well as average speed and concealment.
The consumables also reflect the generic features of Fletcher-class ships—
Smoke Generator, plus either Engine Boost or Defensive AA Fire in a single slot.
When helming Halford into battle,
keep in mind that she is primarily a destroyer.
The controllable squadrons only provide an additional tactical opportunity,
and they aren't the core of the ship's gameplay.
If you focus on her aircraft too much, you may get carried away,
leave your ship in a vulnerable position, and get yourself sunk,
which will affect your team's chances of winning.
Let's move on to the ship's upgrades
and select the most suitable options for a comfortable ride aboard Halford.
I recommend installing Main Armaments Modification 1 in the first slot,
Engine Room Protection in the second,
and Aiming Systems Modification 1 in the third.
For the fourth slot, depending on your preferences,
you can choose either Propulsion Modification 1 or Air Groups Modification 3.
Reserve the fifth slot for Concealment System Modification 1
and the sixth slot for Main Battery Modification 3.
And don't forget to mount signals and enable economic bonuses before going into battle!
I would also like to note
that destroyer Halford can be found in Wings of Freedom standard and Premium containers,
which will be available as part of the American Independence Day event.
The containers can also drop Georgia, Rochester,
Hornet, Florida, California, Alabama, Saipan, or Kidd.
A selection of ships to suit any taste!
You can also find the ship in a large bundle
that holds Commander Neil Chesters with 12 skill points
and the Thunderbird permanent camouflage.
It also holds new battleship West Virginia '44
as well as West Virginia '41,
with a pair of permanent camouflages and Commanders.
The event will also feature a special resource—Independence Tokens.
You can exchange them for each of the mentioned ships separately,
Wings of Freedom standard containers,
a camouflage for Minnesota, and other useful items.
Gear up for Independence Day, Captains!
And finally, our traditional raffle!
The prize today is a bundle with destroyer Halford,
special Commander Neil Chesters with 10 skill points,
the Thunderbird permanent camouflage, and a Port slot.
This luxurious set will go to one of our subscribers
who "Likes" this video and correctly identifies the aircraft
that the destroyer carries in our game.
Answer in the comment section under this video.
Be sure to leave your in-game nickname and server in the comment with the answer.
We'll announce the name of the winner in the next Armada episode.
Take part in the raffle, and good luck, Captains!