In 1936, the first Type 1936 destroyer
was laid down at a shipyard of the DeSchiMAG shipbuilding company.
This project resulted in the creation of the most effective destroyer
out of all ships of this type
that were being developed in Germany at the time,
and in the following 8 years, 24 modified variants of her were built.
Two more ships were launched but never completed.
One of those unfinished variants—Z-44—
has become a Tier IX Premium destroyer in our game
thanks to the efforts of the World of Warships designers.
Z-44 was a 1936B-class destroyer.
She was laid down in May 1942.
The shipyards were overloaded and labor was scarce,
which is why her construction progressed slowly.
In December 1943, Z-44 was launched
and placed in a fitting-out dock in Bremen.
In July 1944, during a massive Allied air raid,
the ship was hit by several bombs and sank.
The damage she had sustained was so extensive
that it was impractical to complete her,
and she was salvaged for parts instead.
In World of Warships, Z-44 is a ship
that can make her enemies feel nervous just by her presence on the battlefield,
due to her quite powerful offensive capabilities.
These are her main trumps:
Long-range torpedoes.
Range—12 kilometers; speed—64 knots;
maximum damage—13,700.
Good torpedo-tube reload speed.
Her two quintuple-tube launchers can unleash a salvo every 85 seconds.
Effective armor-piercing shells.
Shells with a maximum damage of 3,000—
one of the highest values among same-tier destroyers.
However, the main application of Z-44 is not close-quarters engagements,
at least not at the very start of a battle.
Z-44 is primarily a torpedo destroyer,
and her gameplay is geared
towards conducting frequent long-range torpedo attacks.
As the ship has quite high detectability
and lacks the Hydroacoustic Search consumable,
storming Key Areas at the beginning of a battle is not advisable.
It would be wiser to first concentrate on long-range torpedo attacks,
then move to capture only around the middle of a battle
when there are fewer enemy ships.
While the ship's high-explosive shells don't inflict significant damage,
this is compensated for by her good armor-piercing shells.
The latter will help you emerge victorious
from duels with enemy destroyers if you use them effectively.
Thanks to the Smoke Generator consumable,
Z-44 can confidently fire from within a smoke screen
or take refuge and hide from unwanted attention.
The Engine Boost consumable enables her to quickly change position.
I recommend paying attention to the following upgrades
to fully unlock Z-44's potential.
Main Armaments Modification 1
Engine Room Protection
Torpedo Tubes Modification 1
Propulsion Modification 1
Concealment System Modification 1
Torpedo Tubes Modification 2
Recommended skills for a 10-point Commander:
- Priority Target - Last Stand
- Torpedo Armament Expertise
- Concealment Expert
For a 19-skill-point Commander, add:
- Superintendent - Adrenaline Rush
- Survivability Expert - Preventive Maintenance
Destroyer Z-44 offers a wide range of tactical possibilities
and can be useful in different situations
at various stages of battle.
Thanks to her remarkable torpedo armament
and powerful armor-piercing shells,
you can make the enemy's life considerably harder
by methodically sending their ships back to the Port.
Moreover, Z-44 brings increased profit in XP and credits,
like all other Premium ships.
Good luck, Captains, and have fun in battle!