From the end of 1944, when the main threat for American ships
in the Pacific Ocean was enemy aviation,
kamikaze pilots were becoming
an increasingly serious threat for aircraft carriers and transports.
The fleet’s supporting AA defense forces,
which primarily consisted of cruisers,
needed to be reinforced both in quantity and quality.
In the fall of 1944,
American shipbuilders designed a project for a cruiser
that represented a further development
of the Atlanta- and Oakland-class warships.
In essence, she was an AA defense cruiser,
but there was no such ship type in the U.S. Navy,
so the project was officially classified
as a light cruiser like her predecessors.
The lead ship was assigned identification number CL-154.
Initially, it was planned to lay down
a series comprising six ships of the project.
However, the Naval High Command decided to focus
on a specialized, rather than versatile, light cruiser
with strong armor and 152 mm artillery
that would be capable of firing at airborne targets.
Our CL-154 would have remained in blueprint form only,
destined to gather dust in the archives, if it weren't for...
That's right, World of Warships specialists
who saved the project from oblivion, granted it a new lease of life,
and brought us U.S. Tier X cruiser Austin.
The ship's main armament comprises 127 mm dual-purpose coupled guns
housed in six turrets.
Their firing range is 15 km
and they fire high-explosive and semi-armor-piercing shells.
The cruiser's torpedo armament consists of two quintuple-tube launchers.
Austin’s top speed is 35 knots.
How do you play this ship?
It's clear that due to her small HP pool and weak armor,
it would be better to avoid direct confrontations with enemies—
you'll certainly survive for longer that way.
Austin excels at fighting from behind cover and when concealed—
not many other ships can compete with her in that respect.
The cruiser can attack
using high-explosive or semi-armor-piercing shells,
her torpedoes can travel for 10.5 km,
and she also has an unlimited number of charges
for the Main Battery Reload Booster consumable—
make sure to activate it as soon as it’s ready.
Ideal targets for Austin are lightly-armored enemy ships—
your cruiser can easily get up close and personal
thanks to her good speed and maneuverability.
Then it’s a matter of activating the Reload Booster,
quickly sinking them, and escaping.
When it comes to shooting down enemy aviation,
the ship is equipped with effective AA defenses
that can be additionally reinforced with Defensive AA Fire,
which comes in a separate slot from Hydroacoustic Search.
Now, let's talk about ship upgrades.
The most effective upgrades for Austin are:
Main Armaments Modification 1;
Engine Room Protection; Aiming Systems Modification 1;
Steering Gears Modification 1;
Concealment System Modification 1;
and Gun Fire Control System Modification 2.
To sum up, light cruiser Austin is an ideal ship
for cunning, tactical, and cool-headed players.
Try exploring her characteristics for yourself.
Friends, now it's time for the Armada Quiz.
What ship types was Austin primarily designed
to protect against kamikaze attacks?
You can find the answer in the video.
Head into battle playing Austin, and good luck, Captains!