Eight years after the end of World War II,
the Dutch finally completed two De Zeven Provinciën-class light cruisers.
They had initially been laid down back in 1939,
but they were eventually constructed with modifications to their design.
One of them gave her name to the class; the other was named
after Michiel de Ruyter, a renowned Dutch admiral of the 17th century.
After two decades of rather peaceful service in the Royal Netherlands Navy,
the ship was sold to Peru.
There, she was named after another renowned admiral—
this time, a Peruvian from the 19th century, Miguel Grau.
She became the third ship in the history of the Peruvian Navy to bear his name.
Believe me, Grau was a real legend.
He was known as "el Caballero de los Mares",
which translates from Spanish as "Gentleman of the Seas,"
for his courageous actions in battle
and exceptionally chivalrous treatment of enemies.
He's a truly noteworthy figure.
I recommend searching the web to learn more about his story!
Now, I'll tell you about the ship that bears his name.
Please welcome Pan-American Tier VIII cruiser Almirante Grau.
In the late 1930s, the Dutch were building new cruisers
to defend their colonies in Southeast Asia against Japan;
however, the construction of the ship had to be interrupted
when Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940.
By that time, she was 25% complete.
The Germans attempted to finish the cruiser using their own design
(that's when the ship received a signature "Atlantic" bow, by the way),
but workers at the dockyard heavily sabotaged the shipbuilding efforts.
The Peruvian Navy bought Almirante Grau in 1973
and shortly after, also acquired her sister ship—De Zeven Provinciën—
which was then renamed Aguirre.
For the majority of her service,
Almirante Grau acted as the fleet flagship.
Interestingly, the flagship of the Peruvian Navy
has traditionally borne the name of Admiral Grau.
That's why, when this cruiser was sent for modernization,
her sister ship Aguirre temporarily took on the name
while she acted in her stead.
When Almirante Grau was decommissioned in September 2017,
she held the distinction of being the last remaining
artillery cruiser in the world.
Thanks to our designers' efforts,
Almirante Grau has been given a new lease of life
and special capabilities in World of Warships.
The cruiser is armed with eight 152 mm main battery guns mounted
in four turrets that can rotate 360 degrees.
The reload time is standard for this caliber,
and the damage is relatively low.
The key feature of this ship is Combat Instructions,
which significantly reduce the reload time
of the main battery guns when activated.
The ship has to remain undetected to fill up the progress bar
and complete the activation condition.
Thanks to her good concealment,
the cruiser can quickly fill up the progress bar,
activate the Combat Instructions,
deliver a devastating attack on an enemy, and then withdraw.
Concealment is particularly crucial for this cruiser,
as her armor is weak and her HP pool is modest.
She can't withstand enemy fire for an extended period.
Her powerful AA armament,
which can be additionally reinforced by Defensive AA Fire,
makes Almirante Grau efficient at countering enemy aircraft.
Moreover, the Hydroacoustic Search consumable
is available in a separate slot.
Now, let's talk about the recommended ship upgrades.
Mount Main Armaments Modification 1 in the first slot;
for the second slot, choose between Engine Room Protection
and Defensive AA Fire Modification 1.
Allocate the third slot for Aiming Systems Modification 1.
For the fourth slot, select either Propulsion Modification 1
or Steering Gears Modification 1.
Mount Concealment System Modification 1 in the fifth slot.
To celebrate the arrival of cruiser Almirante Grau in World of Warships,
we're launching the exciting new Inca Trail adventure!
In this adventure, you'll follow the steps of Dutch sailors
who are using their preciously short vacation
to become acquainted with Peruvian culture and collect various souvenirs.
As rewards for completing the event's combat missions,
you’ll receive Inca Tokens, which are a new temporary resource,
as well as the Inca Trail commemorative flag and other valuable items.
During the course of the adventure, you may also receive the Rotterdam
and Tumi themed patches.
You can exchange Inca Tokens for random bundles
that can drop Almirante Grau plus a Commander with 10 skill points
and a commemorative flag;
the Ancient Totem permanent camouflage for this ship;
and other rewards. Additional Tokens
can be obtained in the Armory in exchange for Doubloons.
Don’t worry—we didn’t forget the traditional Armada raffle!
To take part, you must subscribe to our channel,
hit the "Like" button under this video,
and provide the correct answer to the following tricky question:
"What was the name of the ship
on which the renowned el Caballero de los Mares, Miguel Grau, fought and died?"
Don't forget to correctly specify your in-game nickname
in the comment with your answer under the video!
Those who fulfill all the conditions will be entered into a draw for a bundle
that includes cruiser Almirante Grau, a Port slot,
a Commander with 10 skill points,
a commemorative flag, and a special combat mission.
Embrace and follow your curiosity,
participate in the raffle, and good luck, Captains!