Dear friends, a new nation is arriving in World of Warships!
The European flag will unite ships of those countries
whose fleets in the 20th century were less numerous
than those of the major naval powers.
But as we know, strength is not always found in numbers.
Apart from having historical value,
these ships serve as examples of unique engineering ideas and solutions.
Please welcome the first European Tier IX ship—
destroyer Friesland, from the Royal Netherlands Navy.
After World War II, the Netherlands set out to rebuild their naval fleet,
the majority of which was lost
during hostilities in the Pacific Ocean and around Europe.
Considering the geopolitical situation of that time,
the Netherlands’ naval command decided to make anti-submarine ships
the backbone of their fleet.
By 1951, the project of a fast submarine chaser with powerful armament
had been developed.
It became one of the largest surface ships in the Netherlands’ Navy.
In March 1956, Friesland, the head ship of the class, was commissioned.
Four months later, she joined a small squadron of Dutch ships
that sailed to Leningrad on a friendly visit.
In 1962, the destroyer participated in the Dutch-Indonesian dispute
over the ownership of the western part of New Guinea island.
In 1979, Friesland was decommissioned and scrapped.
Friesland left the virtual shipyards of World of Warships at the end of spring
and, after thorough testing, she is now set to become available to players.
So, what's she like?
The first things you’ll notice are the absence of torpedo tubes
and only two main-battery turrets.
Many of you will look at a destroyer such as this with distrust,
but don't jump to conclusions, this ship has some nice surprises up her sleeve!
Good ballistics and an excellent reload speed of 1.8 sec,
which can be further increased
by mounting the corresponding upgrades and training your Commander,
are a great asset in dealing damage to your opponents.
However, the amount will depend on the targets you pick.
Friesland is quite good at setting sluggish battleships on fire,
on condition that they remain in the focus of your artillery for a long time,
and don't force you to change position and leave the smoke screen.
By the way, this Dutch ship has an excellent Smoke Generator:
its action time is 30 seconds,
and the screen stays up as long as those of her US counterparts.
Here is one possible tactic for Friesland:
evaluate the combat situation, take up position on the second line of attack,
ensure that someone in your team is spotting,
and shower the selected target with HE shells.
Thanks to her good maneuverability,
this destroyer can quickly assume advantageous positions.
At the same time, the Hydroacoustic Search consumable,
typically found on cruisers, can spot ships at 5 km and torpedoes at 3.5 km,
removing any fears of torpedo salvoes surprising you while hiding in smoke.
Moreover, you can rush into an enemy smoke screen,
catch an opposing destroyer completely off-guard,
and unleash a hurricane of fire from your main battery.
I'm sure that a daring and successful attack like this
will be rewarded with well-deserved praise from your allies.
While we're on the subject of allies, Friesland makes an excellent partner.
That's why her Captain should keep an eye on the Minimap
and stay close to teammates who can help them deal with any
rapid-firing enemy cruisers carrying the Surveillance Radar consumable.
These pose a serious threat for the Dutch ship.
This way, by providing cover for each other,
you can use all the advantages of your ship
and ultimately deliver victory to your team.
Friesland, just like any other destroyer,
faces quite a serious threat from aircraft carriers.
However, her powerful AA guns, together with the Defensive AA Fire consumable,
are capable of repelling an air raid quite successfully.
We probably don't need to remind you that even with strong AA defenses,
it's better to avoid unnecessary detection.
In order to unlock Friesland's full potential,
I recommend investing in the following upgrades and Commander skills,
although, these are quite standard for destroyers.
Upgrades.
Main Armaments Modification 1.
Steering Gears Modification 1.
AA Guns Modification 1. Propulsion Modification 2.
Concealment System Modification 1. Main Battery Modification 3.
Skills.
For 10 points: Priority Target, Last Stand,
Survivability Expert, Concealment Expert.
For 19 points add the following:
Superintendent, Adrenaline Rush, Advanced Firing Training.
By learning the necessary Commander skills and mounting upgrades,
you'll have a destroyer that feels at home in all kinds of smoke screens,
even those set by the enemy.
She's an excellent fire-starter,
and can boast good maneuverability and a rapid rate of fire.
Nevertheless, Friesland loves cold calculation and thorough planning.
I'm sure that by uncovering new and exciting features of this ship,
you'll score more than one victory behind her helm.
Good luck, Captains!