World of Warships: Legends ship guide

Gaede

Also called: 恩斯特-盖德 Beta
Torpedo destroyerLives on its torpedoes; deal damage from concealment rather than the gun duel.
Playstyle
  • Sit at the edge of a contested cap from concealment and cycle torpedo waves into lanes the enemy has to…
  • Avoid: Holding 8-km torpedoes for a perfect shot
Key characteristics
Torpedoes (8 km)Strong AASmoke + SonarEngine BoostLong-range AP brickHeavy powerplant
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Community Data

Gaede Community Stats

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Playstyle

Overview

Gaede is a Tier V German torpedo destroyer. The torpedoes travel, so target reaction time is shorter than peer DDs; this is a torpedo-spam kit, not a gun trade kit. AA (155 AA DPS at 3.5 km) is heavy enough to make her the team's air-defense anchor on top of the lead role; CV strikes route around her, not through. Standout traits: best long-range AP brick in T5 DDs (66.7 mm) and top-decile close-range AP pen in T5 DDs (189.1 mm).

Positioning

Sit at the edge of a contested cap from concealment and cycle torpedo waves into lanes the enemy has to use - 8 km reach at 65 kt means the wall arrives before targets can react. Drop on probable lanes from cover, stay unspotted between waves, and let the wall do the work. Your guns lose penetration at range, so aim AP at broadsides you can still citadel and put HE into superstructures and upper-hull sections, rather than the bow-in or belt armor your shells bounce and shatter on.

Potato Avoidance

Holding 8-km torpedoes for a perfect shot

The kit pays out by saturating lanes, not by waiting for guaranteed broadsides; missed waves still force rotations and protect your team's flank. Idle torpedo tubes are the worst output state.

Signature Traits

Engine Boost

+8% speed, 120 s duration. Engine Boost consumable temporarily raises top speed. Mobility on demand to reposition, chase a kill, or break contact.

ELITE MAIN BATTERY
  • Long-range AP brick · 66.7 mm
  • Close-range AP brick · 189.1 mm
Top-tier AA

155.0 AA DPS, best of T5 DDs (median 94.0).

ELITE MOBILITY
  • Heavy powerplant · 80000.0 hp
  • Holds speed in turns · 115.9 hp
  • Nimble for the tonnage · 26.47 hp
All-Weather

No stat falls into the cohort's bottom decile across T5 DDs. Stable baseline in every category, no glaring weakness to play around.

Acquisition

How to get Gaede

Gaede is available in the Area-Control Destroyers branch of the Germany Tech Tree for 2,400,000 credits after researching it in the branch. Known module upgrades cost up to 660,000 credits.

Show Germany tech-tree branch diagram
Germany Tech Tree

Gaede sits in the Area-Control Destroyers branch. The highlighted path shows the local branch context inside the full Germany tree.

Builds Beta

Pair with a commander whose unique skill complements her main armament; check the build tool for current recommendations.

Open in Build Tool →

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Cohort position

Hide

Where Gaede sits among Tier V DDs (25 ships). Notable standouts are shown first; the rest of the cohort-ranked stats are in the expand below. Acquisition variants (Black Friday, Founders Edition) are counted once with their base ship, not as separate peers.

BestEngine power80,000 hp (1 of 2 tied) BestTurn-speed retention115.9 hp/m (1 of 2 tied) BestPower-to-weight26.47 hp/t (1 of 2 tied) BestAA DPS155 (1 of 2 tied) Top 10%Main dispersion84.9 m (3/25) Top 10%Acceleration15.7 s (3/25) Top 10%AA threat373 (3/25) Top 25%Hit points15,700 HP (5/25) Top 25%Stealth profile6.38 km / 3.19 km (5/25 / 5/25) Top 25%AP shell damage3,000 (4/23) Top 25%Torpedo speed65 kt (7/25) Bottom 25%Main battery range10.25 km (23/25) Bottom 25%Fires per minute2.82 (22/25) Bottom 25%HE DPM70,588 (23/25) Bottom 25%Displacement3,022 t (21/25) Bottom 25%Torpedo reload90 s (20/25) Bottom 25%Deck armor10 mm (17/19)
See 19 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Gaede -- here's where she sits on every other ranked stat in the cohort. Stats tagged NORM are tied across more than half the cohort, so the value is the cohort default rather than a standout.

Max speed36 kt(15/25) Rudder shift4 s(19/25) Traverse-to-turn ratio5.2 ×(9/25) Main battery caliber128 mm(10/25) Main battery reload5.1 s(14/25) AP DPM141,176(9/23) AP velocity830 m/s(14/23) HE velocity830 m/s(14/25) AP arming threshold21 mm(11/23) AA range3.5 km(9/25) Torpedo range8.01 km(13/25) Torpedo damage≈12,700(16/25) Max armor16 mm(15/25) NormAP fuse timer0.01 s(19 of 23 tied at this value) NormAP ricochet start45°(22 of 23 tied at this value) NormAP auto-bounce angle60°(22 of 23 tied at this value) NormCitadel belt16 mm(22 of 23 tied at this value) NormBow armor16 mm(22 of 23 tied at this value) NormStern armor16 mm(22 of 23 tied at this value)
Survivability
Hit PointsInitial: 15,000 → 15,700
Displacement3,022 t
Armor range10–16 mm
Plate armor thicknesses10, 13, 15, 16 mm
Armor material/layer entries25
Fire resistanceInitial: 20% → 23.3%
Fire duration30 s
Torp Reduction0%
Main Battery
ModuleArtillery: 150 mm L/48 Tbts KC/36
Mounts / barrels4 mounts / 4 barrels
Reload time5.1 s
Firing range (base)9.3 km
Firing range (top fire control)10.2 km
Turret traverse8 °/s
Shell Grouping (σ)2
Max Horiz Disp
ƒHorizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range, from the verified WoWS dispersion model: σH=(R30·idealRadiusminRadiusidealDistance+minRadius)·30 =(931430·80.51000+0.5)·30=84.9m
84.9 m
Max Vert Disp
ƒVertical dispersion ellipse height at max range: σV=σH·radiusOnMax =84.9·0.6=50.9m
50.9 m
Med Horiz Disp
ƒ50%-hit horizontal radius: σH,50=σH·GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) =84.9·0.319(σ=2)=27.1m
27.1 m
Med Vert Disp
ƒ50%-hit vertical radius: σV,50=σV·GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) =50.9·0.32(σ=2)=16.3m
16.3 m
Turret turn time
ƒ180 degrees / 8 deg/s traverse speed = 22.5 s.
22.5 s
Base shells/min
ƒ4 broadside guns x 60 / 5.1 s base reload = 47.1.
47.1
HE shells
HE Damage1,500 → 2,200
HE Velocity830 m/s → 835 m/s
Fire Chance6% → 12%
HE penetration
ƒIn-game data: 25 mm = 128 mm caliber / 5.12 (non-standard HE penetration ratio).
25 mm
HE full-salvo alpha
ƒ2,200 HE damage x 4 broadside guns = 8,800.
8,800
Base HE DPM
ƒ8,800 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5.1 s base reload = 103,529.
103,529
Base fires/min
ƒ47.1 shells/min x 12% fire chance = 5.65.
5.65
AP shells
AP Damage3,000 → 3,700
AP Velocity830 m/s → 835 m/s
Min Ricochet45 deg
Guaranteed Ricochet60 deg
Fuse Timer0.01 s
Fuse Threshold21 mm
AP overmatch
ƒfloor(128 mm caliber / 14.3) = 8 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
8 mm
AP Pen Close
ƒCanonical community AP formula (jcw780/wows_shell), evaluated at muzzle velocity: P=107·K·m0.69·d1.07·v01.38 =107·1933·45.30.69·0.151.07·8351.38=220mm. Matches the in-game spec card.
220 mm
AP Pen Far
ƒSame formula at the ship's max firing range (12.8 km), where the shell has slowed to 279.1 m/s: P=107·1933·45.30.69·0.151.07·279.11.38=48.5mm.
48.5 mm
AP full-salvo alpha
ƒ3,700 AP damage x 4 broadside guns = 14,800.
14,800
Base AP DPM
ƒ14,800 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5.1 s base reload = 174,118.
174,118
AP AOE Radius
ƒAP shell over-penetration splash radius; scales with shell mass. Wickes 102mm = 3, standard 152mm CL ~ 20, Iowa 406mm ~ 270, Yamato 460mm = 400, Incomparable 650mm = 550 (max). Larger value = bigger splash damage area when AP over-pens.
15
Torpedoes
ModuleTorpedoes: G7 Steinbutt
Launchers / tubes2 launchers × 4 tubes = 8 tubes
Reload time90 s
Projectile speed65 kt
Range8.01 km
Maximum simulated damage
ƒEstimate of WG's in-game value; matches the in-game port screen within ±5%. Saturation: most targets only intersect one hull section, so the sim transfers ~1/3 of the warhead alpha (2/3 when the warhead blast >= 5000 and the burst reaches a second section). For this ship: Dsim=α·c=38,100·0.333=12,700.
≈ 12,700
Torpedo detectability1.3 km
Flooding chance227%
Torpedo launcher traverse25 °/s
Torp Turn
ƒTime to rotate the launchers 180 deg: tturn=180°25°/s=7.2s.
7.2 s
Torp Arming201 m
Per-side salvo damage
ƒOne side firing, all torpedoes hitting: per-side tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 8 x 12,700 = 101,600.
101,600
AA Defense
AA mount points10
Close-range AA DPS
ƒSum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (12×3.5×1) + (34×3.5×0.95) = 155. Covers AA-only mounts plus dual-purpose secondaries (Bismarck 105mm, USN 5"/38 cruiser secondaries) and dual-purpose main batteries (Sumner-class 5"/38, Akizuki-line 100mm). Formula validated against in-game captures on California, Sumner, Manfred von Richthofen, Dante Alighieri (exact) and within +/-17% on the remaining verified ships.
155
Maximum AA range
ƒLongest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.
3.5 km
37 mm Flak LM/43Initial: 37 mm Flakzwilling 30 (2×2) → 37 mm Flak LM/43 (2×1)
20 mm Flak 38Initial: 8×1 → 4×1 20mm
20 mm Flakvierling 38 (upgraded hull only)4×4 20mm
Medium aura
DPSInitial: 5 → 12
Range3.5 km
Near aura
DPSInitial: 26 → 34
Range2 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒMedium 12 + Near 34 = 46
46
Maneuverability
Engine moduleEngine: 80,000 hp
Engine power80,000 hp
Maximum speed36 kt
Turning circle radius690 m
Rudder shift time4 s
Engine power-boost threshold7 kt
Engine spool-up time7.7 s
Reverse spool-up time3.8 s
Acceleration 0-90%
ƒTime to reach 90% of top speed (32.4 kt of 36 kt), from our in-house acceleration model.
15.7 s
Acceleration 0-99%
ƒTime to reach 99% of top speed (35.6 kt of 36 kt). 99% rather than 100% because true top speed is asymptotic (thrust meets drag), so the last fraction of a knot is never quite gained.
26.4 s
Traverse-to-turn ratio
ƒHow many degrees the turret can swing for each degree the hull turns. Turn rate ωhull=180π·Vmax(m/s)Rturn=180π·36.0·0.5144690=1.54°/s, so ratio=ωturretωhull=81.54=5.2×. Below 5 the turrets drag in a turning fight; 25+ keeps up with any rudder.
5.2× slow
Concealment
Detectability by sea6.38 km
Detectability by air3.19 km
Smoke firing penalty2.39 km
Detect after firing main guns
ƒmax(base sea detectability, gun-firing bloom range). Firing never pulls your detection closer than base concealment.
6.38 km
Detect Fire Sea8.38 km
Detect Fire Air6.19 km
Guaranteed Detect2 km
Consumables
Damage Control Party∞ charges · 40 s reload · 5 s active
Smoke Generator2 charges · 240 s reload · 20 s emit / 61 s cloud active
Engine Boost2 charges · 180 s reload · 120 s active · +8% speed bonus
Sonar2 charges · 180 s reload · 92 s active · 3.96 km ship detect
ƒDerived from the consumable's 30 m grid-unit range (km = grid units x 30 / 1000): 132×301000=3.96 km
· 2.82 km torpedo detect
ƒDerived from the consumable's 30 m grid-unit range (km = grid units x 30 / 1000): 94×301000=2.82 km
Module options (4)

Stats above use the fully-upgraded modules. These are the research-tree alternatives; trade-offs are flagged.

HullUpgrade
  • Hit points15,000 → 15,700
  • Rudder shift7.3 → 5.2 s
  • Close-range AA DPS31 → 46
Fire controlUpgrade
  • Main battery range9,314 → 10245.4 m
ArtilleryUpgrade
  • HE fire chance6 → 12 %
TorpedoesUpgrade
  • Range7.5 → 8.01 km
  • Speed62 → 65 kt

See all derived stats

Show

All values are ship base stats with modifications and upgrade changes denoted inline.

Numbers the spec table cannot show directly: alpha-strike math, DPM, dispersion, AP penetration. Click the formula chip on any row to reveal how it is calculated.

Main battery formulas

Shell Grouping (σ)2
Max Horiz Disp84.9 m
Horizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range, from the verified WoWS dispersion model: $\sigma_H = \left(\dfrac{R}{30}\cdot\dfrac{\text{idealRadius}-\text{minRadius}}{\text{idealDistance}} + \text{minRadius}\right)\cdot 30$ $= \left(\dfrac{9314}{30}\cdot\dfrac{8-0.5}{1000} + 0.5\right)\cdot 30 = 84.9\,\text{m}$
Max Vert Disp50.9 m
Vertical dispersion ellipse height at max range: $\sigma_V = \sigma_H \cdot \text{radiusOnMax}$ $= 84.9 \cdot 0.6 = 50.9\,\text{m}$
Med Horiz Disp27.1 m
50%-hit horizontal radius: $\sigma_{H,50} = \sigma_H \cdot \text{GetHalfHitsRatio}(\sigma)$ $= 84.9 \cdot 0.319\;(\sigma = 2) = 27.1\,\text{m}$
Med Vert Disp16.3 m
50%-hit vertical radius: $\sigma_{V,50} = \sigma_V \cdot \text{GetHalfHitsRatio}(\sigma)$ $= 50.9 \cdot 0.32\;(\sigma = 2) = 16.3\,\text{m}$
Dispersion familyDD Disp.
Standard destroyer dispersion baseline.
AP Pen Close220 mm
Canonical community AP formula (jcw780/wows_shell), evaluated at muzzle velocity: $P = 10^{-7}\cdot K \cdot m^{0.69} \cdot d^{-1.07} \cdot v_0^{1.38}$ $= 10^{-7}\cdot 1933 \cdot 45.3^{0.69} \cdot 0.15^{-1.07} \cdot 835^{1.38} = 220\,\text{mm}$. Matches the in-game spec card.
AP Pen Far48.5 mm
Same formula at the ship's max firing range (12.8 km), where the shell has slowed to 279.1 m/s: $P = 10^{-7}\cdot 1933 \cdot 45.3^{0.69} \cdot 0.15^{-1.07} \cdot 279.1^{1.38} = 48.5\,\text{mm}$.
HE penetration25 mm
In-game data: 25 mm = 128 mm caliber / 5.12 (non-standard HE penetration ratio).
AP overmatch8 mm
floor(128 mm caliber / 14.3) = 8 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
AP AOE Radius15
AP shell over-penetration splash radius; scales with shell mass. Wickes 102mm = 3, standard 152mm CL ~ 20, Iowa 406mm ~ 270, Yamato 460mm = 400, Incomparable 650mm = 550 (max). Larger value = bigger splash damage area when AP over-pens.
Broadside guns used for alpha4
All 4 barrels bear on the broadside.
Turret turn time22.5 s
180 degrees / 8 deg/s traverse speed = 22.5 s.
HE full-salvo alpha8,800
2,200 HE damage x 4 broadside guns = 8,800.
AP full-salvo alpha14,800
3,700 AP damage x 4 broadside guns = 14,800.
Base HE DPM103,529
8,800 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5.1 s base reload = 103,529.
Base AP DPM174,118
14,800 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5.1 s base reload = 174,118.
Base shells/min47.1
4 broadside guns x 60 / 5.1 s base reload = 47.1.
Base fires/min5.65
47.1 shells/min x 12% fire chance = 5.65.

Torpedoes

Torpedo detectability1.3 km
Estimated torpedo reaction time7.7 s
detectability / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).
Torpedo speed65 kt
Travel time to max range47.4 s
range / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).
Tube count8
2 launchers x 4 tubes.
Per-side salvo8 torpedoes
8 (centerline launchers train across - full salvo to either side).
Full-salvo damage101,600
All tubes hitting one target: tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 8 x 12,700 = 101,600.
Per-side salvo damage101,600
One side firing, all torpedoes hitting: per-side tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 8 x 12,700 = 101,600.

AA defense

Close-range AA DPS155
Sum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (12×3.5×1) + (34×3.5×0.95) = 155. Covers AA-only mounts plus dual-purpose secondaries (Bismarck 105mm, USN 5"/38 cruiser secondaries) and dual-purpose main batteries (Sumner-class 5"/38, Akizuki-line 100mm). Formula validated against in-game captures on California, Sumner, Manfred von Richthofen, Dante Alighieri (exact) and within +/-17% on the remaining verified ships.
Maximum AA range3.5 km
Longest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.
AA threat index373
SUM over AA auras of (aura DPS x aura range km). A plane crossing the AA bubble is exposed to each aura for a time proportional to that aura's range, so long-reach DPS is worth more than the same DPS in a short bubble. Units: DPS*km; used to rank overall AA threat across the cohort.
Near aura range2 km

Armor Beta

Hull HP 15,00015,700 with hull upgrade, distributed across 5 hull zones, each with its own plate thicknesses, saturation cap, and pen thresholds. HP caps are the exact in-game values, not estimated.

Bow & stern16 mm

Overmatched by 92+ guns across the bracket. Can’t reliably bow-tank; gets bow-citadelled and overpenned.

Farming10 mm

Superstructure and extremities take HE pens and AP overpens from nearly any gun: steady chip damage. Fire resistance 23%, fires burn 30s. Range-by-range in the ballistics tool →

Section Plates HP cap Threats Tactic
Bow16 mm primary (range 15–16 mm)2,100 (13% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Moltke, Graf Spee)Angle bounces 203mm16 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Bow-tank fits behind this exterior plate. Saturation is FAST here; the cap is often only a few thousand HP.
Hull (midship)16 mm primary (range 13–16 mm)11,800 (75% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Moltke, Graf Spee)Angle bounces 203mm16 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Largest HP pool. Citadel sits behind these plates; thinner deck and side plating absorb the rest.
Stern16 mm primary (range 13–16 mm)1,300 (8% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Moltke, Graf Spee)Angle bounces 203mm16 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel16 mm primary (range 10–16 mm)≈ 165,500 (effectively no cap)
Citadel pen: full damageOver-pen: ×0.10 damage
Effectively no cap; citadel pool sits at ~165k HP on every ship. An AP citadel penetration deals the shell's full damage, the biggest single hit available; only over-penetrations are damped, to ×0.10.
Superstructure10 mm1,300 (8% of HP)
Any HE ≥16 mm pens at full damage
Any HE ≥16 mm pens at full damage. HE-spam target, and the section saturates fast (often only a few thousand HP).
Turret (module, per magazine)separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP7,900 magazine HPMagazine detonation1–30% chance · below ~75% HPPer-turret powder-magazine HP. Detonation chance scales from 1% (no mag damage) to 30% (full mag damage); this range is the in-game value. Detonation can't roll while the ship is above ~75% HP (the standard detonation-protection threshold, not a per-ship stat). Smaller magazines saturate to the 30% ceiling faster.
AA mount (37 mm mount)separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP200 per-mount HPDestroyed at 0 HPPer-mount HP for the heaviest AA on this ship. An AA mount destroyed at 0 HP stops shooting down planes for the rest of the battle; DCP does not repair destroyed mounts. HE shells specifically target AA mounts since the small-caliber HP pool falls fast.
Rudder (module)separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP4,700 module HPIncapacitated at 0 HPWhen module HP reaches 0 the rudder locks at its current angle until DCP repairs it. Repair via Damage Control Party.

Saturation cap = HP a section can absorb before further damage to it is reduced (the "bow-tank" effect). Citadel pool is ~165k on every ship (effectively no cap); damage is gated by pen/over-pen multipliers instead. Superstructure saturates fast but HE always pens regardless of the plate thickness. Rudder (and other module HPs) are a separate pool from ship HP: damaging a module doesn't drain ship HP. Incapacitated modules like the rudder and engine are restored by DCP, but secondary and AA mounts destroyed at 0 HP stay out for the rest of the battle.

Approximated side profile.
Open the 3D armor viewer →
3D armor viewer
Open in Charting Tool

Acceleration and Ballistics Chart

Balance History

Balance updates affecting Gaede. Cards are condensed; use each source link for full context.

Nerf ×12
2023-06-15

Ministry of Balance: Italian Concerto

  • Stock Hull HP reduced from 15,700 to 15,000.
  • Bow HP reduced from 2,100 to 2,000.
  • Hull HP reduced from 11,800 to 11,300.
  • Magazine HP reduced from 7,900 to 7,500.
  • Steering Gear HP reduced from 4,700 to 4,500.
  • Upgraded Hull HP reduced 16,500 to 15,700.
  • Bow HP reduced from 2,200 to 2,100.
  • Stern HP reduced from 1,400 to 1,300.
  • Hull HP reduced from 12,400 to 11,800.
  • Magazine HP reduced from 8,300 to 7,900.
  • +2 more official change lines in the source post.
Read the full official post
Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

Every custom exterior Gaede can equip, from in-game data.

  • Gaede default exterior
    DefaultThe ship’s standard exterior

Primary official WG sources

Filtered to official World of Warships: Legends pages where this ship is a focus, reward, line member, or high-context variant mention.