World of Warships: Legends ship guide

Komsomolets

Beta
Skip-bomber carrierSkip HE bombs along the waterline; hunt distracted targets and dodge AA bubbles.
Playstyle
  • Stay a full map cell behind the brawl line, far enough back that a rotated DD or radar cruiser cannot t…
  • Avoid: Trading a full squadron for one high-value kill
Key characteristics
Fire bombsAP bombsHeavy bombsBurny bombsFragile planesSlow
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Community Data

Komsomolets Community Stats

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Playstyle

Overview

Komsomolets is the Tier III Soviet skip-bomber carrier. Her HE skip bombs ricochet across the water into hulls for 10,620 per drop, best against lightly-armored or distracted ships and the tall superstructure of battleships. The air torpedoes are slow and light on damage, so the bombs carry the kit, and thin-skinned planes mean she keeps clear of AA-heavy ships.

Positioning

Stay a full map cell behind the brawl line, far enough back that a rotated DD or radar cruiser cannot threaten the hull. Launch from positions where the recall path stays inside your team's AA umbrella, not over open water where intercepting fighters can finish off limping squadrons. Longer trip back, fewer waves per match.

Potato Avoidance

Trading a full squadron for one high-value kill

Match impact comes from cycling waves across multiple targets, not committing a dive into layered AA for one battleship. When a target's AA is heavy, route around and find a softer pick rather than burning planes through the wall.

Signature Traits

ELITE AIRCRAFT
  • Heavy bombs · 10620.0 damage
  • Burny bombs · 54.0%
  • Heavy-pen bombs · 53.4 mm
  • Long air-torp range · 6.0 km
ELITE MOBILITY
  • Sharp rudder · 7.8 s
  • Quick acceleration
WEAK AIRCRAFT
  • Light air torpedoes · 3333.0 damage
  • Small squadrons · 8.0 planes
Acquisition

How to get Komsomolets

Komsomolets is available in the Strike Carriers branch of the U.S.S.R. Tech Tree for 270,000 credits after researching it in the branch. Known module upgrades cost up to 54,000 credits.

Show U.S.S.R. tech-tree branch diagram
U.S.S.R. Tech Tree

Komsomolets sits in the Strike Carriers branch. The highlighted path shows the local branch context inside the full U.S.S.R. tree.

Builds Beta

Build for aircraft restoration, survivability, speed, and basic strike consistency. Current advice should reflect reduced aircraft HP, increased restoration, reduced bomb damage/fire chance, and changed surface/air detectability.

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Cohort position

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Where Komsomolets sits among Tier III CVs (6 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.

BestStealth profile10.56 km / 7.39 km (1 of 2 tied / 1 of 2 tied) BestRudder shift7.8 s (1/6) BestAcceleration30.8 s (1/6) BestDisplacement9,400 t (1/6) BestBomb damage10,620 (1/6) BestBomb fire chance54% (1/5) BestBomb AP penetration53.4 mm (1/5) BestAir torpedo range6 km (1/6) WorstHit points31,700 HP (6/6) WorstMax speed17 kt (6/6) WorstAA DPS10 (1 of 3 tied) WorstAA threat37 (1 of 3 tied) WorstMax armor20 mm (1 of 3 tied) WorstCitadel belt20 mm (1 of 3 tied) WorstAir torpedo damage3,333 (6/6) WorstSquadron size8 (6/6) WorstDeck HP15,850 HP (6/6) WorstPlane HP1,000 HP (6/6)
See 15 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Komsomolets -- 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.

Secondary DPM (per side)45,000(3/6) HE alpha1,500(5/6) Secondary fire chance7%(4/6) Secondary HE pen17 mm(5/6) Engine power11,000 hp(5/6) Turn-speed retention17.2 hp/m(5/6) Power-to-weight1.17 hp/t(5/6) AA range3.5 km(3/6) Deck armor19 mm(4/6) Air torpedo speed43 kn(4/6) Squadron restore time150 s(4/6) NormSecondary dispersion bracket57(5 of 6 tied at this value) NormBow armor16 mm(4 of 6 tied at this value) NormStern armor16 mm(4 of 6 tied at this value) NormAir torpedo stealth1.3 km(5 of 6 tied at this value)
Survivability
Hit PointsInitial: 31,000 → 31,700
Displacement9,400 t
Armor range6–20 mm
Plate armor thicknesses6, 10, 13, 16, 19, 20 mm
Armor material/layer entries40
Fire resistanceInitial: 6.7% → 10%
Fire duration60 s
Torp Reduction0%
Squadrons
Total plane capacity72
Flight deck HP15,850
Hangar HP15,850
Dive bomber
Plane HP1,000
OrdnanceHE bomb, 10,620 dmg
Fire chance54%
Bomb penetration53.4 mm
Hangar max8
Hangar restore+2 every 150 s, start 8
Recovery time150 s
Torpedo bomber
Plane HP1,150
Ordnancetorpedo, 3,333 dmg
Flooding chance33%
Hangar max8
Hangar restore+2 every 150 s, start 8
Recovery time150 s
AA Defense
AA mount points0
Close-range AA DPS
ƒSum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (3×3.5×1) = 10. 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.
10
Maximum AA range
ƒLongest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.
3.5 km
102 mm/45 (DP)3×1 102mm
Far aura
DPS
ƒIncludes 3 continuous AA damage from dual-purpose secondaries firing as AA in this range band.
3
Range3.5 km
S
Secondary Battery
Mounts7
Firing range3.5 km
Shell Grouping (σ)1
Secondary dispersion type
ƒMax dispersion = range (km) × 57 + 30. Each dispersion type sets its own slope; this is not a percentage applied to a standard baseline.
Standard
Max secondary dispersion @ 3.5 km
ƒ3.5 km × 57 + 30 = 229.5 m.
229.5 m
102 mm/45 (×3)
Caliber102 mm
Reload time5 s
HE Damage1,500
Muzzle Velocity755 m/s
Fire Chance7%
Armor Pen17 mm
Min Ricochet91°
Max Ricochet60°
Show 1 more gun family
130 mm/55 (×4)
Caliber130 mm
Reload time10 s
HE Damage1,500
Muzzle Velocity755 m/s
Fire Chance7%
Armor Pen17 mm
Min Ricochet91°
Max Ricochet60°
Maneuverability
Engine moduleEngine: 11,000 hp
Engine power11,000 hp
Maximum speed17 kt
Turning circle radius640 m
Rudder shift time7.8 s
Engine power-boost threshold7 kt
Engine spool-up time23 s
Reverse spool-up time11.5 s
Acceleration 0-90%
ƒTime to reach 90% of top speed (15.3 kt of 17 kt), from our in-house acceleration model.
30.8 s
Acceleration 0-99%
ƒTime to reach 99% of top speed (16.8 kt of 17 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.
49.5 s
Concealment
Detectability by sea10.6 km
Detectability by air7.39 km
Detect after firing main guns
ƒmax(base sea detectability, gun-firing bloom range). Firing never pulls your detection closer than base concealment.
10.6 km
Detect Fire Sea12.6 km
Detect Fire Air10.39 km
Guaranteed Detect2 km
Consumables
Automatic Damage Control Party∞ charges · 90 s reload · 60 s active
Automatic Fighter4 charges · 40 s reload · 90 s active · 5 km patrol radius
ƒDerived from the consumable's 30 m grid-unit range (km = grid units x 30 / 1000): 167×301000=5 km
· 4 squadron size
Module options (1)

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

HullUpgrade
  • Hit points31,000 → 31,700
  • Rudder shift14.3 → 10.2 s

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.

AA defense

Close-range AA DPS10
Sum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (3×3.5×1) = 10. 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 index37
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.

Secondary battery dispersion

Secondary dispersion typeStandard
Max dispersion = range (km) × 57 + 30. Each dispersion type sets its own slope; this is not a percentage applied to a standard baseline.
Max secondary dispersion @ 3.5 km229.5 m
3.5 km × 57 + 30 = 229.5 m.

Secondary battery firepower

Secondary DPM (per side)45,000
Sum across all secondary families of (per-side barrels × 60 / reload_s × alpha), where per-side barrels = mounts × barrels-per-mount / 2 (the guns that bear on one broadside target). Per-family: 3×1 102 mm (1.5/side) × 60/5 × 1500 = 27,000 + 4×1 130 mm (2/side) × 60/10 × 1500 = 18,000. Assumes every shell hits (real hit rate is lower; the Brawl matchup tool on the Compare page folds in dispersion + target armor).
Max HE alpha1500
Maximum HE damage per shell across secondary HE families. Best on this ship: 1500 from the 102 mm family.
Max HE fire chance7%
Maximum per-shell fire chance across secondary HE families (before target fire resistance is applied). Best on this ship: 7% from the 102 mm family.
Max HE pen17 mm
Maximum HE armor penetration across secondary HE families (caliber × 1/6 for most nations; 1/4 for German/UK BBs). Shells whose pen falls under a plate's armor thickness shatter for 0 hull damage though fire chance still applies. Best on this ship: 17 mm from the 102 mm family.

Armor Beta

Hull HP 31,00031,700 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 48+ guns across the bracket. Can’t reliably bow-tank; gets bow-citadelled and overpenned.

Farming6 mm

Superstructure and extremities take HE pens and AP overpens from nearly any gun: steady chip damage. Fire resistance 10%, fires burn 60s. Range-by-range in the ballistics tool →

Section Plates HP cap Threats Tactic
Bow16 mm primary (range 13–20 mm)1,800 (6% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Nassau, Von Der Tann)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 16–19 mm)23,800 (75% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Nassau, Von Der Tann)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 16–20 mm)1,100 (3% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Nassau, Von Der Tann)Angle bounces 203mm16 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Mirror of bow. Same fast saturation.
Citadel20 mm primary (range 13–20 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.
Superstructure6 mm primary (range 6–19 mm)500 (2% 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).
Secondary mount (130 mm mount)separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP800 per-mount HPDestroyed at 0 HPPer-mount HP for the heaviest secondary on this ship. A mount destroyed at 0 HP is out for the rest of the battle; DCP does not repair destroyed mounts. Smaller (lighter-caliber) secondaries typically share the same HP value.
Rudder (module)separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP9,500 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 Komsomolets. Cards are condensed; use each source link for full context.

Nerf ×3Buff ×9Rework ×1Commander Skill ×1Airstrike ×2
2024-06-27

Ministry of Balance: Aerial Adjustments

  • Torpedo.
  • Torpedo bomber restoration time increased from 105 to 150 s.
  • Dive bomber restoration time increased from 105 to 150 s.
Read the full official post
2024-05-24

Ministry of Balance: Carriers 2.0 – First Wave

  • Maximum HP per aircraft reduced from 1,080 to 1,000 (squadron HP reduced from 4,320 to 4,000).
  • Base speed increased from 92 to 101 knots.
  • Maximum flight range set to 23 kilometers.
  • Aircraft restoration time increased from 72 to 105 seconds.
  • Aircraft restored increased from 1 to 2.
  • Torpedo Bombers:
  • Maximum HP per aircraft reduced from 1,220 to 1,150 (squadron HP reduced 4,880 to 4,600).
  • Base speed increased from 87 to 96 knots.
  • Maximum flight range set to 21 kilometers.
Read the full official post
2022-12-09

Ministry of Balance Reports: Carrier Changes

  • We recognize that Soviet carriers are very strong in specific situations, but Komsomolets is also lacking in damage output on average and at every skill level. However, she is doing better than Hermes, so the buff only applies to the torpedoes:
  • Torpedo damage increased from 3,833 to 4,133.
  • Torpedo arming time decreased from 6 to 4.5 seconds.
  • Torpedo speed increased from 41 to 43 knots.
Read the full official post
2022-09-29

Halloween Update: New Friends, Old Foes

  • Surface detectability range changed from 11.8 to 10.6 km; air detectability range changed from 9.4 to 7.4 km.
Read the full official post
Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

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

  • Komsomolets 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.