World of Warships: Legends ship guide

Marceau

Also called: 玛索SE '25 Beta
France · Tier VIII · Destroyer · Premium
Gunboat destroyerA gun-first destroyer: lean on main-battery DPM and treat the torpedoes as a finisher.
Playstyle
  • Hold mid-cap distance and lean into gunboat trades from cover where the peer destroyer cannot match you…
  • Avoid: Trading guns in open water against peer DDs
Key characteristics
High HE DPMHigh AP DPMLobs over islandsEngine BoostDefensive AASlow acceleration
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Community Data

Marceau Community Stats

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Playstyle

Overview

Marceau is a Tier VIII French gunboat destroyer: her damage comes from sustained main battery pressure on caps and open-water trades. Torpedoes are a secondary threat for closing lanes, not her main damage. Standout traits: best HE DPM in T8 DDs (246,667) and best top speed in T8 DDs (44 kt).

Positioning

Hold mid-cap distance and lean into gunboat trades from cover where the peer destroyer cannot match your fires-per-minute. Avoid open-water duels with ships running smoke or radar; your damage is mostly gunfire, and gunfire from cover wins more than from blue water. 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

Trading guns in open water against peer DDs

Your damage is sustained main-battery pressure from cover (the torpedoes are a secondary threat), so open-water duels just stack incoming HE on you while you fire back.

Signature Traits

Engine Boost

+20% speed, 180 s duration. Engine Boost consumable temporarily raises top speed. Mobility on demand to reposition, chase a kill, or break contact.

ELITE MAIN BATTERY
  • HE DPM machine · 246667 HE
  • Fast turret traverse · 30.0°
ELITE MOBILITY
  • Fast for the class · 44.0 kt
  • Long Engine Boost · 180.0 s
Long-reach AA

5.2 km AA reach, top decile of T8 DDs.

Slow acceleration

~19.3 s to 90% of top speed, bottom decile of T8 DDs. Sluggish rebuild after a turn or stop; the engine power-boost fades early, so the mid-range crawls.

Wide dispersion

97.8 m max horizontal dispersion, bottom decile of T8 DDs. Long-range salvos are noticeably wider than peers'.

Acquisition

How to get Marceau

Marceau is a Premium ship and not available to unlock in the Tech Tree. Acquisition path: Containers. Container chances are shown as the listed odds of receiving this exact ship, dividing grouped ship-pool odds across the resolved ships and including nested container paths when a crate can drop another crate.

Best listed chance for this ship

  • Mystic Chest 4.966667% Tier VIII Premium ship or Legendary Tier ship Event containers · Mystic Chest · 1 of 3 ships
  • Mystic Lantern 0.745% Tier VIII Premium ship or Legendary Tier ship Event containers · Mystic Lantern → Mystic Chest · 1 of 3 ships
  • Mystic Box 0.099333% Tier VIII Premium ship or Legendary Tier ship Event containers · Mystic Box → Mystic Chest · 1 of 3 ships
Official WG availability sources
Show direct source rows
  • Mystic Chest 4.966667% · Tier VIII Premium ship or Legendary Tier ship

Builds Beta

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

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Cohort position

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Where Marceau sits among Tier VIII DDs (27 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.

BestMax speed44 kt (1 of 2 tied) BestHE DPM246,667 (1 of 2 tied) Top 10%Traverse-to-turn ratio17.12 × (3/27) Top 10%AP DPM313,333 (3/25) Top 25%Engine power96,842 hp (5/27) Top 25%Turn-speed retention130.9 hp/m (5/27) Top 25%Power-to-weight23.57 hp/t (5/27) Top 25%AA DPS277 (7/27) Top 25%AA range5.2 km (5/27) Top 25%AA threat1,039 (7/27) Bottom 25%Main dispersion97.8 m (25/27) Bottom 25%AP velocity808 m/s (20/25) Bottom 25%HE velocity808 m/s (21/26) Bottom 25%Acceleration19.3 s (25/27) Bottom 25%Torpedo reload150 s (23/26) WorstHE fire chance5% (1 of 8 tied) WorstTorpedo range6 km (1 of 2 tied)
See 22 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Marceau -- 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.

Hit points20,500 HP(11/27) Concealment7.1 km(19/27) Air detection3.55 km(19/27) Rudder shift4.8 s(20/27) Main battery caliber127 mm(18/27) Main battery range11.04 km(11/27) Main battery reload3.6 s(14/27) HE shell damage1,850(13/26) Fires per minute6.67(13/26) AP shell damage2,350(13/25) AP fuse timer0.01 s(14/25) AP arming threshold21 mm(11/25) Displacement4,108 t(21/27) Torpedo damage≈13,733(17/26) Torpedo speed60 kt(20/26) Repair heal rate1 %/s(7/11) Deck armor19 mm(11/21) NormAP ricochet start45°(19 of 25 tied at this value) NormAP auto-bounce angle60°(19 of 25 tied at this value) NormMax armor20 mm(23 of 27 tied at this value) NormCitadel belt20 mm(23 of 27 tied at this value) NormBow armor19 mm(26 of 27 tied at this value)
Survivability
Hit Points20,500
Displacement4,108 t
Armor range13–20 mm
Plate armor thicknesses13, 19, 20 mm
Armor material/layer entries24
Fire resistance40%
Fire duration30 s
Torp Reduction0%
Main Battery
ModuleArtillery: 127 mm/54 Mle 1948
Mounts / barrels4 mounts / 8 barrels
Reload time4 s
Firing range11 km
Turret traverse30 °/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 =(1104530·80.51000+0.5)·30=97.8m
97.8 m
Max Vert Disp
ƒVertical dispersion ellipse height at max range: σV=σH·radiusOnMax =97.8·0.6=58.7m
58.7 m
Med Horiz Disp
ƒ50%-hit horizontal radius: σH,50=σH·GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) =97.8·0.32(σ=2)=31.3m
31.3 m
Med Vert Disp
ƒ50%-hit vertical radius: σV,50=σV·GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) =58.7·0.32(σ=2)=18.8m
18.8 m
Turret turn time
ƒ180 degrees / 30 deg/s traverse speed = 6 s.
6 s
Base shells/min
ƒ8 broadside guns x 60 / 4 s base reload = 120.
120
HE shells
HE Damage1,850
HE Velocity808 m/s
Fire Chance5%
HE penetration
ƒ21 mm ≈ 127 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
21 mm
HE full-salvo alpha
ƒ1,850 HE damage x 8 broadside guns = 14,800.
14,800
Base HE DPM
ƒ14,800 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 4 s base reload = 222,000.
222,000
Installed HE DPM
ƒ14,800 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 3.6 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 246,667.
246,667
Base fires/min
ƒ120 shells/min x 5% fire chance = 6.
6
AP shells
AP Damage2,350
AP Velocity808 m/s
Min Ricochet45 deg
Guaranteed Ricochet60 deg
Fuse Timer0.01 s
Fuse Threshold21 mm
AP overmatch
ƒfloor(127 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 =107·2200·32.50.69·0.1271.07·8081.38=227.4mm. Matches the in-game spec card.
227.4 mm
AP Pen Far
ƒSame formula at the ship's max firing range (13.8 km), where the shell has slowed to 260.6 m/s: P=107·2200·32.50.69·0.1271.07·260.61.38=47.7mm.
47.7 mm
AP full-salvo alpha
ƒ2,350 AP damage x 8 broadside guns = 18,800.
18,800
Base AP DPM
ƒ18,800 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 4 s base reload = 282,000.
282,000
Installed AP DPM
ƒ18,800 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 3.6 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 313,333.
313,333
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.
10
Torpedoes
ModuleTorpedoes: 550 mm lance-torpilles
Launchers / tubes4 launchers × 3 tubes = 12 tubes
Reload time150 s
Projectile speed60 kt
Range6 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=41,200·0.333=13,733.
≈ 13,733
Torpedo detectability1.5 km
Flooding chance246%
Torpedo launcher traverse25 °/s
Torp Turn
ƒTime to rotate the launchers 180 deg: tturn=180°25°/s=7.2s.
7.2 s
Torp Arming185 m
Per-side salvo damage
ƒOne side firing, all torpedoes hitting: per-side tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 12 x 13,733 = 164,796.
164,796
AA Defense
AA mount points9
Close-range AA DPS
ƒSum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (39×3.5×1) + (16×3.5×0.95) + (25×3.5×1) = 277. 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.
277
Maximum AA range
ƒLongest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.
5.2 km
40 mm/56 Bofors Mk23×4 40mm
40 mm/56 Bofors Mk12×2 40mm
20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk244×2 20mm
Far aura
DPS
ƒIncludes 25 continuous AA damage from dual-purpose main battery firing as AA in this range band.
25
Range5.2 km
Medium aura
DPS39
Range3.5 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒFar 25 + Medium 39 = 64
64
Near aura
DPS16
Range2 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒFar 25 + Medium 39 + Near 16 = 80
80
Maneuverability
Engine moduleEngine: 96,842 hp
Engine power96,842 hp
Maximum speed44 kt
Turning circle radius740 m
Rudder shift time4.8 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 (39.6 kt of 44 kt), from our in-house acceleration model.
19.3 s
Acceleration 0-99%
ƒTime to reach 99% of top speed (43.6 kt of 44 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.
33 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·44.0·0.5144740=1.75°/s, so ratio=ωturretωhull=301.75=17.1×. Below 5 the turrets drag in a turning fight; 25+ keeps up with any rudder.
17.1× snappy
Concealment
Detectability by sea7.1 km
Detectability by air3.55 km
Smoke firing penalty2.65 km
Detect after firing main guns
ƒmax(base sea detectability, gun-firing bloom range). Firing never pulls your detection closer than base concealment.
7.1 km
Detect Fire Sea9.1 km
Detect Fire Air6.55 km
Guaranteed Detect2 km
Consumables
Damage Control Party∞ charges · 40 s reload · 5 s active
Engine Boost2 charges · 120 s reload · 180 s active · +20% speed bonus
Repair Party2 charges · 120 s reload · 14 s active · 2,870 HP (14% of max HP) total heal (per charge)
ƒHeal per second (1%) x effective active time (14 s) = up to 14% of max HP restored per charge.
· 5,740 HP (28% of max HP) total heal (all charges)
ƒ14% per charge x 2 charges = up to 28% of max HP if the whole Repair Party loadout is used.
· 205 HP/s (1% of max HP) heal per second
ƒ1% of max HP (20,500 HP) per second = 205 HP/s. WoWS heals a flat percent of MAX HP each second, so this rate holds at any health level.
Defensive AA Fire3 charges · 140 s reload · 25 s active · +100% flak burst boost

See all derived stats

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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 Disp97.8 m
Horizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range, from the verified WoWS dispersion model: $\sigma_H = \left(\dfrac{R}{30}\cdot\dfrac{\text{idealRadius}-\text{minRadius}}{\text{idealDistance}} + \text{minRadius}\right)\cdot 30$ $= \left(\dfrac{11045}{30}\cdot\dfrac{8-0.5}{1000} + 0.5\right)\cdot 30 = 97.8\,\text{m}$
Shell scatter width @ 10 km90 m
How wide your shells scatter at 10 km, from the same dispersion model as the max-range figure above. Picking a fixed range makes this number directly comparable from ship to ship: max-range dispersion makes a longer-range gun look worse even when it's tighter at any common range. The interactive Dispersion tab on the Charts card plots the full curve from 0 to max range.
Max Vert Disp58.7 m
Vertical dispersion ellipse height at max range: $\sigma_V = \sigma_H \cdot \text{radiusOnMax}$ $= 97.8 \cdot 0.6 = 58.7\,\text{m}$
Shell scatter height @ 10 km52.3 m
How tall the same scatter ellipse is at 10 km. Comparable from ship to ship for the same reason as the width value above.
Med Horiz Disp31.3 m
50%-hit horizontal radius: $\sigma_{H,50} = \sigma_H \cdot \text{GetHalfHitsRatio}(\sigma)$ $= 97.8 \cdot 0.32\;(\sigma = 2) = 31.3\,\text{m}$
Med Vert Disp18.8 m
50%-hit vertical radius: $\sigma_{V,50} = \sigma_V \cdot \text{GetHalfHitsRatio}(\sigma)$ $= 58.7 \cdot 0.32\;(\sigma = 2) = 18.8\,\text{m}$
AP Pen Close227.4 mm
Canonical community AP formula (jcw780/wows_shell), evaluated at muzzle velocity: $P = 10^{-7}\cdot K \cdot m^{0.69} \cdot d^{-1.07} \cdot v_0^{1.38}$ $= 10^{-7}\cdot 2200 \cdot 32.5^{0.69} \cdot 0.127^{-1.07} \cdot 808^{1.38} = 227.4\,\text{mm}$. Matches the in-game spec card.
AP Pen Far47.7 mm
Same formula at the ship's max firing range (13.8 km), where the shell has slowed to 260.6 m/s: $P = 10^{-7}\cdot 2200 \cdot 32.5^{0.69} \cdot 0.127^{-1.07} \cdot 260.6^{1.38} = 47.7\,\text{mm}$.
HE penetration21 mm
21 mm ≈ 127 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
AP overmatch8 mm
floor(127 mm caliber / 14.3) = 8 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
AP AOE Radius10
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 alpha8
All 8 barrels bear on the broadside.
Turret turn time6 s
180 degrees / 30 deg/s traverse speed = 6 s.
HE full-salvo alpha14,800
1,850 HE damage x 8 broadside guns = 14,800.
AP full-salvo alpha18,800
2,350 AP damage x 8 broadside guns = 18,800.
Base HE DPM222,000
14,800 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 4 s base reload = 222,000.
Base AP DPM282,000
18,800 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 4 s base reload = 282,000.
Installed HE DPM246,667
14,800 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 3.6 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 246,667.
Installed AP DPM313,333
18,800 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 3.6 s installed reload (Main Battery Mod. 3 = -10%) = 313,333.
Base shells/min120
8 broadside guns x 60 / 4 s base reload = 120.
Installed shells/min133.3
8 broadside guns x 60 / 3.6 s installed Artillery reload = 133.3.
Base fires/min6
120 shells/min x 5% fire chance = 6.
Installed fires/min6.67
133.3 shells/min x 5% fire chance = 6.67.

Torpedoes

Torpedo detectability1.5 km
Estimated torpedo reaction time9.6 s
detectability / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).
Torpedo speed60 kt
Travel time to max range38.5 s
range / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).
Tube count12
4 launchers x 3 tubes.
Per-side salvo12 torpedoes
12 (centerline launchers train across - full salvo to either side).
Full-salvo damage164,796
All tubes hitting one target: tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 12 x 13,733 = 164,796.
Per-side salvo damage164,796
One side firing, all torpedoes hitting: per-side tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 12 x 13,733 = 164,796.

AA defense

Close-range AA DPS277
Sum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (39×3.5×1) + (16×3.5×0.95) + (25×3.5×1) = 277. 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 range5.2 km
Longest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.
AA threat index1039
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 20,500, 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 & stern19 mm

Overmatched by 129+ guns across the bracket. Can’t reliably bow-tank; gets bow-citadelled and overpenned.

Farming19 mm

Superstructure and extremities take HE pens and AP overpens from nearly any gun: steady chip damage. Fire resistance 40%, fires burn 30s. Range-by-range in the ballistics tool →

Section Plates HP cap Threats Tactic
Bow19 mm primary (range 19–20 mm)2,900 (14% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Scharnhorst '43, Schill)Angle bounces 203mm19 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)19 mm15,400 (75% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Scharnhorst '43, Schill)Angle bounces 203mm19 mm: HE pens from 127mm+
Largest HP pool. Citadel sits behind these plates; thinner deck and side plating absorb the rest.
Stern19 mm primary (range 19–20 mm)2,000 (10% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Scharnhorst '43, Schill)Angle bounces 203mm19 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.
Superstructure19 mm1,300 (6% 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 HP11,000 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 (40 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 HP6,200 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.
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Acceleration and Ballistics Chart

Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

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

  • Marceau 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.