World of Warships: Legends ship guide

Minsk

Also called: 明斯克 · Минск Beta
Long-range gunboatOut-range peer DDs and kite cruisers; HE spam from open water.
Playstyle
  • Sit in open water at the edge of 11.8 km where peer DDs cannot return fire and most cruisers have to pu…
  • Avoid: Overstaying detection after a torpedo drop
Key characteristics
Heavy, fast torpedoes12 km gun rangeSmokeEngine BoostLong DCP windowEasily spotted
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Community Data

Minsk Community Stats

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Playstyle

Overview

Minsk is a Tier VI Soviet long-range gunboat destroyer reaching 11.8 km: her guns out-reach peer DDs and most cruisers can be kited at the edge of her range. The kit is HE spam from open water rather than cap contesting; the torpedoes are a backup, not the primary threat. Standout traits: best DCP duration in T6 DDs (10 s) and top-decile top speed in T6 DDs (43 kt).

Positioning

Sit in open water at the edge of 11.8 km where peer DDs cannot return fire and most cruisers have to push to engage. The kit is HE pressure from distance, not cap contesting; let your peer DDs take the cap while you kite the rotating cruisers and BBs that come to support it. 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

Overstaying detection after a torpedo drop

The detection window is a hard timer; if you are still firing guns when concealment closes again, you have already taken more damage than the drop earned.

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 gun range · 11.83 km
  • Overmatch specialist
Long DCP window

10.0 s Damage Control duration, best of T6 DDs. Stays fire / flood immune longer per activation.

ELITE MOBILITY
  • Fast for the class · 43.0 kt
  • Nimble for the tonnage · 25.41 hp
Easily spotted

7.5 km surface detect, bottom decile of T6 DDs. Visible before you can react; position early.

Short torp range

6.03 km torpedo range, bottom decile of T6 DDs. Must close to deliver.

Acquisition

How to get Minsk

Minsk is available in the Fiery Destroyers branch of the U.S.S.R. Tech Tree for 9,000,000 credits after researching it in the branch. Known module upgrades cost up to 2,475,000 credits.

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

Minsk sits in the Fiery Destroyers branch. The highlighted path shows the local branch context inside the full U.S.S.R. 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

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Where Minsk sits among Tier VI DDs (41 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.

BestMain battery range11.83 km (1/41) Top 10%Max speed43 kt (3/41) Top 10%Power-to-weight25.41 hp/t (3/41) Top 25%Main battery caliber130 mm (9/41) Top 25%Engine power66,000 hp (11/41) Top 25%Torpedo damage≈16,733 (7/41) Top 25%Torpedo speed70 kt (7/41) Bottom 25%Main dispersion95.7 m (37/41) Bottom 25%Acceleration18.5 s (35/41) Bottom 25%AP arming threshold22 mm (31/37) Bottom 25%Torpedo reload110 s (37/41) Bottom 10%Stealth profile7.5 km / 3.75 km (40/41 / 39/41) Bottom 10%Torpedo range6.03 km (39/41) WorstTraverse-to-turn ratio3.27 × (41/41) WorstNo secondaries (37 of 41 in cohort)
See 23 mid-pack stats

Not standouts for Minsk -- 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 points15,100 HP(25/41) Rudder shift3.3 s(14/41) Main battery reload5 s(22/41) HE shell damage1,750(25/41) HE fire chance8%(19/41) Fires per minute4.8(21/41) HE DPM105,000(30/41) AP shell damage2,300(15/37) AP DPM138,000(26/37) AP velocity870 m/s(11/37) HE velocity870 m/s(13/41) Turn-speed retention95.7 hp/m(13/41) Displacement2,597 t(21/41) AA DPS136(23/41) AA range3.2 km(31/41) AA threat434(20/41) NormAP fuse timer0.01 s(33 of 37 tied at this value) NormAP ricochet start45°(34 of 37 tied at this value) NormAP auto-bounce angle60°(34 of 37 tied at this value) NormMax armor16 mm(26 of 41 tied at this value) NormCitadel belt16 mm(28 of 39 tied at this value) NormBow armor16 mm(32 of 39 tied at this value) NormStern armor16 mm(32 of 39 tied at this value)
Survivability
Hit PointsInitial: 13,800 → 15,100
Displacement2,597 t
Armor range10–16 mm
Plate armor thicknesses10, 15, 16 mm
Armor material/layer entries23
Fire resistanceInitial: 26.6% → 30%
Fire duration30 s
Torp Reduction0%
Main Battery
ModuleArtillery: 130 mm B-13 U
Mounts / barrels5 mounts / 5 barrels
Reload time5 s
Firing range (base)10.8 km
Firing range (top fire control)11.8 km
Turret traverse6 °/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 =(1075530·80.51000+0.5)·30=95.7m
95.7 m
Max Vert Disp
ƒVertical dispersion ellipse height at max range: σV=σH·radiusOnMax =95.7·0.6=57.4m
57.4 m
Med Horiz Disp
ƒ50%-hit horizontal radius: σH,50=σH·GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) =95.7·0.32(σ=2)=30.6m
30.6 m
Med Vert Disp
ƒ50%-hit vertical radius: σV,50=σV·GetHalfHitsRatio(σ) =57.4·0.319(σ=2)=18.3m
18.3 m
Turret turn time
ƒ180 degrees / 6 deg/s traverse speed = 30 s.
30 s
Base shells/min
ƒ5 broadside guns x 60 / 5 s base reload = 60.
60
HE shells
HE Damage1,750 → 1,900
HE Velocity870 m/s
Fire Chance8%
HE penetration
ƒ22 mm ≈ 130 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
22 mm
HE full-salvo alpha
ƒ1,900 HE damage x 5 broadside guns = 9,500.
9,500
Base HE DPM
ƒ9,500 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5 s base reload = 114,000.
114,000
Base fires/min
ƒ60 shells/min x 8% fire chance = 4.8.
4.8
AP shells
AP Damage2,300 → 2,500
AP Velocity870 m/s
Min Ricochet45 deg
Guaranteed Ricochet60 deg
Fuse Timer0.01 s
Fuse Threshold22 mm
AP overmatch
ƒfloor(130 mm caliber / 14.3) = 9 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
9 mm
AP Pen Close
ƒCanonical community AP formula (jcw780/wows_shell), evaluated at muzzle velocity: P=107·K·m0.69·d1.07·v01.38 =107·1615·33.50.69·0.131.07·8701.38=184.1mm. Matches the in-game spec card.
184.1 mm
AP Pen Far
ƒSame formula at the ship's max firing range (14.8 km), where the shell has slowed to 346.3 m/s: P=107·1615·33.50.69·0.131.07·346.31.38=51.6mm.
51.6 mm
AP full-salvo alpha
ƒ2,500 AP damage x 5 broadside guns = 12,500.
12,500
Base AP DPM
ƒ12,500 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5 s base reload = 150,000.
150,000
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.
9
Torpedoes
ModuleTorpedoes: 53-38U
Launchers / tubes2 launchers × 4 tubes = 8 tubes
Reload time110 s
Projectile speed70 kt
Range6.03 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=50,200·0.333=16,733.
≈ 16,733
Torpedo detectability1.3 km
Flooding chance302%
Torpedo launcher traverse25 °/s
Torp Turn
ƒTime to rotate the launchers 180 deg: tturn=180°25°/s=7.2s.
7.2 s
Torp Arming216 m
Per-side salvo damage
ƒOne side firing, all torpedoes hitting: per-side tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 8 x 16,733 = 133,864.
133,864
AA Defense
AA mount pointsInitial: 8 → 11
Close-range AA DPS
ƒSum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (4×3.5×1) + (35×3.5×1) = 136. 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.
136
Maximum AA range
ƒLongest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.
3.2 km
76 mm 34-KInitial: 2×1 → 3×1 76mm
37 mm 70-K (upgraded hull only)8×1 37mm
45 mm 21-K (stock hull only)6×1 45mm
Medium aura
DPS35
Range3.2 km
Far aura
DPSInitial: 3 → 4
Range3 km
Total DPS in Aura
ƒMedium 35 + Far 4 = 39
39
Maneuverability
Engine moduleEngine: 66,000 hp
Engine power66,000 hp
Maximum speed43 kt
Turning circle radius690 m
Rudder shift time3.3 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 (38.7 kt of 43 kt), from our in-house acceleration model.
18.5 s
Acceleration 0-99%
ƒTime to reach 99% of top speed (42.6 kt of 43 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.
31.5 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·43.0·0.5144690=1.84°/s, so ratio=ωturretωhull=61.84=3.3×. Below 5 the turrets drag in a turning fight; 25+ keeps up with any rudder.
3.3× drags
Concealment
Detectability by sea7.5 km
Detectability by air3.75 km
Smoke firing penalty2.85 km
Detect after firing main guns
ƒmax(base sea detectability, gun-firing bloom range). Firing never pulls your detection closer than base concealment.
7.5 km
Detect Fire Sea9.5 km
Detect Fire Air6.75 km
Guaranteed Detect2 km
Consumables
Damage Control Party∞ charges · 40 s reload · 10 s active
Smoke Generator2 charges · 240 s reload · 20 s emit / 85 s cloud active
Engine Boost2 charges · 180 s reload · 120 s active · +8% speed bonus
Module options (3)

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

HullUpgrade
  • Hit points13,800 → 15,100
  • Rudder shift6 → 4.3 s
  • AA mounts8 → 11
  • Close-range AA DPS13 → 39
  • Maximum AA range3 → 3.2 km
Fire controlUpgrade
  • Main battery range10,755 → 11830.5 m
TorpedoesTrade-off
  • Alpha damage42,000 → 50,200
  • Display damage14,000 → 16,733
  • Speed75 → 70 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 Disp95.7 m
Horizontal dispersion ellipse width at max range, from the verified WoWS dispersion model: $\sigma_H = \left(\dfrac{R}{30}\cdot\dfrac{\text{idealRadius}-\text{minRadius}}{\text{idealDistance}} + \text{minRadius}\right)\cdot 30$ $= \left(\dfrac{10755}{30}\cdot\dfrac{8-0.5}{1000} + 0.5\right)\cdot 30 = 95.7\,\text{m}$
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 Disp57.4 m
Vertical dispersion ellipse height at max range: $\sigma_V = \sigma_H \cdot \text{radiusOnMax}$ $= 95.7 \cdot 0.6 = 57.4\,\text{m}$
Shell scatter height @ 10 km52.7 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 Disp30.6 m
50%-hit horizontal radius: $\sigma_{H,50} = \sigma_H \cdot \text{GetHalfHitsRatio}(\sigma)$ $= 95.7 \cdot 0.32\;(\sigma = 2) = 30.6\,\text{m}$
Med Vert Disp18.3 m
50%-hit vertical radius: $\sigma_{V,50} = \sigma_V \cdot \text{GetHalfHitsRatio}(\sigma)$ $= 57.4 \cdot 0.319\;(\sigma = 2) = 18.3\,\text{m}$
Dispersion familyDD Disp.
Standard destroyer dispersion baseline.
AP Pen Close184.1 mm
Canonical community AP formula (jcw780/wows_shell), evaluated at muzzle velocity: $P = 10^{-7}\cdot K \cdot m^{0.69} \cdot d^{-1.07} \cdot v_0^{1.38}$ $= 10^{-7}\cdot 1615 \cdot 33.5^{0.69} \cdot 0.13^{-1.07} \cdot 870^{1.38} = 184.1\,\text{mm}$. Matches the in-game spec card.
AP Pen Far51.6 mm
Same formula at the ship's max firing range (14.8 km), where the shell has slowed to 346.3 m/s: $P = 10^{-7}\cdot 1615 \cdot 33.5^{0.69} \cdot 0.13^{-1.07} \cdot 346.3^{1.38} = 51.6\,\text{mm}$.
HE penetration22 mm
22 mm ≈ 130 mm caliber / 6 (standard HE penetration ratio).
AP overmatch9 mm
floor(130 mm caliber / 14.3) = 9 mm (AP auto-penetrates plating this thick or less).
AP AOE Radius9
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 alpha5
All 5 barrels bear on the broadside.
Turret turn time30 s
180 degrees / 6 deg/s traverse speed = 30 s.
HE full-salvo alpha9,500
1,900 HE damage x 5 broadside guns = 9,500.
AP full-salvo alpha12,500
2,500 AP damage x 5 broadside guns = 12,500.
Base HE DPM114,000
9,500 HE full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5 s base reload = 114,000.
Base AP DPM150,000
12,500 AP full-salvo alpha x 60 / 5 s base reload = 150,000.
Base shells/min60
5 broadside guns x 60 / 5 s base reload = 60.
Base fires/min4.8
60 shells/min x 8% fire chance = 4.8.

Torpedoes

Torpedo detectability1.3 km
Estimated torpedo reaction time7.1 s
detectability / (speed kt x 2.6 community game-speed factor).
Torpedo speed70 kt
Travel time to max range33.1 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 damage133,864
All tubes hitting one target: tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 8 x 16,733 = 133,864.
Per-side salvo damage133,864
One side firing, all torpedoes hitting: per-side tubes x per-torpedo simulated damage = 8 x 16,733 = 133,864.

AA defense

Close-range AA DPS136
Sum across every AA aura on this ship of (aura.continuous_damage x 3.5 x aura.hit_probability). Here: (4×3.5×1) + (35×3.5×1) = 136. 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 range3.2 km
Longest-reaching aura across AA-only + dual-purpose auras.
AA threat index434
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.

Armor Beta

Hull HP 13,80015,100 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 124+ guns across the bracket. Can’t reliably bow-tank; gets bow-citadelled and overpenned.

Farming16 mm

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

Section Plates HP cap Threats Tactic
Bow16 mm primary (range 15–16 mm)2,300 (15% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Graf Spee, Scharnhorst)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 mm11,300 (75% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Graf Spee, Scharnhorst)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 15–16 mm)1,100 (7% of HP)
Overmatched by 283mm+ (Graf Spee, Scharnhorst)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.
Turret (module, per magazine)separate HP pool, does not drain ship HP7,600 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 (76 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 HP4,500 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 Minsk. Cards are condensed; use each source link for full context.

Buff ×2Rework ×2Main Battery ×3
2022-03-03

March update: All That is Gold Does Not Glitter

  • Minsk received a buff a few updates ago which made her a little too ambitious, so we're culling the reload of both her main guns and torpedoes to decrease the total damage she can inflict in battle.
  • Upgraded artillery preset reload time changed from 3.5 to 4 s.
  • Reload time for both torpedo presets changed from 101 to 110 s from 98 to 110 s.
Read the full official post
2021-12-16

Holiday Update: Chilling With the Beasts

  • Upgraded main battery reload time decreased from 5.2s to 3.5s; range of torpedoes increased from 4 km to 6 km.
Read the full official post
Exteriors

Skins & permanent camouflages

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

  • Minsk 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.