Historical background
Schill is based on the “Handelszerstörer” (trade destroyer) designs from 1941. This series of designs emerged from the previously canceled P-class (which was a larger version of the Deutschland-class) and the O-class (that we know in the game as Siegfried and if we want to be generous, we can also count Aegir) battlecruisers. While three O-class battlecruisers were ordered, their construction never actually started, partially due to a lack of materials and the fact that shipyards were busy printing U-boats.
However, in 1941, the Kriegsmarine decided to dust off the canceled P-class, modify the design and call it Handelszerstörer. The goal was to create a ship meant to deal with cruisers and destroyers thanks to its stronger armament and armor while being able to outrun battleships thanks to its speed. At least four designs were presented:
- A 26 000 tons design with Diesel engines generating 120 000 SHP and allowing the ship to reach 31 knots. The main armament consisted of two triple turrets with 283 mm guns
- The same as above but with two twin turrets with 380 mm guns
- A 21 000 tons design with steam turbines and armed with two triple turrets with 283 mm guns
- A 28 000 tons design propelled by a mix of steam turbines and Diesel engines and armed with two twin turrets with 380 mm guns
When it comes to Schill, she is based on the third design. However, Wargaming took quite a bit of liberty regarding the armor of the ship.
Ship’s preview
Ship’s commemorative flag
Ship’s permanent camouflage
For the classic reminder, this is a ship in testing, anything can change so don’t look at her like she would already be released.
Modules
Hull | Engine | Gun Fire Control System | Main battery | Torpedoes |
Schill |
Propulsion: 140 000 HP |
FKS Typ 8 Mod. 1 |
![]() 283 mm/54.5 SK C/34 on a Drh LC/34 mount |
G7a T1 |
General Characteristics
Tier | VIII |
Health | 56 800 HP |
Torpedo Damage Reduction | 13 % |
Displacement | 26 177 tons |
Dimensions | |
Overall length | 220.2 m |
Beam | 24.04 m |
Overall height (keel to the highest point on the ship) | 32.0 m |
Freeboard | 4.5 m |
Main Armament | |
Maximum Firing Range | 17.300 km |
283 mm/54.5 SK C/34 on a Drh LC/34 mount | 2 x 3 283 mm |
Secondary Armament | |
Maximum Firing Range | 7.600 km |
150 mm/55 SK C/28 on a Drh Tr C/34 mount 105 mm/65 SK C/33 on a Dop. L. C/38 mount |
2 x 3 150 mm 6 x 2 105 mm |
Torpedo Armament | |
Maximum Firing Range | 6.000 km |
533 mm Vierling | 2 x 4 533 mm |
Maximum speed | 32.5 knots |
Turning Circle Radius | 760 m |
Rudder Shift Time | 12.4 s |
Surface Detectability | 14.49 km |
Air Detectability | 8.17 km |
Detectability After Firing Main Guns in Smoke | 11.0 km |
Consumables | |||
Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 | Slot 4 |
Damage Control Party![]() |
Hydroacoustic Search![]() Ship spotting range: 6.0 km |
Defensive AA Fire![]() Damage from shell explosions: +300% |
Fighter![]() |
Main Armament
2 x 3 283 mm/54.5 SK C/34 on a Drh LC/34 mount |
|
Maximum Firing Range | 17.300 km |
Reloading Time | 16.5 s |
180 Degree Turn Time | 25.0 s |
Optimal firing angles at the front | 34° |
Optimal firing angles at the rear | 34° |
Sigma | 2.0 sigma |
Maximum Dispersion | 152 m |
Shells | |
Type of Projectile | HE – 283 mm Spr.Gr. L/4.2 Kz. |
Alpha Damage | 3 200 |
Penetration capacity | 71 mm |
Explosion size | 21.0 m |
Fire chance | 20 % |
Projectile Speed | 910 m/s |
Air Drag | 0.333 |
Projectile Mass | 300.0 kg |
Type of Projectile | AP – 283 mm P.Spr.Gr. L/3.7 |
Alpha Damage | 8 400 |
Projectile Speed | 910 m/s |
Air Drag | 0.333 |
Projectile Mass | 300.0 kg |
Projectile Krupp | 2 282 |
Projectile Detonator | 0.01 s |
Detonator threshold | 47 mm |
Ricochet Angles | 45° – 60° |
Secondary Armament
2 x 3 150 mm/55 SK C/28 on a Drh Tr C/34 mount | |
Maximum Firing Range | 7.600 km |
Reloading Time | 7.5 s |
Sigma | 1.0 sigma |
Shells | |
Type of Projectile | HE – 150 mm Spr.Gr. L/4.5 |
Alpha Damage | 1 700 |
HE penetration | 38 mm |
Explosion Size | 8.1 m |
Chance to Cause Fire | 8 % |
Projectile Speed | 875 m/s |
Air Drag | 0.33 |
Projectile Mass | 45.3 kg |
6 x 2 105 mm/65 SK C/33 on a Dop. L. C/38 mount | |
Maximum Firing Range | 7.600 km |
Reloading Time | 3.35 s |
Sigma | 1.0 sigma |
Shells | |
Type of Projectile | HE – 105 mm Spr.Gr. Kz. |
Alpha Damage | 1 200 |
HE penetration | 26 mm |
Explosion Size | 4.65 m |
Chance to Cause Fire | 5 % |
Projectile Speed | 900 m/s |
Air Drag | 0.31 |
Projectile Mass | 15.1 kg |
Torpedo Armament
2 x 4 533 mm Vierling G7a T1
|
|
Reloading Time | 90.0 s |
Maximum Distance | 6.000 km |
Optimal firing angles at the front | 20° |
Optimal firing angles at the rear | 20° |
Damage | 13 700 |
Flooding Chance | 227% |
Speed | 64 knots |
Surface Detectability | 1.3 km |
Anti-air Armament
6 x 2 105 mm/65 SK C/33 on a Dop. L. C/38 mount | |
Sector firing range | 0.1 km – 5.2 km |
Hit chance | 90 % |
Sector’s damage | 38 |
Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
Sector’s damage per second | 133 |
Flak clouds number | 6 |
Flak cloud damage | 1 400 |
4 x 2 37 mm/83 SK C/30 on a Dopp LC/30 mount | |
Sector firing range | 0.1 km – 3.5 km |
Hit chance | 90 % |
Sector’s damage | 6 |
Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
Sector’s damage per second | 21 |
10 x 2 20 mm/65 C/38 on a twin mount 8 x 4 20 mm/65 C/38 on a Flak 35 Vierling L/38 mount |
|
Sector firing range | 0.1 km – 2.0 km |
Hit chance | 85 % |
Sector’s damage | 59 |
Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
Sector’s damage per second | 207 |
ASW Airstrike
Fw.200 Condor – Depth charge airstrike SC-150 Depth Bomb ![]() |
|
Reloading Time | 30 s |
Number of charges | 2 |
HP per plane | 2 000 |
Attack range | 0.5 km – 7.0 km |
Number of planes in the squadron | 1 |
Number of bombs in payload | 2 |
Damage | 4 200 |
Detonation timer | 3.5 s – 4.5 s |
Sink speed | 7.5-11.3 m/s |
Explosion radius | 375 m |
Fire chances | 24% |
Flooding chances | 300% |
Damage distribution
The Armor
External armor protection:
Citadel armor protection:
Turrets armor protection:
Turtleback:
Hidden armor protection inside the middle section and stern:
Personal Opinion
When they first showed Schill on stream, I was mildly interested. I was hoping that we would get a proper tier VIII Graf Spee with buffed dispersion and stronger armor and teeeeeeeeeeeeeeechnically, that’s what we got.
HOWEVER.
Wargaming, for God knows what reason, removed the Repair Party which was one of the key features of the Graf Spee, and why it was appreciated by quite a few people. One would have expected that the armor would compensate but nope. At best, the main belt is fairly large and she has a 30 mm deck but otherwise, her armor is far from noteworthy. In fact, the belt is quite thin for what you would expect of a large cruiser.
Also, we are forgetting a key element of why Graf Spee worked at tier VI. It is of course the overmatch capacity of 283 mm guns. With a 19 mm overmatch, you were able to slap multiple cruisers hard. At tier VIII though, unless you face tier VI cruisers or light cruisers with 16 mm hull, it will not be the same story.
So yeah… As of right now, Schill doesn’t particularly look promising.
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