Battleship - Netherlands Tier X Willem de Eerste
Captain & Ship Build and Strategy Guide
- Build focus: Standard battleship tank build with improved Airstrike performance
- Key skill: Focus Fire Training
- Slot 2: Engine Boost Modification is preferred; use Damage Control System Modification 1 if unavailable
- Slot 4: Airstrike Modification is recommended for faster Airstrike reload
- Main strength: Powerful long-range Airstrikes and strong AP
- Main weakness: Extremely exposed citadel when broadside
- Airstrike: Approximately 17 seconds flight time makes stationary and island-hugging targets ideal
- Important warning: Main and Depth Charge Airstrikes share the same cooldown
- Commander: Helfrich is highly recommended
- Applies to: Willem de Eerste
Willem de Eerste is a Tier X Dutch battleship built around powerful main-battery AP and long-range Airstrikes. She combines the conventional firepower of a battleship with an Airstrike that can punish enemies hiding behind islands or remaining stationary for too long. Her major weakness is an extremely vulnerable citadel, making broadside exposure one of the biggest mistakes you can make.
The recommended build is a standard battleship tank setup modified to improve Willem's Airstrikes. Take the 3-point Focus Fire Training skill and Airstrike Modification in Slot 4 to improve the availability of your Airstrikes. Willem's current Airstrike has a 15 km range and a 120-second reload, so reducing that cycle provides meaningful additional opportunities throughout a battle.
Helfrich is the preferred commander when available. The ship benefits greatly from making her unusual Airstrike and battleship toolkit work together, rather than trying to turn her into a purely conventional gun platform.
The biggest thing to remember is protect your broadside. Willem's citadel sits extremely high above the waterline, so an enemy battleship or cruiser that gets a clean shot into your side can punish you severely. Angle the hull carefully and avoid making large turns in front of enemy battleships simply to bring additional guns onto a target.
The Airstrikes are best used against stationary or island-hugging ships. The approximately 17-second travel time gives mobile targets plenty of opportunity to escape, so anticipate where the enemy will be rather than aiming solely at its current position. The long 15 km range also lets Willem pressure targets that are otherwise difficult to reach with the main battery.
Be careful when using Airstrikes against ships that may require your depth-charge aircraft. Willem's main Airstrike and Depth Charge Airstrike share the same cooldown, meaning an offensive strike can temporarily deny you access to the depth-charge weapon. Plan ahead when enemy submarines are nearby.
Engine Boost Modification is preferred in Slot 2 because maintaining mobility is important for a battleship with such a vulnerable citadel. The boost helps Willem reposition, change engagement ranges and avoid being trapped on a flank. If you do not have the modification, Damage Control System Modification 1 is the practical alternative.
Willem should generally fight from medium to long range while using islands and terrain to protect her vulnerable side. Use the main guns to punish broadside targets and the Airstrikes to attack ships that are hiding behind cover. The combination is particularly effective against enemies that think an island makes them completely safe.
The key to Willem de Eerste is disciplined positioning. Protect the citadel, use Airstrikes against predictable targets and preserve your mobility. When played correctly, she can combine conventional battleship firepower with long-range Airstrikes to pressure enemies from angles they cannot easily defend against.