Battleship - U.S.A. Tier IX Illinois
Captain & Ship Build and Strategy Guide
- Build focus: Fast-firing main battery with improved mobility
- Playstyle: Mobile mid-range battleship using cruiser-caliber guns
- Key skill: Brisk
- Slot 4: Propulsion Modification 1 is preferred; Steering Gears Modification 1 is also viable
- Slot 6: Reload upgrade is preferred over the dispersion upgrade
- Range upgrade: Mainly taken to improve vertical dispersion; switch to turret traverse if the extra range provides little value
- Main battery: Preventive Maintenance is especially valuable because Illinois' guns can become incapacitated frequently
- Alternative: If module survivability is not an issue, survivability skills can be adjusted toward Basics of Survivability and Damage Control System Modification 2
- Applies to: Illinois
Illinois is one of the strangest American battleships in World of Warships. Instead of traditional battleship-caliber guns, she carries twelve 203 mm guns with a cruiser-like rate of fire. The combination of high firing speed, good accuracy and high top speed makes her play very differently from a conventional U.S. battleship.
Brisk is particularly valuable because Illinois can make excellent use of her speed to reposition around the battlefield. Propulsion Modification 1 is preferred in Slot 4 because it complements that mobility by dramatically improving acceleration. Steering Gears Modification 1 remains a reasonable alternative if you value rudder response more highly.
The range upgrade deserves some explanation. Its main purpose is not simply to let Illinois fire farther; extending the maximum firing range also changes the dispersion calculation and therefore improves vertical dispersion at ranges where the guns are being used. That makes the upgrade useful even when you rarely intend to fire at the absolute maximum range.
If you are already confident in your aim and do not feel that the additional range provides a meaningful benefit, the range upgrade can be replaced with the turret traverse upgrade. This gives Illinois more responsive guns and can make target switching easier during mobile engagements.
The reload upgrade is preferred over the dispersion upgrade because Illinois already has respectable accuracy for her role. Her real strength is the ability to put twelve 203 mm shells downrange repeatedly, so reducing the reload time increases the pressure she can apply throughout the battle. The current Wiki lists a 9-second base reload and battlecruiser dispersion for the main battery.
Preventive Maintenance is unusually valuable on Illinois because keeping the main battery operational is critical to the ship's damage output. Losing a turret on a ship with only three main turrets represents a significant reduction in sustained firepower.
There is room to adjust the build if you find that your guns rarely become incapacitated and you are instead struggling with fire and flooding damage. In that case, Preventive Maintenance and Emergency-related skills can be shifted toward Basics of Survivability, while Propulsion Modification can be exchanged for Damage Control System Modification 2 if you prefer stronger damage-over-time resistance.
Illinois is best played as a highly mobile mid-range gun platform. Her 203 mm shells do not have the penetration of traditional battleship ammunition, so choosing targets carefully is important. Concentrate on cruisers, superstructures and other vulnerable areas rather than expecting every salvo to deliver battleship-style penetration damage.
Use the combination of Brisk and acceleration to constantly adjust your position. Illinois can move between firing positions quickly, accelerate out of danger and exploit openings on a flank. Her small HP pool makes unnecessary exposure particularly costly, so mobility should be treated as part of the ship's survivability rather than simply an offensive advantage.
The result is a battleship that rewards constant activity. Keep the guns firing, use your speed to control the engagement distance and reposition before the enemy can focus you. Illinois does not win fights through one enormous salvo—it wins by putting accurate 203 mm fire onto targets again and again.