Cruiser - Germany Tier VII Nürnberg ’44
Captain & Cruiser Build and Strategy Guide
- Build focus: Main battery performance, concealment, survivability and aggressive positioning
- Playstyle: Mid-range AP/HE cruiser with smoke-supported repositioning
- Main battery: Nine 150 mm guns with improved AP characteristics and excellent shell velocity
- HE: 38 mm penetration with a 12% base fire chance
- Torpedoes: 9.5 km torpedoes for close-range defense and punishing pushes
- Consumables: Repair Party, Short-Burst Smoke Generator and Hydroacoustic Search
- Captain build: Standard German Hindenburg cruiser build with Top Grade Gunner replaced by Outnumbered
- Recommended captain: Lutjens provides useful synergy, but is better prioritized for higher-tier German ships
- Key strength: Excellent shell velocity, strong AP penetration characteristics and defensive smoke
- Key weakness: Very low HP pool and a fragile hull that can be destroyed quickly by battleship fire
- Applies to: Germany Tier VII Nürnberg ’44
Nürnberg ’44 takes the familiar German light-cruiser concept and makes it considerably more comfortable to play. Her nine 150 mm guns retain the caliber associated with Nürnberg, but the improved shell characteristics give the ship much better ballistic performance. The fast shells are easier to land at medium and longer ranges, while the improved AP characteristics make broadside cruisers particularly attractive targets.
The main battery is the centerpiece of the build. Nürnberg ’44 has a relatively short maximum firing range for a Tier VII cruiser, so she needs to operate closer to the action than many traditional farming cruisers. Fortunately, her high shell velocity makes that engagement distance much more manageable. You can reliably punish moving targets without having to rely on the extremely floaty trajectories found on some other light cruisers.
AP should receive considerably more attention than it normally would on a German light cruiser of this type. Nürnberg ’44's AP has improved ricochet angles, allowing shells to remain effective against targets that would cause conventional cruiser AP to bounce. Broadside cruisers are therefore some of the best targets in the battle. When an enemy cruiser turns sufficiently broadside, take advantage of the combination of shell velocity, penetration and improved ricochet angles.
HE remains highly useful, particularly against angled targets and battleships. The 150 mm HE shells have 38 mm of penetration, giving Nürnberg ’44 the ability to damage many armored areas that would resist conventional light-cruiser HE. When AP cannot find a favorable target, return to HE and work on superstructures, thinner sections and fires.
The major defensive improvement over the standard Nürnberg experience is the Short-Burst Smoke Generator. Nürnberg ’44 remains extremely fragile, but the smoke gives you a reliable method of breaking line of sight when enemy attention becomes dangerous. Use it proactively when you need to continue firing from a vulnerable position or defensively when several enemy ships begin focusing you.
The important point is that smoke should not be treated as a permanent farming station. Nürnberg ’44 has a very small hit-point pool, and remaining stationary in a predictable position can still result in a devastating torpedo attack or a close-range push. The Short-Burst Smoke Generator is most valuable when it gives you a temporary window to deal damage, reposition or escape.
Hydroacoustic Search complements the smoke particularly well. It provides additional protection against torpedoes and allows Nürnberg ’44 to operate more confidently around islands and objectives. Hydro can also turn an enemy smoke screen into an opportunity: if a destroyer or cruiser enters your detection range, you can use the combination of Hydro and smoke to create a favorable close-range engagement.
The 9.5 km torpedoes are another important part of Nürnberg ’44's defensive toolkit. They are not simply a weapon for suicide attacks. Their range gives you enough reach to threaten ships approaching your position, especially around islands and narrow passages. A battleship that decides to rush a smoked Nürnberg ’44 should have to consider the possibility of a torpedo attack before committing to the push.
At the beginning of the battle, resist the temptation to use Nürnberg ’44's improved guns as an excuse to sit in the open. Her 27,700 HP pool is extremely small for a cruiser, and battleship AP can end the game very quickly if you expose too much of the hull. Start from a position that provides cover and an escape route, then move forward as the enemy deployment becomes clearer.
Your first priority should normally be establishing a position from which you can support friendly destroyers without becoming the primary target yourself. Nürnberg ’44's accurate and fast shells make her capable of punishing enemy destroyers, but her short range and fragile hull mean that chasing them into open water is rarely worthwhile. Let the destroyer fight develop and punish enemies that become exposed.
Outnumbered fits Nürnberg ’44 particularly well because the ship frequently operates in situations where positioning and target selection matter more than simply maximizing gun reload. The skill becomes more valuable when you are fighting on a flank with multiple enemy ships within range and can maintain pressure while still using cover, smoke and concealment to control your exposure.
Lutjens is a natural captain choice for Nürnberg ’44 because his abilities can complement a cruiser that relies heavily on consumables and repeated main-battery engagements. However, there is little reason to dedicate Lutjens specifically to a Tier VII premium if you already use him on higher-tier German ships. A standard German cruiser commander can perform the job perfectly well.
Mid-game is where Nürnberg ’44 should become more aggressive. Once enemy battleships have committed their guns and the most dangerous radar positions are known, use your concealment and smoke to move into better firing positions. The goal is not to sit permanently behind an island, but to repeatedly create short periods where you can fire freely before disappearing or repositioning.
When fighting battleships, avoid trading hit points directly. Nürnberg ’44's armor is not sufficient to sustain prolonged battleship fire, so use range, movement, islands and smoke instead. Fire HE at appropriate armored sections and look for opportunities to start fires, while using your torpedoes when a battleship commits to a predictable push.
Cruiser engagements are where Nürnberg ’44 can show its improved offensive characteristics most clearly. Look for broadside targets and switch to AP whenever the angle allows it. The improved ricochet angles make the AP more forgiving than conventional cruiser AP, while the high shell velocity allows you to punish maneuvering cruisers without the excessive lead required by slower shells.
Destroyer engagements require more discipline. Nürnberg ’44 can deliver significant damage to a spotted destroyer, but the ship's low HP means that getting close enough to guarantee a kill can be dangerous. Hydro can help when fighting around objectives, while smoke provides an emergency defensive option if the engagement becomes unfavorable.
The late game is where the ship's combination of concealment, smoke, Hydro, Repair Party and torpedoes becomes increasingly powerful. With fewer enemy ships able to focus you, Nürnberg ’44 can safely operate closer to the remaining targets. Use your improved AP against cruisers, HE against heavily angled targets and torpedoes against ships attempting to push your position.
The biggest mistake with Nürnberg ’44 is confusing improved comfort with improved survivability. The ship is much easier to fight effectively than the original Nürnberg thanks to its better ballistics, AP performance and Short-Burst Smoke, but it is still exceptionally fragile. A battleship does not need many successful hits to remove you from the battle.
Overall, Nürnberg ’44 is a glass-cannon German light cruiser that combines excellent shell characteristics with unusually strong defensive utility for its tier. Play around medium range, use AP aggressively against favorable cruiser angles, use HE when penetration or target angle demands it, and keep your smoke available for moments when enemy attention becomes dangerous. The ship rewards aggressive positioning, but only when that aggression is supported by an escape plan.