Cruiser - Italy Tier VII Fiume
Captain & Ship Build and Strategy Guide
- Build focus: Main battery performance, concealment, survivability and kiting
- Playstyle: Long-range open-water kiting with tactical use of Burst Fire
- Main battery: Eight 203 mm guns with access to both HE and AP
- Burst Fire: Fires two salvos while improving accuracy and HE penetration
- Burst Fire reload: Approximately 36 seconds
- Consumable: Exhaust Smoke Generator for disengagement and risky repositioning
- Primary ammunition: HE against angled targets and AP against broadside cruisers
- Best targets: Destroyers, broadside cruisers and vulnerable sections of larger ships
- Smoke firing penalty: 8.9 km
- Captain build: Similar to the mainline Italian cruiser build; the standard Venezia build can be used
- Historical note: Fiume was the second Zara-class cruiser and was sunk during the Battle of Cape Matapan
- Applies to: Italy Tier VII Fiume
Fiume is an unusual Italian Tier VII heavy cruiser because she combines the traditional Italian cruiser playstyle with access to both HE and AP ammunition and a unique Burst Fire mechanic. Her eight 203 mm guns give her the firepower expected from a heavy cruiser, while the Burst Fire provides a short-duration accuracy and penetration advantage that can dramatically change the result of an individual engagement.
The standard captain build can closely follow the mainline Italian cruiser setup. If you already have a commander trained for Venezia, there is little reason to create a dedicated Fiume captain unless you specifically want to optimize the ship separately. The familiar Italian cruiser priorities work well here because Fiume still benefits from the same combination of range, concealment, survivability and mobility used by the mainline cruisers.
Fiume's normal gameplay is centered around long-range kiting. Her 16.5 km gun range gives her enough reach to influence battles without immediately entering dangerous distances, while her Exhaust Smoke Generator provides an additional method of breaking contact. Stay mobile, maintain an escape route and avoid allowing multiple enemy ships to establish a firing solution on your cruiser at the same time.
The Burst Fire mechanic is what truly separates Fiume from other Italian cruisers. Activating it fires two salvos in rapid succession while also improving the accuracy of the guns and increasing the penetration of her HE shells. The additional HE penetration is particularly significant because it allows the Burst Fire salvos to penetrate armor that the normal HE shells cannot reliably damage.
Because the Burst Fire takes roughly 36 seconds to reload, it should be treated as a tactical burst weapon rather than something to activate every time it becomes available. A normal salvo may be enough when fighting an ordinary target, while Burst Fire should be reserved for situations where the additional accuracy, penetration and second salvo can meaningfully change the engagement.
One of the best opportunities to use Burst Fire is against a briefly spotted destroyer. The improved accuracy increases the chance of connecting with a small target, while the two consecutive salvos can produce a large amount of damage in a very short period. If a destroyer suddenly appears inside your effective range, Burst Fire can turn that short spotting window into a decisive punishment.
Broadside cruisers are another excellent Burst Fire target. Use AP when the enemy cruiser presents a clean broadside and take advantage of the two rapid salvos to maximize the damage window. The mechanic is especially useful when the cruiser is already committed to a turn or is attempting to disengage and cannot immediately change its angle.
Burst Fire can also be used during disengagement. If an enemy begins pushing toward Fiume and you need to create distance, the two-salvo burst can deliver a final concentrated attack before you disappear or move behind cover. This makes the mechanic useful not only for offensive attacks but also for turning a retreat into a damaging counterattack.
Fiume's Exhaust Smoke Generator gives her another important advantage during these maneuvers. The smoke allows the ship to remain concealed while moving, making it possible to perform turns, cross dangerous areas or change position without remaining exposed throughout the maneuver. This is particularly valuable when an enemy flank suddenly becomes more dangerous than expected.
The 8.9 km smoke firing penalty should always be kept in mind. Firing your guns while inside smoke can reveal Fiume if an enemy is close enough, so do not assume that activating Exhaust Smoke automatically makes you untouchable. The best use of smoke is often to create separation, reposition and then resume firing once the distance is safe.
The opening minutes should be played conservatively. Fiume has the range to contribute immediately, but there is little benefit in becoming the most visible cruiser on the flank. Use your normal main battery to punish exposed ships while watching where the enemy battleships are positioned. Preserve your Exhaust Smoke for situations where it can protect an important maneuver rather than using it simply to fire a few additional salvos.
Against battleships, use HE as the normal ammunition choice when the target is angled or presents vulnerable sections. Fiume's Burst Fire can make these attacks considerably more effective because of the increased HE penetration. However, do not become fixated on battleship farming when an enemy cruiser or destroyer presents a much more valuable target.
Against cruisers, ammunition selection becomes much more important. Use AP whenever the target provides a favorable broadside and HE when the cruiser is angled or maneuvering in a way that makes AP unreliable. Burst Fire is particularly valuable when the enemy cruiser is already committed to a turn because the improved accuracy and consecutive salvos can punish the predictable movement.
Destroyers should be treated as high-priority targets whenever you have reliable spotting. Fiume's heavy cruiser guns can deliver substantial damage to a destroyer, but the long reload means that missing the opportunity can be costly. Avoid firing at difficult targets simply because the guns are loaded. Wait for the destroyer to commit to a predictable course whenever possible, then use Burst Fire when the spotting window is short.
Kiting remains Fiume's safest default strategy. When an enemy flank pushes toward you, begin creating distance before the situation becomes critical. Continue firing while retreating and use Exhaust Smoke when you need to break contact or perform a particularly exposed maneuver. The objective is to make the enemy chase you while you continue dealing damage rather than allowing the engagement to turn into a stationary exchange.
Mid-game is when Fiume can begin taking more aggressive positions. Once enemy battleships and cruisers have committed to their targets, use the gaps in the enemy formation to change your angle of attack. A flank that initially looked too dangerous may become an excellent position after one or two enemy ships are destroyed.
The ship's mobility and Exhaust Smoke are particularly valuable when changing flanks. Rather than remaining locked into one side of the map, use periods of reduced enemy attention to relocate. Fiume is much more effective when she can choose her targets instead of repeatedly firing at whichever ship happens to be directly in front of her.
Historically, Fiume was the second of four Zara-class heavy cruisers to serve with the Italian Navy during World War II. She was sunk during the Battle of Cape Matapan after being attacked by British forces. Interestingly, Warspite can also outspot Fiume in World of Warships, giving the historical connection an amusing in-game parallel.
In the late game, Fiume's combination of range, concealment, Exhaust Smoke and Burst Fire becomes increasingly powerful. With fewer enemy ships available to punish aggressive positioning, you can move closer and exploit isolated targets. Save Burst Fire for situations where the additional salvo can secure a kill or produce a significant swing in damage.
The biggest mistake with Fiume is treating Burst Fire as a replacement for normal gunnery. The mechanic is powerful precisely because it is limited. If it is activated without a clear target or tactical purpose, the long reload can leave you without your strongest burst option when a destroyer appears or a cruiser gives you broadside.
Overall, Fiume plays like a long-range Spanish-style cruiser combined with the defensive mobility of an Italian Exhaust Smoke Generator. Her normal game is built around kiting, positioning and careful ammunition selection, while Burst Fire provides the unique burst-damage moments that distinguish her from other cruisers. Use the normal guns for sustained pressure, save Burst Fire for high-value opportunities, and use Exhaust Smoke to make risky maneuvers without giving the enemy an easy shot.