Cruiser - Pan-Asia Tier X Incheon
Captain & Ship Build and Strategy Guide
- Build focus: Main battery firepower, concealment, survivability and smoke-supported damage farming
- Main battery: Eight 203 mm guns with a 5.5-second reload and DD-style dispersion
- Primary ammunition: HE for sustained damage, AP against broadside cruisers
- AP: Improved 60–68° penetration angles make Incheon particularly dangerous against broadside and partially angled cruisers
- Smoke: Enhanced Smoke Generator provides safe windows for sustained gunfire and repositioning
- Torpedoes: Deepwater torpedoes provide additional pressure against larger ships
- Captain build: Standard Pan-Asian heavy-cruiser build with emphasis on main battery performance and survivability
- Captain option: Demolition Expert can be replaced with Fill the Tubes for additional torpedo pressure
- Playstyle: Des Moines and Jinan hybrid; use smoke and concealment to farm damage while supporting destroyers
- Positioning: Prefer island cover whenever practical so Smoke can be preserved for open-water engagements
- Key strength: High gun DPM, accurate artillery, Smoke Generator and deepwater torpedoes
- Key weakness: Vulnerable citadel and difficult long-range gunnery due to shell ballistics
- Applies to: Pan-Asia Tier X Incheon
Incheon is a Tier X Pan-Asian cruiser that combines the firepower of a Des Moines-style heavy cruiser with the Smoke Generator and torpedo utility associated with the Pan-Asian cruiser line. Her eight 203 mm guns reload in only 5.5 seconds and use destroyer-style dispersion, giving her excellent accuracy and sustained firepower. The price for this offensive capability is a vulnerable cruiser hull and a relatively short effective engagement range because of her shell ballistics.
The ship's gameplay can be thought of as a combination of Des Moines and Jinan. Des Moines provides the fast-firing 203 mm main battery and improved AP angles, while Jinan contributes the Smoke and deepwater torpedo concept. In practice, Incheon tends to play closer to the Jinan side of that comparison because Smoke allows her to remain concealed while farming with both guns and torpedoes.
The main battery is the foundation of the build. Eight 203 mm guns with a 5.5-second reload give Incheon exceptional sustained firepower for a cruiser. The guns also use DD-style dispersion, making them unusually accurate for their caliber. This is one of the reasons why careful aim is so important: the ship gives you an excellent gun platform, but you still need to make good use of every firing opportunity.
HE is the normal ammunition against angled targets and larger ships. The 203 mm HE shells penetrate 34 mm of armor, allowing Incheon to deal reliable direct damage to many cruiser and battleship sections. Against broadside cruisers, however, AP becomes much more attractive because of the ship's improved ricochet angles.
Incheon's AP starts checking for ricochet at 60 degrees and only guarantees a ricochet at 67.5 degrees. This is the same general penetration-angle advantage associated with Des Moines and makes the ship particularly dangerous against cruisers that assume a moderate angle is enough protection.
The recommended captain build follows a conventional heavy-cruiser approach. Main battery performance, concealment and survivability are the primary priorities because Incheon already has the tools needed to generate damage. The build does not need to become heavily specialized around torpedoes simply because they are available.
Demolition Expert can be traded for Fill the Tubes when you want to increase torpedo pressure. This version shifts some of the ship's offensive potential away from fires and toward the deepwater torpedo armament. It is particularly attractive for players who actively incorporate torpedo attacks into their normal farming cycle rather than treating them as an emergency weapon.
Incheon's Enhanced Smoke Generator is one of the most important parts of the ship. The current Wiki lists three Smoke charges, each lasting 30 seconds with a 110-second cooldown. This gives the cruiser repeated opportunities to break line of sight and create periods where her excellent gun DPM can be used without exposing the hull.
Smoke should ideally be treated as a tactical resource rather than a permanent farming station. Use islands whenever possible to create firing positions without consuming a Smoke charge. Save Smoke for open-water situations where you need to remain concealed while continuing to deal damage or when an unexpected enemy push requires an emergency disengagement.
This approach is particularly useful because Incheon's shell flight becomes increasingly difficult at long range. Instead of trying to sit at extreme range for the entire battle, use islands and Smoke to operate at medium distances where the guns are considerably easier to land while the enemy still has difficulty punishing the cruiser.
The ship's torpedoes are deepwater torpedoes, meaning they are intended for larger targets rather than destroyers. They provide an important secondary weapon against cruisers and battleships that move predictably, particularly when those ships are pushing around islands or entering narrow areas. Incheon can therefore threaten a target with both artillery and torpedoes without needing to expose herself continuously.
The Torpedo Reload Booster increases the value of this weapon system further by allowing the ship to generate another wave of torpedoes after the initial launch. The current Wiki lists two charges with a 300-second cooldown, so each activation should be treated as a deliberate offensive decision rather than something to waste on marginal targets.
One of the strongest combinations is Smoke plus torpedoes. A target may have difficulty determining exactly where Incheon is operating while torpedoes simultaneously force it to alter course. This can create a difficult choice for the enemy: continue toward the suspected cruiser position and risk torpedoes, or turn away and potentially expose a broadside to the 203 mm guns.
Incheon should nevertheless remain primarily a cruiser rather than a dedicated torpedo platform. Her main battery has far more opportunities to contribute throughout a battle than the relatively long-cooldown Torpedo Reload Booster. Torpedoes should supplement the guns and shape enemy movement rather than dictate every positioning decision.
The vulnerable hull is the major defensive consideration. Incheon uses a Des Moines-like configuration with a vulnerable citadel, so exposing the ship unnecessarily can result in severe damage from battleship AP. The current Wiki lists shooting accuracy at long range as a weakness as well, reinforcing the need to operate at ranges where the ship's guns can remain effective without forcing the cruiser into dangerous positions.
This makes island positioning extremely valuable. Use terrain to limit the number of enemy ships that can fire at you while keeping your guns active. Unlike a pure island cruiser, however, do not assume that every engagement should be fought from the same static position. Incheon benefits from relocating between islands and using Smoke when a more exposed firing angle becomes necessary.
During the opening phase, avoid becoming the first cruiser exposed on the flank. Let your destroyers establish the initial spotting picture and identify where enemy battleships are positioned. Once you know which directions are dangerous, move into a medium-range position where you can support your destroyers without opening yourself to the entire opposing fleet.
Supporting destroyers is an important part of Incheon's role. Her rapid reload and accurate 203 mm guns can punish an enemy DD when it becomes visible, while her own concealment and Smoke allow her to remain nearby without permanently exposing herself. Do not chase destroyers into open water, however. Let your guns do the work from a controlled position.
When a destroyer briefly appears, prioritize aim carefully. The fast reload means another salvo will arrive quickly, but the target may disappear before the next shot. Incheon is therefore particularly good at punishing brief spotting windows, especially when the destroyer is moving predictably or trapped near an objective.
Against cruisers, ammunition choice becomes critical. HE is useful when the enemy is angled, but a broadside or moderately angled cruiser should immediately make you consider AP. The improved ricochet angles allow the shells to remain effective after the enemy begins turning away, giving Incheon a larger damage window than conventional AP would provide.
This is also where the DD-style dispersion becomes particularly valuable. Incheon's guns are accurate enough to make cruiser-sized targets reliable at medium range, allowing the ship to combine a high rate of fire with relatively consistent hit probability. Once the target begins angling heavily, return to HE and continue applying pressure.
Against battleships, HE is generally the default ammunition. The 34 mm penetration allows direct damage against many vulnerable areas, while the rapid reload creates repeated fire-setting opportunities. Use your torpedoes when battleships commit to predictable routes, particularly around islands or chokepoints.
Do not force close-range torpedo attacks against healthy battleships simply because Incheon has them. A battleship carrying AP and watching for a broadside can punish the cruiser severely during the approach. Use concealment, islands and Smoke to control the engagement, and close the distance only when the target's position makes the risk worthwhile.
Smoke farming is strongest when there is reliable spotting support. An allied destroyer or other friendly ship can keep the target visible while Incheon remains concealed and continuously fires. This allows the cruiser to exploit its exceptional DPM without turning itself into the center of attention.
However, Smoke does not eliminate every threat. Radar, Hydro and blindfire remain dangerous, and a stationary Smoke position becomes increasingly predictable over time. Vary your location, adjust speed and avoid firing from exactly the same position every time you deploy the consumable.
The ability to conserve Smoke is one of the key differences between good and poor Incheon play. If an island can safely provide the same concealment, use the island. Smoke should be reserved for situations where it gives you something the terrain cannot: open-water farming, emergency disengagement or a powerful attacking position against an isolated target.
Mid-game is where Incheon can begin to shift into a more aggressive farming role. Once enemy Radar ships and destroyer positions are known, you can identify areas where Smoke and torpedoes can be used safely. The ship's rapid-firing guns become increasingly valuable as damaged enemy cruisers and battleships are forced into predictable movement.
This is also the stage where torpedoes become more reliable because enemy ships have fewer escape routes. A battleship trying to retreat around an island or a cruiser trapped between two friendly ships can become an excellent torpedo target. Use the torpedoes to shape movement, then punish the resulting angle change with the main battery.
The ship's Repair Party provides additional staying power, with three charges available. Because Incheon can operate aggressively while concealed, some damage is inevitable when enemies locate her. Recovering that damage gives the ship more opportunities to repeat the smoke-and-gun cycle later in the battle.
The close-range role should still be approached carefully. Incheon can output tremendous damage when operating inside her ideal gun range, but a vulnerable citadel means that a single badly timed broadside can undo a large amount of previous work. Angle appropriately and avoid turning unnecessarily simply to bring additional guns onto a target.
Incheon becomes particularly dangerous when it can create a crossfire. A battleship attempting to angle against your allied ship may expose itself to your 203 mm AP, while one trying to angle against you can expose another portion of its hull to your teammate. Use the ship's mobility and concealment to establish these positions rather than simply following the main fleet.
In the late game, the combination of Smoke, concealment, rapid reload and deepwater torpedoes becomes increasingly powerful. Fewer enemy ships means fewer sources of radar and crossfire, while isolated targets are easier to approach and predict. This is where Incheon can safely reduce the engagement distance and fully exploit the gun DPM.
Damaged cruisers are particularly vulnerable in the late game. A cruiser with limited HP cannot afford to expose itself to repeated 203 mm salvos, while turning away from Incheon can create opportunities for AP. Use your high rate of fire to pressure these targets and do not give them unnecessary time to disengage.
Against remaining battleships, maintain enough distance to avoid giving their main battery an easy solution. Use HE while they are angled and look for opportunities to attack with torpedoes when their route becomes predictable. Smoke can then be used to break contact if the battleship receives support or begins focusing you heavily.
The biggest mistake with Incheon is treating Smoke as a substitute for positioning. The ship has excellent concealment and a strong toolkit, but the vulnerable citadel means that careless movement can still be heavily punished. Use Smoke to enhance an already good position rather than trying to rescue a fundamentally bad one.
Another mistake is ignoring the ship's exceptionally good gun performance in favor of torpedo farming. The 5.5-second reload and DD-style dispersion make the main battery the most reliable source of continuous damage. Torpedoes should be used to supplement the guns and force predictable movement, not replace the artillery entirely.
Overall, Incheon is a powerful Tier X Pan-Asian heavy cruiser that combines Des Moines-style artillery with Jinan-style Smoke and torpedo utility. Her eight 203 mm guns provide high sustained DPM and excellent accuracy, while improved AP angles make broadside cruisers particularly vulnerable.
The ideal playstyle is to use islands whenever possible, preserve Smoke for situations where open-water concealment is required, and constantly combine gunfire with torpedo pressure. Support friendly destroyers early, farm larger ships from a controlled position, punish broadside cruisers with AP and move closer only after the enemy formation has been sufficiently weakened.
Incheon rewards players who can balance aggression with discipline. Her guns provide the firepower, Smoke provides the concealment, and the deepwater torpedoes provide the additional threat that makes enemy movement predictable. Keep those three elements working together and the ship can maintain pressure throughout an entire battle without unnecessarily exposing its vulnerable hull.