Murmansk - Captain & Cruiser Build
Cruiser - U.S.S.R. Tier V Murmansk - Captain & Cruiser Build
- Build focus: Low-tier light cruiser with strong gun range and improved maneuverability
- Main strength: Longer-range torpedoes and better rudder handling than her Omaha counterparts
- Main weakness: Fragile hull that can be heavily punished by battleship AP
- Captain build: Slightly modified cruiser build
- Key skill: Outnumbered is taken instead of a heal-oriented skill since Murmansk does not have Repair Party
- Playstyle: Stay mobile, use islands and Smoke when available, and avoid exposing yourself to battleship fire
- Torpedoes: Longer range provides additional opportunities for close-range ambushes and area denial
- Applies to: Murmansk
Murmansk is a Tier V Soviet light cruiser that is essentially an Omaha-class cruiser operating under the Soviet flag. Compared with her American counterparts, she brings improved rudder handling and longer-range torpedoes, giving her a little more flexibility when maneuvering and engaging enemies at close range.
Like many low-tier light cruisers, however, Murmansk is extremely vulnerable to battleship AP. Her relatively fragile hull means that a poorly timed broadside can result in a very quick trip back to port. The key to playing her successfully is therefore not simply maximizing damage output, but constantly managing your exposure to enemy battleships.
Murmansk uses a slightly modified cruiser build. Since she does not have access to a Repair Party, Outnumbered is taken instead of a heal-oriented option. This fits the ship's mobile playstyle and can provide additional value when Murmansk finds herself operating against multiple nearby enemies.
In battle, Murmansk plays much like other low-tier light cruisers. Keep moving, maintain pressure with your guns and look for opportunities to use islands or Smoke to break line of sight. Your goal is to stay active without presenting an easy broadside target to enemy battleships.
The ship's maneuverability is particularly useful when operating in open water. Constant course changes can make incoming shells more difficult to land, but do not become overly confident in your ability to dodge. Battleship AP remains extremely dangerous, so the safest approach is to combine movement with good positioning and terrain whenever possible.
Murmansk's torpedoes are another important part of her toolkit. Their longer range compared with the American Omaha-class ships gives you more opportunities to punish enemies that push too aggressively. Islands and chokepoints are particularly useful places to set up torpedo attacks, allowing you to threaten ships without exposing yourself unnecessarily.
When facing larger ships, avoid trying to fight them purely through sustained gunfire if they have a clear shot at your hull. Use islands, smoke and movement to control the engagement. If an enemy battleship is distracted by another target, that is the time to increase your gunfire rather than drawing unnecessary attention to yourself.
Murmansk can be particularly entertaining in battles with a large number of bots. In those situations, prioritize enemy players when necessary, or eliminate the player-controlled threats first and then use the remaining bots as relatively safe sources of damage. This can make the ship useful for players interested in maximizing their personal results in lower-tier matches.
Historically, Murmansk began life as the USS Milwaukee before being transferred to the Soviet Navy in 1944. The ship therefore represents another example of a real-world warship changing national service during World War II.
Murmansk also has a notable place in the early history of World of Warships. During closed beta, she was included in the Humble Bundle charity package, but the ship was initially provided as a rental. This caused considerable controversy among players who believed they had purchased permanent access to the ship. Following the backlash, Wargaming ultimately allowed the Murmansk owners from the promotion to keep the ship permanently.
Overall, Murmansk is a classic low-tier light cruiser that rewards movement, positioning and opportunistic aggression. Her guns provide consistent pressure, while the improved maneuverability and longer-range torpedoes give her useful advantages over her Omaha relatives. Just remember that surviving battleship AP is usually more important than squeezing out one extra salvo.