Cruiser - U.S.S.R. Tier VIII Dmitry Pozharsky
Captain & Ship Build and Strategy Guide
- Build focus: Main battery performance, AP damage, concealment and consumable utility
- Playstyle: Long-range AP farming with smoke-supported positioning
- Main battery: Twelve 152 mm guns with a fast reload and excellent AP performance
- Ammunition: AP only, with improved ricochet angles
- Consumables: Repair Party, Hydroacoustic Search and Short-Burst Smoke Generator
- Smoke: Use for defensive disengagement, repositioning and controlled firing opportunities
- Hydro: Excellent for detecting torpedoes and ships operating close to smoke and islands
- Best targets: Broadside cruisers, destroyers and exposed battleship sections
- Key strength: High AP DPM combined with improved ricochet angles and strong consumable utility
- Key weakness: No HE, high detectability and weak armor
- Applies to: U.S.S.R. Tier VIII Dmitry Pozharsky
Dmitry Pozharsky is a Soviet Tier VIII premium light cruiser with a very unusual ammunition setup: she carries AP shells only. Her twelve 152 mm guns reload quickly and provide excellent sustained AP damage, while improved ricochet angles allow the shells to remain effective against targets that would cause conventional cruiser AP to bounce.
The lack of HE completely changes the way Dmitry Pozharsky should be played. You cannot simply switch ammunition when a battleship angles toward you, so target selection and positioning become much more important. The ship is at her best when enemy cruisers expose their sides or when larger ships present vulnerable sections that the AP can penetrate.
The twelve-gun broadside gives Dmitry Pozharsky impressive AP DPM. Her guns reload in just 6.8 seconds, allowing her to maintain constant pressure when a target remains exposed. Rather than looking for occasional massive salvoes, the objective is to keep landing accurate AP hits throughout the engagement.
The improved AP ricochet angles are particularly important against cruisers. Pozharsky's AP remains effective at more extreme angles than standard AP, giving the ship a larger window in which to deal damage. This does not mean that you should fire blindly into heavily angled targets, but it does make the ship much more forgiving when a cruiser begins turning away.
Dmitry Pozharsky also has access to a Short-Burst Smoke Generator. This is arguably the most important defensive feature of the ship because the hull is not built to withstand sustained concentrated fire. Smoke can provide the temporary concealment required to break contact, change position or continue dealing damage while the enemy struggles to establish a firing solution.
Do not treat Short-Burst Smoke as a permanent firing position. Pozharsky's smoke firing penalty is still high enough that close enemies can potentially detect the cruiser while she fires. The smoke is often more valuable as a temporary defensive screen that allows you to reposition than as an invitation to sit stationary and farm.
Hydroacoustic Search complements the smoke extremely well. It provides additional protection from torpedoes and makes operating around islands considerably safer. Hydro is especially useful when you expect enemy destroyers to exploit your smoke or when you need to determine whether a nearby ship is attempting to approach your position.
The basic Pozharsky playstyle is therefore a second-line support cruiser. Stay close enough to influence the battle but avoid becoming the primary target. Your guns have sufficient range to contribute from a relatively safe position, while your smoke gives you an emergency tool when the enemy focus becomes excessive.
During the opening minutes, look primarily for enemy cruisers. A broadside cruiser is the ideal target because twelve AP guns can generate substantial damage with repeated salvos. If no cruiser is available, destroyers and vulnerable battleship sections can provide worthwhile targets, but avoid wasting salvoes against heavily angled armor.
Destroyer engagements require good timing. Pozharsky's rapid reload gives her the ability to punish a spotted destroyer repeatedly, but the AP-only ammunition can produce overpenetrations depending on the target's armor and angle. Aim carefully and take advantage of moments when the destroyer is turning or presenting more of its hull.
Against battleships, look for broadside or partially exposed sections rather than repeatedly firing into the thickest armor. A battleship that is already engaged with one of your allies can become a very useful target because it is less likely to angle specifically against you. Use the long range of the guns to keep contributing without unnecessarily moving into battleship secondary range.
Positioning around islands is another strong option. Islands can reduce the number of enemy ships capable of firing at you while giving your guns opportunities to attack ships moving around the terrain. Hydro makes these positions safer, particularly when enemy destroyers are likely to launch torpedoes around the island.
The Short-Burst Smoke Generator is particularly valuable when leaving an island position. If enemy ships begin focusing the cruiser, activate smoke and use the concealment window to move away rather than remaining in the same location. A short smoke cycle is often enough to break the enemy's firing sequence and establish a safer position elsewhere.
Because Pozharsky has no HE, you should also avoid unnecessary fights against heavily angled ships. If an enemy battleship is bow-in and there are no vulnerable sections available, changing targets can be more productive than repeatedly firing AP that produces minimal damage. Your high DPM only matters when the shells have something useful to penetrate.
Repair Party gives Pozharsky additional staying power, but her weak armor means that the heal should not encourage reckless trades. Use it to recover meaningful damage after an engagement and preserve enough hit points to survive the next time the ship becomes the enemy's focus target.
Open-water maneuvering is viable when sufficient distance exists. The ship's 33-knot top speed allows her to reposition reasonably well, while changing course and speed can make incoming fire more difficult to land. However, do not rely on maneuverability alone against multiple battleships. Pozharsky is still a relatively fragile cruiser and should use distance as her primary defense.
Mid-game is when Dmitry Pozharsky can begin moving into more influential positions. Once enemy battleships have committed to their flanks and the main destroyer locations are known, use your speed and smoke to relocate. The goal is to find angles against enemy cruisers while minimizing the number of ships capable of firing back.
An enemy cruiser attempting to disengage can be particularly vulnerable. Pozharsky's AP remains effective against favorable angles, and the fast reload allows you to keep pressure on the target while it retreats. If the cruiser begins turning toward you, consider changing targets rather than following it into an unfavorable engagement.
Smoke can also be used offensively when the tactical situation supports it. If you have reliable spotting from an allied ship, a short smoke deployment can allow Pozharsky to continue dealing AP damage while reducing the number of enemy guns able to respond. However, always consider the smoke firing detection range before assuming you are completely concealed.
In the late game, the ship's AP-only design becomes less restrictive because there are usually more isolated targets presenting favorable angles. Enemy cruisers become especially valuable, while damaged battleships can be finished through repeated AP salvos against vulnerable sections. With fewer enemy guns available, Pozharsky can also use her consumables more aggressively.
The biggest mistake with Dmitry Pozharsky is trying to play her like a conventional Soviet cruiser that can switch freely between HE and AP. She cannot. Every shot needs to be considered in terms of armor angle and target vulnerability. Once you become comfortable identifying AP opportunities, however, the fast reload and twelve-gun broadside can produce very consistent damage.
Historically, Dmitry Pozharsky was a Project 68-bis Soviet cruiser laid down in Leningrad in 1952 and commissioned in 1954. She later served with both the Northern and Pacific Fleets and operated in the Indian Ocean during the Cold War. The ship remained in service for decades before eventually being sold for scrap in 1990.
Overall, Dmitry Pozharsky is a specialized AP-focused Soviet light cruiser that rewards accurate gunnery and disciplined positioning. Her twelve 152 mm guns provide excellent sustained AP fire, while improved ricochet angles make cruisers particularly attractive targets. Use Hydro and Short-Burst Smoke to control your exposure, maintain distance whenever possible and constantly search for ships that are giving your AP the angle it needs to perform.