Submarine - Netherlands Tier X Tonijn
Captain & Ship Build and Strategy Guide
- Build focus: Offensive submarine build centered around Airstrikes
- Playstyle: Torpedo and Airstrike damage dealer
- Key feature: 10 km Airstrikes
- Main strength: Ability to attack predictable ships with both torpedoes and Airstrikes
- Main weakness: Lower torpedo firepower compared with submarines without the Airstrike trade-off
- Slot 4 alternative: Steering Gears Modification can be used in place of the offensive option for a more defensive setup
- Slot 5 alternative: Hull Protection for additional survivability
- Slot 3 alternative: Torpedo Tube Modification if Submarine Surveillance Modification is unavailable
- Airstrike targets: Stationary ships, island-hugging cruisers and large battleships
- Airstrike warning: Aircraft can be quickly destroyed by concentrated AA
- Historical note: Tonijn is preserved as a museum ship in Den Helder
- Applies to: Tonijn
Tonijn is a Tier X Dutch submarine with one major advantage that sets her apart from conventional submarines: she can launch Airstrikes. This gives her another way to damage surface ships without relying entirely on torpedoes, although the trade-off is weaker torpedo firepower. The result is a submarine that can attack targets from multiple angles and punish predictable positioning.
The recommended build is an offensive setup designed around Tonijn's Airstrike gimmick. Rather than maximizing survivability, the build invests in making the ship's unique offensive tools as effective as possible. A more defensive version can be created by taking Hull Protection in Slot 5 and Steering Gears Modification in Slot 4.
In Slot 3, Submarine Surveillance Modification is preferred. If you do not have it, Torpedo Tube Modification is the recommended alternative. The surveillance option provides additional utility for locating enemy submarines, while the torpedo option reinforces Tonijn's more conventional offensive capability.
Tonijn's 10 km Airstrikes behave similarly to the Airstrikes found on Utrecht. They are particularly dangerous against lightly armored cruisers and battleships, while their fire-setting potential makes them useful against a much wider range of targets. Stationary ships and enemies hugging islands are especially attractive because they have fewer options for avoiding the incoming strike.
The Airstrike does require prediction. Do not aim only at where the enemy is now; anticipate where the ship will be when the bombers arrive. Large battleships traveling predictably or cruisers committed to an island position are ideal targets. Against highly mobile ships in open water, the strike is much easier to avoid.
Be careful when attacking ships protected by strong anti-aircraft defenses. Tonijn's Airstrike aircraft can be destroyed quickly by concentrated AA, so repeatedly sending them into a heavily defended formation can waste the consumable without producing meaningful damage. Look for isolated targets whenever possible.
The best way to play Tonijn is to combine her two offensive systems. Use torpedoes to threaten enemy movement and Airstrikes to punish ships that are forced into predictable positions. Alternating between the two can keep a target under constant pressure and, in favorable situations, allow you to maintain both flooding and fire damage.
Tonijn otherwise plays similarly to a conventional submarine. Use concealment to approach, remain aware of enemy anti-submarine assets and avoid spending too much time exposed on the surface. The Airstrike adds another weapon to the toolbox; it does not remove the need for careful submarine positioning.
The historical Tonijn is preserved today as a museum ship in Den Helder as part of the Dutch Navy Museum. The in-game submarine therefore represents a real Dutch vessel with a history that extends well beyond her unusual digital Airstrike capability.
Overall, Tonijn is best played as an offensive submarine that combines torpedoes with long-range Airstrikes. Look for island-hugging and predictable targets, rotate Airstrikes and torpedoes to maintain pressure, and avoid wasting aircraft against heavy AA. The Airstrike is what makes Tonijn unique, so use it to attack ships that conventional submarine torpedoes would have difficulty reaching.