Developer Diaries: Honolulu

American cruiser Honolulu, Tier VII

Honolulu was the 7th member of the Brooklyn-class of light cruisers constructed during the 1930s for the United States Navy, and noted for their heavy main battery of fifteen 152mm guns in five triple turrets. Honolulu herself was present at Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack and suffered minor hull damage from a near miss. Following repairs, she took part in convoy escort operations and patrols off the Alaskan coast. During the Solomon Islands campaign, she fought in three major surface engagements—the Battles of Tassafaronga, Kula Gulf, and Kolombangara—aiding in the sinking of the Akizuki-class destroyer Niizuki and other Japanese warships. However, in the latter battle, she had her bow blown off by a Japanese torpedo. She returned to service in November 1943 but was torpedoed again during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. After further repairs and a modernization, she was decommissioned in 1947 and finally scrapped in 1960, having earned 8 Battle Stars for her service in the Pacific.

Gameplay features:

• Solid DPM (though reduced compared to her sister Helena)
• Access to Smoke Generator
• Wide array of consumables
• Good concealment
• Weak armor and a short firing range

Honolulu is the cautious cousin of Helena. She keeps the fifteen 152mm guns and the volume of fire that comes with them, but with a shorter main battery range and lower damage per minute than her tech tree sister ship. In exchange, she offers a safer setup and greater survivability: a Smoke Generator, better concealment, and unusually high torpedo protection for a light cruiser.

These perks are what let her play forward, using her Smoke Generator and Hydroacoustic Search to take aggressive positions while staying safe from return fire. As is usual for an American light cruiser, her role is more of a supporting one, playing close to islands and Key Areas and using sustained fire to repel enemies trying to claim control of objectives. Her unusual set of consumables for a US Light cruiser complements this role quite nicely.

To see the exact statistics, visit our Devblog:

Development Blog

Please note that all information in the development blog is preliminary. Announced adjustments and features may change multiple times during testing. The final information will be published on our game's website.