RAPHAEL

Country
Italia

Class
Battleship

MMweight
9.0

Obtain Method
Gem

Arena rating

A

PVP rating

A

Raphael is based on UP.41 battleship design, made by Italy for Soviet. Because it’s originally meant to help Soviet making their own battleship, the UP.41 blueprint doesn’t include top secret military innovations, such as the Pugliese torpedo protection system. Raphael is basically an enlarged Veneto with better armament and armor.

Raphael has 3×3 406 mm guns with very high performance. The AP has higher damage than Yamato’s 460 mm guns. It has fast shell velocity and good accuracy. It has good AP penetration even at long range. The HE also has very high penetration, so it has no problem fighting bowtanking battleships. These are all qualities that make Raphael an excellent sniper. The only downside is slow reload, so in close combat it might get outgunned by other ships.

Raphael has good armor and the citadel is well protected. It can still be citadeled at close range, but when angled it’s very tanky. Raphael is also slightly more resistant to fires than its competitors. Raphael’s small turning radius and decent speed makes it quite maneuverable in close combat. The rudder shift is slow though, so you must plan in advance where you want to turn. Raphael has bad concealment, but it’s often not a problem because it has good armor. Raphael has decent AA, so it’s a good choice in CV battle.

Playstyle

Raphael has two main fighting style. The first style is flanking. At the start of the battle, sail to a flank. Punish any broadsiding enemy with your strong AP. Observe the enemy’s movement. Use its fast speed make a crossfire with your teammates. If the enemy’s firepower in your flank is superior, don’t play too aggressively. Kite the enemy. If your team is superior, you can push together with your teammates. Raphael has strong armor, so it can lead the push. Raphael is still good for brawling due to its strong armor and good maneuverability. Just keep your ship angled and don’t expose your broadside. Its secondary guns can’t set fires, but can citadel some cruisers.

The second style is sniping. At the start of the battle, stay in the center back. Snipe the enemies that are going to the flank. At the center, you can create crossfire with your teammates at the flank. Use speed juke to dodge incoming attacks. Use HE against angled enemies, AP if the enemy is broadsiding.

In a CV battle, sail together with your teammates so you can protect each other with overlapping AA. Raphael’s good long range performance makes it great in CV battle. It also has small turning radius, so it can dodge CV strikes easier than other ships.

Is it worth to buy?

Raphael is a gem ship. To get it, you must save gems from daily missions and events. It’s worth to buy if you like sniping and more arena-oriented. If you’re PVP-oriented, it’s better to go for Illinois or Joan of Arc instead.

Strengths
Fast shell velocity, good accuracy, good AP and HE penetration, good damage, good armor, small turning radius, has fighter planes.
Weaknesses
Slow reload, slow rudder shift time, bad concealment, no HE on secondary guns.
General playstyle
Sniping, pushing, kiting, flanking
Preferred fighting range
Medium to long range

Recommended Build

Equipment
Slot 1: adv. disaster retardant module
Slot 2: engine enhancement module
Slot 3: aiming system module
Consumables
Slot 1: elite damage control
Slot 2: elite repair
Crew Skills (after basic skill)
Captain: artillery warning – boost morale – hull protection
Gun: crack gunner – high speed aiming – burn the ship behind
Engine: quick shift – adv. quick shift – steering master
Damage control: emergency flooding – buoyancy reserve – extinguish

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