Bismarck: aiming and ship study

Use Bismarck to study how a battleship salvo interacts with a cruiser target. Its recorded 380 mm main battery makes it a useful starting point for comparing ammunition, target angle and range.

Bismarck ship illustration

Recorded ship configuration

Tier 8 · Germany · Battleship · Hull B_Hull. These are versioned reference values, not a claim about the latest live game patch or a player’s modified build.

Base health
69,200
Citadel
Present; reachability depends on the matchup and armor path.

HE main battery: 8 guns, 380 mm; listed maximum shell damage 4,400; recorded reload 26 seconds. Maximum shell damage is not expected damage per hit.

AP main battery: 8 guns, 380 mm; listed maximum shell damage 11,600; recorded reload 26 seconds. Maximum shell damage is not expected damage per hit.

Does a broadside view guarantee a citadel?

This exercise does not establish that Bismarck always penetrates Tallinn, or that Bismarck’s citadel is always reachable. Exact internal armor paths and unsupported mechanics can change the outcome.

Try this controlled aiming exercise

  1. Open the Ship Damage Trainer and select Bismarck as the shooting ship and Tallinn as the target. Confirm the selected hull and that the model is available.
  2. Compare the same aim point at close, medium and longer ranges. Record the displayed penetration estimate and recommended region before changing another setting.
  3. Rotate Tallinn from broadside toward the bow and stern. Compare the citadel recommendation with upper-hull and superstructure recommendations; do not treat a broadside silhouette alone as proof of a citadel hit.
  4. Switch AP and HE and compare the feedback. Reverse the ships to study Bismarck as a target; the attacker’s shell characteristics change the result.

Open the Ship Damage Trainer → Select the ships in its controls. Some guidance requires Pro; this public guide does not unlock paid tools.

Sources and uncertainty

Reference: local ship catalog build 13015811, selected hull B_Hull; recorded study source version 0.15.8. View the public source record. The recorded study references Ship Tool. The exercise text was reviewed on September 26, 2026; the underlying data is a snapshot and may lag game updates.

Region colors and guidance are estimates within the supported scope. Missing model or armor data must be treated as unavailable, not as a valid damage prediction. See the aiming and citadel guide for the shared method.

Compare another ship

Prepared by the WOW Clan Battle Pro team. Report a correction. Independent fan companion; not affiliated with or endorsed by Wargaming.