War Thunder’s Imperator Nikolai I Will Bring 12 Guns to Rank V
The USSR battleship pairs a reinforced armor belt with 20 secondary guns, but its anti-aircraft armament is weak.
War Thunder will add the Imperator Nikolai I to the USSR naval tree at Rank V. The battleship brings 12 305 mm guns in four centerline turrets, backed by a wider, thicker armor belt than the Imperatritsa Mariya class, according to Gaijin’s Steam announcement.
The main battery can fire up to three salvos per minute with a skilled crew. Twenty 130 mm secondary guns, split evenly between the ship’s sides, add firepower against nearby targets. The low silhouette and larger crew are intended to help it withstand damage and keep up repairs, though its anti-aircraft armament is weak and the ship is not especially fast.
Its heavy guns should make the ship a threat to cruisers across a range of engagements. Battleships are a tougher target to handle reliably, so closing the distance puts the improved armor to more practical use. The ship’s protection offers a reason to press closer, but its weak anti-aircraft weapons leave a clear gap in its defenses.
Imperator Nikolai I never entered service. Based on the Imperatritsa Ekaterina II design, it was laid down on June 9, 1914, under the name Ioann Grozny, then formally enrolled in the Black Sea Fleet as Imperator Nikolai I on July 2, 1915. It launched on October 5, 1916, but machinery shortages and delivery delays held construction back. By January 1, 1917, the hull was 77.5% complete and only 16.5% of its armor had been installed. Construction stopped on October 24, 1917, and the ship was sold for scrap on April 11, 1927.
How would you use a battleship with this much armor but limited anti-aircraft firepower? For more on War Thunder’s naval additions and the ships behind them, stay connected on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
War Thunder
Developed by Gaijin Entertainment
War Thunder is a free-to-play vehicular combat MMO featuring aircraft, ground vehicles, and naval craft spanning from the early 20th century to the modern era. Players progress through technology trees across multiple nations, unlocking increasingly advanced military vehicles. The game offers three realism tiers for each vehicle type: arcade, realistic, and simulator modes. Originally developed as a flight simulator under the name "World of Planes," the game expanded to include tanks in 2014 and naval forces later, becoming a combined-arms experience. A mobile version was released in 2023.
- Genre Shooter, Simulator, Tactical
- Platforms Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac, Xbox One
- Perspective First person, Third person, Virtual Reality
- Modes Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative, Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)
- Release January 28, 2013
- Publisher Gaijin Entertainment
-
Age Rating
