Supertest: Spanish Tier IX Premium Destroyer Halcón

Among the new ships being added to the game with Update 15.10 is the Spanish tier IX destroyer Halcón. Somehow, we got a Leone, initially a tier VI, being pushed three tiers up. Now the ship does have a few buffs plus extra gimmicks to the horrendous Leone, but... not sure if it's gonna be enough.

Also, really sorry for being so late with this update, but the King of the Sea plus IRL kept me busy.

Historical background

In the Wargaming Cinematic Universe, Halcón is a Leone-class destroyer that would have been purchased by Spain before the Second World War. The idea would have been to use the ship as a training ship as well as for testing armament.
Specifically, the ship would have been used to test a twin version of the dual-purpose 120 mm secondary battery of the Canarias-class cruisers.

Weirdly, the ship is listed as appearing as she would have been fitted in... 1946.

The ship gets an alternative firing mode with a slightly slower reload, but in exchange, she is able to penetrate 30 mm of armor.

Ship's preview

Ship's permanent camouflage

As a reminder, this ship is in testing; anything can change, so don't treat her as if she's already been released.


Modules

Hull
Engine
Gun Fire Control System
Main battery
Torpedoes
icon_module_Hull_installed

Halcón
icon_module_Engine_installed

 Propulsion: 42,000 hp
icon_module_Suo_installed

Mk9 mod. 1

 icon_module_Artillery_installed

120 mm/45 Vickers-Armstrong Mk.F on a shielded mount

icon_module_Torpedoes_installed

450 mm W 200

General Characteristics

Tier IX
Health 14 700 HP
Torpedo Damage Reduction 0 %
Displacement 2 289 tons
Dimensions
Overall length 113.41 m
Beam 10.375 m
Overall height (keel to the highest point on the ship) 14.98 m
Freeboard 4.16 m
Main Armament
Maximum Firing Range 12.700 km
120 mm/45 Vickers-Armstrong Mk.F on a shielded mount4 x 2 120 mm
Torpedo Armament
Maximum Firing Range 10.000 km
450 mm tubo lanciasiluri 2 x 4 610 mm
Anti-air Armament
120 mm/45 Vickers-Armstrong Mk.F on a shielded mount
37 mm/54 Model 1939 on a Model RM1939 mount		 4 x 2 120 mm
4 x 1 37 mm
Maximum speed 34.0 knots
Turning Circle Radius 620 m
Rudder Shift Time 3.4 s
Surface Detectability 7.1 km
Air Detectability 2.94 km
Detectability After Firing Main Guns in Smoke 2.61 km

CONSUMABLES
Slot 1
Damage Control Party
Work time 5.0 s
Cooldown40.0 s
Slot 2
Short-Burst Smoke Generator
Number of charges 6
Work time10.0 s
Cooldown70.0 s
Smoke cloud radius600 m
Smoke duration40.0 s
Slot 3
Engine Boost
Charges 3
Work time120 s
Cooldown120 s
Maximum speed+8%

Main Armament


4 x 2 120 mm/45 Vickers-Armstrong Mk.F on a shielded mount
 Maximum Firing Range 12.700 km
 Reloading Time 4.1 s
180 Degree Turn Time 15.0 s
Optimal firing angles at the front 41°
Optimal firing angles at the rear 30°
Sigma 2.00 sigma
Maximum Dispersion 110 m
Shells
Type of Projectile  HE - 120 mm proiettili HE 1918
Alpha Damage 1 700
Penetration capacity  20 mm
Fire chance 7 %
Projectile Speed 850 m/s
Air Drag 0.3
Projectile Mass 23.15 kg


Alternative firing mode
Reload time 5.0 s
HE shells penetration 30 mm

Torpedo Armament


2 x 4 450 mm tubo lanciasiluri
450 mm W 200
Reloading Time 85.0 s
Maximum Distance 8.000 km
Optimal firing angles at the front 55°
Optimal firing angles at the rear 55°
Damage 17 733
Flooding Chance 302 %
Speed 72 knots
Surface Detectability 1.6 km

Anti-air Armament


4 x 2 120 mm/45 Vickers-Armstrong Mk.F on a shielded mount
Sector firing range 0.1 km - 5.2 km
Hit chance 100 %
Sector's damage 17
Sector's damage frequency 0.29 s
Sector's damage per second 60
Flak clouds number 3
Flak cloud damage 1 470
4 x 1 37 mm/54 Model 1939 on a Model RM1939 mount
Sector firing range 0.1 km - 3.5 km
Hit chance 100 %
Sector's damage 23
Sector's damage frequency 0.29 s
Sector's damage per second 81

Depth Charges

Depth charges

 
Reloading Time 40 s
Number of charges 2
Number of bombs per charge 12
Damage 3 000
Detonation timer 6.5 s - 7.5 s
Explosion radius 375 m
Fire chances 22%
Flooding chances 51%

The Armor

External armor protection:

Personal Opinion

Well... That ship kinda seems to suck a little. The biggest problem is that she is supposed to be a gunboat, but she has the 3rd lowest HP pool of all tier IX destroyers without a Repair Party.  The thing is also tied with other destroyers as the slowest at tier IX. At least she has Short-Burst Smoke and the 10th-best concealment at tier IX to pick her engagements. Still, it is a tough sale.

In terms of firepower, you have the choice between the 4.1s reload and normal penetration or 5.0s reload to reach 30 mm of penetration, but at this point... why not just play Kitakaze? The thing has 30 mm of penetration no matter what and, compared to Halcón with the alternative firing mode, has higher DPM. Without the alternative firing mode, the DPM is slightly higher but, again, you have FAR worse survivability.

The torpedo armament is nothing special either.

So... yeah, nothing too exciting for now.

Regardless...

Thank you for reading this article!

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