USS Brooklyn (CL-40)

## USS Brooklyn (CL-40) \*Premium\*

The USS *Brooklyn* was an American cruiser featured in the game and is most likely for most players the first American cruiser to be unlocked if the *Des Moines* is not already obtained by then.

## Background History

The USS *Brooklyn* (CL-40), was an American *Brooklyn*-class light cruiser, and the lead ship of the her class of seven other ships. Commissioned in 1937, she participated in the Mediterranean and Atlantic theatres during World War II, taking part in Operation Torch and the invasions of Sicily, Italy and the south of France, and earned a total of 4 battle stars. Her main role was convey escort and fire support for amphibious landings.

After the war, she was decommissioned and and transferred to the Chilean Navy in 1951, giving her a new name, "O'Higgins (CL-02)" and serving an additional 40 years in their navy. She later sunk while being towed to a scrapyard in 1992.

## Tactics

*Brooklyn* is a surprisingly powerful ship that can instill fear into even the biggest battleships when played correctly. With a 15 gun broadside (dealing close to 30K damage) and a reload of 9-10 seconds (8-9 with flags) this ship can act as a machine gun of sorts in a similar fashion to Karl Galster and San Diego.

### Playing as Brooklyn

*Brooklyn* can be played in two styles - bruiser or mixed.

Bruisers utilize *Brooklyn*'s high damage(with the bonus damage flag and fully upgraded) and high reload speed. Using AP shells purely, you can tear apart low tier battleships from long range and close range. Utilizing the speed of a cruiser, you can quickly enter and retreat from combat after dealing heavy damage, and then turning around and re-entering combat with allies in support. Be aware that even though you can deal a lot of damage, your health is rather low, so either use a health increasing flag or don't be the center of attention.

You Spam HE shells as much as possible against anything up to and short of a cruiser, with the chance of fire being exceptionally high due to the volume of lead you can spit out every minute. When up against battleships, turn your bow to them to make yourself as hard to hit as possible, and spam AP shells with your forward 9 guns until they are either dead or a retreat is necessary. This ship proudly embodies the American spirit of "not dead? Spam more lead into it".

Against carriers, This thing is a menace as it has one of the best anti air suites in the game, dealing over 1000 DPS against planes and with interceptors to boot. this gives rise to a secondary role to the *Brooklyn*. As a carrier cleaner and flyswatter that is a welcome addition to any team with sluggish battleships and under-equipped destroyers.

### Playing with a Brooklyn

*Brooklyns* are very important for aircraft carrier resistance, so keeping them alive is a high priority. Any high speed ships can tag along with the *Brooklyn* and help provide fire support. Ships too slow can only protect it from range and drag attention away from them.

### Playing against a Brooklyn

It is recommended that a superior ship be used to counter Brooklyn, something along the likes of a Japanese battleship or a South Dakota. Only these ships are capable of destroying her in short order and if the fight gets prolonged your chances of survival will quickly reduce to near zero, as such, make sure your scuffle will be quick otherwise you risk a deletion of your HP.

With carriers it is imperative you avoid a fully upgraded *Brooklyn* at all costs. Her AA power makes mincemeat out of even the best carrier air groups and engagements should be instead be done in the form of beyond AA torpedo strikes. Near the endgame, if your team has dealt with most of the threats you can close the gap to near point blank range and drop as many bombs as you can on her deck, hopefully putting her down before she turns her guns on you.

## Advantages and Disadvantages

**Advantages**

* Has a main battery quirk that increases the bonus given by damage flags.
* Ridiculously powerful guns (damage flag equipped).
* High speed.
* Best turning of any cruiser at low tier, 28 secs, even without turning flag.
* Surprisingly consistent guns, irrespective of the range.
* Decent HP.
* Lots of main guns.
* Has undoubtedly, one of the best AA in the game.
* Has interceptors to boost the already crazy AA.

**Disadvantages**

* Reload comparable to that of BBS.
* Lackluster secondaries.
* HP pool may feel lacking if health flags are not equipped.

## Editor/Contributor's Opinion

1) **XercesDenial** :- " IMO.. which may differ from others.. this is the best cruiser you'll get at the tier... I often regard her as Over-powered given how strong she actually is "

## Trivia

* The *Brooklyn*-class light cruiser was built in response to the heavily armed Japanese *Mogami*-class light cruisers (which were later on reclassified as heavy cruisers).
* Strangely, *Brooklyn*'s 3rd set of AA guns are slightly stronger than her final 4th set of turrets.
* The Brooklyn model in game is incorrect, as the third turret faced the ship itself in order to save ship space. In game, the third turret faces forward. This setup is only seen on paper.