War at Sea
Allied Nations
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- France
- Greece
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Soviet Union
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Allies stat table
Axis Nations
Neutral Nations/Installations
Sets
- War At Sea
- Task Force
- Flank Speed
- New Starter
- Condition Zebra
- Set V (Fleet Command)
- Surface action
- First Strike (Forumini Expansion Deck A)
- Infamy (Forumini Expansion Deck B)
- Battle Line (Forumini Expansion Deck C)
- All Hands on Deck (Forumini D)
- Action Stations (Forumini E)
- Dead Reckoning (Forumini F)
Unit Card:
Set - Rarity - Number
Flank Speed - Rare - 11/40
History:
nrnstraswa
The Alaska class was produced from a misinterpreted intelligence report that the Japanese were building Heavy cruisers with much heavier armament, greater than the standard 8" gun. (The Japanese in fact started building the never completed B-64 class, when they heard about the Alaskas) This "arms race" of sorts brought forth two of these new ships, USS Alaska, CB-1 and USS Guam, CB-2.
The Alaska class ships were armed with 9 12" guns, and a number of 5" dual-purpose guns.
Alaska and Guam served with distinction throughout 1944 and 45, escorting their carrier fleets to bombard Japanese airfields, and to protect the flattops from enemy kamikazes.
When the carrier Franklin was heavilly damaged by air strikes, it was Guam that escorted her out of the combat zone.
By the time WWII came to a close, another Alaska was in production. It was the USS Hawaii, CB-3. With most of the fleet downsizing itself to peacetime regulations, work on Hawaii was halted and the ship was scrapped.
Alaska and Guam were also later scrapped, in 1947.
First appearances suggest that the Alaskas were battlecruisers, but to the US Navy, they were considered "large cruisers". This is hotly debated, even today. However in the game, she is a cruiser.
Reviews:
LuckyE77
Alaska is a solid, "Cruiser". She is best used as a battlecruiser, fighter director can be useful. With no torpedo defense and only four hull points she's cannon fodder to a long lance, so use its extended range four at all times against cruisers to avoid the long-lance.
swarbs:
Alaska is a ship that I've had a lot of fun fitting into American air builds lately. Compared to other American ships with similar gunnery Alaska has an impressively low cost. The Americans are unique in that their air power is significant enough to win a battle, rather than just whittling down an enemy for battleships to finish off. If your aircraft are working, Alaska has more than enough fire-power to take down whatever is left over. The points you save on Alaska can be put into more aircraft. Alaska also saves you points on fighter aircraft. Against heavy air opposition, keep your fleet in a formation conducive to using the Fighter Director SA and you can make one fighter do the work of two.
Use ER 4 to keep long lance cruisers at bay, and keep in mind that as a cruiser Alaska has a better chance of vitaling a destroyer than a battleship (4's and 5's count from it's main gunnery). Finally, don't be squeamish about entering a gun-fight, Alaska has very respectable gunnery and armor stats for it's cost. As long as you keep her out of torpedo water, Alaska usually proves worth the points.
Aran55633
Enter any cruiser or destroyer battle confidently. Use it in an air build to allow a tough figher to take two shots.
For Axis players, best way to eliminate this is to swarm it with torpedo bombers or use some Long Lance units to eliminate it quickly.
Plastic Figure Notes:
The Alaska has a very nice sculpt, a great amount of detail can be seen amidships, in both catapults especially. The camouflage paint scheme looks very nice as well.
