Azur Lane Tier List, Best Ships, Characters, Weapons Ranked
by Rubaditsha | Updated May 11, 2023
Azur Lane
Created by Chinese developers Shanghai Manjuu and Xiamen Yongshi, Azur Lane is a shoot 'em up video game that was released in 2017 for iOS and Android operating systems. The game takes place in an alternate timeline of World War II, where players engage in side-scrolling shooter gameplay with female moe anthropomorphic characters based on warships from the major participants of the war. The game also includes other gameplay elements such as customizing a dorm and in-game characters.
Azur Lane Tier List
Gamers who love to play Azur Lane have a wide range of ships to choose from in the game. Players can tactically arrange these ships in their front and back row fleets, with three slots available in each row for attacking and defensive positions.
Front Row Fleet Ships
Azur Lane has different types of ships that players can use in their front row, such as:
- Destroyers
- Light Cruisers
- Heavy Cruisers
- Large Cruiser
- Battlecruiser
Back Row Fleet Ships
Similarly, players can use different ships in their back row fleet, such as:
- Battleships
- Aviation Battleship
- Monitors
- Repair Ships
- Aircraft Carrier
- Light Aircraft Carrier
- Submarines
- Submarine Seaplane Carrier
Tier List of Ships
Here are the ships in the S, A, B, C, and D tiers in Azur Lane:
S-Tier
S-tier ships are the strongest ships in Azur Lane, with powerful attacks and strike capabilities. The ships included in the S-tier are:
- Light Cruiser: Helena, San Diego Retrofit
- Battleship: Friedrich der Grosse, Richelieu, Gascogne, Georgia, Odin, Nagato, Howe, Warspite Retrofit, Monarch
- Aircraft Carrier: Ryuuhou, Enterprise, Essex, Formidable
- Submarine Seaplane Carrier: I-13
- Heavy Cruiser: Roon, Drake, Baltimore, Bremerton
- Destroyer: Ayanami
- Light Aircraft Carrier: Centaur
- Large Cruiser: Azuma
A-Tier
A-tier ships are a good choice to use in Azur Lane to defeat more opponents. Players can make powerful combinations with S-tier and A-tier ships to improve their front-row attacking capabilities. The ships included in the A-tier are:
- Light Cruiser: Neptune, Chapayev, Montpelier, Swiftsure, Ping Hai Retrofit, Ning Hai Retrofit
- Battleship: King George V, Alabama, Duke of York, Tosa, Bismarck
- Aircraft Carrier: Illustrious, Perseus, Bunker Hill, Saratoga Retrofit, Graf Zeppelin, Intrepid
- Submarine: I-168, U-47
- Heavy Cruiser: Cheshire, Zara, Saint Louis, Portland Retrofit, Minneapolis
- Destroyer: Yukikaze, Eldridge, Kitakaze, Tashkent, Laffey Retrofit, An-Shan
- Light Aircraft Carrier: Unicorn
- Repair Ship: Vestal
B-Tier
B-tier ships come with mediocre functionality and can be used in support and back-row fleets. With tactical gameplay, gamers can get the most out of these ships and outshine their enemies. The ships included in the B-tier are:
- Light Cruiser: Birmingham, Hermione, Cleveland, Little Bel, Jeanne D’Arc, Aurora, Dido
- Battleship: Champagne, North Carolina, Tirpitz, Valiant, Queen Elizabeth, Jean Bart
- Aircraft Carrier: Casablanca, Kaga, Ark Royal
- Aviation Battleship: Hyuuga Retrofit
- Heavy Cruiser: Mogami Retrofit, London
- Destroyer: Javelin, Hanazuki, Z1 Retrofit
- Light Aircraft Carrier: Shouhou
- Battle Cruiser: Hood
- Submarine: Albacore, U-81
C-Tier
C-tier ships are those that have average stats and are not particularly useful in battles against strong opponents. Gamers are advised to avoid using these ships if possible. Here are the ships in the C tier:
- Light Cruisers: Newcastle Retrofit, Belfast, Reno, Kinu, Curlew Retrofit, Sheffield
- Battleships: Suruga, Gangut, Little Renown, Izumo
- Aircraft Carrier: Souryuu Retrofit, Victorious, Zuikaku, Shoukaku, Hiryuu Retrofit
- Heavy Cruisers: Algerie, Prinz Eugen, Wichita
- Destroyer: Kizuna AI, Eskimo, Kagerou Retrofit, Kawakaze
D-Tier
D-tier ships are the weakest ships in the game, with very low stats and abilities. Players are advised not to use these ships in high-ranking battles or in their main fleets. Here are the ships in the D tier:
- Light Cruisers: Curacoa Retrofit, Biloxi, Sendai Retrofit
- Battleship: Mikasa
- Aircraft Carrier: Fumiruiru, Bataan, Eagle, Shangri-La, Akagi, Taihou
- Destroyer: Carabiniere, Naganami, Tanikaze
- Submarine: U-556
Azur Lane Characters
Character sheets in Azur Lane, a mobile game with a naval warfare theme that features anthropomorphized warships.
Playable Characters:
- Each navy in the game has its own fictional name, but their real-life counterpart is noted in the character description. The following are the playable characters in the game:
Non-Playable Characters and Miscellaneous:
Azur Lane Skin
Azur Lane Weapon Tier List
Azur Lane is a popular mobile game that features bullet hell and side-scrolling gameplay. The characters in the game are personifications of warships from World War 2. Players control up to 6 characters to advance on a map and shoot enemies while dodging their attacks. Yostar has been releasing new gear for Azur Lane since 2020, making it important to stay up-to-date with the latest equipment. In this article, we provide a complete guide to the Azur Lane Equipment Tier List for 2022.
Playing Azur Lane on PC
Although Azur Lane is a relatively lightweight game, players still require significant storage space on their phones. For the smoothest gameplay, it is recommended to play Azur Lane on PC using an emulator.
Azur Lane Destroyer Gun Tier List
Destroyer guns are an essential part of Azur Lane gameplay. The following is a tier list of the best destroyer guns available in the game, along with their DPS rating and how to obtain them. While the following tier list is comprehensive, it is important to note that certain ships may favor one weapon over others.
S Tier
The following are the top-ranked destroyer guns in Azur Lane:
A Tier
The following are the second-tier destroyer guns in Azur Lane:
B Tier
The following are the third-tier destroyer guns in Azur Lane:
C Tier
The following are the fourth-tier destroyer guns in Azur Lane:
Tier D
The following guns fall under Tier D:
- Twin 120mm (QF Mark XII)
- DPS rating: Transitional gun. Good against Light and Medium
- How to get: 4-2, 8-1, T3/T4 Royal Tech Box
- Twin 120mm (Model 1936)
- DPS rating: Transitional gun. Good against Light and Medium
- How to get: Empyreal Tragicomedy B1, D1; The Flame-Touched Dagger SP1, SP3
- Twin 127mm (Type 3 Mod B)
- DPS rating: Transitional gun. Good against Heavy
- How to get: Gear Lab
- Single 76mm (3"/50 caliber gun)
- DPS rating: Fastest gun in the game for proccing skills
- How to get: 3-3, T2/T3 Eagle Tech Box
Azur Lane Surface Torpedoes Tier List
The following tier list is for surface torpedoes in Azur Lane.
S Tier
The following torpedo falls under Tier S:
- 533mm Quintuple Homing Torpedo Mount (6 Star)
- DPS rating: Best homing torp for Autoplay. Save this for your best Torpedo characters such as Ayanami/Shimakaze...etc.
- How to get: Gear Lab
A Tier
The following torpedoes fall under Tier A:
- 533mm Quadruple Homing Torpedo Mount
- DPS rating: Great homing torp for Auto
- How to get: Opposite Colored D1, The Pursuit of Graf Spee SP3 (Boss only), Inverted Orthant D1 (Boss/Siren only), T4/T5 Iron Blood Tech Box, Gear Lab.
- 610mm Quintuple Torpedo Mount (6 Star)
- DPS rating: Great manual torp with very high damage
- How to get: Upon the Shimmering Blue Exchange
B Tier
The following torpedoes fall under Tier B:
- 533mm Quintuple Torpedo Mount Mk 17
- DPS rating: Good non-homing torp for Auto
- How to get: Gear Lab
- 533mm Quintuple Torpedo Mount
- DPS rating: Good non-homing torp for Auto
- How to get: 7-4, Glorious Battle SP3, Non-Ironblood T4/T5 Tech Boxes. Blueprints can also be obtained through Research.
C Tier
The following torpedoes fall under Tier C:
- 533mm Quintuple Homing Torpedo Mount (5 Star)
- DPS rating: Good non-homing torp for Auto
- How to get: T4/T5 Ironblood Tech Box
- 533mm Quintuple Torpedo Mount Mk IX
- DPS rating: Best manual torp with a parallel pattern instead of a spread pattern. Bad in auto mode.
- How to get: 7-4, Glorious Battle SP3, Non-Ironblood T4/T5 Tech Boxes. Blueprints can also be obtained through Research.
- 610mm Quadruple Torpedo Mount Kai
- DPS rating: Good manual torp with a slightly higher cooldown
Azur Lane Submarine Torpedoes Tier List
Submarine torpedoes in Azur Lane are essential for submarine fleets, and players need to understand the best options to maximize their submarine's potential. The following is a tier list of submarine torpedoes based on their DPS rating, how to get them, and their overall effectiveness.
S Tier
The Submarine-mounted Mark 20S "Bidder" Torpedo is an excellent submarine torpedo with weak homing capabilities. However, since it fires in waves of three instead of two, it is considered the best. The only way to obtain this torpedo is through Gear Lab.
A Tier
The Submarine-mounted G7e Acoustic Homing Torpedo is another great option with strong homing capabilities. Players can obtain this torpedo by defeating boss nodes in X-5 maps (Anti-Submarine Warfare). The Submarine-mounted Mark 28 Torpedo is technically A tier but has low damage and is harder to get than the G7e, as it can only be obtained through Gear Lab.
B Tier
The Submarine-mounted Mark 16 Torpedo is a transitional equipment option until players can get A or S tier torpedoes. Players can obtain it by defeating boss nodes in X-5 maps (Anti-Submarine Warfare), Supply Line Disruption, or 13-4. The Submarine-mounted Type 95 Oxygen Torpedo is another transitional option, obtainable by defeating boss nodes in X-5 maps. Players can also obtain the Submarine-mounted Type 96 Oxygen Torpedo through Gear Lab.
C Tier
The Submarine-mounted Mark 12 Torpedo is a good stat option but is crafted from the same source material as the Bidder. The Submarine-mounted Type 95 Kai Pure Oxygen Torpedo is costly and uses up many resources, making it the least favorable option.
Overall, the Submarine-mounted Mark 20S "Bidder" Torpedo is the best option, but it is hard to craft in research. If players cannot obtain the Bidder, they should stick with the G7e, which has blueprints that can be found in research or daily. The other torpedoes are usable but not optimal and resource-intensive to craft, especially the tier B and C ones. Players can use the purple versions of these torpedoes as transitional weapons.
Azur Lane Light Cruiser Guns Tier List
When choosing between Light Cruiser (CL) guns and Destroyer (DD) guns, always go for DD guns as they provide higher DPS. However, if possible, use CL guns for Battleship (BB) auxiliary slots.
S Tier
Gun DPS rating How to get
Prototype Quadruple 152mm Main Gun Mount The best CL gun with the highest DPS but difficult to obtain. PR5 research
A Tier
Gun DPS rating How to get
Prototype Triple 152mm DP Mk 17 Main Gun Mount The second-best DPS CL gun. PR2 research
Triple 152mm B-38 MK 5 Main Gun Mount Slightly lower DPS than the Mk17. Available in the Northern Overture event shop and map drop, Khorovod of Dawn's Rime map drop.
Prototype Triple 155mm Kai Naval Gun Mount Similar DPS to the B-38. Gear Lab
B Tier
Gun DPS rating How to get
Prototype Triple 152mm Mk XXV Main Gun Mount The third-best DPS CL gun. PR2 research
Prototype Twin 150mm SK C/28 Main Gun Mount Similar DPS to the Mk XXV. Gear Lab
C Tier
Gun DPS rating How to get
Triple 155mm Main Gun Mount An average DPS CL gun. Use if nothing better is available. Available in 6-2, 8-3, 13-1, T4/T5 Sakura Tech Box. Blueprints can also be obtained through Research.
Triple 152mm Mk 16 Main Gun Mount Similar to the Triple 155mm Main Gun Mount but with higher spread. Gear Lab
D Tier
Gun DPS rating How to get
Triple 152mm (Model 1934) A lower-than-average CL gun but decent as a BB aux gun. Available in the "Daedalian Hymn" event shop, D3 and SP. Virtual Tower as a map drop from SP4.
Twin 150mm TbtsK C/36 Main Gun Mount The best purple gun and good to use when you don't have gold guns yet. Available in 4-2, 9-3, 11-4, T3/T4 Ironblood Tech Box.
Single 150mm SK C/28 Main Gun Mount The fastest CL gun in the game and best to use on CLs who need to trigger barrages like Neptune. Available in 2-4, 8-1, 11-2, T3/T4 Ironblood Tech Box.
Azur Lane Heavy Cruiser Gun Tier List
- The Azur Lane Heavy Cruiser Gun Tier List ranks heavy cruiser guns according to their DPS rating and availability.
S Tier
- The best heavy cruiser gun in the game is the Prototype Triple 234mm Main Gun Mount, with the highest DPS rating. It is also very hard to obtain, as it requires PR3 research or can be purchased from the Prototype Shop (limited to 50 blueprints total).
A Tier
- The Triple 203mm (SK C/34 Prototype) is the best DPS heavy cruiser gun with AP ammo, and it can be obtained through PR1 research or the Gear Lab. The Triple 203mm (8"/55 Mk 15 SHS) has similar performance to the SK C/34 but has higher damage against heavy targets and can also be obtained from the Gear Lab. The Twin 203mm SKC (Improved) is similar to the SK C/34 but has higher damage against light and medium targets, and it is available in the Operation Convergence event shop. The Twin 203mm Mle 1931 Main Gun Mount is the best DPS heavy cruiser gun with HE ammo and can be obtained from drops and event shops in Skybound Oratorio.
B Tier
- The Prototype Twin 234mm Main Gun Mount is a very good heavy cruiser gun with good performance against all armor types and can be obtained through PR3 research. The Prototype Triple 203mm Mk IX Main Gun Mount is the second best HE gun due to its higher spread and can be obtained from the Gear Lab.
C Tier
- The Twin 203mm (SK C/34) is a decent heavy cruiser gun with AP ammo and can be used if no higher tier is available. It can be obtained from 7-3, 8-4, T4/T5 Ironblood Tech Box, and blueprints can also be obtained through Research. The Prototype 203mm No. 3 Naval Gun Mount is a decent heavy cruiser gun with HE ammo and can be used if no higher tier is available. It can be obtained from Core Data Exchange (800) or the Gear Lab. The Prototype Triple 203mm AA Gun is similar to the SK C/34 but has higher damage against light and medium targets and can be obtained through PR1 research. The Twin 203mm (Model 1927) is the only heavy cruiser gun with SAP ammo, but it is hard to obtain and has lower than average performance. It is available as a map drop in Empyreal Tragicomedy.
D Tier
- The Twin 203mm Naval Gun Mount (4 star) is a usable HE gun until players obtain gold weapons. It can be obtained from 4-2, 8-3, 8-4, 12-1, T3/T4 Sakura Tech Box. The Twin 203mm (SK C/34) (4 star) is a usable AP gun until players obtain gold weapons. It can be obtained from 4-3, 4-4, 8-4, T3/T4 Tech box.
Azur Lane Battleship/Battlecruiser Guns Tier List
Azur Lane is a mobile game that features naval warfare with cute anime girls representing various ships. Battleships (BB) and battlecruisers (BC) are two classes of ships in the game that are known for their powerful guns. This tier list ranks the guns of BBs and BCs based on their damage-per-second (DPS) rating and usefulness against different types of armor.
S Tier
The S tier consists of the best guns in the game for BBs and BCs.
Triple 406mm MK7 (6 star): This is the best high-explosive (HE) shelling gun in the game with the highest DPS rating. It can be obtained from the Mirror Involution event shop.
Twin 457mm Mk A (6 star): This is the best armor-piercing (AP) gun in the game with very high DPS. It can be obtained from PR2 research.
A Tier
The A tier consists of guns that are slightly below the S tier but are still very good.
Triple 406mm Mk 6: This is the second-best HE shelling gun in the game and is a budget option due to its purple rarity. It can be obtained from 6-2, 6-3, T3/T4 Eagle Tech Box.
Triple 381mm AA Gun: This is an HE gun that is slightly worse than the 406mm MK6 but serves the same role. It can be obtained from Gear Lab + PR1.
Triple 406mm /50: This is the second-best AP shelling gun in the game and can be obtained from PR3.
B Tier
The B tier consists of guns that are decent but not as good as the A or S tiers.
Triple 305mm SK C/39: This is a fast HE gun that is useful for Barrage ships. It can be obtained from PR3.
Triple 460mm: This is the Yamato gun that has very high HE damage but a long cooldown. It can be obtained from Violet Tempest, Blooming Lycoris Event Shop.
Twin 406mm Mk4: This gun has good speed and DPS and is the third-best AP gun. It can be obtained from Gear lab.
Triple 410mm: This gun has similar DPS to the 406mm MK4 and can be obtained from PR1 + Gear lab.
Twin 406mm SK C/34: This is the best mixed speed + DPS HE gun and can be obtained from PR2.
Triple 406mm Mk D: This gun has similar DPS to the 406mm MK4 and can be obtained from Gear lab.
C Tier
The C tier consists of guns that are average and may not be as useful as other guns in the game.
Twin 381mm: This is the fastest gun for Barrage ships with HE and can be obtained from PR 1/2/3 + Gear Lab.
Twin 380mm (SK C/34): This gun is the same as the 381mm but with AP and can be obtained from T4/T5 Ironblood Tech Box.
Triple 406mm (Model 1940 Prototype): This is the only semi-armor-piercing (SAP) BB gun with moderate DPS and can be obtained from PR 4.
D Tier
The D tier consists of guns that are not as useful as other guns in the game.
Twin 410mm Kai: This is the second-best mixed speed/DPS gun and can be obtained from Gear Lab.
Triple 283mm (SK C/34): This is the fastest AP gun in the game and can be obtained from T3/T4 Ironblood Tech
Aircraft Carrier Fighter Tier List for Azur Lane
Tier-EX: F7F, Sea Hornet
Tier-1: F4U, Sea Fury, F6F, Seafang, Kawanishi, A7M, BF-109G
Tier-2: F8F, Seafire, Type 0
Tier-3: Me155-A, F2A
This tier list ranks all the fighters in Azur Lane, with Tier-EX being the highest and Tier-3 being the lowest. The F7F and Sea Hornet are the top two fighters, followed by Tier-1 fighters such as F4U, Sea Fury, F6F, Seafang, Kawanishi, A7M, and BF-109G. New players should stick to F6F or Seafang, which are easy to use. Tier-2 and Tier-3 fighters are not worth using, except for airstrike speed adjustment. The F4U is the cheapest fighter and a good choice for budget players, so it's recommended to stock up on them once enough core data has been gathered.
Aircraft Carrier Dive Bomber Tier List for Azur Lane
Tier-1: SB2C Helldiver, XSB3C-1
Tier-2: BTD-1
Tier-3: SBD, Barracuda 831, Firefly, Suisei, Suisei 12A
Special: Suisei Model 21 (for BBV)
This tier list ranks all the dive bombers in Azur Lane. The SB2C Helldiver is the best dive bomber in the game and is easy to obtain through map drops and chests. The XSB3C-1 is slightly better than the SB2C Helldiver, but requires more resources to obtain. The BTD-1 is worth using sometimes, but Tier-3 planes are not worth using except for airstrike speed adjustment. The Suisei Model 21 is the best dive bomber for Aviation battleships.
Aircraft Carrier Torpedo Bomber Tier List for Azur Lane
There are 2 types of Torpedo Bombers: Normal (for mobs) and Converging (for bosses).
Tier-EX: Wyvern
Tier-1: Ju-87, Aichi B7A (Converging), XTB2D (Normal), Swordfish (Slow)
Tier-2: Barracuda, TBM Avenger, Firecrest, Blackburn
Tier-3: Saiun Kai, TBD Devastator.
This tier list ranks all the torpedo bombers in Azur Lane. New players should stick to Barracuda and Aichi B7A, which are easier to obtain. The Wyvern is the best but requires a lot of resources to obtain. The Siren ops planes are extremely resource-intensive. The Tier-3 planes are not worth using except for airstrike speed adjustment.
Azur Lane Equipment Tier List For Auxiliaries and AA Guns
Auxiliaries:
Tier-1: High Performance Hydraulic Steering Gear, High Standard Fire Control Radar, Beaver Squad Tag
Tier-2: Steam Catapult, Super Heavy Shell, Type 1 AP Shell, Type 93 Pure Oxygen Torpedo, SG Radar, Homing Beacon
Tier-3: High Performance Air Radar, Repair Toolkit
Overall, there are many Auxiliaries in Azur Lane. The rule of thumb is to get Evasion on tanking frontline ships like Heavy and Light Cruisers, HP on Destroyer, White and Black Shell + Radar for Battleships, and Steam Catapult for Carriers. For submarines, use any combination of the Improved Snorkel, Type 93 Improved Oxygen Torpedo, and Pressure Resistant
Azur Lane Tier List:FAQs
The Tier EX fighters, F7F and Sea Hornet, are the best in the game. Tier 1 fighters like F4U and BF-109G are also strong options. New players can start with F6F or Seafang.
The SB2C Helldiver is the best dive bomber in the game and is easy to obtain. The XSB3C-1 is slightly better at the highest tier but is resource-intensive. The BTD-1 is worth using occasionally, but the tier 3 planes are not recommended.
New players can start with the Barracuda and Aichi B7A torpedo bombers, which are easier to obtain. The Wyvern is the best but is resource-intensive. Other strong options include Ju-87, XTB2D, and Swordfish.
For tanking frontline ships, use high evasion gears. For destroyers, use high HP gears. Battleships should use white and black shell gears along with radar. Carriers should use steam catapults. Submarines can use a combination of improved snorkels, type 93 improved oxygen torpedoes, and pressure-resistant hull designs.