In War Thunder, the KMS Köln will soon become available to all seasoned captains, with the release of the upcoming update 1.85, as a new light cruiser of rank IV of the German naval tree. Faster and better armed than KMS Emden that precedes it, KMS Köln won’t just offer improved performance over the Emden overall, but it will also give German captains new tactical possibilities on the naval battlefield. KMS Köln is armed with a total of nine 150mm cannons, spread across three triple turrets. Not only does this make the primary armament on the Köln more numerous than that of the Emden, but it also allows captains of this warship to bring all guns to bear on a single target from one side.

Speaking of the turret arrangement, eagle-eyed captains who’ve already closely examined all renders in this devblog before reading, may have noticed a peculiar arrangement of the two rear turrets on the ship’s stern. Despite not looking like it, this design decision was made on purpose, in order to provide the two aft turrets with better firing arcs, enabling them to engage targets at much greater angles.

KMS Köln’s secondary armament consists of six dual purpose 88mm cannons, mounted in double turrets. Although these cannons are smaller than those found on the Emden, their greater number and higher rate of fire make them better suited for performing their task. Apart from the secondary armament, the airspace around the warship is closely guarded by four dual 37mm SK C/30 cannon mounts as well as eight single 20mm turrets. Additionally, captains will have access to two triple 533mm torpedo launchers on each side of the ship’s hull.