{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_leander
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British light cruiser {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}
The HMNZS Leander is essentially an [[HMS Arethusa]] on steroids. This relates to an all-around armor upgrade over the previous ship. This includes thicker belt armor (now 3 inches over 2.25), thicker armor over the magazines (3.5 inches over the previous 3 inches), and added anti-fragmentation armor around the bridge area of the superstructure. This added armor increases the already decent survivability against both destroyers and now to some extent cruisers. Captains of the Leander should take advantage of this added armor while knowing that it still cannot take hits from heavy cruisers, doing so will result in the loss of the ship extremely quickly. The overall survivability is increased as the HMNZS Leader boasts an addition 140 crewmen over the HMS Arethusa for a total of 767 crewmen which allows more hits to be taken without suffering a fatal amount of crew loss.

When all the additional armor and crew is taken into account, it allows captains of this ship to act much more aggressively than in previous British cruisers.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}
The HMNZS Leander boasts increased mobility and maneuverability over previous British cruisers. Even while stock this ship handles much better than previous ships such as the [[HMS Enterprise]] or the [[HMS Arethusa]] due to its quick rudder shifting time and faster acceleration. Once spaded this ship turns into the fastest British cruiser currently in game at a 60km/h (32 knots) forward and 26km/h (14 knots) in reverse. This added speed along with a quick rudder shifting time of 4.05 seconds (with ace crew) allows for increased tactical flexibility in regards to positioning and maneuvering of the ship.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)|152 mm 6 inch/50 Mark BL XXIII]] (x8)
|-
! colspan="5" | Turrets (Bow to stern)
|-
! || Turret 1 (x2) || Turret 2 (x2) || Turret 3 (x2) || Turret 4 (x2)
|-
! scope="row" | Vertical guidance
| colspan="5" | -5°/+60°
he cannons of the HMNZS Leader are the same as on the previous ship, except now with another twin turret for a total of 8 guns in 4 turrets. They keep the fast reload of 7.5 seconds (with ace crew) along with their accuracy. T

o
|-
! scope="row" | Horizontal guidance
| colspan="5" | ±145°
|-
! scope="row" | Total ammo capacity
| colspan="5" | 1,600
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 1,000 m !! 2,500 m !! 5,000 m !! 7,500 m !! 10,000 m !! 15,000 m
|-
| 6 inch HE || HE || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37
|-
| 6 inch CPBC || SAPBC || 197 || 153 || 115 || 96 || 85 || 77
|-
| 6 inch HE-TF || HE-TF || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37
|-
| 6 inch HE-VT || HE-VT || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 6 inch HE || HE || 841 || 50.8 || 0.02 || 0.1 || 3,960 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| 6 inch CPBC || SAPBC || 841 || 50.8 || 8 || 7 || 1,870 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| 6 inch HE-TF || HE-TF || 841 || 50.8 || 0 || 0.1 || 3,960 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| 6 inch HE-VT || HE-VT || 841 || 50.8 || 0 || 0.1 || 3,960 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)|102 mm 4 inch/45 Mark XVI]] (x8)
|-
! colspan="5" | Turrets (Bow to stern)
|-
! || Front port turret (x2) || Front starboard turret (x2) || Rear port turret (x2) || Rear starboard turret (x2)
|-
! scope="row" | Vertical guidance
| -90°/+80° || -80°/+90° || colspan="2" | ±90°
|-
! scope="row" | Horizontal guidance
| colspan="5" | -10°/+80°
|-
! scope="row" | Total ammo capacity
| colspan="5" | 2,000
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 1,000 m !! 2,500 m !! 5,000 m !! 7,500 m !! 10,000 m !! 15,000 m
|-
| 4 inch HE || HE || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20
|-
| 4 inch SAP || SAP || 101 || 86 || 70 || 60 || 54 || 47
|-
| 4 inch HE-TF || HE-TF || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20
|-
| 4 inch HE-VT || HE-VT || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 4 inch HE || HE || 811 || 15.88 || 0 || 0.1 || 1,550 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| 4 inch SAP || SAP || 811 || 17.35 || 3 || 3 || 600 || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| 4 inch HE-TF || HE-TF || 811 || 15.88 || 0 || 0.1 || 1,550 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| 4 inch HE-VT || HE-VT || 811 || 15.88 || 0 || 0.1 || 1,550 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|20 mm Oerlikon Mk.II]] (x5)
|-
! colspan="6" | Turrets (Bow to stern)
|-
! || Front turret || Middle port turret || Middle starboard turret || Rear port turret || Rear starboard turret
|-
! scope="row" | Vertical guidance
| colspan="3" | -5°/+65° || colspan="2" | -0°/+65°
|-
! scope="row" | Horizontal guidance
| ±180 || -60°/+90° || -90°/+60° || colspan="2" | ±180
|-
! scope="row" | Total ammo capacity
| colspan="5" | 9,000
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm Vickers Mk.V]] (x12)
|-
! colspan="4" | Turrets (Bow to stern)
|-
! || Front port turret (x4) ||Front starboard turret (x4) || Rear turret (x4)
|-
! scope="row" | Vertical guidance
| colspan="3" | +25°/+75°
|-
! scope="row" | Horizontal guidance
| colspan="3" | ±90°
|-
! scope="row" | Total ammo capacity
| colspan="3" | 24,000
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.V (533 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="9" | 533 mm steam turbined Mk.V torpedo
|-
! # on ship !! Mass (kg) !! Maximum speed in water (km/h) !! Travel distance (km) !! Depth stroke (m) !! Arming distance (m) !! Explosive type !! Explosive mass (kg)
|-
| 8 || 1,736 || 74 || 4.57 || 1.0 || 50 || TNT || 305
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The Leander is very similar to the Arethusa, its predecessor, but has some upgrades over the former. It carries an extra gun turret, giving it an 8-shell broadside which, combined with the 7.5s reload, can give the Leander some dangerous firepower with good accuracy. The good turret traverse and SAP shells make this ship dangerous at close quarters, where it can deal good damage and good penetration to enemy cruisers. It carries the same secondary armament of eight 4-inch guns with four on each broadside, making it a menace for destroyers and larger aircraft. It's also faster than the Arethusa and boasts a larger crew. While the armour is still weak for a cruiser, it's stronger than the Arethusa, with much better protection for the ammo stowage and the gun turrets, as well as some armour for the rudder, which is rare for a light cruiser.

One drawback for the Leander is its weakened AA armament. While it isn't terrible, it's a far cry from the powerful AA screen of the Arethusa, and can leave it vulnerable if it has no friendly ships to offer additional AA fire. The Leander's guns also start to lack at 5.3. Lacking the AP shells of other nations, heavy cruisers can be a real challenge for the Leander, and it struggles to deal good damage at long range as a result.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful, fast-firing broadside, especially dangerous at close and medium ranges
* Great secondary armament, eight 4-inch guns is dangerous for destroyers and torpedo boats
* Good armour protection, especially around the ammo and guns
* Great turret traverse on main turrets
* Good top speed and manoeuvrability

'''Cons:'''

* Average AA armament, weaker than the previous Arethusa
* Armour still isn't enough to save it against heavy cruiser guns
* While the crew is larger than previous cruisers, it's still pretty small
* Big target compared to previous British ships
* No APCBC shells for the 6-inch guns

== History ==

[[File:British light cruiser HMS Leander (75) underway at sea in 1945.jpg|thumb|450x450px|HMNZS Leander (75) underway at sea in 1945.]]
HMNZS / HMS Leander was the lead ship of the eight-ship Leander class, built in the 1930s as a follow-up to the Emerald (E) class. Influenced by the design of the British County-class heavy cruisers, Leander carried a main armament of eight 6-inch guns in dual turrets. Commissioned in 1933, she served under the New Zealand division of the Royal Navy and was eventually given to the New Zealand Navy in 1941, renamed HMNZS Leander. She served in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean sea during the early days of the Second World War, primarily as a convoy escort. She later served in the Solomon Islands campaign and was hit by a 610 mm torpedo that put her out of service until the end of the war. Following the cessation of hostilities, Leander was repatriated to the UK, and served with the Mediterranean fleet until she was retired in 1948 and scrapped by 1950.

=== Design and development ===
The Leander-class cruisers originated as a successor to the British Emerald (or E) class, as the first class of light cruisers built by the United Kingdom since the end of the First World War. Influenced by the designs of the County and York classes of heavy cruisers, the Leander class had a similar hull design and gun arrangement. However, displacing 7270 tons standard, they were significantly lighter. Leander’s powerful steam turbines allowed her to reach a top speed of almost 33 knots (61 km/h), but their large size meant that she had relatively low armour protection compared to her peers - up to 3 inches (76 mm) of armour at the magazines, and far less throughout the vessel.

Leander carried a main armament of eight 6-inch (152 mm) BL Mk 23 guns mounted in four twin turrets, similar to the layout of the County-class heavy cruisers. She also carried a secondary armament of four single 4-inch (102 mm) dual-purpose guns, though these were upgraded to dual turrets later in her career. Her initial anti-aircraft armament was also rather sparse, composed of just three quadruple Vickers machine guns (calibre 12.7 mm); this was also upgraded significantly in her later service. Leander, the first ship of her class, was laid down in February of 1930; following completion, she was commissioned in 1933.

=== Operational history ===
Following her completion, the Leander served in the New Zealand division of the Royal Navy, along with her sister ship Achilles. Back then, the defence of New Zealand’s naval territory was conducted by the Royal Navy, and as a result, the ships were operated by the Royal Navy until the formation of the New Zealand navy in 1941. She participated in the Coronation Review of 1937, and later conducted an aerial survey of the south Pacific ocean. During the time before the war, she toured ports in New Zealand, and also participated in exercises in Australian and British waters.

Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Leander travelled to the port of Alexandria, in the Mediterranean. She was intended to serve in the British mediterranean fleet, but these plans were changed when she was instead given to the British East Indies squadron. During this period, she escorted convoys in the Red sea area and sank several vessels, including an Italian submarine and merchant raider.

In early 1941, Leander was formally given to the New Zealand Navy, which had been formed as an independent naval force. She was then reassigned to the Mediterranean squadron to replace several cruisers that had been destroyed. During this time, she participated in the Syria-Lebanon campaign, fighting against the Vichy French naval forces stationed in that area. After this action, Leander departed as an escort for a convoy bound for Australia, arriving in September of 1941.

In early 1942, with the Japanese raid on Pearl harbour and subsequent declaration of war, Leander began serving in the Pacific theatre. She escorted convoys during the Solomons campaign but was dry docked for several months when a crack was found in her hull. She was returned to service in March of 1943, replacing the sunken cruiser Helena in the Solomon campaign. It was there in July of 1943 when, during a short engagement with Japanese naval forces, Helena was hit by a 610 mm “long lance” torpedo. The damage was extreme, yet she survived and limped to port for repairs. In fact, the damage was extensive enough that she was taken out of service for the rest of the war. By late 1944, Leander had been paid off from the New Zealand Navy, most of her crew members going to her sister ship HMNZS Achilles. Following the completion of repairs, she was repatriated to the UK in late 1945. She saw little service, and was used as a target ship in 1948 before being scrapped by 1950.

=== [[wt:en/news/6084-development-hmnzs-leander-the-legend-of-defiance-en|Devblog]] ===
The Leander-class light cruisers were designed in the late 1920s under the influence of the York-class heavy cruisers. However, the Leander-class differed from previous light cruisers by placing a higher emphasis on seaworthiness and operating range, rather than on protection and firepower. This was done with the aim to make the Leander-class light cruisers more suitable for the commerce protection role.

Initially, five ships of the Leander-class were ordered in the early 1930s, with HMS Leader as the lead ship being laid down in September 1930. Leander was completed a year later and commissioned into service in March 1933. Initially, the warship served with the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, before being transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy after its formation in 1941. From there onwards, the ship sailed under its new designation HMNZS Leander.

Leander primarily served in the Pacific theatre during WW2, taking part in several smaller operations during her early service life. Leander was also briefly stationed in the Mediterranean, supporting allied troops in actions against Vichy France during the Syria-Lebanon campaign. After that, Leander once again returned to the Pacific, where she was severely damaged after an engagement with a small Japanese task force in July 1943. The damage suffered from a torpedo hit was so severe that it rendered Leander inoperable for the remainder of the war, until she was repaired in August 1945.

HMNZS Leander only had a very short post-war service life. The warship was officially decommissioned in 1948 and sold for scrap in 1950.

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6084-development-hmnzs-leander-the-legend-of-defiance-en|[Devblog] HMNZS Leander - The Legend of Defiance]]

=== References: ===

* New Zealand History. (2020). HMNZS Leander. Retrieved January 04, 2021, from <nowiki>https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/hmnzs-leander</nowiki>
* National Museum of the New Zealand Navy. (2020, June 08). Leander. Retrieved January 07, 2021, from <nowiki>https://navymuseum.co.nz/explore/by-collections/ships/leander/</nowiki>
{{Britain light cruisers}}

HMS Arethusa

2021-11-25T18:44:53Z

U42925961: /* General info */ Added a more detailed breakdown of the armor composition and the primary armament sections

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_arethusa
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British light cruiser {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}
Overall the armor of the HMS Arethusa is competitive for light cruisers in the 5.0-5.3 BR bracket. The magazine is located beneath the waterline and between two major fuel tanks that is encased in 3 inches/76.3mm of armor. With a crew of 623 sailors and a main belt consisting of 2.25 inches of RHA, the Arethusa can withstand most destroyer grade shells (127mm and under) with relative ease assuming proper angling and range is kept above 5000m. This however is not the case when facing cruisers as many of the cruisers that the Arethusa faces will have more than enough penetration to pierce the ship. Even if range is maintained, the chances that a shell will penetrate the ship remains high as the deck armor is worse than even the [[HMS Enterprise]]. With this in mind, players of the Arethusa should keep range above 8000m to ensure a decent chance of shells non-penning the Arethusa's armor.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}
''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}
{{main|6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)}}

The primary armament of the HMS Arethusa consists of 6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII cannons mounted in 3 twin turrets for a total of 6 cannons. These cannons are known for their high firing arcs and fast reload of 7.5 seconds (with ace crew). These cannons are also quite accurate with little to no dispersion below 12,500m. With good firing angles, good accuracy, and a menacingly short reload, this armament can be a force to reckon with.

* The stock HE shell comes with just under 4kg of TNT equivalent which can make quick work of most destroyers around its BR. While this shell will not do too much to cruisers, it can be helpful in starting fires or knocking out crew in exposed weapon positions.
* The Semi-Armor piercing shell is where the 6 inch guns can shine. With 1.78kg of TNT equivalent and 87mm of pen at 7500m (at 30 degrees of angle) these shells can through most light cruiser's belt armor assuming a decent location is hit. These shells are also great for dealing with destroyers as the fuze sensitivity is just 7mm and a delay of 8m. This means that the fuze can be set off by the destroyers thin layer of armor then explode inside the ship causing often fatal damage.
* The time fuze and variable time fuze shells make for relatively easy AA work as the high explosive mass (3.96kg equivalent) and large activation distance (240m arming and 16m exploding) will make most pilots think twice before attempting an attack run on you. The major drawback that the HMS Arethusa faces is that the 6 inch guns do not have access to a full AP shell. This results in a poor ability to cause significant damage to heavy cruisers or battleships at any significant range. While this can be slightly countered by closing the distance and engaging with semi-armor piercing shells, it cannot hope to engage at ranges above 7,500m against heavy cruisers or battleships.

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}
{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}
{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 2 (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mark V (20 mm)}}

''An important part of the ship's armament responsible for air defence. Anti-aircraft armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control <code>Select anti-aircraft weapons</code>. Talk about the ship's anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets. If there are no anti-aircraft armaments, remove this section.''

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}
{{main|Mk.V (533 mm)}}

''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.''

== Usage in battles ==

The Arethusa is a general improvement over the Enterprise in all but a few ways. Firstly, the Arethusa features a better main armament. While the number of guns goes down to six, the broadside is up to six thanks to the three dual-gunned superfiring turrets. These guns also have a better RoF, firing a shot every 7.5 seconds. This, combined with the Arethusa's good turret traverse, can make this ship a monster at medium-to-close range. Carrying on from the Enterprise, the Arethusa still bolsters a powerful AA screen, but now with better DP guns thanks to the dual-mounted 4-inch guns, with a 3 second reload. These guns can be deadly both to large aircraft and to enemy destroyers and patrol boats, giving the Arethusa more survivability at close range than its predecessor. It also still features the fast torpedoes of the Enterprise, as well as good turning time.

The Arethusa does sacrifice some elements of its design. Firstly, it's a slow ship, doing just 26 knots when stock. It also inherits the poor armour of the Enterprise, with the addition of having even worse deck armour (making this ship vulnerable to bombs and rockets) and weaker belt armour. This, combined with the ship's low crew tally, means it struggles to take on a good amount of damage, especially from other cruisers. This ship can still be played effectively against light cruisers and destroyers, but Arethusa players should be cautious around the armoured light cruisers of Russia and America, as well as heavy cruisers of any design, which can punish the Arethusa's small size and poor armour.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fast firing and accurate broadside can be a menace for light cruisers and destroyers
* Fantastic AA armament, effective against aircraft of all sizes and types
* Decent secondary armament with good RoF can give destroyers and patrol boats issues
* Good turn time allows for good close quarters movement

'''Cons:'''

* Lack of true AP shells can make heavily armoured cruisers a challenge, especially a long range
* Only six guns on broadside can feel weak at times
* Poor armour, even other light cruisers can punish this ship
* Poor top speed can make repositioning and evasive manoeuvres difficult

== History ==
[[File:HMS Arethusa 1942 IWM FL 889.jpg|thumb|450x450px|HMS Arethusa as seen in 1942.]]
HMS Arethusa was the lead ship of her class, a set of four light cruisers built for the Royal Navy. Designed as a lighter version of the [[HMNZS Leander|Leander]] class to counter Merchant-raider ships, they had a smaller displacement and armament but were big enough to serve as fleet cruisers. Commissioned in 1935, Arethusa served in the Mediterranean theatre before the outbreak of war, and later participated in a variety of conflicts including the Norwegian campaign and Mediterranean campaign. Struck by a torpedo in late 1942, she was inoperational until late 1943 and didn’t see active service until the D-Day landings in June of 1944. She had the honour of ferrying King George VI over the English channel to inspect the Allied forces in Normandy, but was later damaged by a naval mine and put out of service for the rest of the war. She was used for weapons trials until 1949, and subsequently scrapped.

=== Design and development ===
In the 1930s, there was serious concern over the potency of armed merchant raiders (merchant ships retrofitted with heavy armament), and as a result, the Royal Navy ordered a new class of vessels to counter these ships. The new vessel featured a toned-down version of Leander’s hull, with less armament. Even so, they were able to outgun (and possibly outrun) merchant cruisers by a fair margin. The Arethusa herself displaced just 5220 tons standard, and was capable of making 32 knots (59 km/h).

The Arethusa was armed with six 6-inch (152 mm) BL Mk 23 guns in three dual turrets - two fore (in the ‘A’ and ‘B’ positions) and one aft (in the ‘Y’ position). Her secondary armament was composed of four single 4-inch (102 mm) guns, though this was replaced in a later refit. Her anti-aircraft armament was initially scarce, but was improved over time. She carried two triple 533 mm torpedo tubes in beam positions.

Arethusa was laid down in 1933, and launched in March of 1934. After completion, she was commissioned in 1935.

=== Operational history ===
After her commissioning, the Arethusa was assigned to the British Mediterranean squadron, and remained there at the start of the Second World War. She was then recalled to the British Home Fleet, and subsequently served in the Norwegian campaign. In June of 1940, she joined Force H at Gibraltar, and participated in the attack on French Forces based at Mers-el-Kebir. She later participated in the Hunt for Bismarck, and was later employed on convoy escort duties in the Mediterranean.

In November of 1942, Arethusa was struck by an Italian torpedo that caused severe damage; after temporary repairs, she was sent to the Charleston dockyard in the US and remained there until late 1943. During this time, her anti-aircraft armament was improved significantly, and she was fitted with new dual 4-inch mountings. After her return to service, she participated in the D-Day landings and provided fire support for the forces landing at Sword Beach. She was also given the honor of carrying King George VI across the English Channel to inspect allied forces in the Normandy region. However, she was hit by a mine several days later and sent back to the shipyards for repair. Arethusa saw little service for the rest of the war, and was placed into reserve in November of 1945. There were plans to sell her to the Netherlands navy, but these plans failed to come through and Arethusa was eventually scrapped by 1950.

=== [[wt:en/news/6363-development-hms-arethusa-mistress-of-the-seas-en|Devblog]] ===
The development of the Arethusa-class light cruisers began because their predecessors - type Leander ships, were not very suitable for fleet operations at sea nor as a lead destroyer. Type Leander cruisers didn't have the maneuverability to be leaders, nor did they meet the minimum silhouette requirements for night operations. British engineers had to create a new, lighter, and more maneuverable ship based on the Leander.

The result of this endeavour was the creation of the Arethusa-class in the early 1930s - a light cruiser design based on the Leander-class, with reductions in firepower, protection and other aspects to accomodate for weight savings. The design was soon approved for construction, with six ships being initially ordered, although five were actually built in the end.

HMS Arethusa, the lead ship of her class, was laid down in January 1933, being commissioned in May 1935. Upon her completion, HMS Arethusa was immediately assigned to the Mediterranean, where she would also witness the outbreak of WWII in September 1939. Early in the war, HMS Arethusa operated off the coast of Norway, assisted in the evacuation of troops from France in 1940 and protected numerous Allied convoys in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

Later in the war, in 1942, HMS Arethusa suffered heavy damages as a result of an airborne torpedo attack by axis forces, knocking the ship out of action for almost 2 years before finally being repaired in the US. Arethusa's final major operation of WWII were the Allied landings in Normandy in 1944. HMS Arethusa was put in reserve in the immediate postwar years and was later scrapped in May 1950.

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6363-development-hms-arethusa-mistress-of-the-seas-en|[Devblog] HMS Arethusa: Mistress of the Seas]]

=== References ===

* Mason, G. B., & Smith, G. (2004). HMS Arethusa, British Light Cruiser. Retrieved January 07, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CL-Arethusa.htm</nowiki>
* Helgason, G. (1995). Uboat.net. Retrieved January 07, 2021, from <nowiki>https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4009.html</nowiki>
{{Britain light cruisers}}