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William Sims

Also called: Уильям Симс · ウィリアム・シムス

U.S.A. Battleship Commander

U.S.A.BattleshipHistoricalSurvivability

Overview

Maximize durability by combining Built to Last with Emergency Specialist and Will to Rebuild. Deploy Marksmanship and Reaching Out XXL for consistent long-range HE fire. Flammable Cannonier increases burning damage. Excel in defensive mid-range positions with sustained fire.

Commander Bio

William Sims (1858–1936) was an admiral and visionary reformer who revolutionized U.S. Navy gunnery and naval tactics in the early 20th century. Among the Navy's most influential modernizers, he commanded U.S. Naval Forces in Europe during World War I, coordinating critical operations against German submarines and naval threats. Sims' innovations in gunnery standards, naval technology, and officer training established doctrines that would fundamentally define American naval warfare for generations.

Recommended on

25 ship guides

Skills

13 + base trait

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Base Trait

Built to Last

Skill Tree · 5 ranks

Skill balance changes

Recent balance updates affecting skills this commander carries.

BUFF Properly Meticulous 2026-04-30

Secondary battery survivability is now improved by 15/20/25/30% instead of 5/10/15/20%
Secondary battery dispersion is now reduced by 6/9/12/15% instead of 3/6/9/12%
Secondary battery reload time is now reduced by 6/9/12/15% instead of 5/8/10/15%

Ministry of Balance: Viva la Marina! Read the full official post

BUFF No-Fly Zone 2025-07-31

Ship's average AA damage per second is now increased by 4/8/12/15% instead of 3/6/8/10%.

Ministry of Balance: Back to the Naval Academy Read the full official post

BUFF Crisscross 2025-07-31

Battleship gun traverse speed is now increased by 0.4/0.8/1.2/1.5°/s instead of 0.3/0.6/0.9/1.2°/s.
Cruiser gun traverse speed is now increased by 0.5/1.0/1.5/2.0°/s instead of 0.3/0.6/0.9/1.2°/s.
Destroyer gun traverse speed is now increased by 2/3/4/5°/s instead of 0.8/1.6/2.4/3.2°/s.

Ministry of Balance: Back to the Naval Academy Read the full official post

NERF Gyrating Drillbits 2024-10-10

Battleship gun traverse speed effect reduced from +0.4/+0.8/+1.2/+1.5 °/s to +0.3/+0.6/+0.9/+1.2 °/s
Battleship main gun AP shell damage effect reduced from +3/+6/+8/+10% to +2/+4/+6/+8%
Negative effect on maximum battleship speed reduced from –7/–7/–7/–10% to –7/–7/–7/–7%

Ministry of Balance: Trick and Treat Read the full official post

CHANGE Properly Meticulous 2024-04-25

Increased survivability of secondary battery by 5/10/15/20%
Reduced secondary battery dispersion by -3/-6/-9/-12%
Enhanced secondary targeting duration has been increased from +10/+20/+25/+35% to +10/+20/+30/+40%

Ministry of Balance: Old Gold Read the full official post

CHANGE Will to Rebuild 2023-04-06

Rate of HP restoration per second reduced from 0.5 to 0.3%.
Will to Rebuild now restores Saturation up to 20%.

Ministry of Balance Reports: German Commander Refit & More Read the full official post

CHANGE Fight Fire With Fire 2023-04-06

Static fire damage reduction swapped with fire reduction per active fire: 6/9/12/15% of damage, depending on rank.

Ministry of Balance Reports: German Commander Refit & More Read the full official post

CHANGE Farsight 2023-04-06

Activation range increased at lower ranks from 1.5/2/2.75/3.5 km to 2/2.5/3/3.5 km.
The debuff that removed a Repair Party consumable charge has been removed; Farsight no longer has any trade-offs.

Ministry of Balance Reports: German Commander Refit & More Read the full official post

Recommended builds

Reference builds that headline William Sims, from GamingDiver-curated picks and Wargaming’s official Through the Spy Glass recommendations. Use them as a starting point and tune to your roster.

William Sims on Gearing

Torpedo pressure

InspirationsArleigh Burke · Erich Bey

Constant torp pressure without sacrificing gun capability. Alternate salvos to keep enemies dodging permanently, then punish them in smoke when they can't maneuver cleanly.

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