One of the most overlooked yet critical systems in Azur Lane is gear management. While commanders often focus on collecting and leveling up ships, it’s the equipment—main guns, torpedoes, aircraft, and auxiliary units—that defines a fleet’s actual combat performance. Properly equipped ships can outperform even higher-level counterparts that are poorly outfitted. Whether you’re preparing for intense PvP battles, high-stakes event maps, or campaign grinding, optimizing your gear loadout is essential for survival and success.

Gear tier lists can be overwhelming, especially for new players. With hundreds of equipment types and variations, it’s easy to fall into the trap of leveling suboptimal gear or wasting resources. This guide will help you make sense of it all. We’ve broken down the top-performing gear by category and explained why each item deserves its tier placement. From battleship main guns to the best torpedo bombers, this list will serve as your compass to outfitting the strongest fleet possible.

Battleship and Battlecruiser Main Guns

Battleships (BBs) and Battlecruisers (BCs) rely on hard-hitting main guns that deliver devastating salvos with splash or armor-piercing effects. The right gun increases boss damage output and enables faster clears.

• 406mm Triple Gun Mk 6 (T3): A cornerstone BB weapon. With balanced reload speed, excellent damage, and solid projectile spread, it’s one of the most reliable options in both PvE and PvP. Works best on salvo-focused BBs like Washington or Monarch.
• 410mm Twin Gun (T3): Has a faster reload than triple-gun counterparts, making it ideal for ships with reload-enhancing skills or equipment. Performs well against light and medium armor due to high fire rate.
• Prototype Triple 406mm Mk 4 Gun: Offers high damage output with reduced spread, excellent for precision-focused BBs. Its slight cooldown disadvantage is offset by powerful burst potential.

Heavy Cruiser Main Guns (CA)

CAs need main guns with a balance of sustained damage and burst capability. Penetration and AP performance are particularly important for their midline roles.

• 203mm SKC Triple Gun: A consistent performer with excellent reload and great trajectory. This gun stands out for its ease of use and high compatibility across CAs like Prinz Eugen or Baltimore.
• Twin 203mm Main Gun (Model 1927): Offers excellent penetration and damage scaling, especially when facing heavy armor. Best used in PvE bossing situations where prolonged output is key.

Light Cruiser Main Guns (CL)

CLs typically benefit from rapid-firing, AoE-capable guns to maximize their crowd-control and DPS utility.

• 150mm TbtsK C/36 Twin Gun: Known for its high firing rate and exceptional accuracy, this is a top-tier choice for supporting damage output from midline units.
• 152mm Twin Gun (T3): A well-rounded weapon, ideal for new players. Balances decent firing rate with solid damage, though less specialized than others.

Destroyer Main Guns (DD)

Destroyers are fast and nimble, needing light, high-attack-speed guns that capitalize on their mobility and torpedo-focused roles.

• 127mm Twin Gun Mk 12 (T3): Highly versatile with excellent reload speed. It provides consistent performance against destroyers and light cruisers, making it a top pick for mob-clearing.
• 100mm Twin High-angle Gun (T3): A rapid-fire gun with hybrid AA utility, making it a strong choice for mixed-defense DDs in event maps or heavy mob zones.

Torpedo Tier List

Torpedoes offer the highest burst damage in the game but come with long reload times. Prioritizing torpedo builds for DDs and submarines can massively boost damage potential.

• 610mm Quadruple Torpedo Mount (T3): The king of torpedo burst. Massive alpha strike potential with high scaling. Best used in ambush-heavy or boss fights.
• 533mm Quintuple Torpedo Mount (T3): Slightly weaker than the 610mm but has faster reload, making it great for sustained combat.
• Submarine Torpedoes – 610mm Triple Mount: Best-in-slot for submarines looking to deal quick and heavy damage before retreating.

Anti-Air Guns (AA)

AA guns determine your fleet’s ability to survive against aerial threats. Equipping your backline with the right AA is vital in later campaign stages and PvP.

• 113mm Twin High-Angle Gun (T3): Balanced reload and damage. Excellent for general-purpose AA defense across all fleet types.
• 40mm Quad Bofors (T3): Considered the gold standard for AA. Rapid-fire, high damage, and works on most ship types.
• Twin 76mm AA Gun: Ideal for support ships where AA reload matters more than raw power.

Carrier Aircraft

Fighters

• F6F Hellcat (T3): Durable and reliable. It maintains air superiority while allowing bombers to complete their runs.
• Seafang (T3): Top-tier for raw fighter power, capable of winning air skirmishes even in difficult content.

Dive Bombers

• SB2C Helldiver (T3): Best-in-slot dive bomber with high bomb damage and survivability. Prioritize for your main CVs.
• Ju-87C Dive Bomber (T3): Offers a wide spread and excellent burst potential. Best used for fast-clearing missions.

Torpedo Bombers

• Barracuda (T3): High accuracy and torpedo damage, perfect for ships like Enterprise or Centaur.
• TBF Avenger (T3): Balanced stats with high HP and torpedo scaling. Performs well in both PvE and PvP.

Auxiliary Gear

Auxiliary gear plays a supportive role—enhancing survivability, boosting damage, or offering unique passive benefits.

• SG Radar (T3): Adds evasion and increases detection radius. Crucial for flagship survivability.
• Repair Toolkit (T3): Provides passive HP regen. Great for tank ships or long-duration missions.
• Fire Control Radar (T3): Boosts hit rate and critical chance. Works best on DPS ships in PvP.
• Hydraulic Catapult (T3): Essential for CVs. Decreases aircraft cooldown and increases sortie efficiency.
  

Gear isn’t just a supporting system in Azur Lane—it’s the foundation on which your entire fleet performs. No matter how powerful your ships are, underwhelming equipment can drag down your effectiveness in high-level content. This tier list is designed to guide you through the chaos of hundreds of gear choices, so you can invest in the right tools and bring out the full potential of your fleet.

Whether you’re preparing for a high-end boss encounter, climbing PvP ladders, or just improving campaign efficiency, choosing and enhancing the right equipment can make all the difference. Always upgrade the gear that aligns with your ship’s role, and make use of duplicate top-tier items to outfit all three fleets in Operation Siren and beyond.

Victory in Azur Lane doesn’t come from firepower alone—it comes from precision, preparation, and perfectly optimized gear. For the best gaming experience, play Azur Lane on BlueStacks!