Pros: Very good range, very good firepower, decent accuracy. Insane DBs.

Cons: Poor speed, below par agility, weak AA, blech fighters and TBs.

Pros:    VODKA !


Cons:   Crews dont bathe regularly. 

pros= it is rehors favorite nation, 2nd best range, hard hitting guns, awesome DBs, coolest looking hulls, nation currently receiving the most buffs.

c.ons= 45 degree guns, low turn rate, requires 3 reps to hit repair cap (unless using hero sailors), poor speed, poor survivability, no useable AA, if rushed, you have 2 salvos to counter, otherwise its game over, takes alot of skill to play 

No, that's not the argument.

The argument is more along the lines that small, fast, and/or agile ships can change direction after a shot is fired, and get missed completely. Quite a few players are very adept at doing this. The biggest weakness of the 45-degree guns lies here: you have to predict where an opponent will be when the shell lands, and a few seconds can significantly change where that is.
Related to that is the weakness against sling-shotting. Many good sling-shooters are also lower angle ships with lower hang times, and, if played well, can get in shots with near impunity using that tactic. Again, 45-degree ships are comparatively weak against these. 

By comparison, the armor penetration you tout is only relevant against a small number of ship classes, and is often not quite as important since 1) all but the lowest angle guns still usually penetrate at max range and 2) penetration still drops pretty quickly with 45-degree guns as range closes. It's occasionally relevant, but you're more likely to find yourself arrayed against a ship that can exploit a 45-degree gun's hang time than one that is especially weak to it.


Now, I'm not saying they are a con. I'm perfectly fine with them myself. What I'm saying is that a player can make a solid reasoned argument to that extent.

Tip for playing 45 angle ship vs low angle sling shot ship.

Start the normal way of slingshotting than after two shots start with your rear and than with your front.

Have fun! (works out well with other ships as well, works out best with angle 45 though)

Also predicting where your enemy will be with angle 45 is not too difficult. 90% of the community makes the same move. The other 10% you will get to know and than you ll know what move they ll make.  

Советский Союз медленный, большой корпус, слабая маневренность. Если попадает - наносит хороший урон, дальность навреное средняя - всегда не хватает. Если на Вас сфокусировался авианосец - Вам осталось недолго. Иногда выручает дымовая завеса.
От подлодок лучше уходить, если позволит скорость. 
В ближнем бою слаб особенно против итальянцев. 
Итого: большой и не поворотливый, но если попадет - будет больно.