Need to understand the basics of destroyers

[Avrova1904]

I have been playing destroyers but I want to understand them deeply. So, destroyers have two consumables to use: Smoke Generator and Enginee Boost. I understand the Enginee Bost but I still need to understand Smoke Generator. If I am detected and I use Smoke Generator, the enemy will see me? How can I use Smoke Generator effectively to not being detected by the enemy ships?

 

Also I have a question about concealment: If I am detected and enemy ships fire at me and I turn back, when they won't see me? 

 

Finally, if I decide to go up to a Tier X destroyer, which one would you recommend me? grinding through: Gearing, Shimakaze, Khabarovsk, Z-52?

 

Thank you in advance

[Colber]

When using smoke drop to 1/4 speed or stopped to hide .. if in higher tiers tho ships can counter this measure with radar/hydro item ... on your screen you will have the detected word and a little icon under the end of the word which will let you know the ships are countering your smoke or a plane symbol to show enemy aircraft are watching and reporting you.

[InclinedToRun]

If you want a fun grind go for Gearing, best tX is def. the Khabob, Z-52 is pretty decent, and the grind to Shima is not that fun

[HMCS_Devilfish]

I have been playing destroyers but I want to understand them deeply. So, destroyers have two consumables to use: Smoke Generator and Enginee Boost. I understand the Enginee Bost but I still need to understand Smoke Generator. If I am detected and I use Smoke Generator, the enemy will see me? How can I use Smoke Generator effectively to not being detected by the enemy ships?

 

Also I have a question about concealment: If I am detected and enemy ships fire at me and I turn back, when they won't see me? 

 

Finally, if I decide to go up to a Tier X destroyer, which one would you recommend me? grinding through: Gearing, Shimakaze, Khabarovsk, Z-52?

 

Thank you in advance

When you drop smoke you need to stay in the marked lines to be invisable  unless they have radar... but thats another higher tier story  but .. they do see the smoke and have a good idea your in there but its big enough for them to usually miss ... expect torps coming your way ,if you run out the back theres a good chance they won't see you ... im more of a Cruiser player so no what DD line from me 

[Wulfgarn]

 

If I am detected and I use Smoke Generator, the enemy will see me?  How can I use Smoke Generator effectively to not being detected by the enemy ships?

 

You will disappear in the smoke. You can do this by dropping your speed and/or turning you stern towards the enemy. There is a certain speed that you have to get it down to, but I can't remember atm. You can go however fast you want if your stern is towards the enemy and you smoke (like running away). If the bow of your ship is 12:00, then think the speed is an issue if your ship is facing the enemy at 12:00 to 4:00 and 12:00 to 8:00.

 

The only way an enemy can see you inside of smoke is if they are running Radar, Hydro, or they come within 2k of you.

 

The wiki site didn't have all the info regarding Radar a few ago, so I filled in the blanks. I don't think anything new has been added. I made a copy and I look at it before each battle.

http://forum.worldofwarships.com/index.php?/topic/106656-looking-for-list-of-ships-with-radar-with-their-cooldown-range-etc/page__fromsearch__1

 

There is something similar to that for Hydro, but the highest (that I'm aware of) is 6k. I just make sure I stay 6k away from pretty much everything.

 

If I am detected and enemy ships fire at me and I turn back, when they won't see me? 

 

It's determined by how close you are to the enemy. If your detection range is say 6k, then anything that's within 6k they will see you. If you don't fire your guns, then you could just run away to get back up to 6k and over, then you'll blink out being spotted. If you fire your guns, that's another matter. Open the concealment tab in port for whatever DD, and hover the curser over Det by sea and air. If you fire, everything that's within that number will see you for 20 secs. You either have to make a run dodging all the way, hide behind something, or hit your smoke.

 

Finally, if I decide to go up to a Tier X destroyer, which one would you recommend me? grinding through: Gearing, Shimakaze, Khabarovsk, Z-52?

 

I have all of those except for the Z-52.

 

The only IJN I play anymore is the Kamikaze-R. It survived the nerfs to the line, but other than that I don't play any of the line. It's not that I can't, it's just not really enjoyable anymore. If you run that line, expect frustration. Guns can be useful, but your bread and butter are the torps.

 

The only issue with the VMF line is there is a split coming just like they did with the IJN. Shell arc are really good and flat. There are a few frustrating ships to go through, but overall very satisfying. You will mostly "running and gunning" the whole time and using torps in few situations. They have a large det range, so they aren't as sneaky as some of the other lines. Think of them as light-light Cruisers and should be used as a 2nd line fighter. 

 

The USN line is pretty much a jack of all trades. Things really start cooking when you can fire torps without being spotted. From the Benson and on, you'll be in love. You can use both torps and guns to great effect. The USN line has very funny arcs, so it's something you'll have to get use to.

 

[Camo68]

What T10?

 

Depends on what game style you like.

IJN            stealth torp game - becoming very technical/challenging with recent changes but still rewarding when it works

USN          Good balance between guns and torps. Can do any role but struggles firing at long range 

Russian   Run and gun all game, decent torps.

German   havent got it yet.

 

I like all of them but the khab is my favourite.

 

[Harv72b]

Also I have a question about concealment: If I am detected and enemy ships fire at me and I turn back, when they won't see me?

 

Wulfgam covered everything very well in his post above, but expanding on this: as with everything in this game, the mini map is your friend.  Since a few updates ago it will constantly show you a series of rings around your ship.  These correspond with various ranges; I believe that by default it will show you the maximum range of your torpedoes and guns as well as your detection range.  When you fire, the detection range will expand to cover its new value, and will contract automatically once the gun bloom expires.  That said, it is a good idea to hover over your detection range stat while in port to discover your detection range after firing, and to memorize that number before going into battle.  At the lower tiers pretty much every destroyer you can play will be spotted by your target whenever you fire, but as you progress down the tech trees you will get to ships that are capable of stealth firing, meaning that your detection range after firing your main guns is still less than the maximum range of those guns.  Different ships can do this with varying degrees of effectiveness, I believe starting with the T4 American destroyer the Clemson (fully upgraded with Advanced Firing Training on your captain, you get a whopping 400 meter stealth firing window; this would be larger with Concealment Expert equipped as well, but not many people will put a 14+ point captain into a non-premium ship at that tier).

 

Also, just want to confirm that the speed in which you will not "outrun" your smoke generator is indeed 1/4 speed (or reverse).  It's generally a good idea to slow down to 1/4 speed first, then pop your smoke consumable, and then continue creeping along until the counter reaches around 2 seconds.  Then you can back up further into it and start shuffling back and forth while firing, if that was your intention; if you're just trying to escape then you'll want to turn around so that you are sailing directly away from the enemy ship(s) you want to get away from, and then continue steaming at full speed while the smoke hides your ship from their view. 

 

As with most subjects, IChase's YouTube "Captains Academy" videos are a great resource.

[Ice_King]

Dont forget to turn on "display smoke boundries" (or something) in settings, otherwise you will not be able to tell when you are in or out of smoke. 

 

Yes, I missed this step for a long time and wondered what mods people were using in the videos to see the smoke borders.

[centarina]

IJN:  Shiratsuyu is the best  IJN Tier  DD in the lineup.  too bad it will probably get nerf'd soon.    you need at least 10 point captain with her though.  it is my favorite  IJN DD.   16 torp wall within 5 sec is very satisfying.  have sunk many ships with it.

VFM:   strong lineup all the way   This is the meta that WG is pushing

US:  good ships, but takes more skill.    best cap fighter but  I would wait till you get better.    (or after VFM grind)

 

KM:  T22 was painful without CE   but not bad with it.   I am on gaede.  still figuring it out.

[Umikami]

Also, just want to confirm that the speed in which you will not "outrun" your smoke generator is indeed 1/4 speed (or reverse).

 

Be very, very careful using this; I know of Destroyers that will outrun their smoke at 1/4 power forward, and at full reverse.

[StormSurgeAlpha]

 

Be very, very careful using this; I know of Destroyers that will outrun their smoke at 1/4 power forward, and at full reverse.

 

The actual value is 12.5 kts. It doesn't matter what your 1/4 power works out to be for a particular ship; if you're going faster than 12.5 kts, you will outrun your smoke.

[Umikami]

 

The actual value is 12.5 kts. It doesn't matter what your 1/4 power works out to be for a particular ship; if you're going faster than 12.5 kts, you will outrun your smoke.

 

EXACTLY!! (Leningrad does better than 12.5 at 1/4 power and in reverse)