How to Farragut?

[OgreMkV]

I've been really slow on gunboat trees, and with all the talk of ranked being T6, I thought I would finally get the Farragut. 

So, how do you Farragut?

My current set-up is as follows:

Still not fully upgraded, but I don't think I want to get the C hull. 
Magazine upgrade

Main Battery Mod 2 (is this needed)? 
Damage Control 1
Propulsion Mod

Captain (9-pt)
Preventative Maintenance
Expert Marksman (is this needed)? 
Superintendent

I know I need the Mk 12 torps and Mark 6 fire control. Working on those. 

I'm guessing, you sit in smoke a lot and shoot.  Or shoot and WASD a lot. What else is there? 

[Unabletony]

You don't need Expert Marksman if you're going to use this captain up the tech tree, but it can be handy during those early tiers where turrets were hand-pushed.

 

Core Skilss

1: Preventative Maintenance

2: Last Stand 

3: BFT (it's your beeest friend)

4: Concealment

 

Those gun arcs are horrid for shooting long range. Lead a whole ton, and hold your left button.

Upgrades:

Main Armaments 1

Aiming Mods 1

Propulsion Mod 1

For the last one it's your choice. In smoke, if you find yourself trying to go forward or back quick enough to avoid torps, get Engine Mod 1. Ir you find yourself trying to steer a lot, pick Steering Mod 1.

[Lord_Zath]

1.  Sail just short of spotting distance from enemies.

2.  Smoke up.

3.  ???

4.  Profit!

[ddoubletapp1]

Take DE as soon as you can (but be sure to take BFT and CE first) - and she can be a handy little fire starter.

 

The video below is from the ranked season which started off at T6 (and then went to T8) - and features a match in which I started 26 fires in her.

[ForgMaxtor]

My $ .02 on Farrgut build.

 

I generally play B-Hull; I'd only play C-hull if queuing with a CV or other situation where I am confident there will be CV(s) in the match.  For Ranked I would definitely play B-hull unless for some reason there's tons of CVs in the queue.

 

Upgrades:

 

Slot 1 -- In general, I find the Mag upgrade completely unecessary as I currently have a stock of over 300 Juliet Charlie Flags from Missions and Crates; I use a JC flag every time I take a DD out and I still seem to earn them faster than I burn them.  So I  use MAM1 in this slot.  But if you find yourself in short supply of JC flags, then the Mag Upgrade may be useful to you.

 

Slot 2 --  I do not recommend Main Battery Mod 2.  Turret traverse on the Farragut is quite good (best of any T6 DD)), and IMHO doesn't really need buffing.  ASM1 or AAMod1 are better choices.  I use AAMod1 as USN DD guns are already so accurate I find the benefit of ASM1 to be very marginal.  The Farragut's AA isn't great but every little bit helps, especially when you need to shoot down one of those pesky spotting planes quickly.

 

Slot 3:  I use Propulsion Mod 1 in this slot; losing your engine in a DD really sucks and Damage Control Party recharges really fast on DD so there's less need for  DC1.

 

Slot 4:  I like Propulsion Mod 2 in this slot.  Steering Mod 2 is also viable, but I feel the Farragut's rudder shift is already good enough without.

 

Captain Skills:

 

1-point:  I use Preventative Maintenance.  Priority Target is also useful if you like to to run and gun outside smokes frequently.

 

2-point:  ALWAYS get Last Stand as your first 2-point skill on DDs.  DDs are very susceptible to engine and rudder incapacitation and if you lose either one while your repair is on cooldown, you are dead.  I do not consider Expert Marksman worth it on the Farragut as the turret traverse is already pretty good.  Adrenaline Rush is very worth it as a later pickup.

 

3-point:  Survivabilty Expert, BFT, Superintendent, and Demolition Expert are all good.  Which to get first is personal preference.  I like Superintendent first, Survivability Expert second, and then Demolition Expert third, if I have the points for it.

 

4-point:  Concealment Expert is a given as first pickup here.  I like Radio Location aka RPF as a second 4-point pickup, but a lot of players don't like this skill and prefer to spend the points elsewhere.  I will say that it takes a while to learn how to use RPF well, and you have to be careful because it's a skill that can actually be turned against you.  RPF is also a skill that's much more useful for Ranked play where the teams are smaller and the gameplay very focused around the caps, than it is for Random play.

[BoraHorzaGobuchul]

My $ .02 on Farrgut build.

 

I agree with everything here except I always get BFT first on the 3 point skills. Buffing your reload also buffs your fires / minute the same amount (so it gives you half a demolition expert) and it buffs your AA.

[AnimaL21]

Is there a reason that nicholas would play better than farragut?   I can nicholas up a storm without even realizing it (even with hull C), but it seems like my farragut game is always just average no matter what I do.  

 

 

[ForgMaxtor]

Is there a reason that nicholas would play better than farragut?   I can nicholas up a storm without even realizing it (even with hull C), but it seems like my farragut game is always just average no matter what I do.  

 

 

 

There is no such thing as a C Hull Nicholas; B Hull is the only module for the Nicholas beyond the stock configuration.

 

Regardless, the biggest advantage the Nicholas has is that she has significantly better concealment than Farragut.  This changes playstyle substantially as the concealment gap between the Farrgut and the stealthier (mostly IJN) DDs is enough that a smartly positioned stealth DD can see you coming in the Farragut, and move away before you can spot them, and/or "keep you lit" for allies while remaining unspotted themselves.  Nicholas' stealth is good enough that the stealthier DDs have only a very narrow advantage which is difficult to exploit.

 

Beyond this, at T6 Farragut sees T7-8 much more often in MM, which means more Radar and long-range German hydro.  Both of these change DD gameplay considerably.  Battleship main and secondary fire gets substantially more accurate at T7+, limiting the viability of the Yolo torpedo rush -- something the Nicholas is very good at against T4-5 BBs, but the Farragut can only rarely pull off given her MM spread.

[AnimaL21]

 

There is no such thing as a C Hull Nicholas; B Hull is the only module for the Nicholas beyond the stock configuration.

 

Regardless, the biggest advantage the Nicholas has is that she has significantly better concealment than Farragut.  This changes playstyle substantially as the concealment gap between the Farrgut and the stealthier (mostly IJN) DDs is enough that a smartly positioned stealth DD can see you coming in the Farragut, and move away before you can spot them, and/or "keep you lit" for allies while remaining unspotted themselves.  Nicholas' stealth is good enough that the stealthier DDs have only a very narrow advantage which is difficult to exploit.

 

Beyond this, at T6 Farragut sees T7-8 much more often in MM, which means more Radar and long-range German hydro.  Both of these change DD gameplay considerably.  Battleship main and secondary fire gets substantially more accurate at T7+, limiting the viability of the Yolo torpedo rush -- something the Nicholas is very good at against T4-5 BBs, but the Farragut can only rarely pull off given her MM spread.

yeah sorry B hull, the AA one with 4 guns.  Don't have my game handy so i didn't remember which hull i use.  

 

I kinda suspected this would be the reasoning in advance, but I dunno how much I can agree.  

 

The concealment factor in my situation given that my nicholas guns almost never go cold doesn't seem to matter on paper.  I am almost always firing at something with AFT or engaging planes (full AA build) and getting spotted.  The two ships don't seem to dodge any better than one another so i can't exactly say I am more nimble in nich, nor do i fight any closer on average with one than the other.  

 

I can count on a few fingers the number of games out of 20 that I don't get stuck in with tons of t7's in my match (pretty frustrating actually).  Do t8's add that much more complication to farra that I am not seeing with t7's on nich?  Maybe that could be it.  Maybe skill base?   

 

Just perplexed by the different results i get between them though given the same approach.  Maybe there is a ton more jump from t7-8 than i realize.  Maybe its just bad luck with farra, lol.   Thanks for your thoughts

[ForgMaxtor]

yeah sorry B hull, the AA one with 4 guns.  Don't have my game handy so i didn't remember which hull i use. 

 

Both Nicholas hulls have 4 guns.  The A Hull has 5"/L51 guns, which have much higher muzzle velocity but lower ROF; they're easier to hit things with at long range but have lower DPM. The B hulls switches to the 5"/L38, which is on all of the USN DDs from Nicholas B hull up to the Gearing.  lower muzzle velocity = high arcs with lots of hang time, but very high ROF and therefore DPM (as long as you can hit things with them).  Unlike the A Hull 5"/L51 guns, the 5"/L38 guns are also dual purpose so they contribute to AA.

 

 The concealment factor in my situation given that my nicholas guns almost never go cold doesn't seem to matter on paper.

 

Ok, so your playstyle running and gunning a lot and not using concealment often.  I'd question whether this is the best way to play US DDs -- I think might be better suited to RU DDs if this is how you like to play -- but this is a different topic.  In this case, I think the change you're feeling probably has more to do with the increasing accuracy of Cruiser and Battleship guns especially as you move up tier.  Yes, you see a fair number of T7s in the Nicholas, but in Farragut you see at least as many T7s as you did with Nicholas, AND a bunch of T8s as well.  Average player skill also improves as you move up tier, so players get better at nailing DDs with long-range shots.

 

 The two ships don't seem to dodge any better than one another

 

Farragut has a modest maneverability advantage due to the fact that she can mount the T6 upgrade slot, giving her access to Propulsion or Steering Mod 2.

 

Regardless, from what you describe I think that what you're experiencing has more to do with how DD play changes as you move up to higher tiers, than the technical differences between the ships, per se.

 

 

 

[Raven_Smith_1]

On 6/9/2017 at 10:40 AM, ForgMaxtor said:

My $ .02 on Farrgut build.

 

I generally play B-Hull; I'd only play C-hull if queuing with a CV or other situation where I am confident there will be CV(s) in the match.  For Ranked I would definitely play B-hull unless for some reason there's tons of CVs in the queue.

 

Upgrades:

 

Slot 1 -- In general, I find the Mag upgrade completely unecessary as I currently have a stock of over 300 Juliet Charlie Flags from Missions and Crates; I use a JC flag every time I take a DD out and I still seem to earn them faster than I burn them.  So I  use MAM1 in this slot.  But if you find yourself in short supply of JC flags, then the Mag Upgrade may be useful to you.

 

Slot 2 --  I do not recommend Main Battery Mod 2.  Turret traverse on the Farragut is quite good (best of any T6 DD)), and IMHO doesn't really need buffing.  ASM1 or AAMod1 are better choices.  I use AAMod1 as USN DD guns are already so accurate I find the benefit of ASM1 to be very marginal.  The Farragut's AA isn't great but every little bit helps, especially when you need to shoot down one of those pesky spotting planes quickly.

 

Slot 3:  I use Propulsion Mod 1 in this slot; losing your engine in a DD really sucks and Damage Control Party recharges really fast on DD so there's less need for  DC1.

 

Slot 4:  I like Propulsion Mod 2 in this slot.  Steering Mod 2 is also viable, but I feel the Farragut's rudder shift is already good enough without.

 

Captain Skills:

 

1-point:  I use Preventative Maintenance.  Priority Target is also useful if you like to to run and gun outside smokes frequently.

 

2-point:  ALWAYS get Last Stand as your first 2-point skill on DDs.  DDs are very susceptible to engine and rudder incapacitation and if you lose either one while your repair is on cooldown, you are dead.  I do not consider Expert Marksman worth it on the Farragut as the turret traverse is already pretty good.  Adrenaline Rush is very worth it as a later pickup.

 

3-point:  Survivabilty Expert, BFT, Superintendent, and Demolition Expert are all good.  Which to get first is personal preference.  I like Superintendent first, Survivability Expert second, and then Demolition Expert third, if I have the points for it.

 

4-point:  Concealment Expert is a given as first pickup here.  I like Radio Location aka RPF as a second 4-point pickup, but a lot of players don't like this skill and prefer to spend the points elsewhere.  I will say that it takes a while to learn how to use RPF well, and you have to be careful because it's a skill that can actually be turned against you.  RPF is also a skill that's much more useful for Ranked play where the teams are smaller and the gameplay very focused around the caps, than it is for Random play.

Almost complete, totally accurate.

I would only add that IFHE is an excellent option. All T6 BB's have a 25mm bow armour and most have 25mm deck armor. You get an HE piercing value of at least 27mm.

First thing you do every game is zoom out your scope.

You camp the off-cap in the beginning. You either get into a 1-on-1 and likely win, or retreat back to the fleet. You let better concealment DD'S chase off enemy squatters with spotting. Either they run or smoke.

Once they're smoked up, you can either charge with backup or disengage and go support your team at another cap.

The only time you knife fight a DD is either in defending your battleships or when you take the initial cap.

Be a good spotter, defend your battleships, be the tip of your team's gutting knife, and scavenge caps.

[xxBigbacon]

how do you use the torpedos on this ship? The range is so short and its pretty much the same as your detection range and inside a lot of ships secondary range.

[koolkidNL]

On 5/26/2018 at 4:52 PM, xxBigbacon said:

how do you use the torpedos on this ship? The range is so short and its pretty much the same as your detection range and inside a lot of ships secondary range.

Hide behind hard cover and ambush the foe.or you can use them while in smoke and teammates still have the enemy spotted