Destroyer Tactics Tier 5 and Up

[Napoleon_B01]

I've reached Tiers 5 and 6 with a couple of destroyers in the US and Japanese lines, and I am struggling hard-core with my tactics.

With the lower tier destroyers, I have used tactics that would be characteristic of a PT boat attack: rush in at flank speed, close to range, drop the torpedoes and run. Most of the time, that works.
Now that I've hit Tiers 5 and 6, those tactics are utterly useless as I lose engines, rudder and my weapons too easily, resulting in a humiliating defeat.

What kind of tactics or suggestions can I use to improve my game play with the higher tier destroyers?

[The_first_harbinger]

Firstly, you have to accept your place as the scout, not the big damage dealer. Really, rushing up on battleships, dropping 30k damage bomb every time, that's not gonna happen very often. You have to admit that the guns on your destroyers are not gonna cause the most damage, and that your major task is to contest capture points and spot for your team. Even against enemy dds your primary damage source against them is not your guns nor your torps, but your allies.

 

Secondly, know your strengths. Destroyers are masters of avoiding damage. USN dds can hide behind islands or use their ludicrously long lasting smoke to slowly stack up the damage, IJN dds can torp for long range in stealth, VMF dds can zoom at longer ranges at high speed and be a pain in the aft to hit. It doesn't mean that you shouldn't rush up to people when you have the chance, there's just no point risking yourself just to kill a battleship. 

[Kapitan_Wuff]

Really depends on which nation/ship. They all play pretty differently.

[KingCakeBaby]

8 minutes ago, The_first_harbinger said:

Firstly, you have to accept your place as the scout, not the big damage dealer. Really, rushing up on battleships, dropping 30k damage bomb every time, that's not gonna happen very often. You have to admit that the guns on your destroyers are not gonna cause the most damage, and that your major task is to contest capture points and spot for your team. Even against enemy dds your primary damage source against them is not your guns nor your torps, but your allies.

 

Secondly, know your strengths. Destroyers are masters of avoiding damage. USN dds can hide behind islands or use their ludicrously long lasting smoke to slowly stack up the damage, IJN dds can torp for long range in stealth, VMF dds can zoom at longer ranges at high speed and be a pain in the aft to hit. It doesn't mean that you shouldn't rush up to people when you have the chance, there's just no point risking yourself just to kill a battleship. 

 

This is good advice. You'll do better once you get all the prerequisite commander skills are researched. The only thing I would add is to know when to disengage. You don't have to rush caps to be a good DD player. The longer your team survives the longer you'll survive and the better you'll do so save your smoke for them. Attacking targets of opportunities sailing in straight lines or ships that you have no chance of avoiding is one thing, but avoiding direct engagements is a must. You'll have more fun mopping up towards the end of the match.

[Estimated_Prophet]

On 6/16/2017 at 10:10 PM, KingCakeBaby said:

This is good advice. You'll do better once you get all the prerequisite commander skills are researched. The only thing I would add is to know when to disengage. You don't have to rush caps to be a good DD player. The longer your team survives the longer you'll survive and the better you'll do so save your smoke for them. Attacking targets of opportunities sailing in straight lines or ships that you have no chance of avoiding is one thing, but avoiding direct engagements is a must. You'll have more fun mopping up towards the end of the match.

 

Pretty much. A live destroyer towards the end of a match can make the other team's victory prospects fade fast; especially if they don't have anything on their side that can spot or catch it.

 

Fujin on Faultline. Rushed A early with the team and got hammered, but capped A. Almost no health left, but moved East across the map, spotting for my team and avoiding trouble; I headed to C, (which the Reds had capped:) then eventually coming back and retaking B, and eventually A again. By then I was the only destroyer still alive, and nothing the Reds had left could get anywhere near me without being spotted first.

[anonym_OlK73e329bMY]

As an expert in destroyer warfare.. what you want to do is.. launch your torpedoes at the enemy.. yes..

[Umikami]

12 hours ago, Napoleon_B01 said:

I've reached Tiers 5 and 6 with a couple of destroyers in the US and Japanese lines, and I am struggling hard-core with my tactics.

With the lower tier destroyers, I have used tactics that would be characteristic of a PT boat attack: rush in at flank speed, close to range, drop the torpedoes and run. Most of the time, that works.
Now that I've hit Tiers 5 and 6, those tactics are utterly useless as I lose engines, rudder and my weapons too easily, resulting in a humiliating defeat.

What kind of tactics or suggestions can I use to improve my game play with the higher tier destroyers?

this is definitely going to depend on which nations destroyers you are playing.

IJN DD's live on stealth, embrace it like you would a mother's love

Russian DD's are long range fire starters, spewing death while avoiding hits

German and USN  DD's are more "Jack-of-All-Trades" boats

USN as cappers and knife-fighters, till their torps get good at tier 8

German as cappers and DD hunters (luv that Hydro) with good torps

each of these different playstyles has many, many different iterations which are situation and player dependent

which, in other words, means "you gotta do whatever works for you"

[Capt_Mexib]

On 6/17/2017 at 7:43 AM, Umikami said:

this is definitely going to depend on which nations destroyers you are playing.

IJN DD's live on stealth, embrace it like you would a mother's love

Russian DD's are long range fire starters, spewing death while avoiding hits

German and USN  DD's are more "Jack-of-All-Trades" boats

USN as cappers and knife-fighters, till their torps get good at tier 8

German as cappers and DD hunters (luv that Hydro) with good torps

each of these different playstyles has many, many different iterations which are situation and player dependent

which, in other words, means "you gotta do whatever works for you"

"IJN DD's live on stealth, embrace it like you would a mother's love"

 

Cannot express this enough! You are a stealth torpedo boat. Choose your captain skills with this in mind. CE is an absolute must in this regard.

[Uber_Ghost]

On 6/16/2017 at 10:29 PM, Hiroe said:

As an expert in destroyer warfare.. what you want to do is.. launch your torpedoes at the enemy.. yes..

Perhaps another skill to add is avoiding getting sunk.  Yes, I think that covers it.  Cut. Print it.

[anonym_OlK73e329bMY]

Just now, UberSamoyed said:

Perhaps another skill to add is avoiding getting sunk.  Yes, I think that covers it.  Cut. Print it.

Heck yeah. You and I see eye-to-eye.

[ExplosiveDumpling]

If you are on a USSR DD, your job is not to actively scout but to kite the hell out of your enemy.

[Seamus_44]

Each ship and nation has it's own character, and each game its own mix. Get to know how each ship can deal damage the best, while staying alive and get to know the maps.  Play one ship long enough to really learn it, then pick another. Find the ones that you enjoy and do well in. In the beginning it will hurt your stats of you push limits, so what. This is a game and you will get better and better. Some game will be great with solid team work and good tactics. Others will be lemming marches. Enjoy the one and don't join in the other.

[aethervox]

Avoid dying early.

 Avoid dying early.

Avoid dying early.

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