most important function of a destroyer - rank them!

[zetto350]

Rank what you believe are the most important functions of a destroyer (if i missed anything add that to your ranking)

spotting ships

spotting torps

damage to other ships

destroying other ships

supporting teammates with smoke

area denial

cap

defend cap

 

[Lert]

Depends entirely on the DD in question. A Fletcher does different things than, say, a Khabarovsk.

[pewpewpew42]

In general, caps win games. After that I don't care what my DDs do.

[Alien_Observer]

Locate the most important island on all the maps,,the 1 with Capt Jack and all that Rum

 

[Viscount]

Number 1 DD thing of importance, gain superiority over the enemy dd's. That is either outright killing/gettting them killed, or critically damaging them so they're forced to retreat.

Once that's done you can gain caps or freely bring hell upon the enemy's larger ships.

[Kapitan_Wuff]

Depends on the destroyer among other things.

[wraith56]

For 

USN: spot, smoke, defend, cap, damage 

IJN: spot, damage, survive, cap, smoke

VMF: damage, spot, damage, destroy 

KM: defend, survive, cap,  damage, spot 

 

surviving is is more important than difference between damaging/destruction or cap/defend cap

[chewonit]

Survive if there aren't too many radar ships and planes. Go back to port ASAP if there are.

[m373x]

 Counter enemy destroyers.

[Camo68]

To have fun in

[Canadatron]

19 hours ago, m373x said:

 Counter enemy destroyers.

 

This is the only reason I play Destroyer. It's also the reason I don't play Japanese DD.

[FleetAdmiral_Assassin]

It is not the job of a DD to counter other DDs, that's the job of the Cruisers. A DD vs DD is a 50/50 proposition. In a fight 50/50 = loss. Just like it isn't the job of a CA to only fight other CAs, or BBs to only fight other BBs. The job of a DD is first and foremost... stealth (whether in spotting/capping/flanking/etc). Second job of most DDs is to counter enemy BBs.

 

The job of a CA is to keep the DDs away from the BBs.

 

The job of a BB is to sink enemy CAs (that are chasing DDs), and absorb damage that would otherwise kill every other ship in the game. But to do that, the BBs need to close the gap and not just snipe from map's edge. Being closer to the CAs also protects the BBs from DDs.

 

Unfortunately gameplay has moved away from this. DDs now can't get near caps (or die if they do) because of too much radar (that works thru mountains). CAs get insta-killed by BBs with a single volley, BBs just sit on the edge of the map and try to snipe (afraid to scratch their paint), and no one can turn their ship or risk an insta-delete citadel.

 

Here's my suggestions for the game:

1. Any ship that fires deck guns = spotted, regardless of in/behind smoke or not. Smoke is to conceal movements and to escape, not to allow people to fire invisibly.

2. Rework radar mechanic (just as game checks for line of sight before drawing enemy ship on your screen, have it do the same for radar. Step 1 check for line of sight (game already does this), if LOS exists when radar activated, then reveal ship - easy (yes it requires a complete re-write of the radar code, but seriously this is how it should have been done from the start). Another option would be for radar to reveal someone's location ONLY to the ship equipped with radar (ending the magic reveal button followed by being targeted by 10 enemy ships).

3. Give all carriers the same loadouts. Balance can be obtained by tweaking speed/hp/damage/range of planes but every CV taking strike or AS or balanced loadouts should have the same number of squadrons in their air and of the same type as any other cv doing the same (get rid of some carriers getting 3 torp squadrons, 2 dive bombers and 2 fighters with strike loadout while other using strike get no fighters, 3 dive bombers and 1 torp).

4. Either increase the armor on CA's citadels or give them healing abilities.

5. Change how dispersion works. To simulate waves, guns should have FAR greater dispersion along the Y axis than the X axis. This would change the meta from sitting still facing enemy head on, to encouraging broadsides (which is far more realistic). This would also be more fun for people as it gets more of their guns into the fight and encourages more maneuvering. During cyclones etc., increase dispersion even more (for planes as well).

6. Greatly reduce the chances of starting fires w. HE (it's high explosive not incendiary).

7. Have the amount of XP/Credits earned in battle tied to the range at which you hit the enemy. Fire at extreme range = get half as much. Fire up close, get twice as much. Right now there's simply no incentive for a BB to ever leave the map edge.

8. If a CV has a damaged squadron return (less than full compliment of planes), and has planes of that type still in reserve, the squadron should replenish back to full numbers before relaunch.

 

Anyway, that's my 2.4 cents on the issue

[Ensign_Cthulhu]

How exactly does spotting work? I see in the team play stats I get credit for damage done on ships spotted, etc, but what does this even mean? That I was the first ship for which the enemy came in detection range?

 

People tell me not to go far ahead, but as a DD captain isn't that to a certain extent my job?

[Battleship_Yamashiro]

Survive.
Then do the rest in whatever order you choose.
You cant do any good if you're dead ol' bean.

[sasquatch_research]

Hey

I'm still working the DD angle but I always try to support my DD's.  I feel their role is to cap first, or in a elimination battle then it's to spot ships.  After that, attack anything that moves!

That being said:  for all those that like to bad mouth BB's; I can't tell you how many times I have been left to die because a cruiser and/or a DD took off on me and left me alone.  Hence why some people are reluctant to brawl their shiny new BB.  Me Personally, I love to brawl in close BUT it's harder to do when you have HE spamming BB's now with the RN.  

 

Pete

[Umikami]

On ‎9‎/‎5‎/‎2017 at 3:48 PM, zetto350 said:

Rank what you believe are the most important functions of a destroyer

I have always thought that a DD's most important duty was to spot; having said that, I also feel that the most important thing a TEAM needs to do is be ready to engage whomever the damn DD's spot! Many times I have seen DD's spot some very difficult red DD's only to have them sit there until they re-disappear because no one on the team could be bothered to fire. Very frustrating.

I spend no time at all spotting torps, that is the individual players responsibility.

Destroying and damaging ships are both high on any DD's list of desirable things. Damaging a ship, especially a lighter ship like a CL or CA, will often take them out of the main game as they become afraid of losing their remaining health to one good shot, so I really don't think killing a red is always necessary. It IS always desirable.

Supporting others with smoke happens when others ask (politely); if they don't ask I usually don't notice that they need it as I am usually busy keeping me alive. Area denial is an abuse of the unlimited torp ammo; I do it occasionally but honestly feel it is usually a waste of torps.

Capping happens when it is SAFE, not when some cruiser who's frustrated says so. If it is safe, I will cap; if not, I will say it isn't safe, and if you (rest of the team) don't help then it doesn't get capped. Capping requires support, regardless of what other, more entitled players say.

Lastly, fighting other DD's; fine when I have the right ship, forget it if I don't. I'm not taking a Kamikaze out to go purposely track down and kill a Gremyaschy, so don't get mad when I tell you I am not a gunboat DD and don't hunt gunboats. FIND A CRUISER, THAT IS WHAT THEY DO.

Oh, and @FleetAdmiral_Assassin; good post, I agree with most of what you said.

[SkyRail]

9 hours ago, Umikami said:

I have always thought that a DD's most important duty was to spot; having said that, I also feel that the most important thing a TEAM needs to do is be ready to engage whomever the damn DD's spot! Many times I have seen DD's spot some very difficult red DD's only to have them sit there until they re-disappear because no one on the team could be bothered to fire. Very frustrating.

I spend no time at all spotting torps, that is the individual players responsibility.

Destroying and damaging ships are both high on any DD's list of desirable things. Damaging a ship, especially a lighter ship like a CL or CA, will often take them out of the main game as they become afraid of losing their remaining health to one good shot, so I really don't think killing a red is always necessary. It IS always desirable.

Supporting others with smoke happens when others ask (politely); if they don't ask I usually don't notice that they need it as I am usually busy keeping me alive. Area denial is an abuse of the unlimited torp ammo; I do it occasionally but honestly feel it is usually a waste of torps.

Capping happens when it is SAFE, not when some cruiser who's frustrated says so. If it is safe, I will cap; if not, I will say it isn't safe, and if you (rest of the team) don't help then it doesn't get capped. Capping requires support, regardless of what other, more entitled players say.

Lastly, fighting other DD's; fine when I have the right ship, forget it if I don't. I'm not taking a Kamikaze out to go purposely track down and kill a Gremyaschy, so don't get mad when I tell you I am not a gunboat DD and don't hunt gunboats. FIND A CRUISER, THAT IS WHAT THEY DO.

have to agree with you.....sometimes I feel like I spam the F3 button to just get ppl attention to the enemy DD or good conceal cruiser. some ppl don't understand that to create chance for DD to cap is to 1. kill the DD, 2. kill the CA with radar, 3. kill that CL before he can smoke up and damage everyone. (especially the one that can smoke and radar and kill DD insanly quick)

 

and i think its funny for ppl to tell DD to spot torp. If I spot any, that is a coincidence. player should have their map awareness and know where would enemy most likely to launch torp.

 

also for smoke. I don't really like the idea of laying smoke screen for the team as offensive tactic. cos 9 out of 10 times, that simply create a torp magnet and lure teammate to death. I can't even count how many Des Moines and Baltimore get sunk in the fletcher's smoke he asked for. I usually reserve smoke for self defense, or help overextend teammate to get back. (and you will see ppl ignore your smoke and decide to yolo death instead)

 

As for capping, BB and CA keep yelling at the DD not capping and forget they are those who fail to support and decide to fight way off instead. especially those matches which DD actually capped all point, but all the others fight way off the edge and let their DD die defending caps.

 

anyway, for me to rank what DD should do

1. Survive (a sunk DD is a useless DD)

2. Create offensive zone (meaning, spotting, capping, area deniel etc.)

3. damage (this will come natually if you do no. 2 correctly)

[anonym_Hf93Jbjm9WjT]

IJN : Sneak up on unsuspecting innocent joyful BB players, and sink them.

Other dds : why are there other dds?