Destroyers!

[Shevla13]

(Hello Everyone! This is my first time writing a serious post. Please be lenient, if there are glaring errors, I do know how the edit button works)

 

DESTROYER FANS! UNITE!

Having looked around for a little while, I've seen a distinct lack of subject matter and discussion on the Destroyer. I, personally, love these little buggers. I believe they're chronically underappreciated and underestimated. I aim to stimulate some discussion!

 

WHY DESTROYERS?

Yes, we are small. Yes, a battleship will be able to sink us with ease with a successful broadside. No, we don't get to go submarine hunting. When we look at it like this, one may wonder, why are we bothering?

For me, the destroyers hold a certian amount of Romance. I remember reading some of Rudyard Kiplings accounts of the destroyers at the Battle of Jutland. In particular, this verse has always caught my eye, and simply captivates my imagination:

 

"If lost hounds could speak when they cast up next day, after an unchecked night among the wild life of the dark, they would talk much as our destroyers do." - Destroyers at Jutland, end of Chapter 2 (Read it here: http://ebooks.adelai...land/index.html)

 

The destoryer has just as rich a history as any other ship. The USS Fletcher won 15 battle stars for service in WWII. That's more then most battleships or carriers in the US navy in WWII. Destroyers are versatile warships in their own right, and are capable of truly mighty deeds.

While the losses of Destroyers were higher then most all other ships types in the navy, I would always prefere to captian one. The main reason for this is the familiarity; Battleships and Carriers can easily have complements of 2,000 men and more. Destroyers, though, have a much tighter knit crew, or the capability to. The Fletchers had a complement of 329 men. That's a managable number. The captain of a destroyer, unlike a battleship, can take the time and effort to memorize every single man in his crew, and this is the environment I'd want to fight in, and heck with statistics about survivability.

 

WHAT IS A DESTROYER, WHAT DO THEY DO?

Destroyers are in innovation coming about circa 1890's, but at the time they were known as Torpedo Boat Destroyers. This was a response to the prevelance of the torpedeo boat- very swift attack craft armed with torpedos, who could flit in and amongst bigger ships and strike with relative ease. Thus began the destroyer- a small, long range escort capable of defending the big boys from the small, nasty interceptors. (P51 mustang, anyone?)

In WWII the destroyer had to become more versatile, but it generally held essentially the same role; They formed screens- providing advanced information, shooting down enemy aircraft, and stopping submarines and other destroyers or torpedo boats from reaching the battleships and carriers.

 

What are we, as destroyer players, going to find ourselves doing in game, then? I see a couple possibilities:

 

ADVANCED PICKET LINES (SCOUTING)

The first thing most players will probably do is scout. Destroyers are inevetibly more expendable then a battleship. They'll make contact with the enemy, maybe harry them from a distance, but more often then not, I'd expect the BB's to turn and head their way to sink the enemy, as will the bombers off of CV's. Pretty simple. Most destroyers would fill this role without a hitch.

 

SCREENING THE BB'S AND CV'S

Staying back with the Big Boys. US Destroyers were known to be great Anti Air platforms, and can help keep off attacking planes. They can also engage any attacking smaller enemies and keep them busy until someone bigger is free to mop up. Still pretty simple, a similar tactic to camping. This is what most US and UK destrotyers were built for

 

WOLFPACKING

This is our best bet for some more aggressive play. Small groups of destroyers seek out weakend indivuals of much larger size, and finish them off, much like real wolfs. Go around destroying the weak, injured, or sperated. Also could cover slinking past the enemy lines to try to reach their rears, and take a stab at the CV's. German destroyers generally acted like smaller cruisers- the were gun oriented.

 

TORPEDEO SORTIES

Even though this is exactly what destroyers were meant to prevent, we have the ability to go on torpedo runs against the much larger ships, like BB's, that we have no chance in gun dueling to death. The main trick is getting past all of the smaller screening enemy ships likely to be about. Once that's done, though, BB's main guns would be mostly useless against a destroyer- we're just too fast and nimble. What we need to watch out for is the secondary guns of a BB, and sometimes tertiaries, also. Against a CV, neither of us have enough guns of our own to fight the other, but we do still have our torpedoes, and the carriers planes are likely to be out and about, not nearby to attack us. This tactic, is, however, probably going to result in our sinking. It is, essentially, a rushing tactic. Hoping we can overwhelm the enemies capacity to stop us until we get in out attacks, and then get out. Japanese destroyers are infamous for their torpedos, and Italians were more similar to torpedo boats then destroyers.

 

SUBHUNTNG

I won't talk about it long, but, if subs are ever added to the game at a later date- we know what to do. US and UK designed for this, though most other nations had a very limited ASW destroyer capacity.

 

 

By nation: (This is VERY general...)

 

US: concentrated on destroyers as escorts. Generally good ASW and AA capabalities

 

UK: Very similar to US, but with less emphasis on the AA

 

Germans: Destroyers were commonly employed as raiders. They concentrated on gunnery, usually.

 

Japan: Known for devastating torpedoes.

 

Italy: Slightly less reputed torpedoes than Japan, but on very quick ships

 

France: If I'm honest, I don't know much about the French navy, other than that they were crushed before they had a chance to prove themselves, though I have all the confidence that they had some spectacular ships, also. According to a friend, they built the fastest destroyer ever~ Though I haven't verified this. Stressed firepower and speed over armor?

 

SOME SIMPLE TACTICS (?)

Chase the Salvoes: If there's ever large artillery shooting at you, they have to guess where you are going to go next. A relatively simple tactic for where to put you and your ship is to head right to where they just shot, on the principle that they'll never shoot the same place twice. While this works fine in principle, in real life, you don't have a nice heads up display giving you a nice, fairly accurate idea of where your shells will fall.

 

Torpedoe sorties: Our only reliable way to hurt the big ships. Run in, dump torpedoes, run away. Repeat as health bar allows.

 

Screening: Your team needs battleships and carriers to win. Protect them at all costs.

 

Scouting: It's easier to shoot the enemy when you can see them.

 

 

 

 

DISCUSS!

Well, what do you think?

Want to be more specific to a nations destroyers?

Want to expand on historic and possible in game destroyer tactics?

Have questions?

Or would you like to share your love of the destroyers?

 

Please! Leave a comment~

[Crag_r]

Quote

SUBHUNTNG
I won't talk about it long, but, if subs are ever added to the game at a later date- we know what to do. US and UK designed for this, though most other nations had a very limited ASW destroyer capacity.

NO! they will never be in game  :Smile_trollface:

[Carrier_Enterprise]

Wow, destroyer fan, never thought it could be possible... :Smile_hiding:

[Spanisharmada]

I like destroyers

 

they will be like Light tanks in WoT

 

WTH HAX0RZ YOU KILLED MY BB WITH A DESTROYER VIOUSLAY USING HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX

[AlphaTanker101]

I like destroyers, like fast and furious, the fast boats that **** other warships. For all of those tactics... 1+

[AlphaTanker101]

Spanisharmada, on 28 November 2012 - 12:06 AM, said:

I like destroyers

they will be like Light tanks in WoT

WTH HAX0RZ YOU KILLED MY BB WITH A DESTROYER VIOUSLAY USING HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX

Like all of the n00bs in WoT. When ever I pwn they complaining: "YOU HAX" The (Insert French light tank here) is OP" "YOU HAX!"
Can't wait for WoBS.

[madogthefirst]

Crag_r, on 27 November 2012 - 11:48 PM, said:

NO! they will never be in game  :Smile_trollface:

Still wishful thinking aren't you Crag_r.

Also, ____ destroyers it is all about the battleships.

[RMS_Gigantic]

Let us also not forget smokescreens!

 

I prefer battleships, but I just wanted to add that for you destroyer fans :Smile-_tongue:

[Super_Dreadnought]

Spanisharmada, on 28 November 2012 - 12:06 AM, said:

I like destroyers

they will be like Light tanks in WoT

WTH HAX0RZ YOU KILLED MY BB WITH A DESTROYER VIOUSLAY USING HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX

So destroyer players will either be hackers or suicide lemmings? :tongue:

[Windhover118]

I will be using my Heavy Cruiser to lead destroyers into battle. Nothing can stand in our way.  :Smile_izmena:

[Crag_r]

Deadnought, on 28 November 2012 - 12:23 AM, said:

So destroyer players will either be hackers or suicide lemmings? :tongue:

I believe most people will know the torpedo as hax

[Super_Dreadnought]

I shall have to ready the golden torpedoes for lulz.

[Appollosnos]

Finally DD love!!!! Cant wait for them my goal is to be number 1 on the server for DDs. (Im going to have Alpha,CBT Open beta and real game to achieve that goal) Also welcome to the family great first post +1. If you haven't i recommend reading the FAQ. (Which base on your post I think you have)

[Gigaton]

Amercan DD torpedo attack manual (PDF doc): http://dreadnoughtpr...ack_DTB1943.pdf

[madogthefirst]

Gigaton, on 28 November 2012 - 12:48 AM, said:

Amercan DD torpedo attack manual (PDF doc): http://dreadnoughtpr...ack_DTB1943.pdf

I need no stinking DD torpedo attack manual!

[Gigaton]

Shevla13, on 27 November 2012 - 11:38 PM, said:

Italy: Slightly less reputed torpedoes than Japan, but on very quick ships

Italian destroyers weren't all that fast in practise. 32-33 knots or so in wartime conditions, though they could get quite high speeds with forced machinery at standard displacement (which doesn't include fuel, so essential gear and stores have to be landed to ship fuel) or even light displacement. Compare to France, whose destroyers could maintain those 35+ knot speeds even at ~normal displacement (about midway between standard and full) or even full load displacement.

Shevla13, on 27 November 2012 - 11:38 PM, said:

France: If I'm honest, I don't know much about the French navy, other than that they were crushed before they had a chance to prove themselves, though I have all the confidence that they had some spectacular ships, also. According to a friend, they built the fastest destroyer ever~ Though I haven't verified this. Stressed firepower and speed over armor?

Aside from being some of the fastest destroyers around, the French ones were among the largest. Only late and post war designs from most other nations can really match them in size. Like many other DDs, they do suffer from having SP main battery. There is also a late war oxygen propelled torpedo, which could be awarded to some of their high tiers.

[AlphaTanker101]

madogthefirst, on 28 November 2012 - 01:49 AM, said:

I need no stinking DD torpedo attack manual!

Shut up and read. Its good for your mind.

[AlphaTanker101]

Deadnought, on 28 November 2012 - 12:28 AM, said:

I shall have to ready the golden torpedoes for lulz.

If they are for credits as well I will have them for the EXTREME lulz.

[madogthefirst]

AlphaTanker101, on 28 November 2012 - 02:38 AM, said:

Shut up and read. Its good for your mind.

Don't need to because, and a I quote, "I need no stinking DD torpedo attack manual!"

[AlphaTanker101]

madogthefirst, on 28 November 2012 - 02:43 AM, said:

Don't need to because, and a I quote, "I need no stinking DD torpedo attack manual!"

Okay, then when Alpha comes out you are gonna get ***** by torpedoes attacking your rear.

[madogthefirst]

AlphaTanker101, on 28 November 2012 - 02:47 AM, said:

Okay, then when Alpha comes out you are gonna get ***** by torpedoes attacking your rear.

They won't attack my rear for that implies I will ever let them get out from in front of me.

[MM2ss]

Some of us here have actually handled and launched torpedoes.  Also, some of us have been required to learn torpedo manuals in our work(I stand by my record for working VLS and torpedo tubes).  There is a reason that particular manual is labeled as tentative.  That particular manual was not a binding instruction as fortunately, higher authorities ensured that the ship commanders on the scene would reserve sufficient freedom of operation to permit deployed forces to adapt to changes in the tactical situation.

[AlphaTanker101]

madogthefirst, on 28 November 2012 - 02:49 AM, said:

They won't attack my rear for that implies I will ever let them get out from in front of me.

Lol yeah. Sooner or later it will happen...

[madogthefirst]

It also implies I'm going to allow them live that long.

[MM2ss]

It may well happen, but a torpedo up the skirt or down the throat is a low percentage shot.  Those are desperation shots, historically speaking.  Any officer planning on using such a method of attacking with torpedoes(over deep angle broadside shots) would be mentally unfit for command.