Pan-Asia DDs: a post mortem

[guns_at_last_light]

Now that a couple of weeks have passed since the release of the Pan-Asia DDs , I was interested in hearing everyone's take on them. What did you think of the deep water torps? Did you feel that the guns were powerful enough to make up for not being able to hit other DDs with torps? Any IJN DD mains disappointed that another line got a torp detection buff instead of you?

Personally, I disliked playing this line. Sailing out in a Pan-Asia DD was a surefire way for me to lose. I felt like I was doing a disservice to my team because I struggled to deal damage in the Fushun. Perhaps I needed a captain with more than 11 points to really get something out of the ship (Flamu's review featured a 19 point captain, which isn't realistic). Odds are I just wasn't adapting to the play style sufficiently. It didn't seem as if red team players were all that concerned with facing Pan-Asian DDs.

That the number of Pan-Asia DDs I see in games has already fallen off isn't a great sign. What changes, if any, should be made to the ships to make people want to play them in the long run? 

[slokill_1]

I don't play DD's very much because I don't play them well.

But....Longjiang - T2 - 8.4 km torp range, 32 sec reload (faster than NY can shoot) and 5.2 km concealment and faster turret turns than IJN..

Shenyang - T4 -6.3 km torps and 5.7 conceal, again with ok guns

Ganja Mama - T7 - 6 rifles with a 5 sec reload that really punish and shoot flat to 6 km (kinda like your 357  lever gun - great to 100 yds then drops like a stone), 8 km torps and 6.1 conceal.  If I could play DD's well, this would be it.

I kept all these, but I'm in no hurry for T8 up.

[OgreMkV]

What was really annoying was that each boat was so different than the previous one. IJN boats are torp boats. RU and USN are gun boats. 

But the Shenyang is a decent torp boat (with some OK guns). The JianWei is a crummy gunboat, but it's a gunboat. The torps are awful on it. The Fushun wants to be a torp boat, but just isn't. I'm not sure it's a gunboat either. 

I don't like them that much. I'll stick with my Isokaze for low tier work. 

[Kapitan_Wuff]

I like a number of them, the DWT I think work well since most of them have good guns to deal with enemy DDs.

The T2, T4, T6, T7, T9 are all keepers IMO. The T10 looks like a keeper too, just haven't made it there yet.

[HTSMetal]

I'm still early on grinding the line, but I like what I'm finding thus far -- they fit my playstyle very well, and the smoke and speed at low tiers is excellent.

[Kevik70]

25 minutes ago, OgreMkV said:

What was really annoying was that each boat was so different than the previous one. IJN boats are torp boats. RU and USN are gun boats. 

But the Shenyang is a decent torp boat (with some OK guns). The JianWei is a crummy gunboat, but it's a gunboat. The torps are awful on it. The Fushun wants to be a torp boat, but just isn't. I'm not sure it's a gunboat either. 

I don't like them that much. I'll stick with my Isokaze for low tier work. 

Fortunately that evens out at tier 8, and having played the American DD line I was already prepared for the PA-DD top tiers.

[Taichunger]

Not many in game. DWTs mean that they cant push caps well, since they are not threat to kill dds. I dont play them, ground up to Fushun in coop, then gave up.

DWTs were a bad idea, showcasing WGs consistent refusal to listen to the playerbase. Could have had same effect by reducing IJN torp detect.

Not to mention, they used so much valuable dev time to offer something that no one needed or asked for, which was widely deprecated, while ignoring urgently needed and demanded changes.

Sad.

[HazeGrayUnderway]

Haven't played them, just faced them.  I don't think too much of them but the high tier VIII-X ones.  As someone that primarily plays Cruisers and Battleships, the PADDs of those tiers are very dangerous to CAs and BBs there.  I don't place too much faith in them to push the cap, especially early on.  Late game if they have tons of HP still, they seem to be able to.  But they're more wishy-washy in a DD vs DD fight, especially around caps, IMO.

[Spyde]

2 minutes ago, HazeGrayUnderway said:

Haven't played them, just faced them.  I don't think too much of them but the high tier VIII-X ones.  As someone that primarily plays Cruisers and Battleships, the PADDs of those tiers are very dangerous to CAs and BBs there.  I don't place too much faith in them to push the cap, especially early on.  Late game if they have tons of HP still, they seem to be able to.  But they're more wishy-washy in a DD vs DD fight, especially around caps, IMO.

I would say this depends on the DD players ability to Gunfight.   Early game taking the cap usually comes down to which team has better support for their DD.

 

What makes the difference in DD skill is ones who can use the guns well,  ones who cannot.

PA DD's are not a good line for people who don't do the best with the USN style DD guns.

 

 

[IfYouSeeKhaos]

Played the T9 on PT & liked it...got to Fushun on regular server...up to T4 was fun...T5 was one of the worst T5 grinds in the game but every line has it's grindy ship or 2...didn't quit playing them for any major dislike of them but because achieved all the missions for them & had other lines I needed to get back to [such as taking advantage of Brit discounts this week to get Mino & working on Baltimore to get to Des Moines (still a WIP) before the split...IJN DD split was much more beneficial if you had all ships in line before the split...expecting same for US cruiser split].

I for one am not a "torp at DD" or "torp into DD smoke" player if there is a capital ship anywhere near to send my torps at instead so not being able to hit DDs isn't that big of a "nerf" to me...will usually just try to gun down DDs or if my detection is better just keep them spotted for the team & only firing if my being detected is inevitable...unless they have a chance to escape if I don't join in then I will open up on them.

[Camo68]

They are a solid line and at higher tiers quite capable of dueling other DDs in cap.  As Spyde said if you can use US DD guns you will be fine in them.

It's funny, I see people push aggressively against them who wouldn't dream of pushing close in to a Gearing or Fletcher. The only DD that can push without support and beat a Yueyang hands down is a Khab, but the majority I see of Khabs now days don't go near the caps. The Germans can use hydro but if you are aware of them you just simply move out of range and you have the advantage again.

As for the torps they become stronger and stronger as the game goes on and there are no DDs to spot the torps for CA's & BB's.

Of the line I have enjoyed playing T7, T9 & T10 the most, but have not found one I would consider a dud yet.

 

[Fiona_Marshe]

See PADD on other team?  Charge CAP... in an IJN DD.

[madmikey77]

Not sure why people don’t consider them capping DDs. You don’t need torps to cap. You need good concealment and good guns and the PA DDs have both. The Yueyang is essentially a lower profile Gearing. The only DD that’s better at capping is the Z52 because of its hydro.

I found the line fun. Had a brutal time in the 9, largely because of CVs but I still think it’s a good ship.

[Parliament_Funkadelic]

Free xp'd to the 7 and grinded 7-10. Found them to be for the most part strong, but can be situational as well. Seemed like each game was either 160k or 24k of damage. Adds variety to the game which is good, but they ae a little gimpy when in a game with ten dd's.

[Kuckoo]

10 hours ago, guns_at_last_light said:

That the number of Pan-Asia DDs I see in games has already fallen off isn't a great sign.

 

Numbers always fall off after a new line introduction.  It's happened with every new ship line introduced and it's not a reflection on the quality of the line.  It's just the newness and hype is wearing off and fewer people are playing it.

Having said that, with the (IMO unfavorable) torpedo gimmick and the crappy politics with the flags, I just don't see much appeal with the Pan-Asian line.

[6thGuards]

Went to T6 with them but interest quickly fell off.  Line has no significant history of interest, much prefer putting my time and effort into other lines.

[Kevs02Accord]

Agree with some of what others have said T2-T4 was amazing, I only lost 2 games from T2 to T5. Once I got to T5, that was a struggle. I am at T6 now, again another struggle, but after the torp upgrade it plays a lot better. I think the challenging it part is they do have a lot of different playstyles and that can make the transition hard. I feel like I get more torp hits because of the lower detection, but overall I would rather have the USN counterpart.

[D_I_P_Scout]

most of them are typical dd's with the torp thing a bit different.  I didn't find them overly difficult to play.  I enjoy the tier 4 and the tier 7 pan Asian DD's the rest if did not choose to keep in my inventory.  The tier 4 is fast, has decent guns, and the torps are murder on those capital ships.  THe Tier 7 is pretty strong also with a lot of smokes and good consumables, the two turrets that rotate 360.  I like the torps just gets dicey in tight against a US dd or Russian DD.  I withold judgment on the higher tiers as I have not yet touched them.

[Dr_Venture]

Still been decimating them in my Z-52...absolute garbage. 

[Panzer1113]

Tiers 3-4 good, strong gun boats, can hold their own.  Free exp'ed tier 5 given what people were saying.  Tier 6, I already had the Anshan, so pretty much the same boat, more smoke, worse torps.  Gun boat, so with only 6 torps, so many times use in defense vs offensive use, and DWT do not help when that DD is charging your smoke.  Slow turret traverse makes knife fighting difficult, so do not like DWTs on this ship.  In the middle of my tier 7 grind, like the ship, may be a keeper.  Not very excited about the move to tier 8, already have a Loyang, so another clone with less useful torps.  So far for me, meh line, not that excited for the rest of the grinds due to 8/9/10 gameplay and radar.  I hit plenty of ships with existing torps on my Gering, Shima, Z-52.  Groz and Knab are gunboats, so not seeing that this lines does much for me

[HazardDrake]

Not impressed with them. The DWT are a severe downside.

 

They can't fire a spread on the RPF indicator and get a free torp hit on the contesting DD. That's a tactic I use all the time and get hits or force a DD out often enough to make it well worthwhile.

 

Gun wise they are the same threat as a Fletcher or Gearing, but you know you can smoke up with no fear of getting torped. 

 

Can't clear DD smoke. Still spotted by planes and hydro. 

[awildseaking]

The only good one thus far is the Gadjah because it is a unique ship even without DW torps. Firing 6 guns almost bow on, volume of fire, high fire chance, decent HP pool, and concealment make it extremely competitive. Thus far, it is the first and only PADD that I feel adequately compensates the player for lack of ability to torp DDs.

Being able to more easily delete bad CA/BB does not make up for being an otherwise inferior USN DD.

[Simers72]

Good boats with a little flavor... aimed to counter Battleship population with DWT torps.

Through tier 7 they are strong. with the exception of T5.. that boat is garbage, no way to sugarcoat it.  I hear t9 and t10 are good as well.  

 

[chewonit]

59 minutes ago, Dr_Venture said:

Still been decimating them in my Z-52...absolute garbage. 

You call 1K average damage in 2 matches in the past week decimating? They may still be garbage but I don't think you have the first hand experience. :)

[Dr_Venture]

43 minutes ago, chewonit said:

You call 1K average damage in 2 matches in the past week decimating? They may still be garbage but I don't think you have the first hand experience. :)

Nice drive by d-baggery. 

They are still garbage, in every tier 10 match I've seen them in they get decimated and flee caps, try to hide in smoke, but get murdered. Yes I am decimating them: the ones I see because they are few and far between...because they are still garbage.