Zao vs Des Moines

[Spyde]

So to not Hijack the Yamato / Montana thread.

 

Whats peoples thoughts between these two so far that have them ?

 

 

I'm working through the Baltimore right now, and wondering if i would be better off jumping to my Mogami and taking IJN to T10 first.

 

 

I played DD's in CBT so i never played the T10 CA's

 

(Yes i jump trees alot get to T8-T9 and start something new it seems)

[MikeLapTrap]

consider what you want to do. escort, dd Hunter, kill cruisers, long range BB, ambush

[Compassghost]

I beat a Zao in my Baltimore. Zao was firing HE. Not sure what that means, but until I figure out, that's a sin for being a T10 Heathen.

[EmperorMaxwell]

I tried the DM back during the space event and didn't like it too much. I much more prefer the Precision of Senjo over the carpet bombing of DM. 

[Spyde]

consider what you want to do. escort, dd Hunter, kill cruisers, long range BB, ambush

 

I'm assuming Des Moines falls under just the escort and long range, while the Zao is better at the other 3. 

 

 

 

[MikeLapTrap]

Des Moines is escort, dd Hunter, and mid range at best. zao kills Des Moines at close(torps, better belt armor) and long(faster shells, better trajectory, easier to citadel Des Moines) so mid range is the only place a Des Moines can fight it at. can fight BB better thanks to torps or shooting while invisible so BB can't shoot back, zao can torp ambush

[AutonomousRedux]

Des Moines falls under "Massacres DDs, Eats Aircraft, Cruiser Killer, and sets fire to every BB in existence." Zaos can Ambush better.

[Kejja]

Des Moines is escort, dd Hunter, and mid range at best. zao kills Des Moines at close(torps, better belt armor) and long(faster shells, better trajectory, easier to citadel Des Moines) so mid range is the only place a Des Moines can fight it at. can fight BB better thanks to torps or shooting while invisible so BB can't shoot back, zao can torp ambush

 

Perfect summary.

[BA_Baracus]

I played both in CBT. DM suffers from the slow shell speeds hence high arc like the Cleveland. For up close <10km, its a great dd and ca killer. Zao can hit you from afar, faster shell speed, lower arc. And torps too boot.

[Spyde]

Des Moines is escort, dd Hunter, and mid range at best. zao kills Des Moines at close(torps, better belt armor) and long(faster shells, better trajectory, easier to citadel Des Moines) so mid range is the only place a Des Moines can fight it at. can fight BB better thanks to torps or shooting while invisible so BB can't shoot back, zao can torp ambush

 

Sounds like a very good summary.

 

My big question though.. and main reason i have went USN CA to start with..

AA, how effective is it really at T10.. vs T10 ?   Does the AA strength make up for the the Zao having better guns ?    or rather.. can the AA on a Des Moines interrupt- kill a T10 CV's planes enough to matter on its own / while escorting a BB.

 

 

Thanks for the info!

[Capt_Rye]

I had the Zao in CBT and loved every bit of it. Yes, hit has a slightly longer reload time compared to Des, but it has more shells (and with the way the spread works out at 18km ranges I'd rather have the extra few shells). It also has a love set of 20 torpedoes (10per side), and while range is short (8km) they are fast and cause 20k each in damage.  One of the key reasons I love the ijn cruiser line over the USN one is its torpedoes.  Can't tell you how many times I've been playing my Cleveland and wished I had torps.  Aside from those things the ship is really responsive and easy to get use to. Only need 140k more exp for it (and I can get out of the god awful ibuki)

[verkhne]

 My feeling with AA at the moment(high tier and being equal /undertiered) in Mogami and New Orleans is that killing is less important than the 'T' . Disruption of tier 9-10 carriers is my role in AA warfare. The DesMoines could excel at T provision because of AA range. As for actual killing arent the US tier 9 and 10 cruisers a wash with DPS (with maybe the Balti being the better killer?)

 

Having said that and having had the Des in CBT I am leaning to Zao and restarting the BB lines at this point in the game

[For_The_Boys]

Zao also has great AP pen for close range BBs. The DM has worst shell arc so It doesn't pen as much

[Spyde]

I wonder how long the wait is for DM to get its 2nd gun option that was mentioned.. most likely 6 months..

[SeaAdmiral]

I wonder how long the wait is for DM to get its 2nd gun option that was mentioned.. most likely 6 months..

 

Source on a second gun option?

[Spyde]

 

Source on a second gun option?

 

Forgot where it was mentioned sadly.

[MagisterAurelius]

If DM gets a second gun option, Montana should get the planned 6inch secondaries, since they were just the 6 inch DP guns installed on the Worcesters.