Strategy for killing DD's

[Slenderdude1]

Hey, looking for Advice here. Since i got back i've been grinding my BB's, and i'm finding i get put into the situation where a DD beings to chase me or finds me (i'm not alone) almost every time i will hit him with a near full or full salvo and.....it does 2000 dmg. Theres nothing else i can do but watch as he sails by a torpedoes me. 

 

What is the strategy here? 

[Cuesta_Rey]

Playing the BB class really makes you appreciate what a cruiser is intended to do...kill DD's. Trying to kill DD's in your BB is like trying to swat gnats with a baseball bat.

[The_GoDDfather]

Until ~T7: "Shhhhh. No tears. Only dreams"

~T7+: Secondaries will help a little, but rush the DD, fire what you got then reload HE. Big dice roll there. 

[Kurile]

If the DD is the major problem, fire at him as soon as you can, and have the ammo for HE highlighted to load as the next round.  It will take that 30 seconds, or more, time to switch, which really sucks.

 

Also, never go broadside within 8km of a destroyer actively going after you, or really any destroyer for that matter.  Turn so your aft is pointed in the destroyers direction, and increase distance, load HE, and keep peppering him.  Lots of DD players LOVE seeing your broadside.  Turning your front towards the destroyers is not recommended, but its still better than a broadside, though beware if he is also closing, because he can turn faster than your guns can.

 

Edit: Also, not only switch direction constantly, but speed as well.

[Moksie]

Until ~T7: "Shhhhh. No tears. Only dreams"

~T7+: Secondaries will help a little, but rush the DD, fire what you got then reload HE. Big dice roll there.

 

Yup.

Trick him into wasting his torps give him his perfect shot then already be dropping speed and turn to foil him.  Then your guaranteed 'x' amount of time till you even need to worry.

Roll a DD and learn what 'x' is it will make you a better BB and you'll appreciate your team more.

[MrDeaf]

Looking at your stats, since you are playing lower tiers, try not to give your full salvo, and instead try and stagger your shots.

 

Also, keep your stern or bow pointed at the DD if you see him drop torps.

[The_GoDDfather]

If the DD is the major problem, fire at him as soon as you can, and have the ammo for HE highlighted to load as the next round.  It will take that 30 seconds, or more, time to switch, which really sucks.

 

Also, never go broadside within 8km of a destroyer actively going after you, or really any destroyer for that matter.  Turn so your aft is pointed in the destroyers direction, and increase distance, load HE, and keep peppering him.  Lots of DD players LOVE seeing your broadside.  Turning your front towards the destroyers is not recommended, but its still better than a broadside, though beware if he is also closing, because he can turn faster than your guns can.

 

Edit: Also, not only switch direction constantly, but speed as well.

 

I would still recommend rushing when using a front heavy BB (NC and IO for ex)

[Kurile]

 

I would still recommend rushing when using a front heavy BB (NC and IO for ex)

 

Oh yeah.  I assumed he was in a wyoming/NY class though.  You know, the frustrating grind tiers.

[The_GoDDfather]

 

Oh yeah.  I assumed he was in a wyoming/NY class though.  You know, the frustrating grind tiers.

 

The Wyoming is good though..... NY though......

[fettsheir]

 

The Wyoming is good though..... NY though......

 

I dunno, the New York has less guns, but I prefer being faster. Helps a bit with these pesky destroyer types.

[The_GoDDfather]

 

I dunno, the New York has less guns, but I prefer being faster. Helps a bit with these pesky destroyer types.

 

I'm fairly sure that WY and NY have same speed.

[Final_Spark]

Turn away from him and use HE (after clearing the tubes first, of course). It's a bit easier with IJN BBs due to their superior secondaries and speed, but USN BBs can 1-2 salvo a pursuing DD with the amount of guns they have at the low and mid tiers.

[fettsheir]

Hmm...maybe the NY just feels faster. I know I've dodged a lot more torpedoes in that than the Wyoming. Of course, maybe that's me finally getting my stuff together as a decent BB captain.

[BladedPheonix]

if their moving in a straight line, lead the target so that the marker would be around a 15 meter mark. you should beable to hit them. if you're trying to hit a turning DD aim about 3-5 meters in front of the direction they are turning!

 

[Dr_Powderfinger]

The best strategy is to hang out near cruisers that can burn them down faster than you can. Ships like the Kuma, Phoenix, and Omaha are great at dispatching dds quickly assuming the captains have their heads on straight and prioritize them.

[MrDeaf]

The best strategy is to hang out near cruisers that can burn them down faster than you can. Ships like the Kuma, Phoenix, and Omaha are great at dispatching dds quickly assuming the captains have their heads on straight and prioritize them.

 

That's like... almost never, in my experience.

 

At least, that's what it felt like playing in my New Mexico.

[Cirran]

I only play PvE, and found that HE is the way to go with DDs. I have found that at least you start taking things from them when you hit hopefully one of those things are his troll tubes. It is kind of silly tho, the amount of hits a dd can take. I find it interesting that Phoenixes' and Omaha's I can citadel the crap out of but dds take a TON of HE hits to kill in comparison.

 

 

Cirran

edited: to fix spelling error

[Scotty_SE]

Most of the basics have been covered; use HE, try to turn away, etc. Always try to know or estimate where DDs are based on their last know spot on the mini-map.

 

Try to learn your enemy DDs and their firing rates. If you know the last time he's fired his torps it will tell you how long you have before he's dangerous again.

 

If all else fails, ram him. I do it all the time in my Mogami, but realize this is tougher in a BB. DD's make a nice squishy sound when they run under your bow.

 

More subtle tip is when dealing with a really shifty DDs is *not* to fire a full salvo at them but use a quick ripple fire. Smart DD drivers know you are likely going to get desperate and let them have it with everything leaving you helpless for ~25 seconds. After they see the splashes or your guns light and they are still alive most will relax a bit and get ready for their torp run. Ripple fire and you often catch DDs getting lazy after they think you've fired everything. Increases the odds of getting that 1 or 2 extra shot in per salvo, and that's often the difference between life and death.

[Dr_Powderfinger]

 

That's like... almost never, in my experience.

 

At least, that's what it felt like playing in my New Mexico.

 

Fair enough, a lot of cruisers are going to be terrible just like captains of any other class - but the good cruisers will be priority targeting any dds that pop into range.

[mohawkdriver]

Hey, looking for Advice here. Since i got back i've been grinding my BB's, and i'm finding i get put into the situation where a DD beings to chase me or finds me (i'm not alone) almost every time i will hit him with a near full or full salvo and.....it does 2000 dmg. Theres nothing else i can do but watch as he sails by a torpedoes me. 

 

What is the strategy here? 

Don't salvo; fire one battery at a time.  That way if you incap him, you have additional rounds to aim with better.  It also helps if your teammates in other DD's and CL's do their jobs.

[sushimaster]

If the DD is the major problem, fire at him as soon as you can, and have the ammo for HE highlighted to load as the next round.  It will take that 30 seconds, or more, time to switch, which really sucks.

 

Also, never go broadside within 8km of a destroyer actively going after you, or really any destroyer for that matter.  Turn so your aft is pointed in the destroyers direction, and increase distance, load HE, and keep peppering him.  Lots of DD players LOVE seeing your broadside.  Turning your front towards the destroyers is not recommended, but its still better than a broadside, though beware if he is also closing, because he can turn faster than your guns can.

 

Edit: Also, not only switch direction constantly, but speed as well.

This, as a DD captain, i will abandon chase immediately if he stern me. Bow is worse than broadside, as bow will help me close distance faster, less secondaries and main gun on the bow unlike broadside. In any case, show the DD your stern is the best.

[Harv72b]

This, as a DD captain, i will abandon chase immediately if he stern me. Bow is worse than broadside, as bow will help me close distance faster, less secondaries and main gun on the bow unlike broadside. In any case, show the DD your stern is the best.

 

You beat me to it.  Closing the distance against a competent DD driver allows him to set up for a point-blank salvo at his choosing, diminishes the number of guns you can bring to bear on him, and (if he's smart and turns into you as well) minimizes the target profile you're shooting at.

 

The single biggest piece of advice I can give any BB driver: stay with your cruisers whenever possible.  Even if they aren't going to help you out should a destroyer show up, we (the destroyer drivers) don't know that.  But if I see a battleship sailing alone, or even two or three battleships sailing together but without escorts, I start drooling.  Any good DD driver should be able to kill a BB in a 1v1 engagement pretty much every time.

[Caucasian_Fury]

Hmm...maybe the NY just feels faster. I know I've dodged a lot more torpedoes in that than the Wyoming. Of course, maybe that's me finally getting my stuff together as a decent BB captain.

 

I feel the NY can turn a lot faster than most other BBs. Especially after the rudder speed buff, I've launched full torp salvos at a NY's broadside before at under 4 km and they'll just dance around the torps like a destroyer.