Des Moines

[ArcDeath]

Those of you with experience operating the Des Moines. Can you tell me how you plat it in random games to be effective and not have so many damage points? Any suggestions are welcome.

 

I have to use my Atlanta and Sims just to keep my point levels up.

 

Thanks in advance

 

[CAPTMUDDXX]

practice practice and more practice

[Nuk_]

I tend to keep at medium range, though to be effective, I practiced working with the high arcs for a long time. In order to use her to her full potential, keep practicing and improving your aim with her arcs.

[Oberarzt_U511]

Make yourself scarce at first, pop out when ships are distracted, spam HE ... spam more HE, spam even more HE. If ever a broadside shows itself, immediately switch to AP. Your reload is excellent. Always stay with your team:

 

 

 

(Video from Ichase) 

 

You also have the strongest AA at that tier with Defensive Fire on, period. sticking with your main group means that they effectively become immune to carrier attacks. 

[pmgaudio]

Make yourself scarce at first, pop out when ships are distracted, spam HE ... spam more HE, spam even more HE. If ever a broadside shows itself, immediately switch to AP. Your reload is excellent. Always stay with your team:

 

 

 

You also have the strongest AA at that tier with Defensive Fire on, period. sticking with your main group means that they effectively become immune to carrier attacks. 

even if its an older video, it is still  great to play as defensive and support until its time to not be defensive...

 

 

[anonym_LreZfNvihoej]

Struggling to make it work too. DM has excellent dpm, but finding application is rather hard, because it's slow (very big speed loss on every rudder turn) and needs to be close (due to worst range in T10 and low muzzle velocity). Therefore typically sneaking behind islands or friendly ships to decisive moment, where outdpm'ing can bring victory. Sometimes it works. Oh, and CE, sonar, radar is a must to make DD cry.

[Oberarzt_U511]

even if its an older video, it is still  great to play as defensive and support until its time to not be defensive...

 

 

 

 ​Nice vid. Seems pretty apt. 

[ArcDeath]

THANKS ALL!

 

[TheOssifrage]

@ArcDeath, your name is the DM in a nutshell. An arc of death, if you can work with that deathly large arc of shell travel. Also, the short range can be painful, so practice ambushes and working in a Wolfpack.

[ArcDeath]

Thanks again all for the advice. Love the DM but she is different for sure.

[10T0nHammer]

Ichases video is pretty good. I personally play her like a long range spammer at first while waiting for opportunity to get close and just devastate, even BBs, with her powerful AP.

 

My current build is:

Captain:

Basic Firing Training

Expert Marksman

Vigilance, Superintendent

Demo Expert

Concealment Expert

 

Upgrades:

Main Bat Mod 1

AA Gun Mod 2

Gun Fire Control System Mod 2

Propulsion Mod 1

Steering Gears Mod 2

Concealment System Mod 1

 

Using this set up, I spam HE at BBs and CAs at 18km. It is surprisingly easy to hit targets at that range. You only need to lead for 12 seconds to land shells. If you have played USN DDs or the Atlanta, you should already have some training in leading by 12 seconds. You get out to 18km using the Gun Fire Control Mod 2 and when you combine Demo Expert with your rate of fire, you get a ship perfect for BB-Qing those nose on battleships. Basic firing training is just great for giving your AA a little more oomf and Expert Marksman makes this ship an even better brawler. You can also get a nice little window of about 1.2km stealth firing window. I do not recommend AFT as even with a concealment build, the enemy CV will spot you before he enters your 7.2km AA range (you are spotted at 7.6km) and no sane CV player will willingly enter your AA.

 

TLDR, snipe away at ships using HE and STAY ALIVE! Your ship, like most USN ships, show their true colors late game. If you get within 12km of an enemy ship, do not hesitate to swich to AP. the DM can citadel even T10 BBs at close range and even noncitadel hits will do 10k a salvo. Thats 10k every 6 seconds. 

 

 

[ArcDeath]

Great stuff 10TO. Thnk you

 

[BadlyBrowned]

The Des Moines plays similar to the Atlanta, so practice in the ATL would be helpful for getting the playstyle down.

 

My Des Moines is set up like 10t0nHammer's Des Moines. I would emphasize that a 15point captain is essential for the Concealment Expert skill.

 

The key for the Des Moines is to not be that guy at the beginning of a match that gets focused fired by the full might of the enemy team. If you survive late into a match and can start taking on isolated ships more readily, the Des Moines' high RoF and good concealment let's you play aggressively. 

 

I tend to be a support oriented long-range HE spammer at the start of the battle. Stick near friendly BBs (particularly Tier X ones) and let them engage first and get engaged first. Don't be afraid to stop firing in order to get back into stealth and re-position. If you don't want to / can't screen for BBs, you can hide behind islands near caps and try to ambush DDs. Remember that radar goes through islands. Practice getting a feel for shooting behind islands and shooting over islands at enemy ships.

 

Also, the high RoF  and turret config makes a bow on Des Moines still very dangerous, which is useful because you never ever want to get hit broadside in a Des Moines. The Des Moines is not a particularly agile ship and needs to get closer than other CAs, so it's harder to go from a broadside barrage to bow on to avoid incoming fire. Thus, staying bow on and using the front 2 turrets is often all you want to do and still provides good firepower. Then, as others have said, if an enemy CA or BB is giving you a broadside at ~12km, AP can make quick work of them.

 

Summary:

You are a glass cannon and need to play like it, so you cannot play too aggressively at the start. Later in the match, you can take full advantage of the excellent rate of fire and good concealment ratings of the Des Moines. 

[ArcDeath]

My critics seem to lack an understanding of the DM and her role as well as the extremely high cost of damage. So I play it very much as you say and guess they will just have to get use to it or maybe pay my damage costs! LOL