Meet the destroyers - Catch me if you can !

[DM6]

So, after the exciting encounter of being pursued by three vessels, this time the difficulty increases. By the way, thanks for the advice guys :rotfl: .

This time one vessel instead of being a gun boat it was a destroyer. It is a perfect opportunity to put some of the suggestions into actions. Well, I started by firing 6 torpedoes towards one all in one blow. May be its speed was too fast, all of them missed. (Please give me some guidance on how to target and sink a destroyer, coz I want more practice).

Then, hilariously, I tried the 'engaging it with a deck gun' option :hmm: .

HA! The result of course is that I sunk one destroyer after taking many hits. The other two destroyers used their 'very fast' speed and fired at me. Before long, my sub was destroyed.

So, please teach me how to hit a destroyer. (Is the 'high' speed torpedo option working?)

[SteamWake]

DD's can be one of the hardest targets in the game.

They constantly change course and speed.

They follow a pattern though typically.

The real key to scoring a hit on one is A.) get close and B.) Catch them by supprise.

By close I mean within 2,000 yards 1,000 is better.

Line up a good shot. If you dont have a good shot dont take it. Supprisingly most of the DD's will be crippled with one shot.

Typically though I try to avoid them (DD's)

Yes the high speed setting works if you have torpedoes capable of a high speed. MK14's

[ReallyDedPoet]

Originally Posted by DM6

So, please teach me how to hit a destroyer. (Is the 'high' speed torpedo option working?)

Avoid them if possible, if not heed some of SWs' advice.

RDP

[wetwarev7]

I avoid them also. thier tonnage is not worth a torp IMO... The only time I'll try is when I need to fire a torp to give myself a little manuveuring room(like when I get caught unawares at periscope depth)

[Centred75]

As it has been said, destroyers are the hardest 'targets' in the game. This is because they are fast, maneuverable and very hard to hit. It's not suprising to expend your entire torpedo load to take out one or two of the danged things.

With that being said, there are a number of tactics that you can use to defeat them. (especially depending on which mod you use, if any)

One thing you have got to remember is torpedo guidence systems are designed for tracking things that go in a straight line at constant speed. Perfect for merchant ships but not for destroyers. So any tactic you use against merchants really doesnt apply to destroyers.

Being a destroyer there are a few things that you know. First, if they spot you, they will attack you. Thats important information. Second, they will continue to search for you until hell freezes over (just about). This is good because you can let them come to you. But if you do, either kill them or know how to slink away silently because you certainly cant out run them.

If its only one destroyer and you are heading home, go ahead and surface to use your deck gun. Youll take hits but they will sink sooner than you (unless your a really bad gunner) but you'll still win.

If its multiple destroyers and/or you are not heading home, stay submerged. But dont go deep. Stay at periscope depth and youll be safe (reasonably). That shallow of depth is such that the destroyers are more likely to blow off their own depth charge launchers than hit you.

If you need to rest for a bit, then go deep. The deeper the better. If its day I still use my periscope to see whats going on under the surface. If you see a destroyer drop DC's above you, go flank to get out of their way. The deeper you are the longer it takes for the DC's to get to your level and the longer you have to get out of their way.

Now lets talk about hitting with torpedos. The first thing you need is patients. Stay patient and see what they do. What kind of tactics do they use? Depending on the mod (and I use Trigger Maru) it wont take long for you to see a pattern. Most of the time they will orbit your position (sail around in a circular formation) until they are ready to make a run and charge straight at you.

The best time to send a fish into them are when they are orbiting you or charging you. Orbting is a little harder as the destroyers still speed up and slow down but if you unload all your tubes at the right time you might hit.

My prefered method is to wait till they charge me. Preset your TDC with their nose pointed at you and with a speed of 20-30 knots. That way the TDC will be ready when they finally do come. It wont take much time, so be quick.

Set your fish to minimum depth setting 4-6 feet, high speed and influence. (influence is important here cause even if you get a narrow miss, which is probable, they have a good chance of still exploding and damaging the target). Youll only get maybe 1-3 fish out of the tubes before they are too close but if you dont get them the first time, keep trying.

Id also save the game BEFORE your encounter that way you can practice your tactics and get them working reasonably well.

However Destroyers are usually best avoided and not really worth the number of torpedos you'll expend dealing with them. If you encounter a group of ships, take out 2 or 3 nice juicy merchants and then just slink away on silent running.

Hope this helps!

Cheers

PS the good thing about destroyers are they are so light (there is a reason why they are called tin cans) that one fish will usually do the trick (either destroy it outright or damage it enough that itll be an easy hit for additional fish)

[OrlandoM3]

You can get very close to them if you are in front of a convoy at periscope depth and not moving at all. They usually run a few patterns and then proceed back to a straight line. I've always used contact set on a shallow depth and lead the torp. some probably 2 degrees.

Considering the tonnage for a DD. It's really a waste of torp., unless one is just pizzing you off and you want to sink it!

[amastron]

A friend and I just got done a online game and we managed to get to of em!
We did have the sea full of live fish tho...

[SteamWake]

Holy necro post batman !

Good hunting.

[minsc_tdp]

Just go ramming speed and crash into it, you'll sink it after one hit every time. You can usually even sink two of them before you take any real damage if you get a clean one hit and bounce away to avoid further contact.

Not a great tactic, but could save you

[cali03boss]

DDs are easy, I dunno what some of you guys are talking about. And it definitely doesn't require ramming.

One torpedo, or 5 deck gun shells below the waterline will sink any DD. The 'trick'...if it is one....is to just make sure you know ABSOLUTELY what his course and speed are for a duration of 15 seconds. When they are guarding, they rarely change their speed by more than 2 knots. When they are patrolling, they slow down only to turn.

Another tip is to use torpedos that do not have a wake.

Using the above information...fire only if you have the following circumstances:

1) the Destroyer is moving in a guarunteed 70-110 degree angle on the bow.
2) the destroyer does not know you are there
3) it is in fact a destroyer and not a cruiser or sub chaser.

If your first torpedo misses, don't fire another. If the destroyer gets your position off your firing and he is still facing away from you, surface FAST and deck gun his backside twice to slow him down....crash dive...then surface once he can't move anymore.

[SteamWake]

There are indeed a lot of ways to enjoy this game ! :p

Have fun and good hunting.

[Rockin Robbins]

In my career I am in September of 1942, so I have no electric torpedoes. I'm using Trigger Maru 1.4. I had a prolonged dance with a nasty DD in only 200' of water with no thermocline. This guy would not let go. Over 100 (lost count) depth charges later he finally ran out. But he kept doing runs on me and I knew that he was holding me down to call his airplane or DD buddies to join the party.

So I went to periscope depth to scope out the situation. OK, it wasn't that funny. Of course he saw my periscope and charged. That's an easy setup, AOB 0º, speed who cares and range who cares, fire three torps. I found that a charging elite is plenty alert and can outmaneuver three steam torpedoes while eating Cracker Jacks and whistling.

OK, what now. Exec: I suggest you lower the scope. And he charges overhead. What a shame he's out of ashcans. My heart bleeds for him. Up scope. What's he doing now. Hmmmm. He lets off on the throttle and picks his nose for a minute before he goes into his next go around.

So when is a destroyer least alert? When he's picking his nose trying to decide if he's killed me or not!

Next charge. Lower scope, politely letting him by. He didn't say thank you. Raise the scope. This time AOB 180º, range who cares, speed who cares. fast setting, depth normal, wait for him to slow down to pick his nose, fire one shot. Passed right under the stern and blew him to kingdom come.

I don't tangle with destroyers unless I'm forced to. My tactic is to detect em early and avoid unless they're guarding at least three merchants. Then I attack the merchants and avoid the destroyer if possible.

[SteamWake]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

IOf course he saw my periscope and charged. That's an easy setup, AOB 0º, speed who cares and range who cares, fire three torps. I found that a charging elite is plenty alert and can outmaneuver three steam torpedoes while eating Cracker Jacks and whistling.

Taken out of context of course....

But it's moments like these that make this game awesome.

[UnSalted]

Might try this just for grins. Yeah it sounds way too simple but it's worked for me a couple of times. First of all, use the SAVE option just in case the DD doesn't play fair.

Submerged at periscope depth, increase your speed to 6 knots with the periscope up to create a visible wake and set a course as close to directly away from them as you can. Hold that course. They will usually spot you if you're within their sight range arc. They will usually end up taking the shortest course to you and end up dead astern as they charge. Use the Automatic TDC, set the torp on High Speed and mimimum depth, open the tube and let the torp go at about 800 yards with a Green light. Then hit the Crash Dive command, lower the scope and hold tight. When you hear an impact, switch over to the external cam to see the fireworks. If you don't hear it you're probably crab appetizer.

[p3cewo]

Okay. So you've been bird dogging the sonar contacts to the NE. A bunch of merchants and at least 3 combatants. Its zero dark thirty, so you can run on the surface at max speed to set up for the intercept.

You finally get in front of them, steady sonar bearings to the SW coming right at you. and you wait. First the DD comes to the watchful eye of your deck watch. Then the merchants come in to visual range.

Here's the question.. Do you report the CV or not?? Cause if you are low on fish you know what's gonna happen.. "Message from CINCPACFLT.. attack the escorts"... Now you have a mission that will be VERY difficult to complete.

Given the feedback here from the regulars.. and knowing myself how hard the "escorts" are to hit with one fish (yup they usually go down or at least are crippled with 1 shot.. IF you hit them)

What do you do?? Report and hope you don't get the "escort" mission or NOT report and just wax the merchants??

Knowing if you DO get the escort mission, your carreer may be tarnished with an incomplete mission. Because you have been there before. You pickle off your last fish after the previous 5 missed, and watch is pass WAY port of your closing 30kt predator as he zigs starboard . And you notice the other 2 DDs that were FAR off before, are now closing you faster than an Italian driver behind you will get on his horn when the traffic light in front of you turns green (BTW .. thats the definition of a microsecond ).

So what do YOU do?? Report or not Report?