Meet the destroyers - Catch me if you can !

[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.