Hello everyone and welcome back to another edition of my ongoing DD review. Today well will be looking and discussing the T8 DDs. I'd like to first say, Welcome to high tier DD gameplay. You've worked your way up through low and mid tier. If you thought the grinds were long and difficult, tighten your pants, it doesn't get any shorter or easier for that matter.
Well then, an overview of the T8 DD class: At this tier some naiton's traits are changed up. UK is not the fastest ship, USN doesnt have the lowest dp and KM doesn't have the fastest reload. T8s are a difficult class to use. Half of the DDs have horrible torpedo layouts and the other half have issues of there own. What's important is all the gameplay styles you have been doing for the past 4 tiers will be put to the test. Now that your high tier lower end, the burden is on you to perform for your team. Failure will result in long losing streaks and bad mouthing from other players.
On the flip side, the T8 class in general is tough nut to crack. While some BBs can be handled with skill, others, seem to have your number no matter what you do. CAs are tougher, abit slower and CLs... continue to annoy you to no end. Ships to watch for : NewMex, Ise and Leander.
So, lets take a look at the raw numbers:
Speed** = 4 bulkhead/gold rep/gold boiler. Best armor configuration for all DDs..
Name/# of guns/Shell Dmg/Rld time/Acc/Speed*/torp layout/DP/ Gun DPS/ Torp DPS - Numbers are in full research config
USN Gearing/2x3/924/3.83/C/43-52/1x4/39,690/1447/1125
KM Z1936C/2x3/1200/4.79/D/40-48/2x4/40,425/1503/1354
UK N Class/2x3/886/4.31/C/42-50/1x4/39,359/1233/1125
IJN Kagero/2x3/848/4.31/C/40-48/2x4 or 2x3/38,220/1180/1355 or 1405
Well, its time to digest these numbers:
KM: The Z takes a hit in gun DPS for an increase in Torp DPS. Although you have lower DPS, 1200 a shell is nothing a CA or BB can sneeze at coming from a DD. Perfectly capable of criticals of 2500, this ship hurts. With the new standard of 2x4 torp layout, 8 torps is much improved over the old 2x3 configuration. KM retains its class leading DP, but thats were the fun slows down. Unusual to KM is the worst reload and being tied for the slowest of T8 DD class. Along with a small reduction in agailty as compared to T7, The Z1936C is not as easy to use as other KM DDs. Mid range kiting and screening are roles one needs to get use too, when using this DD. In the past, you could chase down other DDs without much problems, now, bad aiming and a quick thinking DD captian will sink you with 60k attack more often then not. A dose of reality for KM captians.
UK: The N class leaves much to be desired from J class 1945. Actually, up until T7* DDs were added, J class to N class wasn't bad at all. However, the landscape has changed and N class shows its glearing flaws. First, its not the fastest ship in class. For the first time, N class is the 2nd fastest DD in its respective class. It also begins the painful start of the 1x4 torpedo layout. From this moment forward, 1x4 torp layout is standard on all UK DDs. Another tough stat to swallow is horrible agility. Worst in class. Although agility is lacking, with its speed, N class "feels" better then KM's Z1936C. So maybe all is not so bad after all? As with all UK DDs, this ship comes standard with +1 defense lvl and 4 depth charges. Pratically forced to being a purely screening vessel, N class is not much easier to use then KM. However, N class does get a slight increase to gun DPS.
USN: All this gloom above and we reach USN's Gearing. Rewind 7 months ago: Gearing was a horrible ship, however a select number of USN DD captians voiced there opinions and several small, but class changing buffs turned Gearing into a good DD. Yes, there was a time when Mahan, T5, was better overall then Gearing. As I stated above, the landscape has changed and Gearing is one fun ship to play with! USN breaks some national traits with best in class reload and ship speed. It also breaks the trend of worst DP in class. That title belongs to N class now. Continuing the trend from previous USN DDs, Gearing gun platform is excellent. Rapid firing, hard hitting guns with good turret rotation make Gearing the best Kiting DD of T8s. Although there is a decrease in gun DPS vs T7, chances are you wont really feel it as you pound away at the space bar. With all that great talk about Gearing, it does come with the horrible 1x4 torpedo layout. You can rest assured, your torp runs will just piss ppl off rather then sink them. Overall, Gearing has the tools ones needs to control the pace of a game, when used smartly.
IJN: sigh for those of you who's main line is IJN DD... the dark days have arrived. Kagero is was the worst DD in the game. Theres a DD that is lower then Kagero... and you'll meet it next Tier. Untill then you'll have to suffer though the worst DP in class, worst speed in class and a torpedo layout that MAKES NO F"ING SENSE SDE! Kagero does get increased alpha and retains best agility in class. But nothing sinks faster then a Kagero on a torp run. When you do manage to land a torp salvo, depending on your choices, the dmg might be different. Unlike the rest of the DDs, IJN has two choices: take the lower base dmg, higher potential, faster but shorter ranged torpedos or take the higher base dmg, lower potential, slower but longer ranged torpedos... I guess theres a logical choice.. I just can't see it. When you combine a slow, low DP, crappy torp layout in a torpedo ship.. you get Kagero. A undergunned, over tiered, suffering DD. The Grind just got REAL.
But you can guess how this translate too?
T8 vs other DD:
USN: Best gun platform, best speed and robust agility make it down right annoying to fight with another DD.
KM: Powerful guns insure a good amount of dmg will be delt before you sink...
UK: Stiff handling, DPS below KM and UK. UK N class is the definition of " Escort ship"
IJN: It does have slightly higher alpha... right... HAHA, yea I didn't think so either.
T8 vs other T8 class:
USN: Best kiting platform equates to one very speedy, annoying gunship with the legs to strech the battlefield.
KM: Best DPS and 8 torps not best DD?! Well, stiff handling and being slow means you wont be running away from trouble should you start it or sail into it...
UK: IF Kagero wasn't Kagero, UK would be at the bottom... But Kagero is Kagero so theres a nice safety net to get by this tier.
IJN: Hahahahaha... what a cruel joke SDE... my fellow IJN DDers.... the dark days are almos... oh wait.. Tier 9.. NOOOOOOOO!
Well that about wraps up Tier 8. Next up is the complete SDE train wreck called, Tier 9. I'd say look forward to it, but really, I have a hard time lying to you...
My experiance playing DD: Part of controlling the flow of a game begins with forcing your will on your enemy. Getting them to react to YOU as opposed to you reacting to them. This can mean alot of things in game. AA'ing scouts, lay torps in a pattern that forces said enemy to sail in a direction that helps you and/or your team are part of making those around you, react to you. Because were all human and prone to making mistakes, even the best player in his 200% morale OP T11 CL can be beaten. The majority of the time a fight comes down to will and forcing that will on your oppontents. DDs are the best ships to force players to react to because they have the mobility and utility to create unque situations that other ships must deal with. The better your understanding of this critical gameplay skill, the easier you'll be able to master the true meaning of teamwork. If you want to survive high tier gameplay, its time to take it even further beyond!
Thank you for reading,
Talentz