I personally really enjoy the Leopard, a German destroyer at 3.7. Agile, high rate of fire, deadly torpedoes, and being able to dodge torpedoes a foot from your ship is amazing. Only bad thing is the low survivability. Now, the worst is the USS Litchfield. No survivability, pathetic guns, and no anti-aircraft guns make this ship very painful to play. The only thing going for it is its great agility. What are your thoughts?
Leopard is good. Germany have a good 3.7 lineup with Bluewater/Coastal combined and Leopard is as good a first choice as any of the other 3.7 options.
I found Frunze pretty good too and for a long time it was the only Bluewater Russian ship I played, as I used it to reinforce my 2.3+ Coastal lineups and had no interest in the rest of the TT. Rarely seemed to get battles above 3.7, so not outclassed very often.
My favourite reserve is probably the British Vega/Verdun, but Bourrasque (FR) and Turbine (IT) are also good to play too. In fact, most reserves now are decent choices. Mutsuki for the IJN might be a bit average and, as you say, Lichfield probably the most painful.
Vega, Frunze and Leo are probably the most effective on their BRs
Mutsuki seems underrated, it gets good shells and 12 powerful torps, but surely it lacks AA
Bourrasque is alright, kinda like Mutsuki
Turbine is more situational but somewhat workable
Litchfield is just sad
Litchfield and Barker are the reason I don’t try to grind the US TT because it was the first ship I played and the game set my research on the Barker, which is basically the same ship.
Leopard also has 2 20mm guns as AA armament, and while not much, it is nice to have when some planes are in the air.
So, in higher BRs, it can try to be an escort ship.
Yeah it’s nice to have that, unlike the Litchfield which has ZERO anti-air armament.
Light weapons are also useful against MTBs, although few players seem to really use them to threaten DDs. I often play many of the 2.3 MTBs looking to torpedo destroyers (at 2.3 you’re almost invariably pitted against 3.3s and I usually simply assume there will be reserve DDs present). The destroyers I most like seeing when in an MTB are Litchfield and Mutsuki; most MTBs can match or exceed them in automatic firepower, so the guns on the DD can easily be suppressed as you make your torpedo or even DC attack. The 40/45mm guns on Turbine/Frunze seem to be just enough to give them a decent chance without having to rely solely on a lucky hit from a main gun. The 20mm guns on Vega/Leopard are very useful, plus both seem good at hitting MTBs with their main guns. In the case of Vega this is due to the high ROF; I’m not so sure why Leopard seems to often kill boats with main guns, but perhaps the larger shell only needs a near miss.
In summary, if I’m in an MTB I know the chances of a successful attack (1v1)on a Vega are relatively low and Leopards are probably equally dangerous; chances of success against a Litchfield (or Mutsuki) are high.
From best to worst losting “imo”, + ships worse then reserve vessels (after the main listing). (RB NF stats), I tend to look at AA the most in ships and early vessels mostly suffer in this regard furthermore I won’t be going to deep into this explaining everything (that might be better for a youtube review series).
• Raubtier (Carnivore) class Type 1924 Torpedo Boat Leopard is imho the best all rounder starter ship.
Reasons: 34kts, 6× (2×3) G7a torpedoes, 3×1 12.8 cm cannons with three ammunition types, 2×1 2 cm AA cannons, Plus germany has a nasty 3.7 lineup to back it up even with two sister ships Luchs & Jaguar.
Low crew: 120
• Admiralty V class Destroyer HMS Vaga L41, This is imo the second best ship, Makes for a nasty AA ship thanks to being a late war ammunition and a modernized vessel.
Reasons: 34kts, 4×2 4" cannons with four ammunition types, 4×1 Oerlikons, Y guns for lolz, Like the last vessel it also has an incredibly 3.7 lineup especially coupled with HMS Verdun or the Type 12’s or the two G class Destroyers
High crew: 170
• Turbine class RN Turbine, It’s a rather versatile ship this one having alright AA & torpedoes but also works as a minelayer.
• Reasons: 36kts, 4×2 120 mm cannons with three ammunition types, 3×1 2pdr Pom-Pom, 6× (2×3) SI 250/553/4X7.5 Tipo A torpedoes, 52× P-125/1932 contact mines, Mines ain’t helpful in normal modes but in EC they can be helpful, Italy has a powerful 3.3 lineup coupled with technically the lowerest BR cruiser Vifor class RN Aquila.
High crew: 179
• Derzky class destroyer Frunze Ex Bystry (Rapid), It’s an odd spot but it’s slightly better then others on the list
Reasons: a bit slower at 31kts, 4×1 102 mm cannons two ammunition types (don’t discredit Shrapnel shells they’re essentially HE-DF shells that most other ships have), 9× (3×3) 45-36NU 450 mm torpedoes (great at short range) , 1×1 76 mm AA, 1×1 45 mm four ammunition types (which can be useful), 2×1 DShK 12.7 mm, Has an awesome lineup and goes well with the Fidonisy class destroyer Kerch.
Poor turret traverse rates
High crew: 168
• Mustuki class destroyer Mustuki
Reasons: faster then most 37kts, 4×1 120 mm cannons with three ammunition types, 12× (2×3 + reloads) 610 mm Type 90 torpedoes (high speed long range but poor warhead), 2×1 7.7 mm MG are meh AA, 16× Type 93 mines, 8× Type 95 depth charges.
It has poor AA and poor traversing cannons but okay torpedoes but it does get an alright 3.3 lineup to back it up like the sister Satsuki or the Destroyer Escorts, Kaibōkan, Type 11 or 1-Go class.
Mid crew: 148
Clemson class destroyer USS Lichfield DD-336, I used to rate this lower but the french exist now.
Reasons: 35kts, 4×1 4" cannons (three gun broadside due to midship gun placement) Three ammunition types, 12× (4×3,
6× per side) 21" Mk.8 torpedoes, 1×1 3" HA HAA piece (very stern).
This ship used to not have a HE-DF shell but now the 3" does but one must turn the ship to oncoming aerial threats to use it.
It can put in a rather okayish lineup consisting of many ships including it’s slightly better sister USS Barker DD-213 due to it having 2×1 Oerlikons & Mk.15 torpedoes.
Mid crew: 150
• Bourrasque class Bourrasque
Reasons: 33kts, 4×1 130 mm cannons two ammunition types no flak shell, 6× (2×3) 550 mm model 1923DT torpedoes, 2×1 37 mm HA AA single shot.
While I haven’t played much franch this ship is ehh at best and due to france having only one ship with HE-DF ammunition aka a captured Type 1936A Mob this ship will suffer under aerial attacks more then most almost a Lichfield moment for it.
Plus it’s premium Jaguar class Panthere is already P2W essentially due to having two 13.2 mm MG’s and K-guns for lolz ntm the TT successor ship of the Bourrasque class the Jaguar class Leopard is leagues better at the same BR with 2×1 2pdr Pom-Pom’s & 3×1 Oerlikons (bar landing one 1×3 torpedo mount)
High crew: 162
Vessels worse then reserve vessels (no order but around the same BR as the starter ship):
• Town class 1940 Destroyer, HMS Churchill I45, HMS Montgomery G95.
This was the original starter for the brits but essentially an oversized corvette with 1 cannon fore sucks for a starter ship, Was replaced by HMS Vega L41.
HMS Montgomery G95 original starter premium & only Wickes class destroyer in game, same flaws as a US Clemson but missing most torpedoes and a cannon but gets shrapnel shells & a few MG’s, Was replaced by HMS Verdun L93.
If nothing else if you have you can role-play as the Gifthorse HMS Ballantae CH-19 heh (Ship from the 1954 film Gifthorse, Actual ship HMS Leamington G19).
• Type 12 ASW Frigate, F77 & F36
Both 3.7 same BR with the 3.7 V class while it might be a better cannons and defence against aircraft those ships are stuck at far ends of TT’s costing loads and has a blindspot for the main cannon ntm worse DM then a V class uhhuuuhuuhuhuhuhuuuh.
• Hiburi/ Mikura class Kaibōkan, Same BR as Mustuki but a high rank ship gets the same spawns is slower and has massive weak magazines, but hey better AA.
• Project 2 SKR (Escort Ship) Groza (Thunderstorm), You may want to stick it in your lineup with Frunze or Kerch but it sucks getting the same spawn and a unwarranted new repair but better AA.
• Raubtier class Torpedo Boat, Now don’t adjust your reading glasses while it’s imo the best reserve ship unfortunately at the same BR is the Elbing class Type 1939 Folttontorpedoboot (Fleet Torpedo Boat) T22 which is leagues better then the Leopard and is still at the same BR.
• Tacoma class Frigate USS Hoquiam PF-5, While I pride myself for looking at AA stats this ship is Rank V costs as much as an F-16 but is so much worse then the Lichfield & Churchill in game, if you see one in game it’s an extremely easy kill having a worse DM but if on your team hug it if aircraft are about.
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