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Q-Ball -> (12/26/2002 10:32:17 PM)
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Every IJN DD has a use, in fact you will never have enough of them. Even the Minekaze class, the oldest DD class, is useful for FAST TRANSPORT, since it can still make 30+ knots and is only 6 VP's if you lose it. Kamikaze's are great AA escorts. Fubuki's are good for FAST TRANSPORT and as SURFACE COMBATANTS, but their poor AA value makes them inadequate as AA escorts.
DD missions basically break down to a few types; AA escorts (escorting CV groups, when you expect to run into aircraft); ASW escorts (protecting transports and other ships from subs); Surface Combat (as part of bombardment and surface combat groups, there you want good torps and guns), and Fast Transport. Look at the values of each class, and it should become apparent what destroyers are appropriate for each mission. Not all carry ASW weapons, so check that. Some have very poor AA values. The two oldest don't carry good torpedoes. The Minekazes don't carry any decent weapons, so are really best as FAST TRANSPORTS, which your least valuable DD's should be saved for.
As a side note, the IJN APD's are actually pretty poor at FAST TRANSPORT missions. Their slow speed (18 knots), means they have trouble making a run and getting out of harm's way. They do have some ASW capability, I often use them for escorting rear-area transport convoys against subs, which frees up faster DD's for other missions.
Another side note, some of the IJN CL's are pretty useless as anything but larger FAST TRANSPORTS, as they carry almost no AA armament, no ASW, and ineffective 21 in. torpedoes. The Tatsuta's in particular. Sometimes I use them in Bombardment groups. Their combat capability isn't even in the same ballpark as US CL's.
Hope all of that helps. Someone should write a manual on best uses of ship types and classes. I've written before about the best use of the IJN CS's. (as an integral component of any CV TF).
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