Destroyers

"A destroyer captain's duty was to build as well as to destroy."
-The Good Shepherd (C.S. Forester)

Your job is to spot the enemy ships for your team. Destroyers can get closer than other classes of ship without being seen. Battleships in particular rely on you to spot for them. Destroyers should also capture and defend the objective zones. Do not abandon your battleships. They can be blind and defenceless without you. For beginners, you should be firing High Explosive (HE) shells unless you are very close to a cruiser and its broadside is exposed. For around Tier VII and above, AP shells might be effective against broadside enemy destroyers and the superstructures of battleships. The optimal shell type can be fluid in a variety of situations. Destroyers firing AP can grind down battleships and rip into cruiser citadels. Start a fire or three, then hammer that AP home.

Full speed ahead. Spot the enemy. Dive for the Cap if safe.
Beware radar cruisers and long range destroyer sonar.
Am I being supported?
- Yes: Head for the Cap, throw out torpedoes, engine boost on (optional).
- No: Withdraw unless it is safe.
Did you capture the zone?
- Yes: Defend it, use smokescreen to hide and conceal friendly support.
- Yes: If it was a flank Cap, go for the centre Cap.
- No: Regroup. Harass enemy Cap with torpedoes.
Engage and destroy enemy destroyers.
Keep spotting for your team. Are friendly battleships blind?
Engage and destroy enemy cruisers.
Engage and destroy enemy battleships.

"The old dreams of charging in upon a column of battleships for a torpedo attack had no place here."
-The Good Shepherd (C.S. Forester)

At the start of a match, please do not sail to the opposite end of the map simply to try and sink an enemy capital ship (battleship or aircraft carrier). This is literally the most wasteful use of a destroyer's capabilities. It is not your job to attack battleships, you can do very little damage to them. Do not try and suicide strike them either. A destroyer is more valuable than a battleship so even if you manage to unleash a successful close range torpedo strike, chances are you'll now be dead or horrendously out of position. Do not fire madly at every target which presents itself. You should always be aware of who can potentially spot you. Fire discipline is necessary. Only fire if you know you can get away with it. Try and balance an aggressive approach, which is necessary to be a successful destroyer commander, with the utmost caution. Look for escape routes. Work out which ships have radar. Keep an eye on your team.

Once I was playing as a Legendary Tier destroyer and was forward enough to be spotting for my team, but far enough back that I was unsighted. I had nothing in particular to do in that moment but observe. I watched as two Yamatos were going hard at each other. Our Yamato managed to land a well aimed salvo which took out half the enemy battleship's health. This was fun to watch and made me reflect on the fact that this game isn't always about constantly shooting and sailing all around the map in madness. Sometimes you have time to pause, reflect and at your leisure observe how other people play the game. Plus, since I was the one spotting, I earned a lot of XP from that brutal broadside. After a minute or so it was time to put my binoculars away and sail on toward the enemy Cap.

In the Age of Steam, speed is the weather guage. The commander in the field should naturally set sail in a destroyer, and move around the map assessing, spotting, and working out where the next enemy breakthrough will occur. I believe you should pick one class, master that, and move from there. The first class to master is, naturally, the destroyer. You'll spend your career sailing from one edge of the map to the other, fixing other people's problems.

Notable Destroyers

Haida (Tier VII Premium)

The fearsome Haida tribe grace the name of this glorious Canadian ship. I paid for it, nuturally.

Huron (Tier VII Premium)

The second Canadian and third Tribal-class destroyer in the game (four if you count Cossack '38). Huron lacks smoke, but it is Canadian which means you must be just as aggressive as you are with Haida, if not more so!

Hsienyang (Tier VII Tech Tree)

An amazing ship! It is nimble and can be fitted with 7.5 km radar, which I highly recommend. I also have a legendary torpedo reload booster fitted to this ship; they are deepwater torps but don't worry, they will eat battleships. In the right hands, this ship is lethal. Here is me scoring a Kraken in her, albeit before I swapped out the smoke generator for radar.

Chung Mu (Tier VIII Tech Tree)

This former Fletcher-class destroyer is an enhanced Hsienyang. You should also opt for the 7.5 km radar; it may be brief, but it never fails to surprise enemy destroyers hiding in smoke. She's also a fast ship with extremely quick and powerful deepwater torpedoes. I recommend not installing Torpedo Launchers Mod. 3 as it makes them too vulnerable to being disabled. Instead opt for the Gunfire Control System Mod. 2. Check out Chung Mu showing off its Fletcher heritage by gunning down two destroyers (Score screen); also check out this thrilling game which was looking like a defeat until the final kill (Score screen).

Kidd (Tier VI Premium)

A Fletcher-class destroyer at Tier VI. What's not to love? With excellent AA, two heals, and rapid guns, this ship has gifted me many Krakens and even games with six kills. It's also a veritable cruiser-killer: Example 1 and Example 2. The game features five Fletcher-class destroyers (Fletcher, Kidd, Black, Chung Mu, and Velos) spanning three tiers (VI-VIII). I believe this one is the best of them all.

(Kidd was laid after 500 battles.)

Z-44 (Tier VIII Premium)

Also known as Old Faithful: Her stats after 500 battles.

The community is not fond of this ship since it has the appearance of a gunboat but lacks the powerful artillery. It also lacks sonar which is atypical for German destroyers. Nevertheless, I consistently score well in Z-44 with a torpdeo and concealment build. With a 5.0 km detection range and 62.1 seconds reload on the torpedoes, it can do serious damage from afar. The guns are plentiful enough that it is not completely defenceless in a knife fight. (NB: my detection range was still 5.1 km in the video sample.) Z-44 may have low range with its AA guns (3.0 km), but over time they are capable of dealing damage. In this game I almost scored a Clear Skies medal and shot down 38 enemy planes (back in that brief period you needed 40).

Jervis (Tier VI Tech Tree)

Jervis is an amazing ship. The sonar is 3.5 km but it lasts three minutes. I use it for torpedo defence. It gives a feeling of safety when sitting in those plentiful smokes and farming fire damage. It's nimble, the guns rotate 360 degrees, and it has single launcher torpedoes. Many within the community have said that the Cossacks below are inferior to this ship, and I disagree only slightly. Jervis is every bit as useful as the two Cossacks but superior? I'm not sure. The sonar has 0.3 km more range, which I find an odd choice. Basically, if you're comfortable and capable in Jervis, you won't really need to acquire either Cossack. In this game I scored a Kraken.

Cossack (Tier VI Premium)

[Her stats after 400 battles]

Although this is also not a favourite within the community, I like this Tribal-class destroyer a lot. It has the usual British extended duration sonar and powerful guns. The four torpedoes have proven to be highly effective: Example 1, Example 2, and Example 3. Occasionally you will score a secondary battery hit; in a destroyer this is highly satisfying - more so if you score a Close Quarters Expert medal, as I did here (Score screen). It's also quite rare so your opponents may not know what they're up against. Achieving a Kraken in Cossack was extremely satisfying.

Inspired by giving command of Druid to Bruce Fraser, I tried running him on Cossack.

Cossack '38 (Tier VI Premium)

I acquired the pre-war version of Cossack in August 2024 and my first game was underwhelming. The ship lacks the sonar of the later Cossack, has longer reloading torpedoes, and although it has an extra gun turrent, the reload time is slightly increased. However, my second game was a four kill damage fest which was so very nearly a Kraken (a Warspite pinched the one-shot destroyer I was about to finish off). Naturally, I enjoyed it. You must lean completely into the guns and bully other destroyer players, set battleships on fire, and avoid cruisers. The torpedoes are there if you need them: Example 1, Example 2, and Example 3. I shall be playing both Cossacks a lot from now on.

On 1 July 2025, both Cossacks went in for a refit and the '38 came out of drydock with the addition of sonar, amongst other improvements.

Lightning (Tier VII Tech Tree)

A lot of fun, especially since the guns sound so good. Excellent fire angling opportunities too. Three minute sonar and seven smokes keeps you safe.

Jutland (Tier VIII Tech Tree)

What can I say? I just love the British destroyers. They are unmatched in terms of defensive versatility. This Battle-class destroyer isn't the quickest in its class but it has powerful long-range guns, the usual three minute duration sonar and many smokes. The torpedoes aren't bad either! (Another example.)

Somme (Tier VIII Premium)

This is the latest campaign ship and so far I am very much enjoying it! Even though it is more torpedo-focused, I love the guns and they should never be neglected. In this game I was so close to a Kraken, but the Clear Skies was ample reward. The score screen shows how close I was to a 4,000 game.

Druid (Tier VIII Premium)

It cost me two years of Steel (25,000) but it was worth it! Druid is not an easy ship to play. I couldn't quite make it work with Philip Vian, especially as the only viable option in slot 1 was improved AA; not great since most tier VIII matches don't contain a carrier. I tried running Bruce Fraser for increased AP penetration, torpedo detection, speed, rudder shift time, and fully packed. The legendary skill provides an extra smoke, heal, and sonar, yielding seven, three, and three respectively. The extra speed is also a great bonus. The only drawback is that when your engine or rudder are taken out and your damage control party is on cooldown, you are a sitting duck. However, if you can make sensible choices, this build can really work. Fraser's first time in command was a great success: a six kill game which included blowing up a Nottingham at close range and destroying an Elbing to claim the Chubby Kraken. In another game, an enemy cruiser is easily taken down.

When attemping to capture the middle zone, this Druid was ambushed by a Yūgumo and an Elbing with favourable results.

Delny (Tier VIII Tech Tree)

Delny is tough, fast, and punches hard. Her armour is excellent and she is a very powerful ship. In one stunning game I charged a Minotaur and went on to score three more kills, one of which was another Minotaur.

How Delny deals with Lüshun

Lüshun players are predictable and play their ship like a one-trick pony. As soon as they make contact, they smoke up and activate their sonar. Delny lacks radar and sonar, but has strength. Be aggressively bold and use that strength: In this situation I charged and destroyed a complacent Lüshun player.

Småland (Tier VIII Tech Tree)

Småland is a great ship, especially since the 2024 aircraft carrier changes; it has excellent anti-aircraft capability, bolstered by an AA boost consumable which will tear through planes. It has three engine boosts, which although only one minute in duration, make her fly! They can get you out of trouble, or into it, if you're feeling aggressive. She also has the option for radar, which I always pick over smoke. Be aggressive, not defensive! Smoke clouds are just torpedo magnets and you should never dwell in them.

Kamikaze (Tier IV Premium)

Kamikaze is perhaps the most overpowered destroyer, and is known as the ultimate seal clubber. I call it a lethal Kraken-machine. It can only be obtained by purchasing the Firepower Deluxe physical disc of the game (PS4 version), something I finally did in July 2024. In my second game I achieved a Kraken, and an hour later scored a six kill game. Under two months later, I managed a seven kill game, with the ship having a 78% winrate. After years of slogging in Tiers VII and VIII, it has felt very easy. There is also an ultra rare 'BS' version, which I read was given to Asian players of the game many years ago. Check out this clip of me achieving a Triple Strike, and a seven kill game.

Die-Hard

Believe it or not, I once achieved a Die-Hard medal in this little Japanese destroyer. Check out these screenshots: Initial contact; Visby explodes; Medal achieved.

Asashio (Tier VI Premium)

Never underestimate the Imperial Japanese Navy! Asashio is quite a cumbersome ship with guns which traverse very slowly. However, it has smoke generators and a torpedo reload booster. When backed into a corner with superior forces closing in, I once managed to extricate myself with glory. I've also managed a six kill game with it.

Even when you are low health, you may still have to enter a dangerous Cap. With our team behind on points and me on low health, I venture into the centre Cap and do enough damage to swing the game.

Yudachi (Tier VII Premium)

These days Yudachi is not the monster it once was, but it can still shine in the right hands. Check out this game as a textbook example of how to play a torpdeo boat.

Akizuki (Tier VII Tech Tree)

A highly powerful destroyer. It can punch and kite like a mini cruiser. A lot of fun once you get used to the handling characteristics. With a gunboat build this is a lot of fun to play.

Kitakaze (Tier VIII Tech Tree)

Kitakaze is a ship which builds on Akizuki and features powerful quick-firing artillery. It is superior to Hayate, a premium destroyer at the same tier. My old XP record (4,257) was held by this ship for over two years.

Friesland (Tier VII Premium)

[Her stats after 1,000 battles]

You can make a lot of money with this quick-firing gunboat. If I can give one bit of advice on how to operate Friesland, it is this: be circumspect! At first I used a full AA build, then I switched to a gunboat build because of the terrible dispersion. I once even earned a Devastating Strike medal against a Benson, which is difficult to achieve in a destroyer which lacks torpedoes. Since the 2024 updated carrier mechanics, I have reverted to a full AA build and enjoy taking this ship out simply to shoot down aircraft. On 26 March 2025, I once again returned to a gunboat build and on that day won a Devastating Strike medal against a Skåne. On 30 August 2025 I altered the build again, this time to hybrid AA/gunboat. On 9 September 2025, a day after the update added Legendary AA mods, I installed one on Friesland for 500 Steel. On 14 September 2025 I changed my build once again to full AA, and spent the 2,000 steel to fully upgrade the final slot.

My top scoring game in terms of base XP (4,982) has come from the AA built Friesland, after downing 111 planes. My second top scoring game in terms of base XP (4,911) has come from the AA built Friesland, after downing 119 planes. What's your highest base XP score from a defeat? I managed 3,124 in Friesland.

F. Schultz (Tier VIII Tech Tree)

This destroyer is almost as devastating as Elbing when it comes to AP penetration. I was once questioned on which was the better ship; 'Schultz, or its premium cousin Elbing. I couldn't answer and I'm still not sure. What I do know is that I've had better luck with F. Schultz: Observe her taking down a cruiser with ease.

Others

Gadjah Mada (Tier VI Tech Tree DD): Excellent firing angles and a 7.5 km radar.
Okhotnik (Tier IV Premium DD): The aptly named 'Murder Canoe'!
Anshan (Tier V Premium DD): I recommend you equip this with deep water torpedoes.
Fiji (Tier VI Tech Tree Cruiser): First ship in which I unleashed the Kraken.
Benham (Tier VI Premium DD): First ship in which I achieved Rank 1.
Gaede (Tier V Tech Tree DD): Excellent guns!
Skåne (Tier VI Tech Tree DD): It's tough with heals, and it has powerful guns.