Panocek

WG profits

I don't think these are wasted. In her case you're stacking camo to not ninja ambush someone, but to minimize being ninja ambushed by battleships. Though if Moskva had better camo I'd happily take extra rudder shift just for giggles. Basically as long maxing camo remains the best build, not maxing it is deliberately gimping yourself with some exceptions

Capping used to be rewarded better, it was not uncommon to top the charts with two-three caps and no damage done at all. Which obviously doesn't sit well with WG and their game about shooting ships

Aigle even with her 40kg shells is already bordering on "exercise of futility", having 10s time to impact on 12km, 14s@15.3km if you take AFT for lols. 4.5" weigh 25kg though, equal to USN Dual Purpose Mortars, while having even lower shell velocity, which may or may not be negated by lower air drag.

I doubt WG would lower concealment below 11.7km... Camo buff would be welcome to stop being outspotted by Yamatos and Montanas tho.

There is never enough vodka. When it comes to Moskva though, generic "keep enemy at range early game, don't even think about showing broadside, man up once enemy ships thin out" tends to work for her.

Which looks pretty damn good.

Chapa is Shchors. With better concealment (10.2km), RU Radar (11.7km, 20s), with fixed 3rd turret firing angle (300 degrees on both rear turrets, or 30 degress from ship axis when firing forward) but its slower by 2kts and "enjoys" T8 MM. With IFHE, she still kicks [edited]and disappears just like Shchors when caught broadside, so little to no difference there. Oh and AA is actually decent, so you actually can shoot planes down

Just right reason to give RN derpstroyers 1/4 HE pen

I wonder how WG will gimmick RN DDs to justify their potato torp range. One option would be "consumable", or rather toggle for torpedo settings - high speed short range, lets say 6km 68kts and slow speed long range, 8.5km 60kts for example. Upon activation torp launchers are unavailable for lets say, 30s. Though I have odd feeling this could be IJN gimmick, while RN retain single shot (and get actually useable torps)

Anything with high rate of fire, Cleveland matches that with considerable salvo weight. Alternatives would be russian destroyers, light cruisers, UK cruisers, Hindenburg, Des Moines. Doable with US DDs as well. Basically any boat where you can unleash your inner ork

But JB is testbed for Rashian battleboats new consumable.

That's shell flight time with AFT. Now imagine shooting at something actively evading. Best described would be "exercise in futility". I find AA range upgrade alone to be enough for "fleet protection", as you won't be knocking many planes anyway. IFHE increases HE pen up to and including 27mm, so you can damage hightier cruisers and midtier BBs. Demo works, improves meh fire chance, but your main target are DDs, burning battleboats might bring nice damage numbers... which have little to no actual game impact. Even mythical Khaba needs half the battle to burn somewhat competent battleship, with higher fire chance and volume of fire

I use my USN DD captain, be it from Benson, Fletcher or Gearing - they all work just fine with the same build of Priority Target, Last Stand, Survivability Expert, Concealment Expert, Torpedo Armament Expertise, Basic Firing Training and Supernintendo to top it off. You can change SI for Adrenaline and last point into Preventative Maintenance I guess? Playstyle wise, you contest caps - rapid turning guns and high rof help you there, but as they are infamous Dual Purpose Mortars, they are less than suitable for long range shelling. Torps are more of lol value on Sims thanks to their glacially slow speed and hilarous lack of damage, they reload fast nonetheless. You lay smoke for team and troll CV with Defensive Fire AA

Expert Marksman + turret traverse upgrade solves lack of WD40 on turret bearings, with upgraded torps she can more than easily stealth torp, while with CE her concealment is 3rd best in game IIRC, after Hatsuharu and Gallant. If you want to see obsolete DD, check out OG Gnevny in Russian tree. Exactly the same boat without torps and Aliexpress smoke

Heavier armored... Not really. If anything Cleveland and Worcester outarmor most heavy cruisers with exception of Baltimore, DM and Moskva. "Class" wide mobility/acceleration buff could be one option, even if displacement doesn't differ that much Tying detection to gun caliber would be too obvious for WG though Especially as it would mean nerf to battleships - 46s detection for yamato or 38s for Derpitz is bound to create shietstorm, especially as plebwagons would have 12-15s spotting. How can you aim at such peasant with slow turning turrets?!

I see more than plenty of 5 BB per battle, despite supposed "American Arc". If anything World of Cruisers was a thing for first few days after patch arrived, then people realized cruisers still die as fast as usual to BB shells. And technically UK cruisers outrange their spot with radar, even Chapayev does that. And those aren't exactly newcomers

Don't forget legendary upgrades, oh the horror

Give her biplanes with frag grenades as only offensive weapon. Here, tier 1 CV.

Z-23 have hard time outgunning IJN destroyers even, 5x 15cm guns doesn't exactly shine with DPM. They do however deliver considerable damage against broadside targets with AP (including cruiser citadels up to 8km). Torps are solid, reasonably quick reloading and very fast, even if they lack in boom department. 6.2km detection is main issue, you're 400m behind Benson and 800m behind Kagero/Hentaikaze, which can be fatal during early cap contests. Even tier higher Z-46 have 300m advantage and her 6 quick reloading 12.8cm guns will outdpm Z-23 hard. IFHE actually works for her, as with this skill you can damage 32mm plating commonly used on battleboats. Hightier cruisers can be disturbed as well, DD that actually deals damage to them. Consistently. If you look for competitive boat, its not the one. She is certainly case of acquired taste, if not straight up challenge to play. Still, I had blast with her, even if it was bumpy at times.

Imagine fire potential of Goldentaur tho

If you expect large number of hard hitting guns you're looking at wrong class to begin with. USN "gunpower" from tier 5 onwards comes from 4-5 guns with 4s reload or faster, with T10 Gearing being "pinnacle" here with 6 guns at 3s reload. Compared to 4-6 IJN guns with reload varying between 10s to 6.5s, yea, USN have volume of fire advantage. RU DD guns don't hit harder than USN/IJN guns, but their high velocity combined with actual gun range makes long range shelling worthwile, while at short ranges being outgunned by USN - typical reload for russian 130mm is 5s and only from tier 8 (Kiev) you get actually meaningful amount of guns, topping at Khaba with 8 guns. Primary purpose of gunboats is bullying other destroyers, usually on cap zones.Obviously, team support have greater impact so IJN DD with actual backup is going to win firefight against sole USN/Ger DD Killing bigger boats with those peashooters is usually long term endeavor. "Oh so op" Kebab usually requires half of the battle to burn down single battleship that actually knows how to manage fires and heals on her own. If broadside is present and AP are loaded, its bit another matter tho.

RU gunboats are all about shooting fast and sailing faster. Basically they are in two states, spotted or sinking. Tier 5 should give you glimpse of that gameplay, tier 6 is okay but powercrept by her own sister ships in Chinese service, Kiev and Udaloi are hightier highlights IMO and Khaba is ultimate salt mining enterprise. Ze Germans are on paper multipurpose destroyers with lots of hitpoints and Hydro from tier 6 onward. Tier 6 and 8 can mount 15cm guns which are of acquired taste - slow firing and extra damage they deal doesn't compensate for longer reload. Maass on other hand I find to be awesome, near 20k hp, 5 rapid firing guns and competent torps render Mahan obsolete. IJN as dedicated torp boats with repeatedly nerfed torps, one trick ponies doesn't exactly work when almost every other DD line can stealth torp too AND pack gunpower advantage.

But tears when you Hydro someone in smoke are priceless. Otherwise silver KGV is better

I'm not sure drunk Czech hamsters is what you need for reliable server