ST - French destroyers

[Sehales]

In addition to the announcement of a new line of ships, we would also like to share with you the concept and features behind the gameplay of French destroyers.
First of all, the French are artillery destroyers with Engine Boost, giving + 20% to the speed and Main Battery Reload consumable, accelerating the reload of the main caliber guns by 50%. When fighting in them, it is necessary to properly use the advantage in speed and the ability over a short period of time to significantly increase firepower. They have good armor-piercing shells, which at high tiers can cause damage directly to the citadel of light cruisers from a distance of 8-10 km and heavy cruisers from a distance of 6-7 km. An inconsiderate cruiser, presenting broadside, can become an easy target!

A nice addition will be torpedoes with an average range of 8 km, but an impressive speed of 75 knots.

 

The main difference - the lack of the seemingly standard and basic consumable for destroyers – Smoke Generator. But, given the fact that the destroyer at tier X can achieve speeds of up to 55 knots, this deficiency can be partly compensated for with skillful maneuvering and speed changes. In addition, the hit points of the French destroyers are allocated in the same manner as the test destroyer L'effronté (Le Terrible). This system allows destroyers to live longer under intense enemy fire.

To sum up, we can say that this new concept of destroyers is more suited to those who prefer speed and an artillery heavy style of play, and for the successful implementation of all their strengths, commanders will need to develop two skills – competent positioning and a "Hit and Run" style of combat.

All stats are listed without crew and upgrade modifiers but with best available modules. The stats are subject to change during the testing. AA parameters are not shown because they are being balanced.

 

Enseigne Gabolde, tier II

Hit points – 7600. Plating - 6 mm.

Main battery - 3x1 100 mm. Firing range - 9.8 km.

Maximum HE shell damage – 1450. Chance to cause fire – 4%. Maximum AP shell damage - 1600.
Reload time - 6.0 s. 180 degree turn time - 9.0 s. Maximum dispersion - 88 м. HE initial velocity - 740 m/s. AP initial velocity - 740 m/s. Sigma – 2.00.

Torpedo tubes - 2x2 550 mm. Maximum damage - 12233. Range - 6.0 km. Speed - 57 kt. Reload time - 56 s. Launcher 180 degree turn time – 7.2 s. Torpedo detectability - 1.2 km.

Maximum speed - 31 kt. Turning circle radius - 450 m. Rudder shift time – 2.0 s. Surface detectability – 5.9 km. Air detectability – 2.1 km. Detectability after firing main guns in smoke – 1.8 km.

Available consumables:

1 slot - Damage Control Party

Duration time 5 s; Reload time 60 s (40 s).

2 slot - Engine Boost

Duration time 120 s; Maximum speed +20%; Reload time 180 s (120 s); Charges 2 (3).

 

Fusilier, tier III

Hit points – 10900. Plating - 6 mm.

Main battery - 4x1 100 mm. Firing range - 9.5 km.

Maximum HE shell damage – 1450. Chance to cause fire – 4%. Maximum AP shell damage - 1600.
Reload time - 6.0 s. 180 degree turn time - 9.0 s. Maximum dispersion - 86 м. HE initial velocity - 740 m/s. AP initial velocity - 740 m/s. Sigma – 2.00.

Torpedo tubes - 2x3 550 mm. Maximum damage - 12233. Range - 6.0 km. Speed - 57 kt. Reload time - 90 s. Launcher 180 degree turn time – 7.2 s. Torpedo detectability - 1.2 km.

Maximum speed - 34 kt. Turning circle radius - 530 m. Rudder shift time – 2.9 s. Surface detectability – 6.7 km. Air detectability – 2.5 km. Detectability after firing main guns in smoke – 2.0 km.

Available consumables:

1 slot - Damage Control Party

Duration time 5 s; Reload time 60 s (40 s)

2 slot - Engine Boost

Duration time 120 s; Maximum speed +20%; Reload time 180 s (120 s); Charges 2 (3).

 

Bourrasque, tier IV

Hit points – 11700. Plating - 10 mm

Main battery - 4x1 130 mm. Firing range - 11.8 km.

Maximum HE shell damage – 1900. Chance to cause fire – 9%. Maximum AP shell damage - 2300.
Reload time - 6.0 s. 180 degree turn time - 18.0 s. Maximum dispersion - 104 м. HE initial velocity - 725 m/s. AP initial velocity - 725 m/s. Sigma – 2.00.

Torpedo tubes - 2x3 550 mm. Maximum damage - 14833. Range - 9.0 km. Speed - 60 kt. Reload time - 90 s. Launcher 180 degree turn time – 7.2 s. Torpedo detectability - 1.3 km.

Maximum speed - 33 kt. Turning circle radius - 560 m. Rudder shift time – 3.0 s. Surface detectability – 6.8 km. Air detectability – 2.7 km. Detectability after firing main guns in smoke – 2.6 km.

Available consumables:

1 slot - Damage Control Party

Duration time 5 s; Reload time 60 s (40 s).

2 slot - Engine Boost

Duration time 120 s; Maximum speed +20%; Reload time 180 s (120 s); Charges 2 (3).

 

Jaguar, tier V

Hit points – 16600. Plating - 10 mm.

Main battery - 5x1 130 mm. Firing range - 12.1 km.

Maximum HE shell damage – 1900. Chance to cause fire – 9%. Maximum AP shell damage - 2300.
Reload time - 6.0 s. 180 degree turn time - 18.0 s. Maximum dispersion - 106 м. HE initial velocity - 725 m/s. AP initial velocity - 725 m/s. Sigma – 2.00.

Torpedo tubes - 2x3 550 mm. Maximum damage - 14833. Range - 9.0 km. Speed - 60 kt. Reload time - 90 s. Launcher 180 degree turn time – 7.2 s. Torpedo detectability - 1.3 km.

Maximum speed - 36 kt. Turning circle radius - 660 m. Rudder shift time – 4.0 s. Surface detectability – 7.2 km. Air detectability – 3.4 km. Detectability after firing main guns in smoke – 2.7 km.

Available consumables:

1 slot - Damage Control Party

Duration time 5 s; Reload time 60 s (40 s).

2 slot - Engine Boost

Duration time 120 s; Maximum speed +20%; Reload time 180 s (120 s); Charges 2 (3).

 

Guepard, tier VI

Hit points – 17200. Plating - 16 mm.

Main battery - 5x1 139 mm. Firing range - 13.0 km.

Maximum HE shell damage – 1400. Chance to cause fire – 9%. Maximum AP shell damage - 2600.
Reload time - 4.8 s. 180 degree turn time - 27.7 s. Maximum dispersion - 113 м. HE initial velocity - 700 m/s. AP initial velocity - 700 m/s. Sigma – 2.00.

Torpedo tubes - 2x3 550 mm. Maximum damage - 14833. Range - 9.0 km. Speed - 60 kt. Reload time - 90 s. Launcher 180 degree turn time – 7.2 s. Torpedo detectability - 1.3 km.

Maximum speed - 36 kt. Turning circle radius - 680 m. Rudder shift time – 4.1 s. Surface detectability – 7.7 km. Air detectability – 3.6 km. Detectability after firing main guns in smoke – 3.1 km.

Available consumables:

1 slot - Damage Control Party

Duration time 5 s; Reload time 60 s (40 s).

2 slot - Main Battery Reload Booster

Duration time 15 s; Main battery recharge time -50%; Reload time 150 s (100 s); Charges 3 (4).

3 slot - Engine Boost

Duration time 180 s; Maximum speed +20%; Reload time 120 s (90 s); Charges 2 (3).

 

Vauquelin, tier VII

Hit points – 16900. Plating - 16 mm.

Main battery - 5x1 139 mm. Firing range - 13.0 km.

Maximum HE shell damage – 1400. Chance to cause fire – 9%. Maximum AP shell damage - 2600.
Reload time - 4.8 s. 180 degree turn time - 27.7 s. Maximum dispersion - 113 м. HE initial velocity - 700 m/s. AP initial velocity - 700 m/s. Sigma – 2.00.

Torpedo tubes - 3x3 550 mm. Maximum damage - 18400. Range - 8.0 km. Speed - 57 kt. Reload time - 90 s. Launcher 180 degree turn time – 7.2 s. Torpedo detectability - 1.2 km.

Maximum speed - 36 kt. Turning circle radius - 670 m. Rudder shift time – 4.0 s. Surface detectability – 7.6 km. Air detectability – 4.4 km. Detectability after firing main guns in smoke – 3.0 km.

1 slot - Damage Control Party

Duration time 5 s; Reload time 60 s (40 s).

2 slot - Main Battery Reload Booster
Duration time 15 s; Main battery recharge time -50%; Reload time 150 s (100 s); Charges 3 (4).

3 slot - Engine Boost

Duration time 180 s; Maximum speed +20%; Reload time 120 s (90 s); Charges 2 (3).

 

Le Fantasque, tier VIII

Hit points – 18500. Plating - 19 mm.

Main battery - 5x1 139 mm. Firing range - 12.8 km.

Maximum HE shell damage – 2000. Chance to cause fire – 10%. Maximum AP shell damage - 2700. Reload time - 5.0 s. 180 degree turn time - 18.0 s. Maximum dispersion - 111 м.

HE initial velocity - 840 m/s. AP initial velocity - 840 m/s. Sigma – 2.00.

Torpedo tubes - 3x3 550 mm. Maximum damage - 18400. Range - 8.0 km. Speed - 75 kt. Reload time - 90 s. Launcher 180 degree turn time – 7.2 s. Torpedo detectability - 1.4 km.

Maximum speed - 43 kt. Turning circle radius - 690 m. Rudder shift time – 4.3 s. Surface detectability – 8.2 km. Air detectability – 4.1 km. Detectability after firing main guns in smoke – 3.3 km.

Available consumables:

1 slot - Damage Control Party

Duration time 5 s; Reload time 60 s (40 s).

2 slot - Main Battery Reload Booster
Duration time 15 s; Main battery recharge time -50%; Reload time 150 s (100 s); Charges 3 (4).

3 slot - Engine Boost

Duration time 180 s; Maximum speed +20%; Reload time 120 s (90 s); Charges 2 (3).

 

Mogador, tier IX

Hit points – 20200. Plating - 19 mm.

Main battery - 4x2 139 mm. Firing range - 13.0 km.

Maximum HE shell damage – 2000. Chance to cause fire – 10%. Maximum AP shell damage - 2700. Reload time - 7.0 s. 180 degree turn time - 18.0 s. Maximum dispersion - 113 м.
HE initial velocity - 840 m/s. AP initial velocity - 840 m/s. Sigma – 2.00.

Torpedo tubes - 4x3 550 mm. Maximum damage - 14833. Range - 9.0 km. Speed - 60 kt. Reload time - 60 s. Launcher 180 degree turn time – 7.2 s. Torpedo detectability - 1.3 km.

Maximum speed - 44 kt. Turning circle radius - 730 m. Rudder shift time – 4.7 s. Surface detectability – 8.1 km. Air detectability – 3.9 km. Detectability after firing main guns in smoke – 3.3 km.

Available consumables:

1 slot - Damage Control Party

Duration time 5 s; Reload time 60 s (40 s).

2 slot - Main Battery Reload Booster
Duration time 15 s; Main battery recharge time -50%; Reload time 150 s (100 s); Charges 3 (4).

3 slot - Engine Boost

Duration time 180 s; Maximum speed +20%; Reload time 120 s (180 s); Charges 2 (3).

 

Kleber, tier X

Hit points – 21900. Plating - 19 mm.

Main battery - 4x2 139 mm. Firing range - 13.6 km.

Maximum HE shell damage – 2000. Chance to cause fire – 10%. Maximum AP shell damage - 2700. Reload time - 7.0 s. 180 degree turn time - 18.0 s. Maximum dispersion - 117 м.
HE initial velocity - 840 m/s. AP initial velocity - 840 m/s. Sigma – 2.00.

Torpedo tubes - 4x3 550 mm. Maximum damage - 18400. Range - 8.0 km. Speed - 75 kt. Reload time - 77 s. Launcher 180 degree turn time – 7.2 s. Torpedo detectability - 1.4 km.
AA sector reinforcement - 50 %, sector reinforcement time - 5 s, sector reinforcement shift time - 5 s.
Maximum speed - 44 kt. Turning circle radius - 740 m. Rudder shift time – 4.8 s. Surface detectability – 8.0 km. Air detectability – 4.3 km. Detectability after firing main guns in smoke – 3.2 km.

Available consumables:

1 slot - Damage Control Party

Duration time 5 s; Reload time 60 s (40 s).

2 slot - Main Battery Reload Booster
Duration time 15 s; Main battery recharge time -50%; Reload time 150 s (100 s); Charges 3 (4).

3 slot - Engine Boost

Duration time 180 s; Maximum speed +20%; Reload time 120 s (90 s); Charges 2 (3).

 

 

[ShinGetsu]

WG...

You KNOW the Terrible is a garbage ship. You KNOW not having heal nor smoke is killing the ship, being fast isn't a protection by itself especially with garbage gun balistic. And you add a whole line of this ?

Ship are already dead.

[ColonelPete]

• the reload booster should have a longer duration
• the shell arcs need to better as they are now (maybe this will be fixed with the announced Le Terrible changes)

Without the second point the ships will not work well.

 

Optional: Better AP angles like Daring/Jutland/UK CL.

[FooFaFie]

I still applaud WG for given each line their own flavor.

 

Are there any plans to change Le Terrible now the Le Fantasque is coming in?

[Verdius]

Low tiers only have speedboost? Nothing else?
 

I am extremely sceptical of the 'national gimmick' here. Especially if the shell arcs are as floaty and they take full BB AP pens without any defensive tools.

[creamgravy]

17 minutes ago, Verdius said:

Low tiers only have speedboost? Nothing else?
 

Tier 4-6 get epic 9km, 60 knot torps that make actual high tier torp boats cry...

 

Unless it's a typo and they're not balanced as long range torp DDs??

[Mr_Glitter]

Shimakaze called me. She wants her torps back 

[piet11111]

1 hour ago, ShinGetsu said:

WG...

You KNOW the Terrible is a garbage ship. You KNOW not having heal nor smoke is killing the ship, being fast isn't a protection by itself especially with garbage gun balistic. And you add a whole line of this ?

Ship are already dead.

 

My thoughts exactly.

Maybe low tiers can be enjoyable but tier 7+ and its just masochist territory.

[Aotearas]

I'm not really seeing much improvement going from the Mogador to the Kleber ... 1,7k more HP,  600m more range, the faster high damage torps (but with 1km less range and ~30% worse reload) and ~100m better concealment.

 

That's not exactly the kind of improvement delta we've come to expect going from a tier IX to the tier X of a line. That's even less improvements than what we'd expect from a stock to upgrade ship. Whilst it's nice to see there won't be another massive performance jump from tier IX to X, it kind of swings to the other side of the pendulum where I have to wonder if those stats are correct or if there's something entirely different that we don't know (yet) that's going to make up the bulk of the tier difference.

 

Overall the progression on the french DDs seems a bit irregular. I presume this is still early in balancing?

 

 

Also oh boy, the turning radii on those frenchies means they're going to be absolutely horrible in brawls as you move up the tiers. These are going to be second line dpm spammers much like the russian gunboats, but I'm sceptical about how much the redistributed HP is going to add to survivability compared to the russian DDs which have access to a heal (or if they so choose: smoke to fire from relative safety).

[Sehales]

1 hour ago, FooFaFie said:

I still applaud WG for given each line their own flavor.

 

Are there any plans to change Le Terrible now the Le Fantasque is coming in?

We are currently testing a buffed version of Le Terrible. We will see... ;)

[Verblonde]

1 hour ago, Aotearas said:

These are going to be second line dpm spammers much like the russian gunboats

So, basically more cruisers, just sans citadel?

[Aotearas]

18 minutes ago, Verblonde said:

So, basically more cruisers, just sans citadel?

Considering that those DDs aparently do not benefit from the 10% AP damage max, one could say they do have the DD equivalent of citadels.

[creamgravy]

36 minutes ago, Verblonde said:

So, basically more cruisers, just sans citadel?

 

4 hours ago, Sehales said:

artillery destroyers with Engine Boost

 

Nope, tier 4-6 are crazy [edited] torp boats.

 

Tier 4 Bourrasque is quite possibly the best torp boat in the game. 5.9km surface detection with 9km, 60 knot torpedoes that have a 1.3km detection?!?!?! [edited] me, I'd be happy with em on any tier 8-10 destroyer, certainly better than the 8km ones on Kleber agasint radar...

[Verblonde]

17 minutes ago, Aotearas said:

Considering that those DDs aparently do not benefit from the 10% AP damage max, one could say they do have the DD equivalent of citadels.

I missed that - one wonders if WG are trying an experiment to see if they can make a collection of ships almost entirely unattractive, to all but the most committed of masochists...?

[Verblonde]

3 minutes ago, creamgravy said:

Tier 4 Bourrasque is quite possibly the best torp boat in the game. 5.9km surface detection with 9km, 60 knot torpedoes that have a 1.3km detection?!?!?!

No way they'll be daft enough to let that past testing, surely? The clubbing would be glorious...!

[Dead_Skin_Mask]

Oh, I was waiting for Mogador for long, but tier IX and no smoke somehow kill my dream :). Didn't expect that ship from 1930's will land on such high tier. But I can see why... it was extremely powerful DD for his times.

[Lupin_sansei]

Wow

 

First of all, good job on the ships. They look fantastic. 

 

I am not sure if they will be fun to play with no smoke or heal at high tier.

 

Comparing the stats with the real ships and models i got some questions, i would like to know, what will be in the game:

- T2 had 2x2 450mm TT (above 550mm TT)

- T8 had 1x3 and 2x2 550mm TT (above 3x3 TT)

- T9 had 2x3 and 2x2 550mm TT (above 4x3 TT) 

 

Thanks wg for a anwser 

[Toivia]

Some very curious irregularities. T7 Vauquelin seems like almost a worse all around ship than the T6 Guépard. You get less HP for 0.1 better stealth and one wing launcher with possibly worse torps. I mean, the torps hit harder, but they are slower and have a shorter reach.

The torp power is overall a very curious stat across the tiers. From Tier 4, you get insane 9km torps and as you get higher in tiers, you keep alternating between 8 and 9km torps with varying ratios of speed and damage. Doesn't feel like much of a progress on many of them.

 

Oh, another stat to notice, the fire chance on the guns seems fairly spicy, particularly since you get the reload booster early on.

 

But, this all hinges on how a DD line without smoke AND without heal works. So far, given Le Terrible as an example, I'm thinking it doesn't.

[Benser33]

Despite the lacking performance I enjoyed play Le Terrible, so I will hope the line is enjoyable. That said, performance will certainly need to be carefully assessed for DDs along the same vein as LT especially being smokeless post-CV rework.

[Wandarra]

Excellent to have the French super-destroyers in game. Beautiful ships forgotten by many. However the intended lack of realism (no smoke, poor torpedoes, 50 knot speed with boosters, etc.) is not only unhistorical but innecessary. Just make them  as they were in reality, with their strenghts and weaknesses.

[Capra76]

The numbers look all over the place to me:

• torpedo range jumps from 6 km to 9 km (at T4!) back down to 8 then 9 then 8 again;
• T4/5 130 mm gun fires as fast as the 100 mm (twice as fast as it could IRL) and does 1,900 HE damage, once you get to T6/7 the 138.6 mm gun does 1,400 damage (less than the 100 mm at T2/3), the same gun on Aigle does 2,000;
• reload time on the guns goes from 5 seconds at T8 to 7s at T9/10;
• torpedo reload is a constant 90s from T3-8 then drops to 60s at T9 before going back up to 77 s at T10;
• T10 looks like pure copy + paste from T9, maybe WG should've tried to find another ship further down the line and push T8/9 up to T9/10?

Obviously there's lots of balancing to come but the numbers as presented don't really tell us anything.

[Hugh_Ruka]

Bye Bye my dear Khabarovsk ... another DD that is pushing you out ...

[ShinGetsu]

Honestly at the same skill level of the players, I wouldn't bet on the current tier 10 Kleber to win against a Jutland or a Kitakaze.

It is so much a poor match to DD with gun DPM+smoke it's actually hilarious. The other DD will outspot the Kleber, turns around, wait for the French to use reload booster and smoke at the exact same time ==> Nothing the French can do about this. Then escapes smoke 15 seconds later and starts outgunning it hilariously.

And in the case of the Jutland it can even get out of the fight while healing.

 

Basically the French DD line needs to suicide inside a cap and potentially inside a smoke to kill the enemy DD. Not a very good trade. And even if it survives the ordeal, it can't pewpewpew from smoke nor count on a heal to pick a fight at longer range.

[Zoya_Ze_Destroya]

Very exciting about this new line. I enjoy a lot playing le Terrible like a light cruiser, and from what I see so far, this line already touch my heart :)

 

Keep going guys!

[invicta2012]

Liking the look of these although V/VI/VII need some work. 

3 hours ago, Toivia said:

T7 Vauquelin seems like almost a worse all around ship than the T6 Guépard. You get less HP for 0.1 better stealth and one wing launcher with possibly worse torps. I mean, the torps hit harder, but they are slower and have a shorter reach.

The drop in HP is correct, Guepard was a larger ship but Vauquelin has better rudder shift and turning circle to compensate. The torpedo thing is a bit weird.... What they could do is to offer the "authentic" torp build with 1 x 3 / 2 x 2 with the Aigle 8/18 torps or a 2 x 3 with the 9/14 ones. 

 

Otherwise, reload speed on the Jaguar is too fast - if she has that ahistorical RoF then she should get the slower 27s Aigle traverse. Guepard and Vauquelin should have the faster traverse and high HE alpha but slower rates of fire, too - make that MBRB really valuable. 

 

As for VIII/IX and X - I would love to see what happens if you division'd up with an RN DD. Fast gun traverse (much faster than Le Terrible), MBRB and what looks like decent gun arcs? I think they would make Atlanta weep.