RPF vs Concealment expert

[Hopeless_Guppy]

First of all RPF bugs the crap out of me, especially when trying to become the better DD player,  then right as you l;eave the spawn, hey you've been spotted. Now if you have a 10 point captain say, on any DD, is it best to go for the concealment, or the RPF?

[SSGdoncollier]

Concealment 

[Hopeless_Guppy]

Ok,I guess RPF is for high skill captains then.

 

[Chaos_Umbra]

30 minutes ago, Inappropriate_noob said:

Ok,I guess RPF is for high skill captains then.

 

Yeah you take it as your second 4 point skill (depending on the line your playing), for me it tends to be the last skill I get as I can just use my brain for getting most info, RPF just gives you more information to further your awareness of the tactical situation on the map.

[AnotherDuck]

I tend to always pick RPF if I have points over after picking the absolutely necessary skills, like CE. RPF is a good skill for IJN DDs, less stealthy DD hunters, and stealthy cruisers that don't need IFHE (because if you need that you probably don't have the points).

 

There are only a few of ships I don't pick CE as the fourth skill, and most of those I don't pick it at all. Fun-build Bismarck is one, since I use too many points on secondaries and other stuff. Fuso is another, because lowering concealment to being spotted from the moon without CE to being spotting from orbit with CE doesn't really change much.

[159Hunter]

CE.

Besides, the fact that you show as rpf'd is also valuable information. Combine that with minimap and your teammates position and you should be able to narrow down the location of ship that is rpf'ing you.

[LemonadeWarriorITA]

Just get a 14-point captain and get both. Perhaps CE is a tiny bit more useful...

[MadBadDave]

On a DD always concealment first.

 

Every one of my DDs has RPF (after concealment), whilst it’s undoubtedly useful for a DD, and maybe even a cruiser it takes 4 points and Is kinda of self defeating, in that the enemy knows they’ve been detected, therefore a DD must be in the area.

 

I’d be interested to know how the RPF discussion goes, I.e to RPF or not to ?,

[Jethro_Grey]

I take RPF on all my Survivability Expert specced BBs. 

 

But yeah, CE is mandatory on DDs that aren’t Kleber or Heal-Khaba. 

 

RPF is very useful in ranked/ comp. 

[Migantium_Mashum]

As a DD main concealment, concealment, concealment...... This is your priority as your concealment IS you key weapon against your enemies.

 

Also, an enemy with RL hasn't detected or spotted you he just know your approximate position.. don't fly straight lines and you'll be fine.. every level 14 captain or above I have on my DD's has CE and RL..

 

 

 

[Molly_Delaney]

I prefer RPF over CE at 10 points, because of the psych factor @Inappropriate_noob mentioned

and if I'm detecting something and I can see a red ship 10km away then I know there's something sneaky with torpedoes within range.

 

I just find RPF and then CE works better for my play style.

 

Plus when I'm chasing a red ship while my team-mates cap, the red ship cannot escape detection.

 

YMMV

[Ubertron_X]

Only taking RPF on specific, anti-DD ships (mostly hunter type gunboat DDs but can also be CAs) or in clan wars. I know that many players prefer RPF on torpedo centric DDs (IJN) as a protective measure, however I am specifically not taking RPF on any of my torp boats in order to not telegraph my presence to any otherwise unaware capital ship.

[Altsak]

Bring back RPF exact bearing like it used to be in the PTS! I want to pro-nav red ships.

[N00Boo7]

So  many times i landed torps  with the info got from RPF :) for me is a must BUT after CE and SE. 

 

[MadBadDave]

7 minutes ago, N00Boo7 said:

So  many times i landed torps  with the info got from RPF :) for me is a must BUT after CE and SE. 

 

Ditto, as probably have many RPF users have also, its easier with botes that have long range torps, currently when playing Oland I’m getting near a cap and torpping in the direction of a targets directed position, a lot hit, but as mentioned running RPF does give the opponent the heads up that they’ve been pinged and you’re in the area.

[Migantium_Mashum]

6 minutes ago, MadBadDave said:

Ditto, as probably have many RPF users have also, its easier with botes that have long range torps, currently when playing Oland I’m getting near a cap and torpping in the direction of a targets directed position, a lot hit, but as mentioned running RPF does give the opponent the heads up that they’ve been pinged and you’re in the area.

What RL does give you is the information of an enemy ship being close... it allows you to reassess your strategy. Depending on your DD, on the stage of the game, you either withdraw to come back at a different angle or you charge if you think you can destroy your opponent... example being late in the game where you know a DD has low Health...

I too have had plenty of kills using RL indicators (My best double strike came from an RL based attack when I sank a Shima and Gearing with one full Shima salvo)..

 

When I see the enemy carries RL I never fly in straight lines either as a DD...

[Saltface]

I would take both CE and RL on DDs.

The problem comes (for DDs at least) when you need IFHE.

 

However, RL is a strange skill, as it needs a skilled "player" to really benefit from RL as it is a hard to master skill.

 

It works best when in div and both ships of your div run RL and don't play very close to each other.

Also, RL works miracles when you communicate with your team.

 

I d suggest new players to stick with CE and after they get the CE skill to try to learn how to play with RL. It will change their game level.

 

 

 

 

[Migantium_Mashum]

2 minutes ago, Saltface said:

However, RL is a strange skill, as it needs a skilled "player" to really benefit from RL as it is a hard to master skill.

 

 

It works best when in div and both ships of your div run RL and don't play very close to each other.

Also, RL works miracles when you communicate with your team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to RL my DD games have improved dramatically.... and I am also able to mark ships on the mini map that are trying to sneak through undetected...

[BrusilovX]

As others have posted - a 10 point DD should get CE.   The only exception seems to be the KIev.

 

RL is handy on a DD especially those with slow turret traverse as it should let you have the guns pointed in the right direction before you actually spot the enemy DD.  The only downside is if the closer ship is on one flank and then another one appears closer on the opposite side (as the original one has moved away).

 

On my gunboat IJN DDs I run IFHE and I miss RL then.

[Hopeless_Guppy]

Ok many thanks for this advice folks, so without RPF, or RL as some prefer, how do you counterplay RPF?

[Migantium_Mashum]

19 minutes ago, Inappropriate_noob said:

Ok many thanks for this advice folks, so without RPF, or RL as some prefer, how do you counterplay RPF?

1) If you think the enemy who has RL is a DD look at your concealment and work out the Maximum concealment an enemy DD could have... if their concealment is better retreat because it is better to withdraw and be able to return..

 

2) Have your escape route ready and mapped out in you mind.. If detected/spotted DO NOT TURN TO FLEE.. immediately smoke, stop engines reverse and turn out of the smoke to escape rather than in full view... Use the edges of the smoke opposite to escape as more likely than not torpedoes are coming to your location.. a moving target has a greater chance of escaping.

 

3) Cruisers carry RL too but they are well spotted before you're in any danger...

[Ubertron_X]

46 minutes ago, Inappropriate_noob said:

Ok many thanks for this advice folks, so without RPF, or RL as some prefer, how do you counterplay RPF?

That is very difficult to answer as it depends on a lot of factors:

 

* Are you in a capital ship or a DD?

* Are CVs involved?

* Relative positioning in relation to your own team

* Relative positioning in relation to the enemy team

* Concealment values of the ships involved

* Speed values of the ships involved

* General purpose of the ships involved (a Z-52 RPF'ing a Shima requires different play and counterplay than a Shima RPF'ing a Z-52)

 

Ideally you use your knowledge of his presence against him, i.e. evaluating his approximate position by double-checking last known position, RPF ping and detect status / intervening terrain / camo values is not impossible (he can do this easier though), as are regular changes to course and speed, requesting your CV to spot him, or luring him into a trap by closely passing another ship (2 DDs working together wonders in this regard).

 

Especially in case of radar capable enmies RPF can be most deadly to yourself (especially if their detection range is lower or similar to their radar range).

 

I even had one case of an enemy RPF Khaba charging into an obviously empty cap (apart from his RPF signal) only to find that my own CE Khaba (yes I love freak builds and not being surprised by Minotaurs) having first strike and superior positioning was more than a match (due to the speed the cap was contested after the battle started and the RPF signal on me I knew it could only be the enemy Khaba). To his defense we also had 2 Shimas in our team, so I think he wanted to run down one of those...

[Shaka_D]

A lot of folks no doubt disagree but I use RPF on every ship I have. The intelligence and advantages it gives are highly underrated by far too many people. Time and time again it's saved my bacon and also given me the proverbial high ground on one and one encounters with ships, especially dd's. I would love to see it removed from the game entirely because it removes too much tactical play from dd's, but since it's introduction I've found it a must have skill on all ships. It fits my aggressive playstyle perfectly. There is no debate for me, RPF is a must have, although on a dd is concealment first, followed straight away by RPF.

[lup3s]

2 hours ago, Molly_Delaney said:

I prefer RPF over CE at 10 points, because of the psych factor @Inappropriate_noob mentioned

and if I'm detecting something and I can see a red ship 10km away then I know there's something sneaky with torpedoes within range.

 

I just find RPF and then CE works better for my play style.

 

Plus when I'm chasing a red ship while my team-mates cap, the red ship cannot escape detection.

 

YMMV

 

CE >>>> RPF (for DDs)

 

There's little use in knowing where your closest target is, if you are a outspotted by (half) a mile anyway.

[asalonen]

Concealment Expert is too strong to pass on most ships in game, and almost mandatory at 10 points for any DD. Possibly not Khabarovsk? 

 

I have Radio Location for French and German DD skippers with 19 points. They're ships that excel in hunting enemy DD's, so it suits them well. 

 

I also like the skill in the Baltimore-Buffalo-Des Moines line. But in general it's a very specialized skill for a high price. In randoms the benefits are easily wasted.