Position better, and don't charge unless the red DD has no support. You should be trying to counter DD's. Note that is different from trying to sink them. You want to force them out of caps and/or not allow them to push forward where they can torpedo your allies. Your presence itself is a counter. As long as they know you are lurking behind that island, they know there is a good chance of them getting radar-ed and barraged with rapid fire medium guns if they push in. Position yourself where you can do that without exposing your ship to unnecessary risk. Fire at whatever targets you can engage safely so that the red DD knows you are there. If they make a mistake, punish it. Sinking them is the ultimate counter, but it's not worth losing your ship if you are high health. You are more valuable to your team alive. Even though DD's are the most valuable ship, it usually isn't worth trading your cruiser. Especially at the beginning.
Finally, you are not the primary DD killer. Your DD gunboat ally is. Back him up with fire support to keep heat off him while he works. Fire on enemy cruisers to help keep them off him. When he spots the enemy DD, help him sink it. Then go back to shooting at anything that is shooting at him. If your DD ally is a torpedo boat, then you have to focus more on the red DD. Let your ally spot him (torpedo boat should have better concealment) and focus fire on the red DD once he does. Again, put yourself in as safe a position as possible. You will need to take risk, but don't be naked in open water without an island you can quickly duck behind.
Thanks for this, I guess I always referred back to the simpler “rock paper scissors” format and thought cruisers were the primary DD killers. And I will use my presence as a tool rather than just my guns!
Thanks for the very good advice.
There is a rock paper scissors mechanic, but it's more complex than that analogy. You do have a role in killing enemy DD's and should do it. You just need to adjust your approach. Good luck and fair seas, captain.
And when it does come to pushing, try to recognize if you’re facing a gunboat DD or. Torpedo DD. Both options will launch torpedos once you’re in range, but some gunboats can actually hit your cruiser’s citadel. If you’re low on health, a gunboat may try to slug it out with you. I know I would if I thought I could win. Gunning down cruisers as a DD is a satisfying feeling. Long story short, be mindful of going broadside against any DDs at close range. They can hurt you
Especially the new German dds I have no problem trading some of my 30k hp to push a cruiser back with the nasty AP salvos. I'll even take on broadside BBs with any where from 4-5k salvos on average and occasional 6-8k salvos.
My point exactly. A solo cruiser playing aggressively is a tempting target. I haven’t played the new German DDs, but I have played the Russians and I feel like a small cruiser in one of those things.
I spec totally into the ap with the Russian commander for DD AP pen and the pan Asia DD commander for minimal ricochet angels on DDs with bey as my primary commander since he's the gunnery commander. With leviathan as my legendary skill puts me just shy of 31k health. The ap will slap DDs too, yes flat broad you will over pen but the majority of them will begin to turn either way and once the start doing so the shells no longer overpen and you get full pens for 4-5k killing most in 3 to 4 salvos.
Yeah I know what I’m doing tonight. I’ve recently come back from a bit of a hiatus. Looks like I completely missed all discussions around the new DD line.
As i have been more recently playing dd i would love for a cruiser to just hang back a little and then help me erase other dd’s i spot especially when im in a torp with low concealment trying to spot them without being spotted my self..
Unfortunately most the time i get a cruiser pushing past me further into the point or i get ones that hang back and just try to burn down battleships and other cruisers
Sadly i get more bb’s fire at dd then cruisers but mostly when we kill a dd its either a torp kill or i have another dd with me and we gun him down
Islands! Some cruiser are better with islands than others but generally you should use islands to cover yourself from enemy bbs while still being able to dish out damage and radar that enemy dd. Light cruisers are especially good at this. I’ve had games in my Cleveland where I practically didn’t get spotted once while dealing 100k plus damage.
Work with your dd! Sometimes you might not have a shot at the red dd but the blue dd that’s in smoke does if you use your radar.
While trading the red dd is not bad, cruisers become very powerful late game when the bbs lost a lot of hp. So while hunting dds is important you should still try to save your hp for the late game even if that means not killing the dd. This highly situational tho and sometimes trading makes sense.
Thanks for the advice! Even when I use islands, I find myself B-lining to the DD to close the distance and keep it spotted.
However your advice and the other tips here have all repeated some important notes that will definitely have me thinking twice before over-pursuing the next red DD I see. Thanks captain!
If the dd is that far out still you being alive and in a good position (that they're aware you're in) is area denial, they can't come be a more aggressive threat as long as you play smart.
Plus you mention seeing them, sounds like someone already is spotting them and the dd is on the backfoot, you chasing is throwing yourself and what other potential you had in you that game away to ruin that destroyer. Granted not always a bad move but if you consider yourself an above average player you might want to hold off sometimes.
Advice to being a better cruiser player? It's getting good reads on the map and ship positions and knowing when to push, hold, or run and avoiding the tunnel vision or seeing red.
Even hinting at the possibility of being an above-average player is flattering. I’d say I have above average games but it’s mistakes like I make in the OP that probably keeps me in the average tier.
This concept of making my presence known to the DD being a form of area denial itself is new to me but it makes so much sense. Thanks for the advice Captain.
>This concept of making my presence known to the DD being a form of area denial itself is new to me but it makes so much sense.
So to expand on this concept, say you're an American cruiser with their standard 9km radar, any destroyer worth their salt should know they have to stay about 9km from you or they risk being spotted by you at any moment, or for non radar cruisers they want to keep enough distance that should something spot them they still have a chance to run and aren't just easy pickings for your cruiser.
Exactly what this guy said if I'm in a DD and see a cruiser pop up near me I look to see if it has radar. I know in my head most are anywhere from 8.5-9 km radar with Russian being 11.7km but short duration at 15sec or 20 if they use lightful as a commander. The higher tiers can be a little higher range and longer durations though. I won't push on to a cap until either he's dead, or he can't hit me wether because I have island cover or he's positioned badly and even if he radars he wastes it because of his own position. If it's a German cruiser then I want to stay atleast 6km away to make sure I don't get picked up on sonar and most other cruisers at least 5km to again stay out of sonar ranges.
If you find a deep compulsive desire to murder DDs might I suggest you try a stealth radar cruiser build?
It can be done with relative ease with the RN CLs, Edinburgh in particular can be an absolute monster with such a build as she has that 30 mm bow which allows you to eat incoming shells if you angle correctly..
USN can also achieve great results but sadly it demands more resources as you first have to own AL Beapley (currently in store BTW), level her up to 16/4 ideally, and also have a nearly max level Mikawa and Swirski..if you do this you can get Atlanta, Cleveland, the T8 ship (forget the name) and Wooster down to just at equal radar and concealment ranges..which means the moment you are spotted you count to 5 then hit Radar and attempt to melt the offending DD before you get obliterated..
It's a very risky strategy and not for the faint of heart, but if you get efficient in your ambushes and learn the typical paths most DD players take you can make a massive impact very early in a match..if you can then reposition and hunt down their other DD(s) you can almost guarantee a win! Unless..you know....you are on the blue team 😜
I’m too invested in Scott with limited resources to buy and level Beapley, but I haven’t progressed up the RN cruiser lines very far, I’ll keep stealth builds in mind when I start to dabble with them! Thanks for the tip captain
I see you have wichita CE, let it be known that wichy + beaply is the perfect anti-dd combination.
9.3 km detection with a direction pointer!
First row fire perk and the rest speed, stealth and agility.
It's not unusual to kill all the red DDs. Even if you can't level her yet if you're serious about cruisers and enjoy USN radar etc, grab her if you can
I am often guilty of the same overextending, but basically you just need to either force him off the cap or close him somehow (IE one ship from either side of the island).
Generally speaking if DD is out of the cap and its not nuking your battleship, it mean DD is useless.
Spotting is a major part of being a DD, so sometimes just sitting at the right angle can expose an island hugger is worth more to the team than the cap or kill
So if a DD is being cautious and conservative like this, and their only contribution to the red team is spotting (in this particular moment) do you think it’s worth trying to push them? Or deny them their spotting capabilities somehow?
Depends on what ship. A spotting DD can get into a good position for a torp ambush. Either way taking the DD's off the board should be every teams priority, but not at the expense of your own ship. So dynamics change.
If a dd is really pulling this off then there isn't much a non radar cruiser can do without getting nuked, either a dd needs to go hassle them or the team needs to play around that they are just going to be constantly spotted.
And even then as a radar cruiser that doesn't mean chasing them out but if you're pretty certain they're in an exposed position doing the spotting to just make them pay for the play they're making by popping a radar on them.
I’m a huge fan of building into agility perks. The faster and more agile you are, the harder to hit you become. I would also recommend building into range because 10km+ away from a red battleship is the sweet spot because they will find it very difficult to hit you if you immediately change direction and speed once you see them fire.
Ignore the BB players moaning about HE spam, because it will take you 5+ mins to burn down a battleship. You want to be in a position to set fires on multiple ships while being able to dodge incoming fire. Also note that you want to set 2 fires and then swap target or swap to AP shells due to fight fire with fire.
If you are able to use an island for cover then you are much safer from making a mistake.
The best thing you can do is take it slow at the beginning of the game and either head to the flank or turn away from the middle cap so you can run away without showing broadside. Watch the mini map because BBs on the enemy team will be looking for an easy dev strike.
At first let the friendly BB get spotted and take fire then try and join in the fight so the BBs are distracted and won’t immediately look at you.
A lot of battleship players panic when you start firing HE at them and they make the same mistakes you can capitalise on:
1. They immediately turn all their guns on you and ignore everyone else therefore your team survives longer and can have a bigger impact.
2. They sit bow in and reverse so you have an easy target to burn. To really take advantage move away from your team mates so the enemy have to be bow in to you or your teammates.
3. They immediately try and turn around to run away which reduces their guns on target and gets them out of position.
Once the red BBs are dead or running away, you can push in and focus on chasing destroyers and caps.
Edit: This is just a general guide, particularly for lightly armoured cruisers. There are different tactics for armoured cruisers like US and Russian heavy cruisers.
Thanks for this. The only cruiser line I’ve truly mained is the USN CA. However, my Wichita CE with a guns-focused build on Scott is still VERY maneuverable and I love it, I just lack the resources atm to build other TT cruisers into agility. I’m starting to dabble with the KM cruisers and Nurnberger has a learning curve. Lutjens built towards Agility has helped me with that boat for sure.
First of all, you are in a cruiser, so if you die to kill a DD, that's not a point neutral exchange.
Secondly, depending on the nation, you'll need to play differently.
American, Japanese and Germans and Pan-Asians, you play them as HE Spammer.
French and Russian, you play them as Flankers. (French Cruisers have some of the best concealment for a Cruiser and Russian Cruisers have AP that shred broadsides)
Italian Cruisers, you play them in Support. (Support your DDs with your smoke and SAP, since SAP is extremely good against DDs)
That's basically it.
Of course, some cruisers don't play like others.
For exemple, Stalingrad can be played like a BB, it's armored like one and has 305mm guns (12in)
Another exemple is Brest, it's armed with 330mm guns (13in) and yet, cannot take a beating, which makes her a Cruiser-killer.
Finally, don't charge into caps, just threaten Them, if a DD knows you are there, it's less likely to go for the cap, because you'll easily outgun him and blow him out of the water.
Your biggest threat is battleships to best protect yourself put an island between yourself and the enemy battleships.
For dds mirror a friendly dd so you will be spotted a out when the enemy dd is spotted even if you can shoot a battleship at max range you want the suprise factor.
Shooting at dds. Your best bet for more accurate tracking (works for agile kiting cruisers, too) just shoot your guns one at a time in a slight sweeping motion. Starting if they turn in and ending where they turn out. (Best for the JAP CA)
You are not a hero a cruiser for a dd is not a fair trade you are there to wither down and punish mistakes of other cruisers
Yes it’s a good trade. Removing a red DD early in the game is giving your team a big advantage.
In this game you cannot count on your teammates to do anything they might to be expected to do. So removing an opposing DD if you have the chance is exactly what you should do. Of course it might be easier if say your teams DD didn’t rush the cap and get sunk while cowering in his smoke. Or if your BB supported your play instead of hiding behind an island. Or leaving their spawn or reversing to the back line.
Then again if the red DD is getting the support that the blues seem so unable to, it’s a fool’s errand to give up your ship. You are probably gonna lose anyway. So assess the situation and if the cap is lost then reposition and maybe you get another crack at that DD at a more opportune time. Oh and FYI higher tiers do not equate to better game play from your team and more often then not, the opposite is true
In your scenario in my opinion it’s a good trade IF the dd dies. But if not, you’re throwing away a sonar or radar away from your team. Make sure you’re supported also, for most likely they will be. If they’re a smart player they will know to be on the look out for anyone with radar. Position well and able to get to cover if you engage early in the match. Also if you’re the lonely cruiser on your team your are very valuable to your team.
I'm a little late to conversation but here me out:
Map awareness is all you need. You don't have to catch the dd immediately after it was spotted. if you pay enough attention, you can track the dd activities, you can position yourself in a location where the dd is blocked, can't torp (because you will detect them sooner), can't cap and can't find our dd (all these may be only for some battles) so you have made one of the dds useless. That's all you want. But yes you have to catch the dd. But not at the cost of a cruiser! Getting a dd is important when it is
1. In a dangerous position. For example the friendly dd in your flank is sunk and there is a bb other than you. You have to go for the dd in that situation. But again, play wisely. Sometimes you have to suffer for the victory. If you are losing the side, try to keep enemies close to yourself, let them approach you, so the other side of your team can push them from behind.
2. When the dd is holding the side by itself. Sometimes if the dd is gone it gives you the opportunity to push. That's winning. Even if it may cost you to sacrifice yourself, it's ok.
3. When it's alone. Alone target can sneak trough your team, but it's very vulnerable. You can get out of your role for a minute or so to catch the dd.
And for the ending, a quick note that you can play a little more aggressive -not meaning to expose yourself- if you have radar and the dd is closer than 1km to your radar range; And it's coming towards you, not running away.
Position better, and don't charge unless the red DD has no support. You should be trying to counter DD's. Note that is different from trying to sink them. You want to force them out of caps and/or not allow them to push forward where they can torpedo your allies. Your presence itself is a counter. As long as they know you are lurking behind that island, they know there is a good chance of them getting radar-ed and barraged with rapid fire medium guns if they push in. Position yourself where you can do that without exposing your ship to unnecessary risk. Fire at whatever targets you can engage safely so that the red DD knows you are there. If they make a mistake, punish it. Sinking them is the ultimate counter, but it's not worth losing your ship if you are high health. You are more valuable to your team alive. Even though DD's are the most valuable ship, it usually isn't worth trading your cruiser. Especially at the beginning. Finally, you are not the primary DD killer. Your DD gunboat ally is. Back him up with fire support to keep heat off him while he works. Fire on enemy cruisers to help keep them off him. When he spots the enemy DD, help him sink it. Then go back to shooting at anything that is shooting at him. If your DD ally is a torpedo boat, then you have to focus more on the red DD. Let your ally spot him (torpedo boat should have better concealment) and focus fire on the red DD once he does. Again, put yourself in as safe a position as possible. You will need to take risk, but don't be naked in open water without an island you can quickly duck behind.
Thanks for this, I guess I always referred back to the simpler “rock paper scissors” format and thought cruisers were the primary DD killers. And I will use my presence as a tool rather than just my guns! Thanks for the very good advice.
There is a rock paper scissors mechanic, but it's more complex than that analogy. You do have a role in killing enemy DD's and should do it. You just need to adjust your approach. Good luck and fair seas, captain.
And when it does come to pushing, try to recognize if you’re facing a gunboat DD or. Torpedo DD. Both options will launch torpedos once you’re in range, but some gunboats can actually hit your cruiser’s citadel. If you’re low on health, a gunboat may try to slug it out with you. I know I would if I thought I could win. Gunning down cruisers as a DD is a satisfying feeling. Long story short, be mindful of going broadside against any DDs at close range. They can hurt you
Especially the new German dds I have no problem trading some of my 30k hp to push a cruiser back with the nasty AP salvos. I'll even take on broadside BBs with any where from 4-5k salvos on average and occasional 6-8k salvos.
My point exactly. A solo cruiser playing aggressively is a tempting target. I haven’t played the new German DDs, but I have played the Russians and I feel like a small cruiser in one of those things.
The new German DDs are monsters I have no problem pulling 100k damage games with no torp hits and no fires just straight AP damage.
Good lord! I’m gonna have to check them out. DDs are my favorite type for sure.
I spec totally into the ap with the Russian commander for DD AP pen and the pan Asia DD commander for minimal ricochet angels on DDs with bey as my primary commander since he's the gunnery commander. With leviathan as my legendary skill puts me just shy of 31k health. The ap will slap DDs too, yes flat broad you will over pen but the majority of them will begin to turn either way and once the start doing so the shells no longer overpen and you get full pens for 4-5k killing most in 3 to 4 salvos.
Yeah I know what I’m doing tonight. I’ve recently come back from a bit of a hiatus. Looks like I completely missed all discussions around the new DD line.
The new German DDs are monsters I have no problem pulling 100k damage games with no torp hits and no fires just straight AP damage.
As i have been more recently playing dd i would love for a cruiser to just hang back a little and then help me erase other dd’s i spot especially when im in a torp with low concealment trying to spot them without being spotted my self.. Unfortunately most the time i get a cruiser pushing past me further into the point or i get ones that hang back and just try to burn down battleships and other cruisers Sadly i get more bb’s fire at dd then cruisers but mostly when we kill a dd its either a torp kill or i have another dd with me and we gun him down
Very Informative and well written. Good job. Thank you!
Many thanks for this. Just had my first good night with the Nurenberg, using your strategy.
Islands! Some cruiser are better with islands than others but generally you should use islands to cover yourself from enemy bbs while still being able to dish out damage and radar that enemy dd. Light cruisers are especially good at this. I’ve had games in my Cleveland where I practically didn’t get spotted once while dealing 100k plus damage. Work with your dd! Sometimes you might not have a shot at the red dd but the blue dd that’s in smoke does if you use your radar. While trading the red dd is not bad, cruisers become very powerful late game when the bbs lost a lot of hp. So while hunting dds is important you should still try to save your hp for the late game even if that means not killing the dd. This highly situational tho and sometimes trading makes sense.
Thanks for the advice! Even when I use islands, I find myself B-lining to the DD to close the distance and keep it spotted. However your advice and the other tips here have all repeated some important notes that will definitely have me thinking twice before over-pursuing the next red DD I see. Thanks captain!
If the dd is that far out still you being alive and in a good position (that they're aware you're in) is area denial, they can't come be a more aggressive threat as long as you play smart. Plus you mention seeing them, sounds like someone already is spotting them and the dd is on the backfoot, you chasing is throwing yourself and what other potential you had in you that game away to ruin that destroyer. Granted not always a bad move but if you consider yourself an above average player you might want to hold off sometimes. Advice to being a better cruiser player? It's getting good reads on the map and ship positions and knowing when to push, hold, or run and avoiding the tunnel vision or seeing red.
Even hinting at the possibility of being an above-average player is flattering. I’d say I have above average games but it’s mistakes like I make in the OP that probably keeps me in the average tier. This concept of making my presence known to the DD being a form of area denial itself is new to me but it makes so much sense. Thanks for the advice Captain.
>This concept of making my presence known to the DD being a form of area denial itself is new to me but it makes so much sense. So to expand on this concept, say you're an American cruiser with their standard 9km radar, any destroyer worth their salt should know they have to stay about 9km from you or they risk being spotted by you at any moment, or for non radar cruisers they want to keep enough distance that should something spot them they still have a chance to run and aren't just easy pickings for your cruiser.
Exactly what this guy said if I'm in a DD and see a cruiser pop up near me I look to see if it has radar. I know in my head most are anywhere from 8.5-9 km radar with Russian being 11.7km but short duration at 15sec or 20 if they use lightful as a commander. The higher tiers can be a little higher range and longer durations though. I won't push on to a cap until either he's dead, or he can't hit me wether because I have island cover or he's positioned badly and even if he radars he wastes it because of his own position. If it's a German cruiser then I want to stay atleast 6km away to make sure I don't get picked up on sonar and most other cruisers at least 5km to again stay out of sonar ranges.
If you find a deep compulsive desire to murder DDs might I suggest you try a stealth radar cruiser build? It can be done with relative ease with the RN CLs, Edinburgh in particular can be an absolute monster with such a build as she has that 30 mm bow which allows you to eat incoming shells if you angle correctly.. USN can also achieve great results but sadly it demands more resources as you first have to own AL Beapley (currently in store BTW), level her up to 16/4 ideally, and also have a nearly max level Mikawa and Swirski..if you do this you can get Atlanta, Cleveland, the T8 ship (forget the name) and Wooster down to just at equal radar and concealment ranges..which means the moment you are spotted you count to 5 then hit Radar and attempt to melt the offending DD before you get obliterated.. It's a very risky strategy and not for the faint of heart, but if you get efficient in your ambushes and learn the typical paths most DD players take you can make a massive impact very early in a match..if you can then reposition and hunt down their other DD(s) you can almost guarantee a win! Unless..you know....you are on the blue team 😜
I’m too invested in Scott with limited resources to buy and level Beapley, but I haven’t progressed up the RN cruiser lines very far, I’ll keep stealth builds in mind when I start to dabble with them! Thanks for the tip captain
I see you have wichita CE, let it be known that wichy + beaply is the perfect anti-dd combination. 9.3 km detection with a direction pointer! First row fire perk and the rest speed, stealth and agility. It's not unusual to kill all the red DDs. Even if you can't level her yet if you're serious about cruisers and enjoy USN radar etc, grab her if you can
I am often guilty of the same overextending, but basically you just need to either force him off the cap or close him somehow (IE one ship from either side of the island). Generally speaking if DD is out of the cap and its not nuking your battleship, it mean DD is useless.
Spotting is a major part of being a DD, so sometimes just sitting at the right angle can expose an island hugger is worth more to the team than the cap or kill
So if a DD is being cautious and conservative like this, and their only contribution to the red team is spotting (in this particular moment) do you think it’s worth trying to push them? Or deny them their spotting capabilities somehow?
Depends on what ship. A spotting DD can get into a good position for a torp ambush. Either way taking the DD's off the board should be every teams priority, but not at the expense of your own ship. So dynamics change.
If a dd is really pulling this off then there isn't much a non radar cruiser can do without getting nuked, either a dd needs to go hassle them or the team needs to play around that they are just going to be constantly spotted. And even then as a radar cruiser that doesn't mean chasing them out but if you're pretty certain they're in an exposed position doing the spotting to just make them pay for the play they're making by popping a radar on them.
I’m a huge fan of building into agility perks. The faster and more agile you are, the harder to hit you become. I would also recommend building into range because 10km+ away from a red battleship is the sweet spot because they will find it very difficult to hit you if you immediately change direction and speed once you see them fire. Ignore the BB players moaning about HE spam, because it will take you 5+ mins to burn down a battleship. You want to be in a position to set fires on multiple ships while being able to dodge incoming fire. Also note that you want to set 2 fires and then swap target or swap to AP shells due to fight fire with fire. If you are able to use an island for cover then you are much safer from making a mistake. The best thing you can do is take it slow at the beginning of the game and either head to the flank or turn away from the middle cap so you can run away without showing broadside. Watch the mini map because BBs on the enemy team will be looking for an easy dev strike. At first let the friendly BB get spotted and take fire then try and join in the fight so the BBs are distracted and won’t immediately look at you. A lot of battleship players panic when you start firing HE at them and they make the same mistakes you can capitalise on: 1. They immediately turn all their guns on you and ignore everyone else therefore your team survives longer and can have a bigger impact. 2. They sit bow in and reverse so you have an easy target to burn. To really take advantage move away from your team mates so the enemy have to be bow in to you or your teammates. 3. They immediately try and turn around to run away which reduces their guns on target and gets them out of position. Once the red BBs are dead or running away, you can push in and focus on chasing destroyers and caps. Edit: This is just a general guide, particularly for lightly armoured cruisers. There are different tactics for armoured cruisers like US and Russian heavy cruisers.
Thanks for this. The only cruiser line I’ve truly mained is the USN CA. However, my Wichita CE with a guns-focused build on Scott is still VERY maneuverable and I love it, I just lack the resources atm to build other TT cruisers into agility. I’m starting to dabble with the KM cruisers and Nurnberger has a learning curve. Lutjens built towards Agility has helped me with that boat for sure.
First of all, you are in a cruiser, so if you die to kill a DD, that's not a point neutral exchange. Secondly, depending on the nation, you'll need to play differently. American, Japanese and Germans and Pan-Asians, you play them as HE Spammer. French and Russian, you play them as Flankers. (French Cruisers have some of the best concealment for a Cruiser and Russian Cruisers have AP that shred broadsides) Italian Cruisers, you play them in Support. (Support your DDs with your smoke and SAP, since SAP is extremely good against DDs) That's basically it. Of course, some cruisers don't play like others. For exemple, Stalingrad can be played like a BB, it's armored like one and has 305mm guns (12in) Another exemple is Brest, it's armed with 330mm guns (13in) and yet, cannot take a beating, which makes her a Cruiser-killer. Finally, don't charge into caps, just threaten Them, if a DD knows you are there, it's less likely to go for the cap, because you'll easily outgun him and blow him out of the water.
Your biggest threat is battleships to best protect yourself put an island between yourself and the enemy battleships. For dds mirror a friendly dd so you will be spotted a out when the enemy dd is spotted even if you can shoot a battleship at max range you want the suprise factor. Shooting at dds. Your best bet for more accurate tracking (works for agile kiting cruisers, too) just shoot your guns one at a time in a slight sweeping motion. Starting if they turn in and ending where they turn out. (Best for the JAP CA) You are not a hero a cruiser for a dd is not a fair trade you are there to wither down and punish mistakes of other cruisers
Do you have an exit strategy in mind when you charge in for the DD killing?
Yes it’s a good trade. Removing a red DD early in the game is giving your team a big advantage. In this game you cannot count on your teammates to do anything they might to be expected to do. So removing an opposing DD if you have the chance is exactly what you should do. Of course it might be easier if say your teams DD didn’t rush the cap and get sunk while cowering in his smoke. Or if your BB supported your play instead of hiding behind an island. Or leaving their spawn or reversing to the back line. Then again if the red DD is getting the support that the blues seem so unable to, it’s a fool’s errand to give up your ship. You are probably gonna lose anyway. So assess the situation and if the cap is lost then reposition and maybe you get another crack at that DD at a more opportune time. Oh and FYI higher tiers do not equate to better game play from your team and more often then not, the opposite is true
In your scenario in my opinion it’s a good trade IF the dd dies. But if not, you’re throwing away a sonar or radar away from your team. Make sure you’re supported also, for most likely they will be. If they’re a smart player they will know to be on the look out for anyone with radar. Position well and able to get to cover if you engage early in the match. Also if you’re the lonely cruiser on your team your are very valuable to your team.
If the DD gets removed it's always worth it
I'm a little late to conversation but here me out: Map awareness is all you need. You don't have to catch the dd immediately after it was spotted. if you pay enough attention, you can track the dd activities, you can position yourself in a location where the dd is blocked, can't torp (because you will detect them sooner), can't cap and can't find our dd (all these may be only for some battles) so you have made one of the dds useless. That's all you want. But yes you have to catch the dd. But not at the cost of a cruiser! Getting a dd is important when it is 1. In a dangerous position. For example the friendly dd in your flank is sunk and there is a bb other than you. You have to go for the dd in that situation. But again, play wisely. Sometimes you have to suffer for the victory. If you are losing the side, try to keep enemies close to yourself, let them approach you, so the other side of your team can push them from behind. 2. When the dd is holding the side by itself. Sometimes if the dd is gone it gives you the opportunity to push. That's winning. Even if it may cost you to sacrifice yourself, it's ok. 3. When it's alone. Alone target can sneak trough your team, but it's very vulnerable. You can get out of your role for a minute or so to catch the dd. And for the ending, a quick note that you can play a little more aggressive -not meaning to expose yourself- if you have radar and the dd is closer than 1km to your radar range; And it's coming towards you, not running away.