Destroyer Type 1934 User's Guide

The Ship

The destroyer is modeled after the German Type 1934 class.  Laid down in 1932, the Type 1934 was a response the France and Poland building larger destroyers.  Germany was also limited to a 12 destroyer fleet by the Treaty of Versailles, so the destroyers built were supposed to be bigger and more capable than those of World War I.  The destroyer was plagued with problems due to Germany's inexperience with naval design and construction.  It carried very few depth charges, less ammunition than it's British and French counter-parts, and had a wide turning circle.  The bows on later models were strengthened and designated Type 1934A.

The World War 2 Online destroyer moves at 36.5 knots maximum speed, can carry and unlimited number of infantry passengers, and has a wide variety of armament for both anti-fleet and anti-air actions.  To spawn a destroyer a player must have the rank of Lieutenant or higher in his respective navy.

Crew Positions

Position one is the Captain.  He is responsible for working the destroyer's engine and steering the ship.

Position two is the Lookout.

Position three is the Forward 5 Inch Fire Controller.

Position four is the Forward 20mm Fire Controller.

Position five is the Aft 20mm Fire Controller.

Position six is the 37mm Fire Controller.

Position seven is the After 5 Inch Fire Controller.

Position eight is the Torpedo Fire Controller.

Technical Data

Position 1 - The Captain

The Captain starts the ship's engines by hitting the e key on your keyboard.  After they've been started the transmission is set in the forward gear position by default, but can be changed by hitting the r key.  To change gears the player must use the [ and ] keys.  To increase or decrease your engine's horsepower use your joystick's y-axis (forwards and backwards).  To steer the destroyer to port (left) or starboard (right), use your joystick's x-axis (side-to-side).  Use your number pad on your keyboard to look around in a 300 degree arc.  Hitting the del key on your number pad will give you a view to your rear.  The Ins key on your keyboard's number pad will show you your instruments.  To take infantry aboard your ship the Captain must lower the lifeboats by pressing the o key and then raise them again once they are on.

You'll find these same basic operations for all land and sea units in World War II Online.

Captain's View

Captain's Instrument View

Captain's Rear View

Position 2 - The Lookout

The lookout is stationed on the near the front of the vessel on the bridge.  There is only one lookout, but he can move from port and starboard side by pressing the o key, and has a 360 degree field of view.  You turn the lookout's focus using the joystick and access the lookout's binoculars by pressing the del key on your keyboard's number pad.  The binoculars have a 2x zoom and can see farther than any other position on the ship.

Lookout's View (Port Side)

Lookout's View (Starboard Side)

Position 3 and 7 - Five Inch Fire Controller(s)

The Forward Five-Inch Fire Controller operates the 3 forward-facing five inch guns mounted on the destroyer.  When the player first switches to position 3, the weapons' fire control computer is the first view.  The gauges indicate the guns' traverse and elevation.  The guns are traversed and elevated using the joystick, and their movements are linked together.  

Gun Technical Information

Forward 5 Inch Fire Control Computer

The first two guns (A and B) are at the front of the ship and are fired by hitting the primary fire button or the f key on your keyboard.  The last gun (C) at the ship's midsection is fired by the secondary fire button on your joystick, or by hitting the b button on your keyboard.  Gun position C can only be fired when it's firing arc is clear of obstruction, as indicated on the fire control computer by a red marking in the no-fire zone.

The Aft Five-Inch Fire Controller operates the 2 aft-facing five inch guns mounted on the destroyer.  When the player first switches to position 7, the weapons' fire control computer is the first view.  The gauges indicate the guns' traverse and elevation.  The guns are traversed and elevated using the joystick, and their movements are linked together.

Aft 5 Inch Fire Control Computer

The first gun (D) is at the rear of the ship and is fired by hitting the primary fire button or the f key on your keyboard.  The second gun (E) at the ship's very rear near the stern, is fired by the secondary fire button on your joystick, or by hitting the b button on your keyboard.

The controllers can switch to the optical view by hitting the del key on your keyboard's number pad and there are 2 level of magnification.  Range can be determined by putting the crosshairs on the target and pressing the r key.  The sight's range can be changed by using the page-up and page-down key.  The minimum range setting is 10 meters and the maximum is 3920 meters.  If you cannot see the range indicator, press the ~ to toggle it on or off.

Optical Firing View (magnification level 1)

Position 4 and 5 - 20mm Fire Controller(s)

The Forward 20mm Fire Controller is tasked with directing the fire of 2x 20mm cannons positioned on the side of gun turret B at the front of the ship.  While the controller is perched atop the bridge, the cannons are on the deck.  To fire the port side 20mm cannon use the primary fire button on your joystick or use the f key.  To fire the starboard side 20mm cannon use the secondary fire button on your joystick or use the b key.  Again, the fields of fire for the two guns are sometimes obstructed by the ship's superstructure and will not fire when this is so.  Lastly, the fire controller has an optical zoom with 2x magnification which can be accessed by pressing the del key on your keyboard.

The Aft 20mm Fire Controller controls 2x 20mm cannon placed on a perch near the stern.  These cannons have a much better field of fire than the forward 20mm gun section with a nearly 360 degree valid arc of fire.  To fire the first 20mm cannon use the primary fire button on your joystick or use the f key.  To fire the second 20mm cannon use the secondary fire button on your joystick or use the b key.  Again, the fire controller has an optical zoom with 2x magnification which can be accessed by pressing the del key on your keyboard.

Note: Although the guns have a 360° traverse, they won't fire at some angles to prevent you from hitting your own ship.

Gun Technical Information

Optical Firing View (magnification level 1)

Position 6 - 37mm Fire Controller

The 37mm Fire Controller is tasked with directing the fire of 2x dual 37mm cannons positioned on the side of the smoke stack near the middle of the ship.  To fire the port side dual 37mm cannon use the primary fire button on your joystick or use the f key.  To fire the starboard side dual 37mm cannon use the secondary fire button on your joystick or use the b key.  Again, the fields of fire for the two guns are sometimes obstructed by the ship's superstructure and will not fire when this is so.  Lastly, the fire controller has an optical zoom with 2x magnification which can be accessed by pressing the del key on your keyboard.

Note: Although the guns have a 360° traverse, they won't fire at some angles to prevent you from hitting your own ship.

Gun Technical Information

Optical Firing View (magnification level 1)

Position 8 - Torpedo Fire Controller

Important! The firing computer does not work for Relative Bearing or Angle of Bow settings greater than 90° or less than -90°.  These must be done manually.

The destroyer is equipped with two torpedo launchers with 4x 533cm torpedoes in each.  There are no reloads.  The torpedo tubes can be traversed with the joystick but not elevated.  To fire from the first launcher use the primary fire button on your joystick or the f key on your keyboard.  To fire from the second launcher use the secondary fire button on your joystick or the b key on your keyboard.  Since the superstructure limits the firing arc of the torpedo tubes, its important to know when you can and can't fire your torpedoes.  The forward tubes can fire from in an arc from 32° to 135° and the aft tubes can fire in an arc from 13° to 135°.  Leaving the lifeboats up or down doesn't make a difference, however they limit visibility when firing forward.

Torpedo Launcher Technical Information

Aiming the torpedoes using the provided optics is one of the hardest things you will do in the game and a true mark of a veteran destroyer captain will be one who can put his torpedoes on their mark.  There are no less than 5 different variables to program into the firing computer to get a proper firing solution.

Relative Bearing - This indicates where the target ship is in relation to your own vessel.  For example, the bow of your ship is always 0°, your stern 180°, your starboard side 90°, and your port side 270°.  In World War II Online the torpedo sight has markings that go up to 180° to the port (indicated by a "-" sign on the targeting computer) and starboard side.  In naval terms this is what's called "Green" (starboard) and "Red" (Port).  In the picture below, you'll see the target is at my Green 135°, and so 135° is the relative bearing value.  By pressing the t key I can lock that value into the targeting computer.

Note the targeting computer data on the upper left hand side of your screen.

Angle on Bow - The inverse of relative bearing; it's your position as seen from the target vessel.  Using the same example as above, you are at Red 135° (indicated by a "-" on the targeting computer) from the target's perspective - thus the angle on the bow value is -135°.  Input -135° into the targeting computer using the Ins and Del keys on the keyboard.  If the target ship was turned around 180° and moving to pass behind me, then I would be at it's Green 45°, therefore the angle on the bow would be 45°.

Range - The target's range.  To determine range use the 3 or 7 positions and use the r key when the sight is aligned with the target.  In this case the target range is 650 meters.  I input into the targeting computer using the page-up and page-down keys.

Speed - The target's speed.  There is no way to determine a target's speed except guessing.  To do this you can look at the target ships bow or stern wake, and it helps to know the target ships capabilities.  In this example, the target's speed is 5 knots.  You input the speed into the targeting computer using the home and end keys.

Torpedo Depth - The depth at which you want the torpedo to run.  You can adjust this using the + and - keys on your keyboard's number pad.  Note: Do not set your depth for more than 5 meters or your torpedoes will pass under the enemy ship.

After you plug in all the data, press the u key to get the firing computers solution.  A line will appear on the torpedo sight that indicates where the aiming mark should be when you launch your torpedoes.  After the "fish" are away, it's just a matter of sitting back, crossing your fingers, and hoping the target doesn't zig-zag.

Conclusion

The destroyer can be an extremely powerful weapon, especially if you're engaging targets on the shore unchallenged.  You must always be vigilant of enemy destroyers and bombers that can do real damage.  The general rule is that anything with a caliber of over 37mm can do damage to the destroyer, but it would take an extremely lucky Fairmile captain or tanker to deal a fatal blow to your ship before you destroy him.  The benefits of multi-crewing cannot be expressed enough, and anyone that decides to go it alone is really do himself a disservice.  In closing, the destroyer is easily the most powerful unit on the WWII Online battlefield, and is restricted only by it's need to travel on the sea - thus keeping its guns away from 95% of the towns on the map.

If you're an experienced destroyer captain and have found any mistakes please contact me at: tarrif@hotmail.com