Forrest Sherman Build & Strategy Guide

Forrest Sherman Build

Forrest Sherman is a rapid firing smoke gunboat with amazing SAP firepower, great long range ballistics, and hydro for defense. Slow speed makes her very squishy outside of smoke

This build allows Sherman to support friendly DDs in cap contests, gives her a reasonable chance of fighting stealthier enemy DDs, and allows her to deal good amounts of damage.

If you find yourself lacking the 3rd smoke charge very often, prioritise SI over AR.

You may replace SI with BFT if you don’t find yourself using the 3rd smoke charge often.

If you really lack the extra range, swap reload for range mod until you get enough points for AFT.

The playstyle for the Forrest Sherman can be broken down into the following key strategies:

Cruiser-like Support: In the early game, you should play like a small cruiser, focusing on farming damage from range or providing fire support for friendly destroyers that are contesting capture zones.
Situational Contesting: You can contest a cap if you can use island cover to get within Hydroacoustic Search range of an enemy destroyer.
Radar Awareness: Before committing to a cap, ensure you are not under pressure from enemy radar and that you have a safe exit path.

Distance Management: Because of your excellent ballistics, you can engage enemies at virtually any range. When fighting other destroyers, it is ideal to create distance to give yourself a better chance of dodging their incoming fire.
Avoid Being Overrun: It is critical to ensure you are not caught near an enemy push. Due to your slow speed, you can easily be run over by larger ships.
Open-Water Gunboating: You can farm damage in open water if you are far from the enemy and not under intense focus fire; otherwise, rely on island cover or your smoke.

SAP Primary: Use SAP shells most of the time for their high damage output.
HE for Armor/Fires: Swap to HE when facing heavily angled or armored ships (specifically those with 38+ mm of plating). A common tactic is to use HE to start a fire before switching back to SAP to maximize damage.
Smoke and Hydro: Use your smoke conservatively if you do not have the Superintendent skill. Use your Hydroacoustic Search for defense against torpedoes while in your smoke or when fighting enemy destroyers at point-blank range.

Ambush Tactics: In the late game, look to mop up surviving enemy destroyers by ambushing them around islands.
Dangerous Matchups: Be cautious when engaging Kleber, Vampire II, Ragnar, or Småland, as the Forrest Sherman often struggles in direct duels against these specific ships.