Harugumo Line (Gunboat DDs)- Standard build
- Harugumo line DDs are firepower heavy gunboats with excellent HE DPM and hard hitting torpedoes. Poor maneuverability and floaty shells makes them tricky to use
- This is a general purpose build that allows IJN gunboats to both support friendly DDs in cap contests and effectively farm larger enemy ships
- Use the 12km torpedo option, 8km torps are too short range to be effective
- If you want even more firepower at the expense of risking your engine and rudder, swap LS for DE.
- Trade BFT for SI if you need the extra smoke for late game farming
- If you don’t have the Engine boost mod, use ERP.
- A Suzuki captain is a decent option for all IJN DDs due to his improved SE skill
- Suzuki can be purchased in the armory for 1,500 doubloons or 35k coal
- Applies to Harekaze (100mm gun hull), Akizuki, Kitakaze and Harugumo. Minekaze, Hatsuharu, and Shiratsuyu play like the IJN Torp DDs, see Shimakaze for their build
Strategy Guide
The Harugumo is a firepower-heavy gunboat primarily categorized as a DPS-type destroyer. Its playstyle revolves around maximizing its "best-in-class firepower" and high HE penetration to deal massive amounts of damage, rather than focusing on early-game objective contesting.
Core Playstyle: The Damage Dealer
The Harugumo's primary role is to act as a damage dealer, flanker, and disruptor. Unlike universal destroyers, you should generally stay away from capture zones in the early game if possible.
- Positioning: In the early stages of a match, focus on providing fire support to friendly destroyers who are capping or dealing chip damage to enemy cruisers and battleships on the flanks.
- Engagement Priority: Look to deal damage from the safety of island cover first, then from smoke. Resort to open-water gunboating only when engaging in a 1v1 at a comfortable range, as the ship is "large and unwieldy" by destroyer standards.
- Engagement Distances:
- Against Destroyers: The optimal range is 6–10 km because shell ballistics become "floaty" beyond 10 km.
- Against Larger Ships: It is safer to engage at distances beyond 10 km when in open water to allow room for dodging, given the ship's poor maneuverability.
Weaponry and Tactical Use
- HE vs. AP Shells: While the ship has excellent HE DPM and 30 mm of base HE penetration, you should swap to AP when fighting broadside enemy destroyers or lightly armored cruisers and battleships at close range. This can increase your damage output by approximately 50%.
- Torpedo Strategy: The Harugumo features hard-hitting torpedoes and access to a Torpedo Reload Booster (TRB). You should always use the 12 km torpedo option, as the 8 km variant is too short to be effective for such a large ship. Torpedoes are best used for ambushes or when an enemy is pushing directly toward your position.
- Consumable Management: Use Engine Boost to reposition, escape smoke quickly, or aid in open-water gunboating. When using smoke, always ensure you are angled against the likely direction of incoming torpedoes and be wary of submarines, which can use blind pings to flush you out.
Mastering the Ship's Weaknesses
Despite its offensive power, the Harugumo suffers from poor maneuverability and a large hull, making it a "tricky" ship to use. Success depends on high trigger discipline and careful pathing to ensure you can disengage from unfavorable fights. In the mid-to-late game, once the enemy numbers have thinned, you can transition into a duelist role and consider capturing objectives if it is safe to do so.