Destroyer - Commonwealth Tier VII Haida - Captain & Gunboat Build
- Build focus: A close-range gunboat build for Haida, built around her excellent concealment, fast-firing 120 mm guns, Hydroacoustic Search and Crawling Smoke Generator.
- Playstyle: Haida excels at close-range destroyer engagements. Use her 5.7 km concealment to approach enemy destroyers, then combine Crawling Smoke and Hydroacoustic Search to maintain concealment while avoiding torpedoes and return fire.
- Captain skills: Use the typical gunboat destroyer build. If you prefer RPF (Radio Location), trade Fearless Brawler for RPF to improve anti-destroyer capabilities.
- Upgrade priority: Engine Boost Modification 1 is preferred over the Hydroacoustic Search modification because Haida's Hydroacoustic Search already has a long 180-second duration.
- Crawling Smoke: Haida's Crawling Smoke Generator allows the ship to move while producing smoke. Staying around ¼ speed keeps Haida inside her smoke, while speeds above approximately 12.5 knots can cause the ship to outrun the smoke screen.
- Captain sharing: This build can also be shared with Vampire II, although a dedicated build is more optimal for each ship.
- Upgrade alternative: If you do not have the Engine Boost Modification 1 upgrade, use Engine Room Protection (ERP) instead.
- Applies to: VII Haida.
Haida is a Tier VII Commonwealth premium destroyer that combines excellent concealment with strong destroyer-killing firepower, Hydroacoustic Search and a Crawling Smoke Generator. Her 5.7 km concealment makes her particularly dangerous at close range, allowing her to approach enemy destroyers before opening fire and then use her consumables to control the engagement.
The recommended setup is the typical gunboat destroyer build. Haida's six 120 mm guns reload every 5 seconds, giving her strong damage-per-minute potential. Her main weakness is the poor ballistics of her shells, which makes the close-range playstyle especially important. Closing the distance allows the guns to be used more consistently while reducing the time opponents have to react.
Haida's Crawling Smoke Generator is central to the build. Unlike conventional smoke, it allows Haida to continue moving while creating a smoke screen. Moving at approximately one-quarter speed keeps the ship within the smoke, while going faster than roughly 12.5 knots can cause Haida to outrun the smoke she is generating. Use this mechanic to remain concealed while continuing to fire and reposition.
Hydroacoustic Search complements the Crawling Smoke Generator by detecting nearby ships and torpedoes. Haida's Hydro lasts 180 seconds, so the Hydroacoustic Search modification is less important than Engine Boost Modification 1. The combination of Hydro and crawling smoke allows Haida to pressure enemy destroyers without relying on blind firing or taking unnecessary torpedo hits.
For an even stronger anti-destroyer setup, replace Fearless Brawler with Radio Location (RPF). RPF provides additional information about the direction of the nearest enemy ship and works particularly well with Haida's low concealment and close-range ambush role.