How Surface Combat Works Against Other Surface Vessels | Cold Waters Tactics w/ DotMod

One of the features of DotMod is the ability to play as surface ships, not just submarines. In this custom mission, we set up a Ticonderoga-class CG against a single Kotlin-class DD and illustrates how to use the multi-role missiles and cannons while playing as a surface ship in Cold Waters w/ DotMod.

For authenticity of tactics, this mission is played at "realistic" difficulty.

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As a surface ship, you should turn on your radar, ESM, and scope almost immediately, unless you are trying to hide from an enemy with no missiles. Your surface-to-air missile (SAM) needs radar to guide, as does your cannon.

A multi-role missile generally has 3 different modes:

Default / Missile icon: anti-missile mode, shoots down incoming anti-ship missiles.

Helo icon: anti-air mode, shoots down helicopters and/or patrol planes

Ship icon: anti-ship mode, shoot at ships, does less damage than single-purpose antiship missiles like Shipwreck, Harpoon, and so on. Often, a lot less.

Hitting the mode button (which starts on missile) will shift into the next mode, and when it's at ship, next press will go back to missile.

If you have a 1 / 2 button, that controls how many missiles it will shoot every time you hit the "launch" button.

Your missile is "smart" in that it will decide on the target based on the targeting criteria given by you, i.e. it'll hit the first target it finds within the target cone you specified, and turn to hit that. Technically your fire control radar and computer does that decision, not the missile.

Generally, you simply lob it in the general direction of the target, with an enabling point that's not too far back or too far forward, and the missile will do the rest. Just be also aware of the minimum arming distance. I usually put the activation point at about halfway to the target, but it could be moved closer to your own ship.

I demonstrated firing an anti-missile mode RIM-66C toward the Kotlin: it simply dove into the sea.

I demonstrated firing an anti-air mode RIM-66C with no target toward the Kotlin. Missile circled upon reaching to activation point, and again, drove into the ocean.

I demonstrated firing an anti-ship mode RIM-66 toward the Kotlin. It went straight in at sea-top level and blam! Major amount of damage to the target.

We are in gun range, so I demonstrated how to use the gun. We turned to demonstrate the 2 x 5-inch gun turrets, fore and aft, and by turning so I expose both guns to the target. We got several hits.

After getting a few hits, we demonstrate one final missile fired in anti-ship mode, sinking the Kotlin, and ending the demonstration.

If you have Harpoon or Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missile (TASM), it works the same way.