USS Somers **Done**

2. Somer's fought a night surface engagement in the Mediterranean during the invasion of southern France. She sank a German corvette and a German sloop at the Battle of Port Cros. She was actually patrolling as part of an ASW screen.

I personally don't think convoy SAs are worth much in general. I would rather have an SA of some type that reflects the Battle of Port Cros. One auxiliary based SA is enough IMO.

Coastal deployment would fit. Although small ships that do this are very vulnerable to air attack.

Coastal Deployment (REVISED) - This unit may deploy adjacent to a coast or island sector on your side of the map. If you do, this unit can't claim an objective on turn 1 or 2. (Pantera, Elli, HNoMS Norge)

Other possibilities

DRIVE OFF - Once per game, at the end of the Surface Attack phase, choose one Destroyer or Torpedo Boat this unit attacked this turn. The target must immediately move one sector away from this unit. If that movement isn't possible, you can't use this ability. (Guiseppe Garibaldi)

MTB KILLER - This unit can make two Gunnery attacks against separate targets during your Surface Attack step if at least one of the targets is a Torpedo Boat. (Scipione Africano)

LIGHT SHIP TACTICS - Once per game, at the beginning of the Surface attack phase, you can declare you're using Light Ship Tactics. If you do, whenever an enemy Ship makes an attack against this unit this turn, roll a die. On a 5 or higher, this unit takes no damage from that attack.

Personally, I think I still prefer Destroyer Hunter. This class was designed to be a "gunnery destroyer."

I kind of like MTB killer as well. I know some folks will probably say they never see MTBs in a game, but our club likes to surprise opponents with them every so often. They are basically suicide boats, but they pack a punch and sometimes survive longer than you think. I like to pop a few in every so often. They are especially useful if there is an island adjacent to the center row. They also usually attract the attention of your opponents air forces which can be a very useful distraction for a turn or two.

The counter to MTB killer is the IJN does not have any MTB's and a lot of players only play US vs Japan. But our club plays a lot of regional scenarios (Pacific, North Atlantic, Med, etc). And I think this DD should reflect the "Atlantic theatre" where it spent its career.

Drive Off can be especially useful against MTB's since their TT attack range is so short. But again, that is MTBs.

I agree this makes the most useful DD of all the options so far.

I understand the historical role of destroyers with convoys. But they usually didn't use fleet destroyers except when there was a shortage early war. Or as escort leaders. Our club has tried a bunch of convoy scenarios over the years and they usually just don't play out well. The only scenario's we have found that work involve both sides escorting convoys in opposite directions. At least this way the opposing forces still ultimately meet in the middle and fight it out. And they still play out mostly as shooting battles between the combatants with little attention paid to the auxiliaries until near the end. But it is a fun way to stage a battle between light forces.

The Somers were designed to be fleet destroyer gunnery platforms.