I know you probably hear it from everyone to play GB but in a DD you usually get 6-8k on a loss.

I know some tips for small ships in GB have been posted but I do not remember where so I shall post some here:

Don't rush. Find a role that keeps you out of the line of fire since most enemy battleships can kill you in 1 salvo.

Try AA or ASW. There are many good guides on how on these forums. AA gains me a level per win in DD to CL levels. ASW is quite profitable with so many subs these days and many subs are really easy to kill with hedge hogs or Depth charges.

click tips&tactics, [old forum data] on the top right, then search "guide"

Ok thanks but my gunner is still on low level so how can i get to AA or ASW?

AA CL is for you as you're low lvl.....

The reload of HH or PHH is long. It is not easy to use below 7x lv(100 vet base+11) you also need more experience on anti-SS(ss is mostly 900sd nowadays so you can't kill them in 1 salvo)
Grandual shooting mode is for asw

Therefore, aa cl is much easier to grind....AA gun is fast. The demand of AA ship is always high. If you have a sonarman, use it too(for detecting ss ~~ some ship with hh can't detect ss eg. pca, bb , cv)
Manual fcs for sure+aa shell about 70-150damage( don't use aac which is low damage)
check golden angle in trainworld
http://trainworld.us/NF2/English/Guns.html
but don't always stick to golden angle @,@

you get exp in blitz based on not only how much damage you do, but alsio on what you hit. you "seem" to get more exp in a DD hitting a BB than going after other DDs ior FFs.

hitting one of your own team at all, even by accident, costs you an exp penalty

using a mix o weaponry (HH/torps w/ guns, for example) also penalizes you exp