Difference between revisions of "Destroyer"
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# [[Destroyer Leader]] (DDL) | # [[Destroyer Leader]] (DDL) | ||
# [[Fast Destroyer]] (DP) | # [[Fast Destroyer]] (DP) | ||
+ | # [[Fleet Destroyer]] (DD) | ||
# [[Heavy Destroyer]] (DA) | # [[Heavy Destroyer]] (DA) | ||
# [[Light Destroyer]] (DL) | # [[Light Destroyer]] (DL) |
Revision as of 11:51, 19 August 2019
D-class Destroyers are fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warships intended to escort larger vessels and defend them against smaller powerful short-range attackers.
- They are normally the largest of the escort class ships whose primary mission is to provide protection to other vessels.
- The naval terms destroyer and escort have considerable semantic overlap and it's more than possible for two nearly identical ships with near identical capabilities to alternatively be called a destroyer or an escort.
- The Supraclass designation is also known as Ship Mission, Ship Mission Code, Mission, or Ship Hull Designation.
- It is a starship supraclass.
Library Data Referral Tree
Please refer to the following AAB Library Data for more information:
Starship:
- Advanced Ship Classifications
- Ship Mission Code / Supraclass
- Ship Type Code / Superclass
- Ship Class Code / Class
- Model (TL)
- Bloc (Lot)
- Astronomical Unit (AU)
- FTL
- Light Speed (c)
- Light-week (lw)
- Light-year (ly)
- NAFAL (STL)
- Parsec (pc)
Description (Specifications)
Destroyers are starships designed for escort duty and limited independent operations. Destroyers are usually assigned to escort cruisers and battleships, but also accompany unarmed merchantmen. They typically range in size from 1,000 to 20,000 tons.
Their main duty is to defend the fleet against fighters and other small craft. Some have been pressed into service for orbital patrols, police operations, garrison duties, diplomatic transport, and even limited strike missions (...also known as gunboat diplomacy). Their flexibility gives them great value to naval admirals. They can conduct a vast array of missions, offensive, defensive, and otherwise. Their system defense and security capabilities overlap with H-class vessels.
Destroyers do not, as a rule, carry a spinal mount. They are thus not considered major combatants by the Imperial Navy, though their armament of bay and turret weapons can be formidable. Sizes typically range from 1,000- to 3,000-tons or larger, with a general emphasis on maneuver rather than defense.
Image Repository
- A Midu Agashaam class Destroyer descending into the cloudy layer of an atmosphere near the edge of space.
- An Agrippa class Destroyer Escort on patrol in deep space.
Escort Combatants (Secondary) - The Lightcraft Hierarchy
A number of smallcraft and ACS combatants exist:
- Smallcraft (F or U) (0 to 99 tons)
- Bigcraft (W or Other) (100 or larger tons)
- Escort (E) (100 to 2,499 tons)
- Destroyer (D) (2,500 or larger tons)
Strategy & Doctrine (Operations)
Although the Imperial Navy sees destroyer-class vessels as escorts, they are often pressed into service in other roles. Destroyers can thus be encountered operating solo or in squadrons. Missions include guard ship, flag-showing, patrol missions and even strikes against relatively soft targets. A destroyer is more than a match for any civilian vessel, but even squadrons should not take on major combatants.
Lightcraft Hierarchy
- Smallcraft (F) or (U)
- Corvette (E)
- Close Escort (E)
- Frigate (E)
- Escort (E)
- Destroyer (D)
Supraclass Roles
Destroyers typically serve the following roles:
Largecraft & Bigcraft:
- Destroyer (D)
- Destroyer Escort (DE)
- Destroyer Leader (DDL)
- Fast Destroyer (DP)
- Fleet Destroyer (DD)
- Heavy Destroyer (DA)
- Light Destroyer (DL)
- Military Destroyer (DD)
- Missile Destroyer (DM)
- Multi-role Destroyer (DD)
- Patrol Destroyer (DP)
- Pursuit Destroyer (DP)
- Strike Destroyer (DS)
Size-Class Roles for Lighter Vessels
- Utility Craft (U) (1 to 99 tons)
- Escort (E) (100 to 2,499 tons)
- Destroyer (D) (2,500 to 99,999 tons)
- Capital Ship (Various) (100,000 or larger tons)
Military Subcraft
Military subcraft (...both smallcraft and bigcraft) are carried by some of these vessels:
- Battle Rider (BR)
- Combat Barge (WBG)
- Combat Transport Smallcraft (UI)
- Fighters (F)
- Militarized Utility Craft (UQ)
Supraclass Archetypal Roles
These vessels typically serve the following archetypal roles:
D-class Destroyer Supraclass Archetypes | |||
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Archetype | Type Code | Exemplar | Remarks |
Destroyer | D (Namesake) | TBD | Destroyers are large enough to provide a credible threat to larger mainline combatants, yet small and cheap enough to maintain tremendous tactical and strategic flexibility. Many destroyers serve multipurpose functions and roles supplementing other fleet forces where and as needed. Destroyers are almost by definition jack of all trades warships.
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Multi-role Destroyer | DD | Midu Agashaam class Destroyer | The primary role of the (DD) destroyer is that of a high-speed escort supporting fleet operations. They are used to probe the enemy to gather information, and at the same time prevent the enemy from doing the same. They perform a vital role of repelling system defense boats and other small combatants. They are also useful for taking out other fixed system defenses.
|
Destroyer Leader | DDL | Vuruna class Destroyer Leader | Destroyer Leaders (DL) fill a role between that of a destroyer and that of a cruiser. They are basically a destroyer on steroids. Their primary function is that of flotilla leader for a group of destroyers and may be referred to as such.
|
Destroyer Escort | DE | Fer-de-Lance class Destroyer Escort | Destroyer escorts (DE) are much smaller ships then the destroyer. Their primary role, as their name implies, is that of an escort. Although they play a variety of other roles convoy duty is where they come into their own. If they can not defeat an enemy, they can slow them down and occupy them long enough for the convoy to attempt an escape. Other names for this class vessel include Light Escort, Close Escort, Sloop, and Corvette.
|
Light Destroyer | DL | Zhdiak class Light Destroyer | Light destroyers are lower tonnage battle platforms carrying armament capable of threatening logistics secondary combatant elements. Their flexibility and numbers are an asset to fleet admirals.
|
Pursuit Destroyer | DP | Cadiz class Fast Destroyer | Pursuit destroyers (DP) are designed for long-term endurance. Their role is to provide rear area and frontier security. They do not normally operate in a fleet support role, but tend to be lone wolves looking for pirates and enemies attempting to penetrate the frontier. These ships are the natural enemy of the strike destroyer. Where the strike destroyer plays the offensive role of attempting to penetrate the enemies defenses, the pursuit destroyer seeks to prevent and destroy them.
|
Strike Destroyer | DS | Curzon class Destroyer | Strike destroyers (DS) are intended for long-range reconnaissance and deep level offensive operations. Their best defense is their stealth, and are not intended to take on offensive operations against ships of similar weight and weapons. They run from serious competition and target under-defended installations and smaller ships. They will try to avoid taking serious damage unless there is a good reason for doing so.
|
NOTES: There is semantic overlap between many of the classes and codes. Some codes organize by mission or capability, others by size and tonnage, and yet others by other characteristics. |
Destroyer Escorts (DE) are the first type capable of accompanying a regular Imperial fleet. They are also used for convoy protection, orbital patrols, police operations, garrison duties, and even limited strike missions. An example is the Chrysanthenum class Destroyer Escort.
History & Background (Dossier)
Destroyers have been the backbones of navies since the days of wet navies. While battleships and cruisers hold the line, they are enormous investments of resources and can only ever be in one location at a time. Typically many destroyers can be purchased for the price of just one battleship or cruiser making them far more effective at patrol and related duties where coverage is more important than concentrated combat capability.
Selected Variant Types & Classes
Ship Summary List
Some of the most commonly used vessels in this role or these roles include:
13 Representative Destroyer (D) Classes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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3 Representative Multi-role Destroyer (DD) Classes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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0 Representative Destroyer Leader (DDL) Classes | |
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No results |
0 Representative Destroyer Escort (DE) Classes | |
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No results |
6 Representative Light Destroyer (DL) Classes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2 Representative Missile Destroyer (DM) Classes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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0 Representative Pursuit Destroyer (DP) Classes | |
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No results |
1 Representative Strike Destroyer (DS) Classes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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References & Contributors (Sources)
This article has metadata. |
This article is missing content for one or more detailed sections. Additional details are required to complete the article. You can help the Traveller Wiki by expanding it. |
- This article is an amalgamation of many different materials published since 1977.
- Marc Miller. Imperium (Game Designers Workshop, 1977), TBD. (Game)
- Timothy B. Brown. Fighting Ships (Game Designers Workshop, 1981), 34-36.
- Marc Miller. Fighting Ships of the Shattered Imperium (Game Designers Workshop, 1990), 54-64.
- Loren Wiseman. Challenge 25 (Game Designers Workshop, 1986), TBD.
- Ben W. Bell, Martin Dougherty. Fighting Ships (QuikLink Interactive, 2003), 14-15.
- Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science