Destroyer
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. Likewise, the terms frigate and destroyer escort have considerable semantic overlap as well.
- The Supraclass designation is also known as Ship Mission, Ship Mission Code, Mission, or Ship Hull Designation.
- It is a starship supraclass.
Description (Specifications)[edit]
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[edit]
Type DE Destroyer Escort ( = Frigate):
- A top view of Chrysanthemum class Destroyer Escort.

- An Agrippa class Destroyer Escort on patrol in deep space.

Type DVL Very Light Destroyer:
- No image yet available.
- A Midu Agashaam class Destroyer descending into the cloudy layer of an atmosphere near the edge of space.

- A Keawehei class Destroyer preparing to enter a nebula.

- No image yet available.
- No image yet available.
Type DGC/DGL/DLC Destroyer Leader ( = Heavy Frigate / Very Light - Light Cruiser ):
- No image yet available.
Type DDB/CDB Superheavy Destroyer:
- No image yet available.
Escort Combatants (Secondary) - The Lightcraft Hierarchy[edit]
A number of smallcraft and ACS combatants exist:
Smallcraft (F or U) (0 - 99 tons) (* System craft / non-Jump *)
- Fighter: Interceptor / Picket (FD / FE / FP / FR) (10 - 50 tons)
- Gunboat / Torpedo Boat (GB / MB / DB / EB) (40 - 99 tons)
- Cutter (sC/qC) (45+ tons)
- Light Sloop (ESL) (50 - 99 tons)
Bigcraft (W or Other) (100 tons or larger) (* System vessel / non-Jump *)
- Escort Vessel (ES/ESV):
- Sloop-of-War (ESB/ESG) (100 - 600 tons)
- Gun-Brig (EB/EBG) (400 - 1000 tons)
- Defense Boat (DB/SDB) (100 - 1,000 tons)
- System Defense Vessel (DV/SDV) (1,000 - 2,499 tons or larger)
- Defense Frigate (DG) (800 - 1,200 tons)
- Escort Defense Cruiser (EDC) (1,000 - 2,000 tons)
Largecraft (100 tons or larger) (* Jump-capable *)
- Escort (E):
- Jump-Sloop (ESJ) (100 - 600 tons)
- Close Escort (EC/CE) (300 - 600 tons)
- Corvette (E/EG) (300 - 800 tons)
- Frigate (G):
- Destroyer Escort (DE) (400 - 1,000 tons)
- Escort Frigate (EG) (500 - 1,200 tons)
- Gunned Frigate (G) (500 - 1,200 tons)
- Destroyer (D):
- Escort Destroyer (ED) (1,000 - 2,499 tons or larger)
- Escort Cruiser (EC):
- Detached Cruiser (CC) (1,000 - 2,499 tons or larger)
- Colonial Cruiser (CC) (1,000 - 2,499 tons or larger)
- Provincial Cruiser (CC) (1,000 - 2,499 tons or larger)
- Destroyer Leader (DGL/DGC/DLC) (1,000 - 2,499 tons or larger)
- Heavy Gun-Frigate (EGC/GFC) (1,000 - 2,499 tons)
- Detached Cruiser (CC) (1,000 - 2,499 tons or larger)
- Traditionally, the historical vessels from which the names of the modern examples above are taken increased in size along the progression below.
- »» For more detailed background information, please see: Origins of Vessel Naming Nomenclature.
- Gunboat »» Sloop (Single-mast) »» Sloop-of-War (Brig-Sloop (2-mast) »» Ship-Sloop (3-mast)) »» Corvette »» Escort/Patrol Frigate (Destroyer Escort) »» Destroyer (Escort Destroyer / Fleet Destroyer) »» (Destroyer Leader <> Heavy Gun Frigate) »» Cruiser »» (Heavy) Gun Cruiser
Strategy & Doctrine (Operations)[edit]
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[edit]
- Smallcraft (F) or (U) (various)
- Close Escort (CE)
- Corvette (E)
- Escort (E)
- Escort Frigate (EG)
- Destroyer Escort (DE)
- Destroyer (D/V)
- Escort Cruiser (EC)
- Detached Cruiser (ECC)
- Colonial Cruiser (ECC)
- Provincial Cruiser (ECC)
- Destroyer Leader (DGL/DGC/DLC)
- Gunned Heavy Frigate (EGC/G_C)
- Detached Cruiser (ECC)
Supraclass Roles[edit]
Destroyers typically serve the following roles:
Largecraft & Bigcraft:
| D-class Destroyer Supraclass Archetypes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Archetype | Type Code | ||
| Destroyer Escort | (DE) | ||
| Destroyer | (D) | ||
| Combat Destroyer | (DA) | ||
| Destroyer Leader | (DGL/DLC) | ||
| Escort Destroyer | (ED) | ||
| Fast Destroyer | (DF) | ||
| Fleet Destroyer | (DDN) | ||
| Heavy Destroyer | (DH) | ||
| Light Destroyer | (DL) | ||
| Military Destroyer | (DDM) | ||
| Medium Destroyer | (DD) | ||
| Missile Destroyer | (DM) | ||
| Multi-role Destroyer | (DD) | ||
| Patrol Destroyer | (HDT) | ||
| Pursuit Destroyer | (HDT) | ||
| Strike Destroyer | (DK) | ||
| Superheavy Destroyer | (DS/DVH) | ||
| Very Light Destroyer | (DVL) | ||
Size-Class Roles for Lighter Vessels[edit]
- Utility Craft (U) (1 to 99 tons)
- Escort (E) (100 to 2,499 tons)
- Corvette (E) (300 to 800 tons)
- Escort Frigate (EG) (500 to 2,000 tons)
- Destroyer Escort (DE) (500 to 2,000 tons)
- Gun/Missile Frigate (G/GM) (500 to 2,000 tons)
- Destroyer (D) (1,000 to 19,999 tons)
- Escort Destroyer (ED) (1000 to 2,499 tons)
- Very Light Destroyer (DVL) (1000 to 2,499 tons)
- Light Destroyer (DL) (2,500 to 4,999 tons)
- Medium Destroyer (DD) (5,000 to 7,499 tons)
- Heavy Destroyer (DG/DA) (7,500 to 9,999 tons)
- Superheavy Destroyer ("Superdestroyer") (DB) (10,000 to 19,999 tons)
- Destroyer Leader (DG[C/F/L])/DB[C/F/L]) (7,500 to 19,999 tons)
- Fleet Escort (Various) (2,500 or larger tons)
- Fleet Destroyer (D_N/DD_N) (3,000 or larger tons)
- Fleet Escort (EFN/EGN) (5,000 or larger tons)
- Subcapital Ship-(Large) (Various) (20,000 or larger tons)
- Capital Ship (Various) (100,000 or larger tons)
Military Subcraft[edit]
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[edit]
These vessels typically serve the following archetypal roles:
| D-class Destroyer Supraclass Archetypes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Archetype | Type Code | Exemplar | Remarks |
| Destroyer | D (Namesake) | Elsyel class Light Destroyer | 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.
|
| Destroyer Escort | DE (Namesake) | 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 cannot defeat an enemy, they can slow them down and occupy them long enough for the convoy to attempt an escape. Destroyer Escorts do not properly belong to the Destroyer-class but are more appropriately classed as Escorts or Frigates, despite the name. An example is the Chrysanthenum class Destroyer Escort. Destroyer Escorts are also known as Escort Frigates by some worlds and polities.
(100 to 2,499 tons)
|
| Very Light Destroyer | DVL | Lomba class Light Destroyer | Light Escort Destroyer. (1,000 to 2,499 tons)
|
| Light Destroyer | DL | Zhdiak class Light Destroyer | Escort/Fleet Destroyer. Light destroyers are lower tonnage battle platforms (2,500 to 4,999 tons) carrying armament capable of threatening logistics secondary combatant elements. Their flexibility and numbers are an asset to fleet admirals.
|
| Medium Destroyer | DD | Gormandoacy class Destroyer | Escort/Fleet Destroyer. (5,000 to 7,499 tons)
|
| Strike Destroyer | DK | 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.
|
| Destroyer Leader | DGL/DGC/DLC | Vuruna class Destroyer Leader | Destroyer Leaders (DL) fill a role between that of a destroyer and that of a cruiser. Their primary function is that of flotilla leader for a group of destroyers and may be referred to as such. Also Known as a (Heavy) Gun Frigate or a Very Light or Escort Cruiser.
|
| Heavy Destroyer | DH | Jerzhtsie class Destroyer | TBD. (7,500 to 9,999 tons)
|
| Superheavy Destroyer | DS | Rapier class Escort Destroyer | None. (10,000 to 19,999 tons)
|
| 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. | |||
History & Background (Dossier)[edit]
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[edit]
Military Ship - Warship- Strike Destroyer:
Military Ship - Warship- Destroyer Leader:
Military Ship - Warship- Destroyer Escort :
- Type DE class Destroyer Escort
- Agrippa class Destroyer Escort
- Aurdesko class Destroyer Escort
- Chrysanthemum class Destroyer Escort
- Fer-de-Lance class Destroyer Escort
- Gable class Destroyer Escort
- Ipltsiedle class Destroyer Escort
- Isokaze class Destroyer Escort
- Lucifer class Destroyer Escort
- Moshulu class Destroyer Escort
- Mossip class Destroyer Escort
- Nederland class Destroyer Escort
- Shamshir class Destroyer Escort
- Snow class Destroyer Escort
- Type D47 class Destroyer Escort
- Type HDE class Destroyer Escort
- Tyrian Lordship class Destroyer Escort
- Velroi class Escort Destroyer
- Zdieench class Destroyer Escort
- Zhdits class Destroyer Escort
- Zhosibadle class Destroyer Escort
Military Ship - Warship- Heavy Destroyer:
Military Ship - Warship- Light Destroyer:
- Type DL class Light Destroyer
- Black Adder class Destroyer
- Cadiz class Fast Destroyer
- Easter class Destroyer
- Elsyel class Light Destroyer
- Felid class Destroyer
- Fraydon class Destroyer
- Gazulin Guardian class Destroyer
- Herrick class Destroyer
- Hostel class Destroyer
- Kayatenga class Destroyer
- Leningrad class Destroyer
- Liberte class Destroyer
- Longbow class Destroyer
- McClaren class Destroyer
- Midu Agashaam class Destroyer
- Mont-DE class Destroyer Escort
- Orpheus class Destroyer
- Penedur class Destroyer
- Pulmigory class Destroyer
- Restrained class Destroyer
- Strider class Destroyer
- Striker class Destroyer
- Tyrian Lordship class Destroyer
- War Hound class Destroyer
- Xuesen class Destroyer
- Zhdiak class Light Destroyer
Military Ship - Warship- Medium Destroyer:
- Type DM class Medium Destroyer
- Ancona class Destroyer
- Buigoon class Destroyer
- Coleridge class Destroyer
- Dezhdrle class Destroyer
- Enshbasi class Destroyer
- Formaine class Destroyer
- Fusilier class Destroyer
- Gormandoacy class Destroyer
- Hall class Destroyer
- Heng-O Type 22 class Destroyer
- Holdemar class Destroyer
- Hopper class Destroyer
- Jask class Destroyer
- Keawehei class Destroyer
- Kendal Craig class Destroyer
- Kurrigan class Destroyer
- McKenzie class Destroyer
- MolTol class Destroyer
- Oreo class Destroyer
- Pharos class Destroyer
- Rajiv class Destroyer
- Soaring Wing class Destroyer
- Torrel class Destroyer
- Type 052D Yulang III class Destroyer
- Xianghou class Destroyer
- Zhdrbaeliprietl class Destroyer
Military Ship - Warship- Superheavy Destroyer:
Military Ship - Warship- Very Light Destroyer:
- Type DVL class Very Light Destroyer
- Auldwich class Light Destroyer
- Goblin class Destroyer
- Grom class Destroyer
- Heng-O class Small Escort
- KE12 Sarash class Destroyer
- Lomba class Light Destroyer
- Moisura class Destroyer
- Muavenet class Destroyer
- Nemesis class Destroyer
- Gearing class Destroyer
- Sampson class Destroyer
- Satvet class Destroyer
- Sha'a class Destroyer
- TC11 Falbin class Destroyer
- TC12 Ivorholm class Destroyer
- TC13 Falcon class Destroyer
- Tembo class Destroyer
Ship Summary List[edit]
Some of the most commonly used vessels in this role or these roles include:
| 19 Representative Destroyer (D) Classes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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|
| 0 Representative Strike Destroyer (DB) Classes | |
|---|---|
| No results |
| 0 Representative Destroyer Leader (DDL) Classes | |
|---|---|
| No results |
| 0 Representative Destroyer Escort (DE) Classes | |
|---|---|
| No results |
| 0 Representative Heavy Destroyer (DH) Classes | |
|---|---|
| No results |
| 8 Representative Light Destroyer (DL) Classes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| 3 Representative Medium Destroyer (DM) Classes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| 3 Representative Superheavy Destroyer (DS) Classes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| 2 Representative Very Light Destroyer (DVL) Classes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| 2 Representative Missile Destroyer (CGM) Classes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Library Data Referral Tree[edit]
- Advanced Ship Classifications
- Ship Mission Code / Supraclass
- Ship Type Code / Superclass
- Ship Class Code / Class
- Model (TL)
- Bloc (Lot)
- Basic Ship Classifications
- Adventure Class Ship (Auxiliary Class Ship)
- Battle Class Ship (Bulk / Subcapital Class Ship)
- Capital Ship (Capital Class Ship)
- Fleet Class Ship (Capital Class Ship)
- Size-Role Classification
- Subcapital Ship (Small & Large Battle Class Ships)
- QSP
- USP
- World Class Ship
- NAFAL (STL) - (Not As Fast As Light) / (Slower Than Light)
- Light Speed (c)
- FTL - (Faster Than Light) - "Superluminal"
References & Contributors (Sources)[edit]
| 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.
- Compiler: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science
