Item Database:Ships:Destroyers

Hull Classification Overview

Destroyers are medium sized craft that are significantly larger than frigates measuring around 250 meters on its longest beam. However active sensor jamming electronically reduces the ship's electronic footprint to 80 meters an advantage afforded by the additional tonnage. They are the second smallest hull able to accept pod technologies. This technology effectively reduces crew sizes normally of 90 personnel down to 10-20 people. However because of their small size damage to destroyers are significant and major, results in less than 10% of the crew surviving.

Appeal

Destroyers offer impressive offensive capabilities with enhanced gimbals mounting systems which track targets significantly faster which are fairly useful for shooting down any target smaller than the destroyer itself. This however comes at the cost of slower refire rate as to not stress the tracking system to a breaking point yet when combined with multitude of weapon systems makes up more than enough for the disadvantage. The numerous weapon racks also has appeal for miners and salvagers as those systems often take up prime real-estate on the top racks of civilian ships. Because destroyers are so similar to frigates they are easy to fit and train for, however because there are so many more systems and tonnage their prices are significantly higher than a frigate.

Roles

Destroyers are most effective as light escorts protecting larger ships from drones, frigates, and even advanced frigates. They are excellent agent ships for in minor security manners as well able to counter any small threat to corporate assets. Aside from the combat roles, destroyers are often used as miners and reclamation ships.

Strengths

Destroyers are able to bring a significant amount of firepower to bear for the sub cruiser class and with undisputed tracking ability with light frigates weapons make them well feared to anything smaller than itself. Her high slot allocation allows for utilitarian use in mining and salvaging.

Weaknesses

Destroyer’s reliance on turret systems may make them unappealing to some pilots who would have preferred guided munitions. The additional mass unfortunately significantly slows down the ships agility and speeds making her very susceptible to larger craft's ire. Combined with a larger electronic footprint and relatively weak defense systems makes destroyers easy targets for heavy escort ships.

Considerations

Many expert pilots and naval commanders argue the use of the destroyer or the need of the hull at all. In the ever evolving field of naval warfare the destroyer which was one a premier anti-frigate vessel has fallen from grace as larger and more advance ships have rolled off the assembly and research lines along with better tracking and locking systems able to target and effectively sink destroyers with lethal ease making anyone flying in a destroyer feel like they're flying their own coffin.

Many pilots these days find comfort in its sole use as a salvaging vessel and think nothing else of its combat powers. Any pilot who train for these vessel are usually cautioned in ever training these any further than they need to fly the vessel itself. Specialized pilots only train on the destroyer so they would be familiar with the other variations of advanced destroyers.

Similar Ships

Destroyers hulls where found out to be extensively useful in fitting the compact navigational disruption technologies where they were simply too large to be fitted on frigates. With this fallout various companies have commissioned the creation of a heavier interceptor known as an Interdictor.