Item Database:Ships:Destroyers

Hull Classification Overview

Destroyers are medium sized craft that are significantly larger than frigates measuring around 300 meters on its longest beam. Recently the computer systems received an upgrade improving her active sensor jamming electronically to a footprint to 60 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 is usually catastrophic, resulting in less than 10% of the crew surviving.

Appeal

Destroyers offer impressive offensive capabilities, featuring the ability to equip weapons to all eight of their high-power slots and enhanced gimbal-mounts for turret systems. This improvement vastly improves weapon tracking speeds, makings destroyers highly effective against small targets such as frigates, drones, and other destroyers.

Until recently, these advantages came at the expense of lowered weapon firing rates. Originally this penalty was necessary to counter stresses placed on the destroyer's small frame while simultaneously operating such a large number of weapons. However technological fallout, from the results of Marauder and Sleeper research programs, have been incorporated so that this no longer the case. Current generation destroyers now can make full use of their weaponry in the same manner as any frigate, while still retaining the hull's original advantages. The numerous high-power slots also appeal to mining and salvaging, roles as relevant systems normally compete for this valuable space on larger vessels. The training requirements to pilot destroyers are very similar to frigates, as goes for the equipment needed to outfit them. In fact, much of this equipment is shared in use with frigate hulls. This makes destroyers a popular next step for many pilots looking to move up to a larger ship class. It should be noted though, that destroyers often have a higher final purchasing cost than a frigate. This is due to the greater cost Destroyer's larger hull in addition with the large amount of equipment needed to outfit it. However, this cost is still comparatively low when held up to that of a effectively fitted cruiser.

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 salvage reclamation ships, due to the price they are rarely used as a scout, however as a manned combat probe they can prove a bit more useful in stirring up the hive as some naval commanders put it.

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. Becuase of her agility and speeds are still considerably fast she is just as likely to escape unwanted combat as most frigates can.

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 especially at longer distances. Combined with a slightly 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. Their salvaging role was greatly overshadowed by the introduction of the Noctis, making pretty much everything but the Thrasher a dying breed of ship.

In the closting months of YC113, the four empires after taking a short break away from fighting each other had time to do a fleet review and found the destroyer wanting. In combination with numerous fleet upgrades and additions they revisited the destoyer with new hardware and revisions which has potentially resurrected this ship class. The technology one destroyers have had their rate of fire penalty removed thanks to the murader and sleeper methoods which significantly boosts their damage output. Gallente revision of hybrid weapons have brought them back to be competitive against their enemies. Naval commanders now must spend the time to see if usefulness of this ship class can survive on the modern battlefield.

Similar Ships

Destroyers hulls where found out to be extensively useful in fitting the compact navigational disruption technologies that 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.

Types of Destroyers

• All Tech 1 destroyers receive a 50% bonus to racial turret optimal range (Amarr: Small Energy Turret, Caldari & Gallente: Small Hybrid Turret, Minmatar: Small Projectile Turret.)
• The Tech 1 destroyers used to have a 25% rate of fire penalty, but the Crucible patch removed this.
• Tech 2 Destroyers (Interdictors) are not subject to the above, can fit Interdiction Sphere Launchers, and have a 10% bonus to Interdiction Sphere rate of fire per Interdictors skill level.

Amarr

Tech 1

• Coercer: Bonus to Small Energy Turret capacitor and tracking.

Tech 2 (Interdictor)

• Heretic: Bonus to rocket damage, rocket and missile explosion velocity, and missile velocity.

Caldari

Tech 1

• Cormorant: Bonus to Small Hybrid Turret tracking and optimal range.

Tech 2 (Interdictor)

• Flycatcher: Bonus to rocket and missile velocity, kinetic damage, and missile effectiveness against faster moving targets.

Gallente

Tech 1

• Catalyst: Bonus to Small Hybrid Turret tracking and falloff.

Tech 2 (Interdictor)

• Eris: Bonus to Small Hybrid Turret tracking, falloff, and rocket and missile thermal damage.

Minmatar

Tech 1

• Thrasher: Bonus to Small Projectile Turret tracking and damage.

Tech 2 (Interdictor)

• Sabre: Bonus to Small Projectile Turret damage, falloff, and tracking.