Destroyer

In naval terminology, a **destroyer** is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short-range attackers.

## Overview

On Earth, the emergence and development of the destroyer was related to the invention of the self-propelled torpedo in the 1860s. As a result, the destroyer primary role was to deal with torpedo boats and submarines. Its role later expanded toward reconnaissance and general patrol. The main job of the destroyer is to defend the larger ships such as the battleships and carriers. As weapon and radar systems improved, the destroyer began to supersede the role of the battleship, eventually making them obsolete.

## Types of Destroyers

### **Destroyer escort**

A destroyer escort needed only to be able to maneuver relative to a slow convoy (which in World War II would travel at 10 to 12 knots (19 to 22 km/h)), and be able to defend against aircraft, and detect, pursue, and attack submarines. These lower requirements greatly reduce the size, cost, and crew required for the destroyer escort. Destroyer escorts were optimized for antisubmarine warfare, having a tighter turning radius and more specialized armament (such as the forward-firing Hedgehog mortar) than fleet destroyers. Their much slower speed was not a liability in this context, since sonar was useless at speeds over 20 knots (37 km/h). In modern times, a destroyer escort is almost considered as obsolete.

### **Frigate**

Modern frigates are related to earlier frigates only by name. The term "frigate" was readopted during the Second World War by the British Royal Navy to describe an anti-submarine escort vessel that was larger than a corvette, while smaller than a destroyer. Equal in size and capability to the American destroyer escort, frigates are usually less expensive to build and maintain. Anti-submarine escorts had previously been classified as sloops by the Royal Navy, and the *Black Swan*-class sloops of 1939–1945 were as large as the new types of frigate, and more heavily armed. Twenty-two of these were reclassified as frigates after the war, as were the remaining 24 smaller Castle-class corvettes.

The frigate was introduced to remedy some of the shortcomings inherent in the Flower-class corvette design: limited armament, a hull form not suited to open-ocean work, a single shaft which limited speed and maneuverability, and a lack of range. The frigate was designed and built to the same mercantile construction standards (scantlings) as the corvette, allowing manufacture by yards unused to warship construction. The first frigates of the River class (1941) were essentially two sets of corvette machinery in one larger hull, armed with the latest Hedgehog anti-submarine weapon.

The frigate possessed less offensive firepower and speed than a destroyer, but such qualities were not required for anti-submarine warfare. Submarines were slow while submerged, and ASDIC sets did not operate effectively at speeds of over 20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h). Rather, the frigate was an austere and weatherly vessel suitable for mass-construction and fitted with the latest innovations in anti-submarine warfare. As the frigate was intended purely for convoy duties, and not to deploy with the fleet, it had limited range and speed.

### **Corvette**

A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or "rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the sloop-of-war. The modern types of ship below a corvette are coastal patrol craft, missile boat and fast attack craft. In modern terms, a corvette is typically between 500 tons and 2,000 tons, although recent designs may approach 3,000 tons, which might instead be considered a small frigate.

### **Guided Missile-Destroyer**

This is quite possibly the most heavily-armed version of the destroyer types and the most versatile. In addition to having substantial naval guns, it also has the ability to launch long-range missiles and torpedoes for anti-ship, anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare. A further enhancement is the ability to launch cruise missiles against land-based targets. It is also equipped with point-defense weapons such as the Phalanx CIWS.

## Destroyers in the New World

### Third Civilization Area and Outside the Civilized Area

Due to relying on sails, the region is mostly concerned with bringing firepower to bear on the enemy, using ships-of-the-line. As for smaller ships, gunboats are normally used to support land-based attacks.

### Second Civilization Area

Since the region at large still relies on wooden gunboats, the concept of destroyers is non-existant. Even Mu, the most mechanical advanced civilization, employs Cruisers instead of destroyers.

### Gra Valkas Empire

The Gra Valkas Empire employs a large number of destroyers in the Imperial Navy for escort, scouting, and anti-submarine and anti-air warfare. Their extremely versatile armaments allow them to even face down the battleships of other nations with a reasonable chance of success.

After their arrival in the New World, the Gra Valkas began building and commissioning destroyers at a fast rate. Given the low technology levels of most of the world, a destroyer was exceedingly hard for their enemies to sink.

#### Destroyers of the Gra Valkas Imperial Navy

* Equuleus-Class Destroyer
* Canis Minor-Class Destroyer
* Scorpio-Class Destroyer

### First Civilization Area

The Holy Milishial Empire has destroyer-equivalents in their navies, their so-called "Small Ships". However these "destroyers" aren't armed with torpedoes nor has the ability to hunt down submarines since the other nations doesn't have those kinds of weapons. Instead, like the other nations, the HME focus mostly their efforts in building strong battleships. This is compounded with the fact that they use magic with their poorly, reverse-engineered ships from the Ravernal Empire.

### Japan

Japan's missile destroyers are considered the most powerful surface ships afloat in the New World, as the observers of the Milishial Empire believe that only 3 of them would be enough to wipe out the entire Milishial Navy. The Kongō-Class Destroyers and Atago-Class Destroyers are currently being refitted to launch Tomahawk Cruise Missiles.