Crustacean-class destroyer

Crustacean departing from its commissioning ceremony, seen here at full speed.

The NGS Crustacean-class or Type 3524A destroyer, is an experimental guided missile destroyer currently under construction for the People's Republic of Norgencia navy. The ship is 152 m long overall, and 15 meters wide. It has been built around the idea that a destroyer should have both viable guns and viable missiles, and was therefore deemed a success.

## Technical quirks and characteristics

The ships were designed to be able to fight enemy watercraft at long range, using its accurate missiles, while destroying submarines with its specially-designed short-range missiles with high underwater flight times. It also mounts two very viable artillery pieces, designed to be used both offensively and defensively, against ships and aircraft alike, differing other modern destroyers' artillery, which is mostly used in a last-ditch manner. The ship is very vulnerable to any incoming fire, even gunnery can penetrate it reliably, yet it has a ridiculous speed (37.5 knot top speed) and a small size, and a low silhouette. Built for concealment, this ship has deorientation equipment ranging from radio silencers to simple smoke generators. Due to that, Crustacean is considered a freakish ship, unique in its own class and type.

## Missile armament

The main missile armament of the ships consists of two Vertical launching systems, each firing the RKF-23 Tsigara missile, which is light, cheap, easy to manufacture, while being highly accurate. The systems are two - one frontal with 21 cells, and one midship with 35 cells. The VLS is capable of firing RKF-23 Common missile, a dummy training RKF-23T missile, and an anti-aircraft light missile RKF-23AA, which bursts at pre-set coords according to the ship's general fire control system.

The secondary missile armament of the ship consists of 2x2 Dt 51S missile launchers, mainly used against small, fast-moving watercraft at medium ranges up to 20 km.

The anti-submarine armament of the ships consists of two sextuple ASubGM missile launchers, each firing a short missile with 1.5 km average underwater flight range, or more simplified, it can hit a submarine underwater at 1.5km depth.

## Gun armament

The artillery armament of the ship consists of two single turrets, each housing the deadly 75mm L/42 MSCO. This gun fires HE shells with extremely good penetration, splash and burst characteristics. The gun can fire over tall cover due to its high shell arc, meaning it can hit most watercraft's deck, which is generally thinner than the hull and cause havoc there. The gun is an autoloader with a five-round clip, firing the 75x221mmR UOFS shell. The standard HE on the ship is a viable choice against both ships and aircraft due to its high burst power. The gun's rate of fire is extremely fast, the gun is light, flexible, and can be moved by a two-man crew if necessary, too, and the clip is light and easy to fit in the gun. The gun is dual-purpose and can fire accurately at aircraft up to 10 kilometers, and at ships it can fire up to 25 kilometers accurately, 150m less than the maximum range of the gun.

## Autocannons

As a last-ditch defense measure, the ship has two Phalanx close-in weapon systems, and four ShVAK 15.1mm cannons on the bridge deck, two facing forward, and two facing the rear.

## Torpedo armament

The torpedo armament on the ship might seem disappointing, however, the torpedoes are 585mm caliber, with a reasonably powerful warhead, and are designed to be used in close-quarter scenarios, their speed is impressive, as is their maximum range of 35 kilometers.

## Speed and maneuverability

Dubbed by engineers ''Need for speed'', the ship is designed to do just that: buzz around due to its highly efficient diesel-electric propulsion, which gives the ship ludicrous acceleration and speed for its type. In a world where almost everything is ranged, there are almost no ships that offer a particular maneuverability, but Crustacean is an exception. It has a speed of *thirty-seven knots*, and its small size emphasises exactly this, making it one of the most maneuverable ships in existence, surpassed mostly by smaller patrol craft.

## Notable facts

The ships were designed to be particularly sturdy, again due to high nickel levels in their plating. It is expected from them to be able to endure heavy seas and poor outside conditions, such as exposure to chemical warfare, with relative ease. Also, they would never accelerate to top speed unless in extreme danger.