A mainstay in any Gold fleet, destroyers are one of the most common warships used by most factions of the Solar System. Destroyers are mid-tier starships, averaging about 1.5 km in length. They are faster and more nimble than the average dreadnoughts or men-of-war, and are used to intercept enemy ships and strike hard but fast.
Destroyers are used at the Academy, teaching young Golds to command fleets and wage war: "ringed with docks for destroyers".
Armament and Durability[]
Destroyers are armed with missiles and railguns, like most ships in Gold fleets. They also have a standard complement of around four leechCraft for ship-to-ship boarding actions.
Destroyers are not seen to be extremely durable, as one or two nuclear blasts can cripple one and they fall easily under heavier ships' railgun fire.
Tactics[]
Destroyers are among the most commonly produced ships: "seventeen destroyers ... in dry dock". They are seen as expendable front-line ships, supporting the larger dreadnoughts and men-of-war. They are often fielded in groups: "six destroyers", or escorting more important ships: "Victra's destroyer, shielded by two others".
Notable Destroyers[]
- Darrow au Andromedus commanded six destroyers at the Academy, using them to wage war with Karnus. He lost two in a simulated battle with Karnus' final ship. Karnus also made use of a destroyer, given to him by the Sovereign, making it ram Darrow's man of war, winning the game, but killing hundreds.
- Victra commanded a destroyer in the Lion's Rain, in which her destroyer launched its increased number of leechCraft to capture the Warchild, the Bellona flagship.
- Dignitas, a light-destroyer of the House Bellona fleet.
- Charybdis, a Rim Dominion destroyer commanded by Diomedes au Raa during the Solar War.
- Panthera, a House Grimmus destroyer commanded by Ajax au Grimmus during the Solar War.
- Echo of Ragnar, a Solar Republic destroyer later commandeered by the Alltribe.