Spaceship blog 12
The Destroyer
Destroyers are perhaps the biggest spaceships available to most star states. A truly large vessel; between two and two-and-a-half kilometers long and at least eight hundred meters wide, the Destroyer is designed with one purpose – planetary bombardment.
Armed with four times the number of heavy cannons as the Frigate, Destroyers are heavily shielded, and their hulls protected by even thicker armor-plating. These “Pocket cruisers” can deploy twice the number of strike craft and starfighter squadrons any Frigate could, and are protected by one whole division of star marines.
Their impressive size and heavy armament mean that Destroyers are not as maneuverable as Frigates and other, smaller capital ships. Where other vessels play a game of “hide and seek,” or try to outmaneuver their enemies, Destroyers move in and engage without hesitation. Covered by point defense batteries twice the size of any Frigate, the Destroyer can weather numerous torpedo or missile barrages with impunity. Although they rebuke multiple waves of strike craft, if the attacks continue they could overwhelm even a starship of this size.
The ship’s main cannons can and will engage capital ships of any size, the Destroyer’s main armament is its spinal mount. A truly devastating superweapon that spans the whole length of the starship, it is capable of blowing up huge asteroids, crack small moons, and glass entire cities from orbit with a single shot.
Most star states can and will use this devastating spaceship as intended, though regional powers are unable to have more than one such craft. Regulated by a fleet treaty imposed by the GA (galactic assembly), its text speaks of lofty goals and ideals like peace and keeping the weak races safe from planetary annihilation. In reality, the core races are hypocrites since they own multiple Destroyers and even grander warships. While they speak of peace, their real goal is to keep the minor powers weak, so that they can push them around as they please.
The Terran Minarchy officially owns one Destroyer, its design based upon an older and famous ship called the “Bremen.” She was the first vessel of this size built after the ill-fated invasion of lord Mahimm and lost with all hands fifty years ago. Recently, rumors began circulating on the G-net that one spacer had located and boarded the venerable vessel.
Regardless of the validity of said hearsay, the Minarchy’s Navy Destroyer “Safety” is well equipped and armed with the best railguns Terran engineers can manufacture.
The main batteries of this monster are housed in heavily armored large turrets, and each of these is individually shielded. Yes, the twin one hundred millimeter railgun turrets have their own independent energy shielding, plus one reserve fusion core each. Same goes for the laser cannon emplacements, a standard design feature for all Terran Frigate and Corvette starships.
Strategically, the vessel’s firepower is to be used against other capital ships and for that purpose “Safety” is also equipped with the gas cooling system. This allows the spaceship to maintain a higher rate of fire than the most craft of its class and stay in the fight for longer periods of time.
The Minarchy’s flagship is even larger than the standard Destroyer design, a full four hundred meters longer and one hundred meters wider. This size increase allowed for larger and more spacious hangars, which can house three of the Minarchy’s best interceptor squadrons flying cover for three ace strike craft squadrons and the ship.
The flagship is defended by not one, but two space infantry divisions. The ultra elite 2nd Star marine division and the 33rd elite Star trooper division were formed, trained and equipped on Earth. Terrans hailing from any colony can volunteer and if they cover the insane requirements, join their ranks.
“Safety,” just like any other alien Destroyer has a superweapon, though instead of a particle-beam, its spinal mount is a two-and-a-half kilometers long railgun. This monstrous cannon fires specially designed, armor-piercing ammunition, each sporting a one hundred megaton, thermonuclear warhead. The force of its kinetic energy is such that after breaching the target’s shields and ripping through the armor-plating, in most cases the projectile exits from the other side of the target.
Then, and only then, the massive warhead detonates.
In one instance the thermonuclear munition exploded while the projectile was still inside a target. While firing at one huge asteroid strong point named “Moonkiller Base” which belonged to a powerful drug Cartel, the warhead detonation pulverized it. The rapidly expanding cloud of debris was so huge, that the navy was forced to jump its Strike squadron out of the system or risk taking damage.
This railgun was never used against ground targets, but only fired at other destroyers and/or massive orbital installations. So far the “Safety” was deployed six times and only in defense of Terran or allied colonies. The Terran flagship emerged victorious in each of the engagements. In three of the six battles the enemy retreated swiftly, rather than risk total annihilation.
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Princes Of The Stars - Starshatter book 7
A Mandate Of Sword And Railgun - Starshatter story anthology 1
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