| This is the article on the ship used in Homeworld and Homeworld: Cataclysm. For similar ships in other games, see Destroyer. |
The Destroyer was a Super Capital Ship designed to fight against other capital Ships, used by the Kushan and Taiidan Empire in Homeworld.
Background[]
Kushan[]
Revelation-class Destroyers were over 4 times better armored than any frigate in the Kushan navy. Mounting two anti-Capital Ship grade Ion Cannons, and two large Mass Driver cannons, the Revelation-class was a capital ship and frigate killer. Additionally, the Revelation-class mounted an engine array that enabled it to move at frigate speeds - a first for any capital ship. It was often used as part of an anti-capital strike unit, paired with the Ion Cannon Frigate.
However, the only main weakness of the Revelation was its inability to fight off strike craft, as it lacked a point-defense grid (as did many other capital ships of the Homeworld War). Its mass driver turrets lacked the ability to target quickly-moving strike craft, namely bombers. Therefore, Revelations had to be escorted by Interceptors or Missile Destroyers in order to be most effective.
Taiidan[]
The Skaal Tel-class Destroyers sported two Ion Cannons fixed on its bow and two twin-barreled heavy mass driver turrets, making it able to direct firepower anywhere in its forward arc. The turrets could track targets from large corvettes and up, but were never considered a viable anti-strike craft weapon. Instead, the destroyer excelled as a frigate killer. Its speed and maneuverability allowed it to keep up with the smaller warships in combat maneuvers, and once it was able to bring its ion cannons to bear, it could inflict heavy damage on any craft.
Due to its limited defense against fighters, the Skaal Tel was often paired up with Missile Destroyers in engagements during the Homeworld War. By the time of the Beast War, destroyers were upgraded to use Energy Cannons and became a formidable capital ship in both Taiidan fleets.
Overview[]
Destroyers are simply more powerful versions of Assault Frigates, but lacking a Plasma Bomb launcher. They're also much more resilient, able to stay in fights for significantly longer periods than the weaker frigate designs are sometimes able to, making them ideal ships to use as escorts or to simply improve the firepower of a fleet. Despite their strength, they can sometimes struggle against the faster moving fighters, but should have no issues with corvettes and other capital ships.
Although they're more powerful than frigates, they're one of the earliest combat-based Super Capital Ships and thus they're the weakest of the three, with Missile Destroyers and Heavy Cruisers much stronger vessels than significantly improve the effectiveness of Destroyers.
By the time of the Beast War, advancements in technology had allowed both sides to upgrade the flimsy Mass Driver with special Energy Cannons that did superior damage on anything they targeted. Their simplicity meant that, although the design of the Destroyer had changed a lot by the time of the Vaygr War, they still remained a powerful force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
Trivia[]
- In the Homeworld: Cataclysm manual, the Kushan ship is codenamed Revelation and the Taiidan ship is codenamed Skaal-Tel.[1]
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Energy Cannon replaces the Mass Driver, but it only appears in Homeworld: Cataclysm.
References[]
- ↑ Homeworld: Cataclysm manual