Starship Classifications (escort, destroyer, etc...)
I made a comment in a conversation like, "It's not a destroyer without a nuke", and a friend asked me for clarification. So I wrote this up for him, but I thought I would also share it with the Artemis community:
These are ship types most commonly used in science fiction and modern naval terms. Most science fiction stories and modern navies use these terms and definitions. Since they do differ, I'm going to present both wikipedia's definition based on modern navies and my own based on science fiction books and shows.
What's weird is that ancient sailing ships used the same terms, with different definitions. So fantasy-genre books may use the same ship terms but refer to different ships entirely.
These are for modern and science fiction ships:
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Wikipedia definitions:
Battlecruiser - a lightly armoured battleship.
Corvette - a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate.
Battleship - a large, heavily armoured and heavily gunned warship.
Cruiser - a warship that is larger than a destroyer, but smaller than a battleship.
Destroyer - a warship mainly used for anti-submarine warfare and escort duties.
Frigate - a term used for warships of many sizes and roles over the past few centuries.
Torpedo boat - a small, fast surface vessel designed for launching torpedoes.
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My own definitions for science-fiction purposes:
Interceptor: a light, fast corvette designed for stealth and maneuverability for quick raids. All Interceptors lack jump capability and have to be carried by larger ships. Some heavy interceptors may be capable of one jump. (A cross between a submarine and fighter plane.)
Corvette: The smallest warship, specifically designed to deal with interceptors. Also, suitable for transporting non-vital cargo or performing escort duties for frigates and destroyers. Most corvettes lack range and usually have to resupply after a single jump. Some are capable of two jumps.
Frigate: a small warship, but larger and slower than a corvette with a longer Jump range. Equivalent firepower to two or more corvettes, and are usually capable of 2 or 3 jumps before having to resupply. Often equipped for taking on Interceptors, but not usually specialized in the role. The largest frigates can carry about half a dozen Interceptors.
Destroyer: a type of frigate specifically designed for taking out cruisers and larger ships. Often equipped with a powerful main gun or special missile weapon uniquely qualified for punching through heavily armored/shielded ships. Will often require escorts to defend against smaller targets. Equivalent range to a frigate or heavy corvette - 2 or 3 jumps.
Cruiser: Smaller than a battleship, with equivalent weapons and armor of a heavy frigate, but much faster and capable of carrying smaller ships or dozens of interceptors. Extremely long Jump range. They can make about a dozen jumps before having to resupply.
Battlecruiser: A cruiser with less speed but heavier weaponry, and still the equivalent armor of a heavy frigate. A good "first strike" ambusher, but not suited to other battle roles. Extremely long range. They can make about ten jumps before having to resupply.
Heavy Cruiser: A heavily armored version of the cruiser, sacrificing some speed for armor. Extremely long range. They can make about a ten jumps before having to resupply. Much more common than BattleCruisers, but still mostly suited for anti-frigate and anti-cruiser roles.
Carrier - Large and slow, with moderate armor but almost no weapons, these behemoths use most of their space for docking, crew, and repair facilities. They have the Jump range of a cruiser, being able to make about 10 jumps before having to resupply. Unlike their smaller cousins, they can carry a great many Interceptors and Frigates into battle, or instead carry a couple of Battleships.
Battleship - a slow, heavily armored warship with tons of weaponry. Like the cruiser, it can carry smaller frigates or dozens of Interceptors. Moderately long range, but much less than a cruiser. A battleship is capable of about 5 or 6 jumps before having to resupply.
These are ship types most commonly used in science fiction and modern naval terms. Most science fiction stories and modern navies use these terms and definitions. Since they do differ, I'm going to present both wikipedia's definition based on modern navies and my own based on science fiction books and shows.
What's weird is that ancient sailing ships used the same terms, with different definitions. So fantasy-genre books may use the same ship terms but refer to different ships entirely.
These are for modern and science fiction ships:
---
Wikipedia definitions:
Battlecruiser - a lightly armoured battleship.
Corvette - a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate.
Battleship - a large, heavily armoured and heavily gunned warship.
Cruiser - a warship that is larger than a destroyer, but smaller than a battleship.
Destroyer - a warship mainly used for anti-submarine warfare and escort duties.
Frigate - a term used for warships of many sizes and roles over the past few centuries.
Torpedo boat - a small, fast surface vessel designed for launching torpedoes.
---
My own definitions for science-fiction purposes:
Interceptor: a light, fast corvette designed for stealth and maneuverability for quick raids. All Interceptors lack jump capability and have to be carried by larger ships. Some heavy interceptors may be capable of one jump. (A cross between a submarine and fighter plane.)
Corvette: The smallest warship, specifically designed to deal with interceptors. Also, suitable for transporting non-vital cargo or performing escort duties for frigates and destroyers. Most corvettes lack range and usually have to resupply after a single jump. Some are capable of two jumps.
Frigate: a small warship, but larger and slower than a corvette with a longer Jump range. Equivalent firepower to two or more corvettes, and are usually capable of 2 or 3 jumps before having to resupply. Often equipped for taking on Interceptors, but not usually specialized in the role. The largest frigates can carry about half a dozen Interceptors.
Destroyer: a type of frigate specifically designed for taking out cruisers and larger ships. Often equipped with a powerful main gun or special missile weapon uniquely qualified for punching through heavily armored/shielded ships. Will often require escorts to defend against smaller targets. Equivalent range to a frigate or heavy corvette - 2 or 3 jumps.
Cruiser: Smaller than a battleship, with equivalent weapons and armor of a heavy frigate, but much faster and capable of carrying smaller ships or dozens of interceptors. Extremely long Jump range. They can make about a dozen jumps before having to resupply.
Battlecruiser: A cruiser with less speed but heavier weaponry, and still the equivalent armor of a heavy frigate. A good "first strike" ambusher, but not suited to other battle roles. Extremely long range. They can make about ten jumps before having to resupply.
Heavy Cruiser: A heavily armored version of the cruiser, sacrificing some speed for armor. Extremely long range. They can make about a ten jumps before having to resupply. Much more common than BattleCruisers, but still mostly suited for anti-frigate and anti-cruiser roles.
Carrier - Large and slow, with moderate armor but almost no weapons, these behemoths use most of their space for docking, crew, and repair facilities. They have the Jump range of a cruiser, being able to make about 10 jumps before having to resupply. Unlike their smaller cousins, they can carry a great many Interceptors and Frigates into battle, or instead carry a couple of Battleships.
Battleship - a slow, heavily armored warship with tons of weaponry. Like the cruiser, it can carry smaller frigates or dozens of Interceptors. Moderately long range, but much less than a cruiser. A battleship is capable of about 5 or 6 jumps before having to resupply.
Daredevil Cosmic Cowboys, TNS Hyperion, Weapons Officer
1st Fleet of Southern California Sector.
1st Fleet of Southern California Sector.
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4 replies
lordrahvin, I agree that Artemis uses the various ship sizes and classes a loosely, but it only bothers me a little bit. Here are some wet navy thoughts for you:
The term Destroyer was originally "Torpedo Boat Destroyer." In the US Civil War torpedoes were stationary; what you and I call "mines." By the Russo-Japanese war the "locomotive torpedo" was invented and it became possible for tiny "Torpedo Boats" to launch a weapon that could sink a large capital ship (think of The African Queen). Thus the "Torpedo Boat Destroyer" was created to protect the fleet from this threat. Later Destroyers were fitted to defend the fleet against submarines and airplanes.
For many years, Light Cruisers, Heavy Cruisers, and Battlecruisers were designed to be the fastest ships in any navy. They didn't always succeed, but that was the plan.
For World War II the US Navy came up with a radical concept: no more slow warships. Even the biggest battleships and carriers were designed to be as fast as a destroyer or cruiser. It was important to keep fleets together, and wasteful to slow a whole fleet down to the speed of the slowest ship.
Artemis follows this principle. All Kraleans have the same top speed, all Torgoths have the same top speed, and all Arvonians have the same top speed. I think this works well.
The term Destroyer was originally "Torpedo Boat Destroyer." In the US Civil War torpedoes were stationary; what you and I call "mines." By the Russo-Japanese war the "locomotive torpedo" was invented and it became possible for tiny "Torpedo Boats" to launch a weapon that could sink a large capital ship (think of The African Queen). Thus the "Torpedo Boat Destroyer" was created to protect the fleet from this threat. Later Destroyers were fitted to defend the fleet against submarines and airplanes.
For many years, Light Cruisers, Heavy Cruisers, and Battlecruisers were designed to be the fastest ships in any navy. They didn't always succeed, but that was the plan.
For World War II the US Navy came up with a radical concept: no more slow warships. Even the biggest battleships and carriers were designed to be as fast as a destroyer or cruiser. It was important to keep fleets together, and wasteful to slow a whole fleet down to the speed of the slowest ship.
Artemis follows this principle. All Kraleans have the same top speed, all Torgoths have the same top speed, and all Arvonians have the same top speed. I think this works well.
[Last edited Oct 11, 2012 02:25:18]
"Damn the torpedoes! Four bells, Captain Drayton!"
(Likely actual words of Admiral David Farragut, USN, at the battle of Mobile Bay. Four bells was the signal for the engine room to make full steam ahead).
(Likely actual words of Admiral David Farragut, USN, at the battle of Mobile Bay. Four bells was the signal for the engine room to make full steam ahead).
Based on what you are describing, I think somewhere along the way, I have gotten torpedo boats and destroyers mixed up.
You're right. Doing some quick internet research, both Star Trek and Traveller fansites seem to describe the Destroyer as a small, maneuverable, versatile ship, like the Frigate but larger. In the Homeworld PC game, apparently some Destroyers are even used for anti-fighter purposes.
I was treating Destroyers as the starship-equivlanet of "torpedo boats". I have to admit, that name sounds a lot less menacing.
You're right. Doing some quick internet research, both Star Trek and Traveller fansites seem to describe the Destroyer as a small, maneuverable, versatile ship, like the Frigate but larger. In the Homeworld PC game, apparently some Destroyers are even used for anti-fighter purposes.
I was treating Destroyers as the starship-equivlanet of "torpedo boats". I have to admit, that name sounds a lot less menacing.
[Last edited Oct 10, 2012 19:32:42]
Daredevil Cosmic Cowboys, TNS Hyperion, Weapons Officer
1st Fleet of Southern California Sector.
1st Fleet of Southern California Sector.
I like the discussion of ship classifications though I thought this would be a slightly different discussion. I was expecting this to be more along the lines of names for the classes as they presently exist along the lines of a submarine be a Typhoon class or an aircraft carrier being an Enterprise class or an Invincible class. To that end I was imagining the following class names based Greek god names from the use of Artemis as the first ship in the game, at least when I got it with 1.5.
Scout => Hermes
Light Cruiser => Artemis
Battleship => Ares
Missile Cruiser => Apollo
Dreadnaught => Zeus
other classes I imagine
Engineering/Repair => Hephaestus (or Vulcan if you perfer ;-) )
Science => Athena
Supply => Demeter
Medical => Asclepius
Scout => Hermes
Light Cruiser => Artemis
Battleship => Ares
Missile Cruiser => Apollo
Dreadnaught => Zeus
other classes I imagine
Engineering/Repair => Hephaestus (or Vulcan if you perfer ;-) )
Science => Athena
Supply => Demeter
Medical => Asclepius
Commander Brandr
Commanding Officer of the ship Calamitous Intent
-------------------------------------------------------
Check our crews adventures at http://nerdneerdowells.com
Commanding Officer of the ship Calamitous Intent
-------------------------------------------------------
Check our crews adventures at http://nerdneerdowells.com
As part of my series of handbooks and manuals, I have begun creating a "Ship Recognition" Handbook.
On each page I have details of an individual ship, beginning with defining what the ship is (the handbook itself is split into several sections, each detailing a particular fleet's ships). In the handbook, I have chosen to define ships into two basic categories: Ship class and Ship type.
The ship type, I envision as representing the role it may play in a fleet and the "weight" of the vessel (so shield strength and hull armour, as well as the how well armed the vessel is), and therefore give designations such as: Light Cruiser, Scout, Cruiser, Dreadnaught, Behemoth etc.
The ship class I see as being the "Hull Configuration" of the ship, for example the "Artemis" class has a particular layout and weapon systems; its beams are positioned in a particular place on the hull with certain arcs, its engines are arranged in a particular configuration, the internal decks are laid out in a certain way, etc.
In the Ship Recognition handbook therefore, the "Artemis Class" starship is a "Light Cruiser".
There was conflicting information on wiki. In the "Jayne's Fighting Ships entry on the "Light Cruiser" page, the Artemis Class is referenced as being a "Battle Cruiser" ref: Wiki Entry for Artemis Class Starship
On each page I have details of an individual ship, beginning with defining what the ship is (the handbook itself is split into several sections, each detailing a particular fleet's ships). In the handbook, I have chosen to define ships into two basic categories: Ship class and Ship type.
The ship type, I envision as representing the role it may play in a fleet and the "weight" of the vessel (so shield strength and hull armour, as well as the how well armed the vessel is), and therefore give designations such as: Light Cruiser, Scout, Cruiser, Dreadnaught, Behemoth etc.
The ship class I see as being the "Hull Configuration" of the ship, for example the "Artemis" class has a particular layout and weapon systems; its beams are positioned in a particular place on the hull with certain arcs, its engines are arranged in a particular configuration, the internal decks are laid out in a certain way, etc.
In the Ship Recognition handbook therefore, the "Artemis Class" starship is a "Light Cruiser".
There was conflicting information on wiki. In the "Jayne's Fighting Ships entry on the "Light Cruiser" page, the Artemis Class is referenced as being a "Battle Cruiser" ref: Wiki Entry for Artemis Class Starship
[Last edited Nov 30, 2012 22:36:06]
Captain Xavier Wise
T.S.N. Falcon (BS-042)
Link to TSN RP Community pages
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T.S.N. Falcon (BS-042)
Link to TSN RP Community pages
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