VAY Destroyer
Frontal Assault
| Armor: | 41000 HP |
| Build cost: | 1250 RU |
| Build time: | 100 sec |
| Maximum speed: | 115 m/s |
| Turning rate: | 10.0 deg/s |
| Squadron firepower: | 687.9 HP/s |
| weapon type | count | RPM | damage | individual firepower | total firepower |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vay_destroyergun | 4 | 12.0 | 113 | 23 | 90.0 |
| vay_kashtan_DD_left | 6 | 240.0 | 7 | 28 | 168.0 |
| vay_kashtan_DD_right | 6 | 240.0 | 7 | 28 | 168.0 |
| vay_lightionarray | 2 | 14.29 | 550 | 131 | 261.9 |
A medium capital ship first sighted by Republic listening posts in the far galactic south. Designated 'Glaive' after its thin, bladelike chassis, this starship embodies a far different culture and combat philosophy than is standard to the various Galactic nations.
The Glaive is larger and more massive than most Destroyer-class vessels by a healthy margin, and has a power-to-mass ratio only slightly better than a Cruiser. It sacrifices drive power and maneuvering capability for thick armor, two heavy turrets, and six light point defense turrets. Like the Javelin before it the Glaive heavily emphasizes frontal assault; its primary weapon system appears to be a pair of Turanic-pattern Ion Array cannon giving it a powerful direct-fire punch. The heavy turrets are unbelievably a pair of hypervelocity chemical cannon. The grandness of their scale lets them compete with modern coilgun range and muzzle velocity, but they have only marginal accuracy and penetrative characteristics. They are quite capable of wearing down frigate armor given time and will defeat strike craft in several direct hits, however.
The lighter weapons present evidence of an interesting philosophy. A considerable amount of the chassis has been dedicated to housing these in broadside banks of three; they are mounted in well armored turrets with rapid traverse and cavernous ammo storage. Each turret has a dedicated radar, fire control system, and magazine. Each turret mounts a pair of high speed revolver cannon firing smart explosive fragmentary rounds. Within an envelope of 1500m they provide an unavoidable curtain of fire, lending incredible anti-fighter protection against strafing runs, close passes, and other short range fire.
This weapons layout implies that this is currently the heaviest combat starship in the Vaygr arsenal. It is too unwieldy to maneuver against lighter targets or to disengage from combat once committed and its small forward profile and fixed beam cannon lend strength to a frontal charge. Its secondary weapons are well suited to engage anything smaller than it at close range. Given what we know of Vaygr strike craft, their short range weaponry and minimal armor would quite rapidly fail within the range of the Glaive's hull defense turrets. This ship is clearly meant as a final word; once committed its Vaygr builders clearly expect the action to be quickly resolved.
Galactic strike craft employ light energy cannon and fixed coilgun, both of which significantly outrange these turrets. Operational guidelines for engaging these ships are currently being disseminated to both Republic carrier groups and Higaaran fighter wings; head-on attacks and high-traversal strafing runs currently favored as capital attack maneuvers would be all but suicidal against this foe. Instead, going into a Sphere formation at maximum range would render this formidable starship impotent as even our Interceptors outrange its defensive turrets. When pitted against our other currently known Vaygr combat units, the Glaive would be almost unstoppable. When pitted against modern technology this unit becomes jack of all trades, master of none and woefully vulnerable to bigger fish.
Of particular note is an engagement that led to Republic CA-0108 Blood of Fire being isolated and encountering three Glaive-type units. Blood of Fire's captain quickly deduced the limitations of these craft, poured on the engine power, and charged past their fixed ion array cannons. While the Glaives struggled to bring their weapons to bear, Blood of Fire's nose turrets and heavy energy cannon made a mockery of their antiquated armor. By the time two had turned, the third was hulled. Within one hundred forty seconds of contact, Glaive Two had suffered catastrophic reactor failure and the third attempted to withdraw. Blood of Fire scored direct hits with all four beams in the vulnerable exhaust manifold and split the Vaygr ship like a log, marking the first time in space warfare when a cruiser engaged three lighter capital ships in a maneuvering battle and emerged victorious.
A final note: Vaygr doctrine often leaves these vessels all but unescorted due to their tremendous anti strikecraft firepower; freeing up the Vaygr light units to perform raids and flanking maneuvers. As a pocket fleet Glaives are excellent, but they are easy prey for starships with turreted beam weaponry and ion beam frigates.
