Destroyer (Red Alert 1)

	For other uses, see Destroyer.

Destroyer
Unit
Internal ID	DD
Faction	Allied Forces
Role	General purpose warship
Armament	Stinger missiles Depth charges
Tier	1
Tech level	4
Properties
Hit points	400
Armor type	Heavy
Production
Cost	$1000
Produced by	Naval yard
Combat
Ground attack	80 (AP)
Air attack	30 (AP)
Cooldown	60
Sea speed	6
Attack range	9 (air) 5 (ground)
Sight range	6
Function
Abilities	Detects submarines

The Destroyer was the Allied medium warship during the Second World War. It was the intermediate between the gunboat and cruiser and served as the backbone of the Allied navy.

Background

Unlike the other vessels in the Allied navy, the destroyer was a multivalent unit. A bow mounted missile box launcher engaged aircraft, structures (being able to outrange Tesla coils), and armor with Stinger missiles. It could also fill the anti-submarine role, and its dual depth charge launchers allowed them to fight Soviet submarines on more or less equal terms. Destroyers are the prime escorts of cruisers, which only provide heavy surface fire against buildings.

Legacy

With the Second World War era destroyers aging, It was replaced by a new destroyer of the Third World War while its anti-aircraft role was taken by the Aegis cruiser.

Game unit

“

The mid-level naval vessel, the Destroyer is effective against land, air, and sea-based threats. Its fast-firing stinger missiles can hit air targets easily, and can also decimate nearby ground targets. If it detects a Submarine, its dual depth-charge launcher ensures that the Sub will be rapidly taken out of commission. - Red Alert manual(src)

”

The destroyer is more expensive and slower than the Gunboat, but it has medium armor and is stronger and more powerful while additionally being much more versatile, able to strike any target, ground, sea, or air, from range.

The missiles have armor-piercing warheads which makes Destroyers effective against armored vehicles and aircraft, but less so against structures and infantry. Still, a small fleet of Destroyers can pose a threat to bases as their missiles also outrange Tesla coils and most Soviet units.

The destroyer's dual depth charge launcher can do significant damage to opposing submarines, so one destroyer can replace 2-3 gunboats in taking on one submarine. This makes the Destroyers best suited to escorting Cruisers which forms a tough combination, with the former providing anti-air and anti-submarine defenses so the latter can deliver devastating bombardments that can quickly level buildings.

Behind the scenes

The original sidebar image and cinematic render of the destroyer seem to be based off of the Type 22 "Broadsword-class" frigate Batch 1 and Batch 2 (except those who was sold to other countries) of the British Royal Navy. The Type 22 Batch 1 and Batch 2 were unique to the Royal Navy in lacking any main gun, being the first to be designed from the beginning without a large caliber main battery. This perhaps fit with the game designers' supposed preference of an "all-missile" vessel to represent the guided-missile destroyer. Compared to the real Type 22 frigate which had four Exocet anti-ship missile launchers behind the forecastle, the cinematic destroyer features a single larger sextuple missile launcher on the forecastle, while the rear hangar and helicopter pad was removed.

In the Command & Conquer Remastered Collection, the sidebar image of the destroyer has a tripod mast and hull resembling that of a pre-World War II battlecruiser (Renown-class) or heavy cruiser (Northampton-class), but with the main gun turrets replaced by missile launchers.

Gallery

• 

  Destroyer at dusk, in open sea.

• 

  Destroyers sailing through the Volga river, near Volgograd.

Cameos

DOS	English	French	German

Videos

A destroyer sinking a submarine

Destroyers on the Volga river

See also

• Submarine, Soviet counterpart