Yeremenko Destroyer
From Autonomicon Mk. II
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Contents |
History
From the early 23rd century to roughly 2248, Soviet ship design was split between two factions: one that favoured modular, compact, quick ships, and one that favoured large, beastly ships with superior firepower and an imposing presence. The former faction, led by the Soviet Navy's chief ship architect Ivan Halilovic, was insistent that using the Reich's strength against them would serve as a sufficient deterrent. Most border skirmishes were between ships of frigate size or smaller, and Halilovic and those who worked in the various Soviet design bureaus believed that improving their corvettes (the Leselidze Light Corvette was dramatically outgunned) and putting heavy guns on smaller ships would allow the USSR to get the upper hand in these skirmishes. Halilovic went to work drawing up a destroyer that looked different than any other Soviet ship of its time, but was diminutive enough to avoid provoking the Germans to send in their cruisers and escalating any border skirmish.
The Yeremenko, named after famed Soviet general Andrei Yeremenko, began production in 2253 and quickly re-established Russian superiority at the border. In an unusual move, their medium cannon (a caliber unprecedented for a ship of its size) was mounted rear-facing, and its light guns were mounted forward. The design was often criticised, as German corvettes that could keep to the sides of the ship and/or match the destroyer's lateral movement caused a weapons blind spot greater than 90 degrees on either side. This led to a future affinity for broadside designs such as in the Slavny and Retivyy cruisers. Despite these setbacks the Yeremenko is one of the oldest designs still in service within the Soviet Union. Its speed is high, armour relatively thick, and requires only a small crew, yet its firepower is immense.
The escalation of the Soviet-German war, and subsequent deployment of heavier German vessels has left the Yeremenko in the precarious position of being severely outgunned by most ships operating in the Soviet-German border systems, and has since been regulated to escort duty. Still, it is not uncommon to see several Yeremenko class destroyers operating within Soviet fleets, providing precise firepower and speed whenever the need arises.
Role
In the modern Soviet Navy the Yeremenko is most often used as a light escort for supply and transport convoys. Its firepower is more than capable of warding off any pirate attack, and its speed allows it to remain within firing distance of the ever elusive German corvette groups – the bane of Soviet shipping.
When operating in peacetime, or far from the front lines, the Yeremenko is commonly used to patrol the outer reaches of Soviet space, a far cheaper alternative then keeping an Odessa or Slavny class vessel supplied so far from a friendly port. The Yeremenko is also commonly deployed to some of the neutral systems in the Orion region, assisting local authorities against pirate attacks, or searching cargo bound for Soviet space.
Other Variants
As the Yeremenko fleet was gradually upgraded to support newer electronic systems and weapons, many of the older models, too aged or decrepit to retrofit, were instead sold to foreign powers. Only after being stripped of most of their more advanced systems would the ships be approved for export. Yeremenko destroyers were sold to the New Weimar Republic, and the Komeito Democratic Republic.
Most of the ships involved in the downgrade and export process were part of the second generation of Yeremenko-class ships produced for the Red Space Forces. Many first generation ships, most of which were partially decommissioned and stored at various reserve stations across the galaxy, were brought out of retirement during the early stages of the Soviet-German conflict as a preparatory measure due to expectations of escalation on the part of Soviet High Command.
It was easier and cheaper to retrofit these older ships to current(third)-generation specifications than it was to construct new vessels, so a massive operation was undertaken by reserve forces to completely renovate these aging prototypes. It also is worth noting that, while these ships were older than their second generation counterparts, they were in significantly better condition due to their relative disuse; the newer ships had been workhorses of the Space Forces for many years, while the first generation had been shelved almost in its entirety when the newer ships were delivered due to their technical inferiority.
Most Yeremenko Destroyers in service today are members of this "Generation 1+" family of vessels, distinguishable by their somewhat cobbled-together appearance and mixture of decades-old design philosophy with current technology.
A civilian variant also exists, mostly serving as either a light escort for civilian shipping, or retrofitted as a scientific vessel.
Operational History
Current Operators
- Soviet Union
- All Kharkov Pact members.
- New Weimar Republic
- Komeito Democratic Republic
- People's Republic of Ashlind
- Korean Workers' Liberation Army (Rumored, unconfirmed)
- Atlas (Retrofitted, civilian)
- Orion Enviromental Commission (Retrofitted, civilian)
