Thunder-class

The Thunder-class Destroyer is the main destroyer of the Stormwind Navy. Designed to counter orcish and troll galleys during the Second War, the Thunder-class is notable for being named after the Lightning-class vessel HMS Thunder, which was the first vessel to prove the destroyer concept among the nations of the Eastern Kingdoms.

As it is larger than the Eagle or Lightning-classes, the Thunder-class is lesser common. This rarity, coupled with the vessel's short range, means that the Thunder is only assigned as an escort to Ships of the Line such as the Lion and Barathen-classes, instead of being used for the convoy escort role like the navy's corvettes.

The Thunder-class can usually be found in any fleet that uses Ships of the Line, though due to its rarity is sometimes replaced in this role by a smaller corvette.

HMS Thunder
Though not technically a Thunder-class vessel, the HMS Thunder is listed here as it was effectively the prototype of the class.

Intended as the lead ship of the 'large type' subgroup of the Lightning-class, the HMS Thunder was a significantly longer variant of the Lightning and was armed with 30 carronades in contrast to the Lightning's 20 cannon.

Despite being able to deliver 50% more weight of shot than the Lightning, the Thunder suffered from the fact that it only had 50% of the range of a 'proper' corvette. Additionally, due to its longer length, the Thunder was unable to be built in many shipyards that could produce a normal Lightning, which resulted in it remaining the only ship of its sub-class for decades, effectively becoming a ship filled with poorly trained crew and ineffective officers in that length of time.

However, in the height of the Second War, the Thunder was finally able to prove its effectiveness. Captained by Commander Horatio Harrington, the Thunder managed to destroy an entire squadron of orcish galleys that had attempted to initiate a boarding assault against the fleet it was protecting. Though the Thunder was too badly damaged to be repaired following the engagement, this battle would lead to the creation of the modern destroyer, with the first class of such ships produced by Stormwind named the Thunder-class in its honor.

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