The Victory III-class Star Destroyer* is Walex Blissex's follow-up design to his classic Victory-class Star Destroyer*. It is smaller than his daughter's Imperial-class design, but retains Blissex's trademark efficiency. Two Victory III* can be produced for the cost of an Imperial, with about one-fifth the crew complement and 20 percent more firepower than the Imperial I model. Although still outmatched in terms of raw firepower by the Imperial II and gargantuan Super Star Destroyer, the Victory III* can hold its own against any other Star Destroyer, heavy cruiser, or host of smaller ships.

In addition to its considerable combat outfitting, the Victory III* carries a full wing of long-range starfighters and is able to transport an average ground regiment and support equipment.

Victory III Star Destroyer*

Victory II Star Destroyer

It did not come off the production line until after the Clone Wars had ended, and consequently only a handful ever saw completion. Yet Rendili StarDrive's Victory II Star Destroyer has made an impact in this age of Imperial- and Super-class Star Destroyers. While the Victory I is primarily a planetary assault vessel, the Victory II was designed with space combat in mind.

The Victory II is fitted with powerful Hoersch-Kessel engines that add significantly to the Destroyer's sublight speed and maneuverability. In addition to its normal armament, the Victory II is equipped with ion cannons and enhanced tractor beam projectors. In combination, these weapons regularly disrupt the usual performance of an enemy ship, leaving it vulnerable to the Victory II's destructive weaponry.

Victory II Destroyers are designed with hangar bays large enough for two squadrons of TIE fighters. A recent shortage and high demand for the starfighters has seen the mothballing of several hangars, or the use of non-combat craft as battle platforms.

The main duty of the small number of these Star Destroyers is sector patrol. In pairs, or with other ships, Victory IIs regularly move into suspected hot spots and areas of Rebel or pirate activity with orders to pacify the sector.

Technological advancement is a byproduct of war. The battle-marred era marked by the Clone Wars saw the creation of bigger, faster, more heavily armed and armored combat vessels. The best of this bumper crop was the Victory-class Star Destroyer.

Designed by Republic engineer Walex Blissex, the Victory was commissioned into service as the wars were drawing to a close. Consquently, though these ships saw little action during the wars, they formed the bulk of the Republic Navy for years following. For a time it seemed these vessels would be replaced by the larger, newer Imperial-class Destroyers, but since the Rebellion moved into full swing the Victory has served in the defense of the Empire.

The Victory Star Destroyer carries out three standard mission types: planetary defense, planetary assault and troop transport, and ship-to-ship combat. It is much better at the first two than at the latter. One of this vessel's most powerful advantages is its ability to enter the upper levels of a planet's atmosphere — something the newer Star Destroyers cannot do. This permits precision ground attacks and the pursuit of smaller craft hoping to escape by diving toward planet.

The Victory-class vessel's main deficiency is its slow sublight speed. However, it does have rapid hyperspace capabilities and can make jumps quickly. To augment its slow speed, the Victory carries two TIE fighter squadrons.

Victory I Star Destroyer

Invincible Dreadnaught Cruiser

Introduced to the galaxy before the Clone Wars, the Dreadnaught-class heavy cruiser was the largest vessel of its time. In fact, these are among the oldest ships still seeing active service in some parts of the Empire.

Originally, the Navy had planned to phase out the Dreadnaught. Critics pointed out such flaws as slow speeds, weak shielding, inefficient power generators, low firepower, and high crew needs. Economics has won out though, as the Navy has found it more cost-effective to refit these ships than to build totally new vessels.

Because of their slower speeds, these ships were originally equipped with an enormous amount of cargo space for food and supplies during long missions. As technology improved, faster hyperdrive engines made most of this space unnecessary. Now these areas have been converted into TIE hangar bays. Dreadnaughts typically carry a full squadron of TIE starfighters.

Dreadnaughts perform a number of duties within the Empire. They are used to maintain an Imperial presense in the Outer Rim Territories, as convoy escort vessels, and in the pacification of low technology worlds.

The biggest drawback for this class of heavy cruiser is its reliance on manual technology, While newer vessels have minimal crews supported by a heavy concentration of droid technology, even the refitted Dreadnaughts need more actual crewmen than any other vessel currently in Imperial service.

In defiance of the problems associated with the loss of the Katana Fleet, Rendili has recently resumed construction of these vessels. In addition to having a crew of a mere 2,204 beings (a reduction of over 85% from the standard crew), such ships are capable of remote movement and the automatic fire-linking of their weapons, inflicting large amounts of damage on opponents.

Dreadnaught Cruiser

Bulk Cruiser

Bulk Cruisers are among the most common capital starships seen throughout the galaxy: they are a cross between true bulk transports and combat vessels. They are employed by numerous planetary and local governments as well as by larger corporations. Typically, these are star systems or corporations wich receive minimal Imperial protection, and have received permission to deploy their own forces to defend against smuggling, piracy, Alliance attacks, and other profit-draining enterprises. Several of these vessels have since defected to the Alliance.

Though of course happy to receive any ships, the Alliance fleet techs and tacticians have at times almost wished that these cruisers hadn't shown up. They are slow, old, break down with alarming frequency, and are expensive to run — a nightmare to make battleworthy.

In many cases, the necessary modifications simply are not worth the cost and effort. The ships are simply too untrustworthy to put into battle against the Imperial Navy. Instead, many of these cruisers have been assigned to transport escort work.

Other cruisers have been converted into starfighter carriers. This is a much cheaper and faster fix involving turning large areas of the ship into docking bays and repair facilities. Carrier cruiser commanders are taught to use their fighter squadrons as their primary weapon, keeping the cruiser itself well out of range if at all possible. A single cruiser can carry up to three starfighter squadrons, and can dock two standard transports at a time on the docking couplers on the cruiser's belly.

Bayonet Cruiser

Marauder Corvette

The Marauder was a rare failure for Republic Sienar Systems when it was introduced in the Old Republic, not for lack of design excellence, but simply due to Republic bureaucratic tape and questionable decision-making. After decent but thin sales to territorial governments, the Marauder corvette was sold to a smaller ship producer as Republic Sienar invested production in the TIE series. Eventually, production rights were bought by the Authority for use in its Picket Fleet. The aging ship design serves well in its current role as a patrol cruiser. The Marauder can carry a squadron of starfighters.