Entry: 451000
Subject: Ship Classification – Star Corvettes and above
Status: Interpretation
Capsule:
When someone says a starship is a Star Destroyer, Star Cruiser, or Star Defender don’t you want to know what they’re talking about? You should, because there is a world of difference from a Battlecruiser and a Star Destroyer, and the use of so many terms around the galaxy leads to a wide array of confusion as to what is what.
Firstly, we’re going to be using a classification system pioneered by the Imperial Navy. Only when naming conventions for the New Republic and GFFA deviate from the Imperial model will they be explained.
The length figures used are just general guidelines, most ships are placed in classifications based on their displacement, armor, armament, and speed, however since these differences tend to have a direct bearing on the ship’s size the designations given are fairly accurate.
It is important to note that many worlds have a separate naming convention from the Imperial system, and therefore the vessels produced from those worlds will have names which are not proportional to their Imperial Designation. Good examples of this are the Carrack Cruiser and Rendili Dreadnaught.
So… starting from the smallest vessels, besides starfighters we have…
Star Corvettes, are the smallest combatant type of warship, they very in size and scale from the Skipray Blastboat to the KBD-1 Broadside-class and PB-950. Most all combat shuttles fit into this category and often times these ships serve only in secondary roles in any fleet engagement, primarily in the realms of reconnaissance, recovery, and close vehicle support. Some types of Star Corvettes are designed to serve as ultra heavy bombers in fleet operations, while others serve as convoy escort, system patrol, and general police operatives.
Star Corvettes are vulnerable to most forms of starfighters as well as and anti-starfighter capital ships. A Lancer Frigate can easily chew threw a couple flights of these craft, and capital ships do have a higher probability of success against these craft then normal starfighters with their turbolasers.
When a starfighter squadron isn’t enough, and you don’t have any heavy hitters available, bring in the Heavy Star Corvettes. While technically most of these vessels are larger then 150 meters, some forms of Corellian Gunship like the DP25 are classified as Heavy Star Corvettes because of their high firepower. These ships are used for a wide variety of tasks, ranging from system patrol to blockade running and convoy escort. In some fleets they’ve been pushed into front line combat duty… this has been especially true during the galactic civil war and the Rebel Alliance’s use of Corellian Corvettes and Gunships during fleet operations.
These Heavy Corvettes are often used to take on light frigates and sometimes even heavy frigates in small groups. They can not stand up against the might of a Star Destroyer, which usually is the most effective weapon against such a threat.
Star Frigates have an overwhelming tendency to be specialized and special purpose ships. Many of these ships are dedicated to the convoy escort and fighter suppression role, while others are dedicated to direct combat operations. Good examples of Star Frigates include the Nebulon B, Lancer Frigate, and Carrack Cruiser.
Ships of this class are most effective against smaller vessels like corvettes, though a small squadron may take on a heavy frigate if properly deployed and led.
These ships form the backbone of most planetary defense fleets and independent systems as their largest capital ships. Despite that, on the galactic scale these behemoths are far smaller then most Star Destroyers in the Imperial inventory. Ranging from 600-900 meters means this ship is two big to be build in most factory style shipyards, and thus many of them have a production time of several weeks between units.
As a general rule of thumb, six heavy frigates can take on a Star Destroyer, but any smaller group will have immense problems with larger adversaries. In most fleet engagements heavy frigates serve to increase the anti-capital ship capability of the fleet and will operate closely to larger vessels to provide mutual support.
The backbone of the Imperial and New Republic fleets; Star Destroyers are designed to be highly versatile and capable of independent operations. They can be reconfigured quickly or immediately used to fulfill a wide variety of mission profiles ranging from sector patrol, anti-piracy, and espionage, to direct combat fire-support, planetary invasions and convoy escort. Examples include the Imperial class, Victory class, Harrow class, and Republic class. The MC series of Calamari Cruisers usually either fall in this category or heavy destroyer category.
While most people in the galaxy view star destroyers as the supreme overlords of space they are far from it, any true star cruiser, star battlecruiser, or star dreadnaught can easily overwhelm a destroyer.
Unlike normal star destroyers, the heavy star destroyers are meant almost exclusively for use in fleet combat operations. They’re the smallest classification of vessels in the imperial inventory dedicated exclusively to fleet combat. These ships are often times only slightly slower and are much more heavily armed. Good examples include the Allegiance class, MC 90 series, and MC80B series.
Though well armed, these vessels are not as heavily armored as a cruiser, much less a dreadnaught, so it is quite possible to use two or more normal star destroyers to engage and eliminate such a vessel with proper planning and coordination.
Most members of this class of ship are little known, and many of them have been labeled with the misnomer of being Super Star Destroyers, but these ships represent only the second tier of ships of the line for the Imperial navy. They’re slow, heavily armed, and more then capable of taking a beating. Classic examples of this classification include the Titan-class, the Tyrant-class, and Independence-class.
These ships are actually quite easy to defeat if they are left unsupported, they’re vulnerable to being outmaneuvered by smaller and faster destroyers. However with proper destroyer support they’re quite capable of making a name for themselves by racking up the losses on the smaller ships.
Star Battlecruisers or Star Defenders as they’re called in the New Republic are fast and heavily armed vessels. Unlike Star Cruisers and Star Dreadnaughts these ships are fast for their size, they emphasis speed and firepower over armor, making them a devastating weapon if handled correctly. If used correctly the ships of this class can even take on a Star Dreadnaught. Examples include the Strident-class, Viscount-class, and Vengeance-class.
The most dangerous threat to Star Battlecruisers is a Star Dreadnaught backed up by proper destroyer support. Additionally they can be overwhelmed by smaller ships making them an expensive option for combat operations.
The ultimate in combat vessels, Star Dreadnaughts serve primarily as flagships and command elements in fleets. They are the most heavily armed and armored vessels in the fleet, still they are more symbol then weapon in most cases. Excellent examples of Star Dreadnaughts include Executor-class, Sovereign-class, and Eclipse-class vessels.
The ships in this category tend to be vulnerable to being overwhelmed by attack from smaller ships, especially cruisers and star destroyers.
Reply
