The Secutor-class Star Destroyer, also known as the Secutor-class battlecarrier,^[1] was a carrier in the Imperial Navy and possibly the Republic Navy.^[3]

Description[]

Dimensions[]

The Secutor-class was 2.2 kilometers long^[3] and had two ventral hangar apertures,^[4] serving primarily as a carrier.^[3] Its length and volume would normally have put it in the battlecruiser-scale of the Anaxes War College System, specifically under Star Cruiser,^[4] and it was even given the alternate designation of Secutor-class battlecruiser because of this,^[1] but it was lightly armed for its size, and had extensive carrier-capability and was instead designated as a Star Destroyer.^[3] The carrier was one of the largest dedicated craft in the Navy.^[1]

It was crewed by 40,000 personnel, and had enough consumables to last for two years in voyage.^[1]

Offensive and defensive systems[]

Compared to other Imperial Navy vessels of its size (e.g., the Allegiance-class battlecruiser), this Star Destroyer class was very light in terms of weapons output, merely possessing 15 heavy turbolaser batteries, 15 light turbolasers, 15 battleship-class ion cannon batteries, 16 medium ion cannons, and 12 tractor beam projectors,^[1] several of which lined the dorsal superstructure, on a diagonal ridge in front of the command tower.^[4] The light weapons screen, as well as the carrier role it serves, was the primary reason for it being officially considered a Star Destroyer instead of a battlecruiser despite its size being closer to the latter scale.^[3]

Complement[]

Owing to its primarily being a carrier, the Secutor-class carried 144 TIE Series starfighters, as well as various other small craft, various walkers and over 14,000 troops: enough military forces to subjugate a planet.^[1] This carrier role, plus the noted light weapons screen it possessed, is the primary reason why it was designated a Star Destroyer by the Anaxes War College System despite its size being closer to that of a battlecruiser.^[3]

Propulsion systems[]

The Secutor-class possessed two sets of hyperdrives, with the primary hyperdrive being a class 2, and the secondary hyperdrive being a class 14.^[1]

Bridge tower[]

The Secutor-class was designed with a double command tower, in a style reminiscent of the contemporary Venator-class Star Destroyer,^[4] largely due to it being developed early in the Empire's formation, due to that bridge style being prevalent on the then-recently reorganized Galactic Republic at the time.^[1] Unlike other Imperial Navy Star Destroyers, the bridge was mounted amidships instead of over the ion drives.^[1]

History[]

The Secutor-class Star Destroyer was designed early in Imperial history^[1] as evidenced by the common design elements it shared with the Venator-class Star Destroyer, which was itself designed and built near the beginning of the Clone Wars.^[3] It stemmed from a battlecruiser design from the Republic.^[1]

Several ships of this class were serviced at Naval Station Validusia.^[4] During the Galactic Civil War, the Secutors were relatively rare, although they often appeared when least expected with their battlegroup to attack Rebel bases or support other battlegroups.^[1] At least one Secutor-class Star Destroyer entered a conflict with a Providence-class carrier/destroyer and a Quasar Fire-class bulk cruiser.^[5]

In 10 ABY,^[6] at least one vessel of this class was part of the fleet orbiting Byss when Luke Skywalker was brought to the planet to face the then-resurrected Emperor Palpatine.^[7]

Behind the scenes[]

This design originated as a fanon vessel made by Ansel Hsiao, basing his design on a background vessel from Dark Empire 2, which was cataloged by Curtis Saxton as "anonymous star destroyer #3" on his fansite.^[8] The name chosen by the artist for its class is the Latin word for "a gladiator armed with sword and shield".^[9] Hsiao cited this ship as being one of his favorite large ships because of it both being a fun design and bearing some resemblance to a Flying Wing.^[10]

When approached by Lucas Licensing to provide artwork for The Essential Guide to Warfare, Hsiao submitted his own designs in addition to new models, along with their names. The names were recorded in LFL's Holocron continuity database, according to the artist.^[2] According to Jason Fry, one of the authors of the Essential Guide to Warfare, the class specifications were also approved by Lucasfilm.^[3]

The official status for the usage of the Secutor indicates that it was used "perhaps late in Republic history." Citing the Venator-style bridges.^[3]

Appearances[]

• Dark Empire 2 (First appearance)

Sources[]

• The Essential Guide to Warfare
• Stay on Target (First identified as Secutor-class battlecarrier)

Notes and references[]

External links[]

• Jason Fry's Dorkery — EG to Warfare: Endnotes Pt. 7 on Tumblr (backup link) (First identified as Secutor-class Star Destroyer)
• Cleared for Launch on Fantasy Flight Games' official website (backup link) (Picture only)
• Ansel Hsiao's gallery including the Secutor-class Star Destroyer. on fractalsponge.net (backup link not verified!)