Ships

Victory Star Destroyer

The Victory Star Destroyer is an older star cruiser that proved to be an important part of the Imperial space fleet even though it was over three decades old. When first launched, the Victory-class was considered the ultimate combat starship design, and even as the Empire waned it was overshadowed only by the Imperial Star Destroyer. The Victory was designed near the end of the Clone Wars, and these ships formed the core of the space fleet after that turbulent era.

Victory Star Destroyers are nine hundred meters long, carrying a crew of over 5,000 beings. Standard Imperial armament for a Victory Star Destroyer included ten quad turbolasers, forty double turbolasers, eighty concussion missile launchers, and ten tractor-beam projectors. Victory Star Destroyers have sufficient space to carry two squadrons of TIE fighters, for a total of twenty-four support fighters. The Victory can carry 2,000 ground troops as well as planetary drop ships, troop transports, and a wide range of planetary assault vehicles, including AT-AT walkers, Juggernauts, and Ubrikkian HAVr A9 Floating Fortresses.

As more Imperial Star Destroyers were built, Victory Star Destroyers found themselves reassigned to planetary defense roles or moved into reserve fleets deep in the Core. A number of Victory Star Destroyers were decommissioned and sold off the planetary defense forces. The Corporate Sector Authority purchased 250 of these ships.

Victor Star Destroyers were designed with three mission in mind: planetary defense, planetary assault and ground-troop support, and ship-to-ship combat. The ship is notably adequate for the first two missions, and its relatively fast hyperdrive (a Class One unit) allows it to reach galactic trouble spots in half the time needed by Imperial Star Destroyers.

The Victory’s biggest weakness is found in ship-to-ship combat. The Victory’s LF9 ion engines cannot produce sufficient speed for deep-space actions, and most modern combat starships can simply outrun them. To achieve success, Victory captains must first establish a superior position, for example, by pinning enemy ships in a planetary gravity well so they cannot escape into hyperspace. Victories can best surmount their shortcomings if they are assigned Interdictor cruisers, escort frigates, or light cruisers for support.

The usefulness of Victory Star Destroyers was renewed with the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn. The Imperial warlord found his forces lacking sufficient capital starships and began a systematic recommissioning and refitting of Victory Star Destroyers.

The Victory is an excellent ship for planetary actions because it is one of the largest capital starships that can operate effectively in a planetary atmosphere. While most modern combat starships are restricted to orbital bombardment, the Victory can bring the battle directly to an enemy on the surface, giving the ship both a tactical and psychological advantage.

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