Gladiator-class Star Destroyer

Gladiator-class Star Destroyer

Characteristics[]

TheGladiator-class was a small Star Destroyer that shared its keel design with theBroadside-class cruiser.^[1] A ventral protrusion on the hull appeared to cover the ship's main reactor, but was also the location of several cannons. The class had two main thrusters and no visible secondary thrusters.^[2]

It possessed an array of capital-gradetorpedo^[2] orconcussion missile^[1] launchers andturbolaser emplacements. Torpedo loading bays were located deep inside the ships, with automated loading arms controlled from a console next to the conveyor belt that fed munitions to the launchers.^[2]

The total number of guns installed was twelve dual light turbolasers, tenpoint defense mediumlaser cannons, ten mediumassault concussion missilelaunchers and eighttractor beam projectors grouped in 6 turbolaser batteries, 3 laser batteries, 2 missile batteries and 3 tractor beam batteries.^[4][1]

The Star Destroyer class was characterized by its extensive hangar area, with an opening in the bow of the vessel, that split the forward superstructure in two,^[2] similar to theBroadside-class.^[7] The hangar had enough room for several starfighters to enter or exit at the same time.^[2] A complement of 24 fighters was usually carried to intimidate small frontier worlds.^[1] Also 5 AT-ST along a number of shuttles and landingcraft were available.^[4]

The Empire deployed two versions of theGladiator:Gladiator I- andGladiator II-class Star Destroyer.^[3]

History[]

TheGladiator-class was originally envisioned during theClone Wars as aRepublic escort vessel for heavier vessels, namely theVictory-class Star Destroyer, and the initial design was made byWalex Blissex forRendili StarDrive. The final design was not finished until after the end of the Clone Wars. With the transition of the Republic to the Empire, theVictory- andVenator-class being abandoned as the principal front line warships by the Galactic Empire in favor of the largerImperial I-class Star Destroyer (to which an escort was deemed unnecessary) the need for such an escort never came to fruition and were subsequently abandoned, the specs were handed over toKuat Drive Yards.^[1]

Kuat Drive Yards repurposed the class as a long-range patrol vessel, carrying enough troops, fighters and firepower to subjugate local pirate groups and planetary defense forces in the fringe regions ofthe galaxy. In essence a vessel which could independently project power on less critical worlds where the expensive Imperial classes were viewed as overly redundant. However when theRebellion began to field heavier naval elements, smaller Imperial ships like theGladiator-class were outmatched.^[1]

A ship of this class, theDemolisher, served as the flagship of ImperialAdmiralTerrinald Screed^[8] during his mission to theRoon system.^[6]Prior to theBattle of Tammuz-an circa15 BBY, thepirate leaderGir Kybo Ren-Cha and his band stole theDemolisher from an Imperial repair dock.^[1] They utilized it to attack the planet ofTammuz-an in order to steal its riches, but were defeated and the ship was disabled.^[2]

Many otherGladiator-class Star Destroyers were captured by pirates. Its value in the black market was 34 million credits.^[1]

At least oneGladiator-class Star Destroyer was deployed to guard theTimira City Cloning Facility onKamino at2 BBY, where it later participated in abattle with the fledglingAlliance Fleet.^[9]

The shipyard facilities in orbit ofLianna were used to perform maintenance of aGladiator-class ship during theGalactic Civil War.^[10]

A force comprised of theBlood Ambition (aGladiator-class ship) and twoRaider I-class corvettes attacked the planetXorrn and fought against a Rebel fleet.^[4]

Behind the scenes[]

Despite being one of the earliest Star Destroyer classes seen in official media, theGladiator-class wasn't named until 2008, when its profile appeared inThe Force Unleashed Campaign Guide. Until this time, fans had simply named the class after its only known vessel, theDemolisher.In the Droids series theDemolisher seemed to fire its turbolasers from the ventral dome.The size of the starship is 500 meters inThe Force Unleashed Campaign Guide and 600 meters inFriends Like These.

Appearances[]

• Star Wars: Droids: The Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO — "The Pirates of Tarnoonga"(First appearance)
• Star Wars: Droids: The Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO — "Tail of the Roon Comets"
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
• Friends Like These
• Mission to Lianna(Picture only)
• Star Wars (1977) 61(recolorized inStar Wars: A Long Time Ago... Volume 4: Screams in the Void)(First appearance)

Sources[]

Explore all of Wookieepedia'simages for this article subject.

• The Force Unleashed Campaign Guide(First identified asGladiator-class Star Destroyer)
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia(asDemolisher)
• Rebellion Era Campaign Guide(Indirect mention only)
• Tosh, Jann in theDatabank(original site is defunct)
• The Essential Guide to Warfare
• The Droids Re-Animated:Part 2 onStarWars.com(original link is obsolete)
• "Blaster" —Star Wars Insider 156

• Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 77Starship Fact File: TheFinalizer
•  Star Wars: The Card Game —Galactic AmbitionsCard:Concentrated Firepower (backup link)(Picture only)

Notes and references[]