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TPMCGYoda

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"This is an Arquitens-class light cruiser. It may not be the largest, but it is well armed with a thick hull. Its crew is certainly well trained and prepared for a space battle. Externally it is defended. But they are not expecting an assault from within, as has proven to be the case."
―Grievous, on the Stellar Rise[10]

The Arquitens-class light cruiser, also known as the Jedi light cruiser or Republic light cruiser and later the Imperial light cruiser, was a line of light cruisers designed by Kuat Drive Yards that saw extensive service with the Republic Navy during the Clone Wars. They would go on to see limited service under the Galactic Empire, though Kuat Drive Yards would later refit them into an updated variant for the Imperial Navy, the Arquitens-class command cruiser.

Characteristics[]

"The enemy ships are faster and more maneuverable. I suggest caution."
―TV-94, referring to the Arquitens-class light cruiser and its companion Consular-class cruisers[5]
ArquitensBridge-GI

The bridge of the Arquitens-class light cruiser Surrogator

The Arquitens-class were built on a broad, kite-shaped hull, in line with the Kuat Drive Yards triangular design motif that was also reflected in its contemporaries, the Venator and Acclamator-classes.[3] It was set apart, however, by its three powerful engines (reminiscent of the smaller Consular-class space cruiser), as well as its two forward spars cleaved into the ship's triangular bow.[5]

96th Task Force

Arquitens-class light cruisers were equipped with turbolasers

The bridge was a small T-shaped command tower positioned atop the hull, flanked by two turret-mounted quad light[3] turbolasers; these were matched by identical emplacements, located on the ventral side.[11] The cruiser's anti-fighter and anti-ship capabilities were bolstered by the quad laser batteries mounted port and starboard.[3] All of the batteries could be retracted into the hull in the case of atmospheric operations.[11] Additionally, the ship also had two pairs of forward ordinance launchers. Its ordinance launchers were typically equipped with concussion missiles, but any standard Republic Navy ordinance could be used.[3]

Arquitens-class light cruisers were relatively small vessels; like the retrofitted Consular-class, they were regarded as "escort-class" vessels by the Confederacy navy in contrast with the Venators, identified as "cruiser-class."[5] However, their versatility allowed them to serve in various roles, such as escorting convoys, performing reconnaissance pickets, and supporting larger capital ships. They earned the respect of both their crews and their enemy counterparts.[3]

History[]

Clone Wars[]

"Get back to the bridge. We need to detach before Grievous jumps ship."
―Obi-Wan Kenobi, to the clone naval officers aboard his Arquitens-class light cruiser during the Battle of Saleucami[5]

Arquitens-class light cruisers were rushed into service with the Republic Navy upon the outbreak of the Clone Wars in 22 BBY.[3] One of these ships, named the Surrogator,[4] was part of Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi's flotilla during the Battle of Saleucami; it was used as bait for General Grievous, distracting him from the Jedi boarding party on his own flagship that was attempting to rescue the captured Eeth Koth. In the course of the battle, the ship was targeted at point-blank range by Grievous' flagship and was destroyed.[5]

CoburnAtTheHelm-EFK

Admiral Coburn commands an Arquitens-class light cruiser at Kadavo.

Several Arquitens-class light cruisers formed part of the fleet that protected Kamino when it was attacked by Grievous and Asajj Ventress.[12] Arquitens-class ships were also part of the fleet that later engaged Ventress's fleet in the Sullust system.[13]

Following a distress call from the Togruta colonists of the planet Kiros, Jedi Master Yoda deployed a group containing Arquitens-class light cruisers and a Venator-class Star Destroyer to investigate.[14] After the slaves were transferred to a slave processing facility on Kadavo, an Arquitens-class cruiser[11] known as the Hand of Justice[15] helmed by Admiral Barton Coburn maneuvered underneath the facility to deploy the Wolfpack to aid in the rescue. The troops brought the freed slaves onboard, and Coburn's ship left as Plo Koon and his squadron destroyed the facility.[11]

An Arquitens-class fought in the Battle of Ringo Vinda late in the war.[16]

Age of the Empire[]

Imperial reign[]

Arquitens-classLightCruiser-SWM

An Imperial light cruiser destroys multiple enemies

Republic light cruisers continued to serve in the Imperial Navy after the Republic's transition into the Galactic Empire.[1] One Imperial light cruiser, the Thunder Wasp (under the command of Commander Alfren Cheno), served as part of the task force of Admiral Carlou Gendling during the pacification of Umbara. The Chiss Captain Thrawn and Ensign Eli Vanto served aboard the Thunder Wasp, helping to knock out a vulture droid transmission station and effectively winning the day for the Empire.[6]

During the Batonn sector insurgency, Admiral Thrawn commanded three Imperial light cruisers Shyrack, Flensor, and Tumnor during the assault on Nightswan's forces on Scrim Island. These light cruisers were disabled by a hidden ion cannon emplacement but Thrawn ordered his fleet to bombard the waters around the ion cannons, creating a tsunami that flooded the base and knocked out its defenses. Later, Thrawn used the cruisers as bait to entice Nightswan's ships to attack his command ship Chimaera. Nightswan's ships bypassed the cruisers, which deployed repair barges containing TIE fighters that neutralized Nightswan's fleet.[6]

Refit program[]

ArquitensCommandCruiser-SWS

An Arquitens-class command cruiser

Several years prior to 4 BBY,[17] the Imperial Navy recalled those former Republic light cruisers still in service. At the Kuat Drive Yards, they would undergo a mass refit as part of a service life extension program. The interior was effectively gutted and replaced with radically improved systems to maximize speed, agility, combat ability and power output. This generation of refits would be the first of the Arquitens-class command cruisers.[1] Those command cruisers could see further modifications under the Class 546 program, turning them into Class 546 Cruisers.[18]

Nevertheless, some unmodified light cruisers continued in the service of the Empire well into the Galactic Civil War. Serving as a transport, one Arquitens-class carrying credits confiscated from the Son-tuul Pride crime syndicate was hijacked in the Anthan system in 0 ABY;[19] for their investigation of the heist, Darth Vader and Inspector Thanoth also utilized a light cruiser.[20] Three of these ships also intercepted Princess Leia Organa's convoy after the Battle of Hoth.[21]

Behind the scenes[]

The Arquitens-class light cruiser first appeared in the The Clone Wars episode Grievous Intrigue. Although the ships seen in Star Wars: Commander are virtually identical to other Arquitens-class light cruisers, the bridge design is more reminiscent of a command cruiser.[source?]

The Arquitens-class light cruisers in Darth Vader (2015) 12 are incorrectly depicted as having bridges[22] similar to those of Imperial-class Star Destroyers.[23] "The Anti-Hero's Journey" in Star Wars Insider 217 erroneously calls Gideon's light cruiser an Arquitens-class light cruiser,[24] but it is actually a Class 546-modified Arquitens-class command cruiser.[18]

Appearances[]

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Sources[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Dawn of Rebellion
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Ultimate Star Wars
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 Rise of the Separatists
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Build the Millennium Falcon Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 60 (Starship Fact File: Arquitens-class Light Cruiser)
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Grievous Intrigue"
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Thrawn
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Star Wars Battlefront II
  8. Rise of the Separatists establishes that the Arquitens-class light cruiser was rushed into Galactic Republic service since the outbreak of the Clone Wars, dated to 22 BBY by Star Wars: Timelines, indicating that the Arquitens was introduced around the same year.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Darth Vader (2015) 7
  10. SWInsider "Galactic Tales: Saber Truth" — Star Wars Insider 210
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Escape from Kadavo"
  12. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "ARC Troopers"
  13. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Nightsisters"
  14. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Kidnapped"
  15. Armada Star Wars: ArmadaImperial Light Cruiser Expansion Pack (Card: Hand of Justice)
  16. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Unknown"
  17. "Rebel Resolve," the first appearance of the Arquitens-class command cruisers, directly follows the events of "Call to Action," which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates to 4 BBY. Dawn of Rebellion states the conversion to the command cruiser variant happened "several years ago". As the sourcebook's in-universe perspective is apparently around the time of Star Wars Rebels, it is assumed here that the conversion took "several years" before the cruisers first appearance.
  18. 18.0 18.1 Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy
  19. Darth Vader (2015) 8
  20. Darth Vader (2015) 9
  21. Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure
  22. Darth Vader (2015) 12
  23. Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
  24. SWInsider "The Anti-Hero's Journey" — Star Wars Insider 217
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