Battlecruiser or battle cruiser was a formal designation usually reserved for the largest and strongest warships in a fleet, that were not battleships. In informal use, it was often reserved for various types of warships, along with "cruiser".^[1]

Contents 1 History 2 Known battlecruiser designs 2.1 Bulwark-class battle cruiser 2.2 Centurion-class battlecruiser 2.3 Kaloth-class battlecruiser 2.4 Mediator-class battle cruiser 2.5 Nova-class battle cruiser 2.6 Praetor-class Star Battlecruiser 2.7 Procurator-class Star Battlecruiser 2.8 Scythe-class main battle cruiser 2.9 Shree-class battle cruiser 2.10 Star Destroyer-class battlecruiser 2.11 Tagge battlecruiser 3 Appearances 4 Sources 5 Notes and references 6 External links

HistoryEdit

Most battlecruisers differed from battleships by being slightly smaller in size and having less armor, sacrificing it to attain greater speed. A prime example was the Star Destroyer-class^[2] and Tagge battlecruisers used by the Galactic Empire,^[3] as well as the Scythe-class main battle cruiser employed by the Galactic Alliance Core Fleet.^[4]

Due to different cultural norms and design-capabilities, some vessels bore the designation of "battlecruiser" while serving as frigate-analogs on a galactic scale, like the Kaloth-class battlecruiser^[5] and the Hapes-built Nova-class battle cruiser.^[6] Others were comparable in size to the Star Destroyers of the Galactic Republic and the Galactic Empire, like the Centurion-class.^[7]

Some battlecruiser models went by the alternate designation of "Star Battlecruiser". Kuat Drive Yards was one of the yards notable for constructing this type.

Known battlecruiser designsEdit

Bulwark-class battle cruiserEdit

The Bulwark-class was used for a series of battlecruiser designs from TransGalMeg Industries. The 1 kilometer long Bulwark Mark I served the Confederacy of Independent Systems, while a later, larger model was used by the Rebel Alliance as a command ship.

Centurion-class battlecruiserEdit

The 1,200 meter long Centurion-class served as command ships in the Republic Navy and Sith Empire of Darth Revan, taking the role earlier filled by the larger Inexpugnable-class tactical command ships.

Kaloth-class battlecruiserEdit

The 307 meter Kaloth-class was a small warship built by the Kaloth. It was only used by pirates and slavers a few decades after its introduction.

Mediator-class battle cruiserEdit

The Mediator-class was a heavy warship that was built and fielded by the Mon Calamari. It was only eclipsed in New Republic service by their Star Defenders and Super Star Destroyers.

Nova-class battle cruiserEdit

The 400 meter Nova-class was a light Hapes warship used to support the Hapan Battle Dragons.

Praetor-class Star BattlecruiserEdit

The Praetor-class was a heavy Imperial warship with reactor equipment that eclipsed that on contemporary Star Destroyer designs.

Procurator-class Star BattlecruiserEdit

The Procurator-class was a heavy design that protected the Kuat sector alongside their Star Dreadnoughts.

Scythe-class main battle cruiserEdit

The Scythe-class was a heavily armed and armored battlecruiser design, serving in the Galactic Alliance Defense Fleet during the Sith–Imperial War. It was well-armored enough to withstand barrages of turbolaser fire from multiple Star Destroyers and Ardent-class fast frigates.

Shree-class battle cruiserEdit

The main warship of the Ssi-ruuvi Imperium, the 900 meter long Shree-class was a rounded warship design that could hold 500 Swarm-class battle droids.

Star Destroyer-class battlecruiserEdit

The Star Destroyer-class was a term used for several big wedge-shaped Star Destroyer designs. These ships had smaller dimensions than the Executor-class Star Dreadnought.

Tagge battlecruiserEdit

This line of battlecruisers belonged to the House of Tagge and was pledged to aid the Imperial warships blockading the Gordian Reach after the Battle of Yavin in 0 ABY. The presence of the Tagge warships and their commander, General Ulric Tagge, allowed family patriarch Orman Tagge to conduct private operations under the Empire's radar.

AppearancesEdit

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Storm Over Ryloth"
• "Maze Run"—Star Wars Insider 131
• Star Wars 7: New Planets, New Perils (First appearance)
• Star Wars 11: Star Search
• Star Wars 12: Doomworld
• Star Wars 13: Day of the Dragon Lords
• Star Wars 14: The Sound of Armageddon
• Star Wars 15: Star Duel
• Star Wars 21: Shadow of a Dark Lord
• Star Wars 22: To the Last Gladiator
• Star Wars 23: Flight Into Fury
• Star Wars 29: Dark Encounter
• Star Wars 31: Return to Tatooine
• Star Wars 33: Saber Clash
• Star Wars 35: Dark Lord's Gambit
• Star Wars 36: Red Queen Rising
• Star Wars 37: In Mortal Combat
• Star Wars: Rebellion
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
• The Bounty Hunter Wars
• The Truce at Bakura
• The Courtship of Princess Leia
• I, Jedi
• Specter of the Past
• Vision of the Future
• Vector Prime
• Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial
• Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse
• The Unifying Force
• Star Wars: Legacy 8: Allies

SourcesEdit

• Galaxy Guide 9: Fragments from the Rim
• The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
• The Truce at Bakura Sourcebook
• Cracken's Threat Dossier
• Attack of the Clones: Incredible Cross-Sections
• The Official Star Wars Fact File
• The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
• Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Trilogy
• Revenge of the Sith: Incredible Cross-Sections
• Star Wars: Complete Locations
• The New Essential Chronology
• Dark Horse editor discusses the Scythe-class
• Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia

Notes and referencesEdit

External linksEdit

Battlecruiser on Wikipedia