Cruiser analog
From Wookieepedia, the Star Wars wiki.
The term cruiser analog was a designation used by the New Republic to define a type of capital ships used by the Yuuzhan Vong. The designation included several distinct classes, notably the 1.2km Matalok.
Contents |
[edit] Characteristics
Like most Yuuzhan Vong warships, cruiser analogs were armed with volcano cannon batteries, and coralskipper starfighters deployed from branching launch arms.
Several different varieties of vessels were grouped together in the "cruiser analog" Category:References exist to "light cruiser analogs", "assault cruiser analogs" and "heavy cruiser analogs".
Specific Yuuzhan Vong types included under the wider designation certainly included the 1.2km Matalok, and probably the 740m Suuv Ban D'Krid. The much larger Kor Chokk "grand cruiser", comparable in size and firepower to a Super Star Destroyer, may also have been grouped into the cruiser analog category.
The Vua'spar and probably the Miid Ro'ik, however, were designated as destroyer analogs. Together, cruiser and destroyer analogs comprised the main fighting force of the largest Yuuzhan Vong fleets.
In spite of their relatively large size, many cruiser analogs were also capable of operating deep inside a planetary atmosphere, in direct support of ground troops.
It is likely that the "cruiser analog" designation correspond broadly to the standard cruiser designation used by the Galactic Empire and New Republic: combat warships more than 400 meters long that were not Star Destroyers.
This excluded most ships above ~850-900 meters, but some larger ships, like 1.2km Mon Calamari Star Cruisers and the 2km Invincible-class Dreadnaught Heavy Cruiser, were typically still referred to as cruisers.
[edit] History
Cruiser analogs appeared at most of the major engagements of the Yuuzhan Vong War.
At least four cruiser analogs fought at the First Battle of Duro, and at the Battle of Yag'Dhul, two heavy cruiser analogs pursued Corran Horn, Anakin Solo and Tahiri Veila as they escaped the system. It is not clear, however, what part of the overall fleet strength in these battles they represented.
Later, cruiser analogs and destroyer analogs together formed the backbone of the fleet in the Battle of the Black Bantha. The combined total of ships of these types was around one hundred, probably 10% of the complete fleet strength, and they formed a central core of heavily-armed warships, guarding the fleet's supply ships, and supported by outer screens of lighter frigate analogs and corvette analogs. It is likely that cruiser analogs from this fleet also played an important role in the Fall of Coruscant.
It is evident that cruiser analogs could also play a central role in high-level formations, as Wyrpuuk Cha used a Matalok as the command ship of his fleet in the Second Battle of Borleias. However, this is the only certain example of a cruiser analog being used in a command ship role, unless we count this designation as including the "grand cruiser" type to which Legacy of Torment and possibly Yammka's Mount belonged: all other evidence indicates the use of destroyer analogs and worldships.
As the Yuuzhan Vong moved to consolidate their conquests after Coruscant's capture, cruiser analogs were more often found deployed in pairs for probing missions, often as strike elements of larger fleets, though sometimes as detached taskforces.
Later in the Battle of Borleias, two light cruiser analogs made a strike against the New Republic positions on the surface, provoking a counterattack by Twin Suns Squadron and Rogue Squadron, in which one was driven off, and one destroyed. in the closing stages of the battle, two matalok cruiser analogs were destroyed by the Errant Venture.
Elsewhere, a pair of mataloks dropped low into the skies of Coruscant to investigate the disturbance caused by Lord Nyax, and a pair of cruisers were also the core capital ship force of Commander Ekh'm Val's squadron, which located and attacked Zonama Sekot.
A number of cruiser analogs also fought in the Battle of Borosk, and at least one was present at the Battle of Esfandia.
In the closing stages of the war, cruiser analogs played a role in the major fleet actions comparable to that which they had performed at the Black Bantha and Coruscant. In the Battle of Mon Calamari they were again grouped with destroyer analogs, plus yammosk carriers and fleet tenders, in the center of the fleet formation, with picket ships and coralskippers deployed in screening formations that resembled the arms of a yammosk or indeed a spiral galaxy.
This large formation was capable of segmenting into smaller battlegroups, and this tactic was repeated during the Liberation of Coruscant, where cruiser analogs played a prominent role in the groups sent against the Fourth Fleet and Zonama Sekot.
[edit] Behind the scenes
- The term "cruiser analog" is first used in Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial; however, the back matter of the Vector Prime e-book identifies the ships described as "cruiser-sized" in Balance Point as belonging to this type.
- The cruiser analog is explicitly equated with the Matalok in Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream, Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand, and The Unifying Force.
[edit] Appearances
- Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial (First appearance) (First identified as light cruiser analog)
- Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse (First identified as heavy cruiser analog)
- Balance Point
- Edge of Victory II: Rebirth
- Star by Star (First identified as cruiser analog)
- Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream (First identified as Matalok)
- Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand
- The Unifying Force (First identified as assault cruiser analog)
[edit] Sources
