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Death Squadron

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Several of Death Squadron's ships, including the Executor.

Death Squadron was the codename applied to Darth Vader's personal fleet of Star Destroyers following the Battle of Yavin, led by the Super Star Destroyer Executor. The fleet, designed to instill terror in dissidents of the Empire's New Order, was in fact tasked with locating and destroying the Rebel Alliance headquarters. Moreover, Vader used his fleet in a more personal mission to find and capture his son, Luke Skywalker. Death Squadron represented the largest fleet of warships ever gathered in the history of the galaxy.

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[edit] Composition

About half a dozen or so Imperial-class Star Destroyers comprised Death Squadron at any one time, while Vader or the fleet's admiral could reassign ships from other fleets to Death Squadron whenever needed. Likewise, ships assigned to Death Squadron could be sent off from the main fleet on reconnaissance missions when appropriate.[1]

The centerpiece of Death Squadron was Vader's flagship, the Super Star Destroyer Executor, while a number of smaller vessels routinely acted as support ships, primarily including the Imperial-class Star Destroyers Accuser, Adjudicator, Avenger, Devastator, Stalker, and the Tyrant. Together, Death Squadron was the most powerful assemblage of warships in galactic history.[2][3]

Famed units attached to the fleet included Colonel Evir Derricote's 181st Imperial Fighter Group,[source?] Major General Maximilian Veers' Blizzard Force[3] and elements of Stormtrooper Commander Bow's 501st Legion.[source?]

[edit] History

The Star Destroyers Avenger, Adjudicator, and Stalker of Death Squadron in defensive orbit of the second Death Star over Endor.

Darth Vader formed Death Squadron after the Imperial defeat at the Battle of Yavin. For three years, Death Squadron hunted the Rebel Alliance from system to system under the command of Admiral Kendal Ozzel, mercilessly crushing any Rebel forces it encountered. Eventually, a probe droid launched by the Stalker succeeded in locating the Rebel Alliance base of operations on the ice world of Hoth.[4]

After participating in the space and ground battles at Hoth, Death Squadron pursued the Millennium Falcon, which was lost in the Hoth asteroid belt.[4]

One year later, Death Squadron, under the command of Admiral Firmus Piett, served as the core of the Imperial fleet at the Battle of Endor.[5] During the battle, Devastator and Executor[5] were destroyed, and a number of ships were captured. With the death of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, the unit was disbanded.

[edit] Ships under Vader's command

[edit] Executor-class Star Dreadnoughts

[edit] Imperial-class Star Destroyers

[edit] Victory-class Star Destroyers

[edit] Known officers

[edit] Appearances

[edit] Sources

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ↑ The Official Star Wars Fact File 4 (HOT2, The Battle of Hoth)
  2. ↑ Star Wars: Behind the Magic
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back, Second Edition
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
  6. ↑ The Essential Atlas
  7. ↑ Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Special Edition Limited (Card: Vengeance)
  8. ↑ "A World to Conquer" - Star Wars Adventure Journal 2
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