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Death Squadron
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- "Deploy the fleet so that nothing gets off that system."
- ―Darth Vader to Admiral Piett
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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Composition
Edit

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.[2]
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. Together, Death Squadron was the most powerful assemblage of warships in galactic history.[3][4]
Famed units attached to the fleet included Baron Soontir Fel's 181st Imperial Fighter Group,[5][6] Major General Maximilian Veers' Blizzard Force[4] and elements of Stormtrooper Commander Bow's 501st Legion.[7]
Ships
Edit
Death Squadron consisted of the Executor and five Star Destroyers (the Avenger, Stalker, Conquest, Tyrant and Devastator), though Vader and Admiral Ozzel had authority to temporarily attach other fleets' ships when it was necessary.[8]
Executor-class Star Dreadnoughts
Edit
Imperial-class Star Destroyers
Edit
- Accuser[9] (temporarily)[8]
- Adjudicator[3] (temporarily)[8]
- Avenger[1][8]
- Conquest[8]
- Devastator[4][8]
- Stalker[1][8]
- Tyrant[1][8]
- Vengeance II[10] (temporarily)[8]
Victory-class Star Destroyers
Edit
History
Edit

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.[1]
After participating in the space and ground battles at Hoth, Death Squadron pursued the Millennium Falcon, which was lost in the Hoth asteroid belt.[1]
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.[12] During the battle, Devastator and Executor[12] were destroyed, and a number of ships were captured. With the deaths of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, the unit was disbanded.
Known officers
Edit
- Supreme Commander Darth Vader[1]
- Admiral Amise Griff
- Admiral Kendal Ozzel[1]
- Captain/Admiral Firmus Piett[1]
- Admiral Okins
- Captain Lorth Needa[1]
- Captain Xamuel Lennox[1]
- Captain Venka
- Lieutenant Cabbel[1]
- Major General Maximilian Veers[1]
- Brigadier Nevar
- Colonel Freja Covell
- Colonel Starck
- Colonel Evir Derricote
- Colonel Soontir Fel
- Major Turr Phennir
- Lieutenant Arnet
Appearances
Edit

- Race for Survival
- The Final Trap
- Splinter of the Mind's Eye 3
"Galaxywide NewsNets"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 13 (Mentioned only)
- Payback: The Tale of Dengar
- Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back novel (First appearance)
- Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
- Classic Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back book
- Star Wars 39: The Empire Strikes Back: Beginning
- Star Wars 40: The Empire Strikes Back: Battleground Hoth
- Star Wars 41: The Empire Strikes Back: Imperial Pursuit
- Star Wars 42: The Empire Strikes Back: To Be a Jedi
- Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back arcade game
- Star Wars: X-wing Alliance
- Murder on the Executor
- Star Wars: TIE Fighter
- Star Wars 51: Resurrection of Evil
- Star Wars 63: The Mind Spider
- Star Wars 76: Artoo-Detoo to the Rescue
- Shadows of the Empire (novel)
- Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
- X-wing Rogue Squadron 25: The Making of Baron Fel
- The Last Command (Indirect mention only)
Sources
Edit
- The Empire Strikes Back Official Poster Monthly 2
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Pack: Death Squad Commander)
- The Star Wars Sourcebook
"Galaxywide NewsNets"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 12
"Galaxywide NewsNets"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 14
- Imperial Sourcebook, Second Edition
- Rebel Alliance Sourcebook, Second Edition
- Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back
"A World to Conquer"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 2
- Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi, Second Edition
- Anakin Skywalker: The Story of Darth Vader
- Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Trilogy
- Star Wars: Complete Locations
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Death Star II Limited (Card: Captain Jonus)
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Dagobah Limited (Card: Avenger)
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Hoth Limited (Card: Admiral Ozzel)
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Hoth Limited (Card: Death Squadron)
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Hoth Limited (Card: Imperial Domination)
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Hoth Limited (Card: Stalker)
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Hoth Limited (Card: Tyrant)
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Hoth Limited (Card: You Have Failed Me For The Last Time)
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Special Edition Limited (Card: Vengeance)
Star Wars Trading Card Game – The Empire Strikes Back (Card: 3,720 to 1) (Picture only)
Star Wars Trading Card Game – The Empire Strikes Back (Card: Admiral Kendal Ozzel)
Star Wars Trading Card Game – The Empire Strikes Back (Card: Outmaneuver Them) (Picture only)
Star Wars Trading Card Game – The Empire Strikes Back (Card: Blockade)
Star Wars Trading Card Game – The Empire Strikes Back (Card: Imperial Fleet)
Star Wars Trading Card Game – The Empire Strikes Back (Card: Rebel Escape Squad) (Picture only)
The Dark Forces Saga, Part 6 on Wizards.com (original article link, backup links 1 2 on Archive.org)
Galactic Gazetteer: Hoth and the Greater Javin on Wizards.com (original article link, backup links 1 2 on Archive.org) (Indirect mention only)
- Starships of the Galaxy, Saga Edition
- Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 5
- Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 7
- Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 10
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- The Essential Atlas
Notes and references
Edit
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
- ↑ The Official Star Wars Fact File 4 (HOT2, The Battle of Hoth)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Star Wars: Behind the Magic
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back, Second Edition
- ↑ X-wing Rogue Squadron 25: The Making of Baron Fel
- ↑ Death Star II Limited
- ↑ Order 66: Destroy All Jedi
- ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 The Essential Atlas
- ↑ The New Essential Guide to Characters
- ↑
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Special Edition Limited (Card: Vengeance) - ↑
"A World to Conquer"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 2 - ↑ 12.0 12.1 Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi