The Bellator-class dreadnought was a warship in the Imperial Navy.

Contents 1 Description 2 History 3 Behind the scenes 4 Appearances 5 Sources 6 Notes and references 7 External links

DescriptionEdit

The Bellator-class was a model of dreadnought based on the earlier Mandator-class and Mandator II-class dreadnoughts. It was 800 meters shorter, essentially a scaled-down version of the Mandators. Built for speed, it sacrificed armaments to gain higher velocities than its Mandator-class predecessors. This philosophy separated it from its cousin, the Mandator III-class dreadnought, which was built to be larger and more heavily armed than the previous Mandators.^[1]

The Bellator-class had two reactors that protruded underneath the superstructure. The class was also marked with a ridge-structure in front of its command tower. The tower itself was similar to the towers on a number of other Imperial warships, like the Imperial-class Star Destroyer and the Executor-class Star Dreadnought. The dorsal surface mounted a large array of weapons.^[2]

HistoryEdit

The Bellator-class was a design based on the Mandator- and Mandator II-classes. It diverged from its predecessors by being shorter and faster and the design was referred to in the Imperial Military as a "fast dreadnought".^[1]

Several Bellator-class dreadnoughts were observed being serviced and refueled at the Naval Station Validusia. At least one Bellator-class was involved in a fleet exercise that involved an Altor-class replenishment ship refuelling an Assertor-class Star Dreadnought and an Allegiance-class battlecruiser simultanously. At some point prior to the Battle of Hoth, Captain Firmus Piett and Admiral Kendal Ozzel of Death Squadron observed several Bellators that were part of a fleet gathering.^[2]

At least one Bellator-class dreadnought appeared to be in service with the New Republic during the Thrawn Crisis, flying in formation alongside a fleet of Imperial-class Star Destroyers adorned with the New Republic logo, as well as a Procursator-class Star Destroyer. The fleet was joined by the Heroes of Yavin, flying in the Millennium Falcon.^[2]

During Luke Skywalker's capture and transport to Byss in 10 ABY, a Bellator-class vessel was present during a fleet maneuver of various Star Destroyers around the planet.^[3]

Behind the scenesEdit

This design originated as a fanon vessel made by Ansel Hsiao, basing his design on a background vessel from Dark Empire 2: Devastator of Worlds, which was cataloged by Curtis Saxton as "anonymous star cruiser #5" on his fansite.^[4] The name of its class is the Latin word for "warrior."

When approached by Lucasfilm Licensing to provide artwork for The Essential Guide to Warfare, Hsiao submitted his own designs in addition to new models, along with their names. The names were recorded in LFL's Holocron continuity database, according to the artist. ^[5] In the seventh endnotes post by Jason Fry, the vessel is given the name Bellator-class dreadnought and is referred to as a "fast dreadnought". Jason gives several facts about the class as well as others done by Hsiao, which is now official information.^[1] The design can be seen in two paintings, both by Tommy Lee Edwards. The latter of which uses a picture from Hsiao's personal gallery as a background, where the ship appears as one of the ships closest to the bridge (the rear being partially obscured by Ozzel's head), and another of the same class being a brief distance away facing the bridge.^[6][7] The Hsiao picture in question was named "Strategic Reserve."

AppearancesEdit

• Dark Empire 2: Devastator of Worlds (First appearance) (Retcon)

SourcesEdit

• Dark Empire Sourcebook
• Handbook 3: Dark Empire
• The Official Star Wars Fact File 93 (Picture only)
• The Essential Guide to Warfare (Picture only)
• Jason Fry's tumblr account - EG to Warfare Endnotes Pt. 7. (First identified as Bellator-class dreadnought)

Notes and referencesEdit

External linksEdit

• Ansel Hsiao's gallery including the Bellator-class Star Battlecruiser.
• Jason Fry's tumblr account - EG to Warfare Endnotes Pt. 7.